The delicious smells from the kitchen filled the house. Eleanor had once again cooked amazing meals, aromas spreading everywhere.
"Sweetie, go call your sister, dinner's ready," Eleanor said to Maria.
Maria, lying on the couch, was completely absorbed in her phone, looking frustrated, hands gripping the device as if it might break. Eleanor added salt and oil to the salad, noticing that her daughter didn't respond, still lying there without moving. She called again.
"Who am I even talking to?"
"Heeey, sweetie, I'm talking to you, don't you hear me?"
"Heyyy, guess who in the family is both beautiful and deaf?"
"MARIA!" Eleanor shouted. After trying everything else, this was her last resort.
Startled, Maria lifted her head slightly, turning off her phone screen, and asked, "What's going on, Mom? Why are you yelling?"
"Don't you hear me, sweetie? I've been calling you for two hours. Go call your sister, come eat."
"Ufff!" Maria groaned, getting up from the couch and heading toward the upstairs stairs. "Why is this dumb girl always closing her door? I don't understand what she's hiding!"
As Maria climbed the stairs, Eleanor called after her, "Speak properly to your sister!"
"Whatever!" Maria replied.
Julia was in her room, listening to music, thinking about last night. "Fuck!" she thought. The night had been perfect, then Maria came in, yanking her away from Brian's arms into another world. The Brian-Maria fight had also pushed her further away.
Suddenly, Maria stormed into the room. "Why's this fucking door closed all the fucking time?!" she demanded.
"None of your business!" Julia shot back.
"Get up, we're going to dinner. Oh, sorry, were you about to go eat with Mr. Serial Killer?" Maria asked, standing at the threshold, not stepping into Julia's pink room.
"What'd you just say?" Julia got up from her bed, approaching her sister.
"What, did I hurt your feelings or something?" Maria taunted.
Julia stopped just short of Maria. "The court proved he's not a killer, you idiot!" she snapped.
"Oh, really? Sorry, Miss Julia. My bad, I spoke out of turn," Maria said sarcastically.
"Get the fuck out, Maria. Get the fuck out of my room!" Julia shouted.
"Get the fuck out, did you just say that to me?!" Maria advanced toward Julia.
"All I did last night was protect you, watch over you. And you come at me telling me to fuck off?"
"Protect me? You embarrassed me. I like him, okay?"
"Yeah, yeah, you like him. You liked Dylan too, didn't you? Am I wrong?" Maria said.
"Fuck off, Maria. Please, just fuck off and leave me alone," Julia said, tears forming.
"Don't you dare say Dylan's name again," Julia warned.
"What, if I do?" Julia stepped back a few steps as Maria advanced. "Does hearing the name of the guy you used to sleep with every night hurt that much?!"
Julia turned away sharply. "GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY ROOM!" she screamed.
"Are you my twin, or my enemy?!" She kept yelling, furious. Eleanor, hearing the commotion, rushed upstairs. "What's going on? Why are you shouting?!"
"Nothing, Mom, just arguing. Some people don't realize how loved they are," Maria said, leaving the room. "Spoiled brat," she muttered quietly as she went down the stairs.