Rarely did the retort of her brother’s words phase her. While Pandora was the one to make the dry disdain towards her brother, it had no ill-will or meaning. Never did she actually mean that she hated him. Sometimes it would’ve been easiest to let him riot with the consequences of his choices but the younger sister wouldn’t allow that to happen. Even if it meant she had to pick up and further guide him to the light, considering her own struggles with her life recently overpowered her and made her an unwelcoming presence, then this was the purpose of the moment. Seafoam hues rolled at the childish moment, one of the many between the siblings, and surely it wouldn’t be the last to come. It’s how they operated with each other. Being the other’s saving grace when times were needed. “I feel like sometimes you do need a lecture for the fucks of it, Matty,” she brittle tone had no time for playing around. The woman did not have time for bullshit nor drama. Considering their mother had decided to sign them up for a reality television show, which she had no fascination being apart, and was attempting to save his ass for any mercy from the tabloids. Gripping to the steer-wheel with all of her will-power, her knuckles were gravely gasping for circulation but nothing of the such will happen. “Seriously, do you just love to fuck things up when you have everything you’ve wanted in this world?” After all, her brother was loved by many. It still seemed like it wasn’t enough.
Of course, a retort in her less than welcoming tone came from the other. All she could do is roll her hues before snickering. “What crawled up my ass?” A pause, only shooting momentary hues in his direction. A ‘hm’ rolled through her lips to build the emphasis of her words. “Let me think… a lot of fucking things. I wish it was easy for me to know what the fuck I want to do and have some guidance with what I want. Sadly, I can’t even get our parents to take two seconds from their fucking lives, on top of this whole reality television show being in our faces, to have a conversation with them about a direction or guidance.” The irritation in her tone did not mean to be directed toward Mathieu. He was in the fault. His scenario should not be overshadowed by Pandora’s lack of assistance in her complex life. Considering he was the only person in her vicinity, it was easiest to take it out on someone else. A cavernous sigh rolled from her lips, “Fine, I’m sorry.” Spoken through a mutter. “You had every right to step in and help them out. But you have to understand there are reasons why I am tough on you because you’re too good to be continuing this lifestyle that you are doing. Got it?” And this was the final point that needed to be inserted because Pandora wanted to move on already. Her own well-being and her own worries had coursed into the atmosphere. If she could’ve gone back, she would’ve salvaged Matty from knowing the complications circulating through her conscience. All she could do was nod in his direction once hearing he was okay. That should’ve been the first thing she asked but today was clearly not her day. The female was drowning and attempting to stay afloat but every day, it seemed like it was failing her. “You’re not going to handle it alone even if I am being the biggest bitch in the entire world right now,” she interjected words instantaneously. Turning onto their road in Ventura, the drive up the hill always left her speechless at the estates occupying both sides of the road. It was like they were in their own sector of the world. “What were the charges?”
There was no one on the planet Mathieu cherished quite like his younger sister. When their parents sat the young boy down to inform him of their growing family, they had been hesitate, treading the topic carefully. Clearly apprehensive toward what his reaction would be of having to suddenly share their unwavering attention but Matty defied all expectations by being excited rather than annoyed or upset. Never had there been a moment of Pandora’s existence, even when she was but a fetus in their mother’s stomach, where he hadn’t loved her fiercely but that love also meant they fought just as often as they got along. Usually her words of annoyance barely pierced through his thick skin but he was more sensitive than usual. “Congratulations, Pandora. You figured me out. There’s nothing I love more fucking things up!” The words roll off his tongue dripping in sarcasm as he reaches for the jacket he had thrown into the backseat upon entering the car. “Maybe if you’re lucky I’ll fuck up enough to get exiled somewhere in Antarctica like Claire’s always threatening. I’m sure your life would be much easier if that happened.” Fingers busy themselves digging through the pockets for his phone and airpods. If Pandora was set on spending the rest of the drive nagging him than he would just drown her out with music. It was the second time in the last five minutes she had told him he had ‘everything’ and it was starting to seriously get on his nerves. What did she even mean by that? Did she not have everything he had?
Mathieu just barely gets a headphone in his ear, ready to childishly block his sister out all together, when the next words out of her mouth give him a reason to pause. His arm frozen in mid-air as she rapidly fires a list of things toward him in a heated manner. Letting the second headphone fall into the cupholder the blonde leans back into his seat with a sigh, jacket forgotten in his lap while his mind raced. In an instant his irritation shifts to concern and guilt, hazel hues returning her short lived gaze before they are back on the road. "You’ve got to learn to communicate better,” he commented with a humorless laugh. A headache threatening to split his head in half even as he tried to find words to soothe his sister’s restless heart. She hadn’t asked for any but he wasn’t the type of person to let that stop him. “Let’s get one thing clear, you don’t need Claire or Topher to figure out what you want to do with your life. That’s an answer that comes when it comes, Pandy.” It may not have seemed like it but it was probably much better for his sister that she found her own path rather than be designated one by their parents. Were Topher and Claire perfect? No, far from it. But at the very least they weren’t the kind of parents who planned every aspect of their lives. Rolling his neck to release the tension building there Matty adjusts himself for the umteenth time before continuing his train of thought.
“Also you’re putting too much pressure on yourself. Pandora, you’re twenty-five, who in the world even told you that you have to have everything figured out already?” Lord knew that if Mathieu hadn’t accidentally found an outlet in hockey that he would be in similar shoes. The only difference was that he didn’t think he would care nearly as much as his sister did. If he had no income of his own he would’ve been more than happy to blow Topher’s money instead. Hell, even with a income of his own he liked to blow Topher’s money. “If you think you’re the only person on Catalina Island who doesn’t know what they want to do with their lives, you’re mistaken. Come on, you think these women grew up wanting to be on a reality show? No, they literally just have nothing else to do with their time.” Matty offered with playfully brush of his shoulder against Pandora’s flashing her a boyish smile as he did it. “If that’s not an example of even grown ass adults not having shit figured out then I don’t know what is. I guess what I’m saying is that you’ve got time Pandora. Breathe.” He couldn’t do much about the cameras or what Claire signed their family up for but he could be there for Pandora, when she let him be that is. “Before you know it you’ll have a career that’s more successful than anything the rest of us in this family have done.” He didn’t need a crystal ball to see that Pandora was going to outshine all of them when she eventually found what she wanted to do. ”Until then, enjoy the fucking journey. If you spend your present worrying about your future than won’t that just make your present miserable?” They were opposites in that way. Pandora cared too much about her future and Mathieu cared too little. “Apology accepted but like I said, I’ll handle it by myself. You can’t keep bailing me out, I’ll be fine. Just...next time something is bugging you instead of chewing me out, talk to me. I’m not like our parents, I’ll always have time for you.”
