Chapter Two – The Neglected Cries
The days that followed blurred into the same rhythm: Elara's small voice lost amongst the louder laughter, her tiny needs drowned out by Lina's demands.
But some moments cut deeper than others, and they never left her.
The morning light poured into the kitchen, warm and golden. The smell of eggs and butter filled the air.
"Lina, sweetheart, eat slowly," her mother coaxed, sliding a plate of pancakes in front of her. "You'll choke if you rush."
Lina giggled, her cheeks puffed with food. Her father ruffled her hair, beaming with pride.
She smiled and giggled even more looking at her dad with happiness
Elara sat at the far end of the table in a high chair, legs dangling. Her tray was empty. She stared at the plate in front of Lina, the syrup dripping down the edges, her stomach twisting painfully.
She didn't cry ,she didn't even move at all,she just stared at Lina ,with some kind of expectation and hope that it'll be her turn soon ,then *crack* she fell from the high chair ,no one rushed to pick her up her mom's eye only twitched in annoyance ,oh this girl is so annoying what's the matter now don't tell me she fell cause she's hungry and has lost stamina ,urgh
Her father waved a dismissive hand. "She'll be fine. She doesn't need to eat as much as Lina. Look how small she is—her stomach's tiny."
Elara layed flat on the floor and after what seemed to be a moment of silence and observing she burst into a loud cry
Her mother snapped, "Quiet, Elara! Don't you see we're busy?"
Tears pricked her eyes. She swallowed them back, afraid crying would make them angrier I guess ,just baby instincts she has . Across the table, Lina licked her syrupy fingers, catching Elara's gaze with a smug grin. She raised a forkful of pancake, then shoved it into her mouth slowly, deliberately, as if to say this is mine, not yours.
Elara looked away, her cheeks hot with shame. Her stomach growled loud in the silence, and her father chuckled.
"See? She's like a stray cat begging for scraps. We can't spoil her every time she mews."
They laughed together.
Elara lowered her head, the taste of hunger heavy in her throat.
That evening, steam filled the bathroom. The lavender soap swirled in the tub as her mother hummed softly, running a washcloth over Lina's chubby arms.
"There, there, darling. Nice and warm, hm?" she cooed, lifting Lina out carefully, wrapping her in a fluffy towel. Her father kissed Lina's forehead, murmuring, "Our precious girl. Smells like roses."
Elara sat shivering on the tiled floor, still waiting. Water droplets slid down her bare legs. She hugged her knees to her chest, watching the steam fade into the ceiling.
Her mother barely glanced at her. "All right, quick then," she muttered, dunking Elara into the lukewarm water left behind. The bubbles were gone, the warmth too. Soap stung her eyes as rough hands scrubbed her skin.
"Don't squirm, Elara," her mother scolded. "You're making this take longer."
Elara gasped when cold water ran down her neck. "
Her father sighed, leaning in the doorway. "Why fuss over her? Just rinse and be done. Lina's already dressed for bed. Don't waste time."
So her mother did. A single rinse, quick and careless. She yanked Elara from the tub, barely patting her dry before shoving her into thin pajamas. Her hair, still dripping, plastered against her cheeks.
Elara watched Lina snuggled on the couch in a soft blanket, her hair brushed smooth, smelling of lavender. Elara shivered by the door, skin prickled with goosebumps.
She curled into a corner ,
No one answered.
The next Sunday, the house was alive with chatter. Relatives had come, arms full of packages. The living room glittered with shiny gift wrap and ribbons.
"Oh, look at our beautiful Lina!" one aunt exclaimed, sweeping her into a hug. "You're growing into such a fine young lady!"
Lina squealed with delight as gifts piled up in her lap: dolls, dresses, hair ribbons in every color.
Elara sat quietly on the floor near the corner, looking curiously ,wondering who all these jolly looking people are,she crawled up to the couch ,and then *oof*she fell no one no one at all saw her ,no one noticed that she had just crawled
She edged closer, eyes wide, waiting.
But no one looked her way.
"Doesn't she look just like her mother?" another relative gushed. "So elegant already!"
Her father's chest swelled with pride. "She'll do great things. We've invested so much in her future."
Elara's hope dimmed. The gifts towered around Lina, and still none were handed to her.
She cried in slight pain cause she just bumped her leg on the foot of the couch
Her mother's head snapped around. "Elara! Don't be rude. Sit quietly. You should be grateful to even be here."
Elaras eyes were teary but she stopped crying,she looked around and then her eyes landed on her dad's he shot her a dead shot eye ,she smiled something about that wasn't clear to her at all ,well she was just a baby then ,she didn't know whether to cry or smile,her smile was so soft ,cute ,sweet,and lovely but no matter
Lina unwrapped a doll with golden curls and turned it so Elara could see. "This one's mine," she said sweetly, her voice dipped in mock kindness.
Elara smiled faintly, though her heart cracked. She hugged her knees and turned her face to the wall, where no one could see the tears rolling down.
That night, when the visitors were gone and the house was quiet again, Elara lay in bed staring at the ceiling. Her stomach still ached from missing meals, her skin still chilled from her rushed bath.
Her cries were silent this time.
Silent—but heavy enough to echo in the emptiness inside her.