Childhood
I was inspired by @nevershoutnani ‘s little fic about Melone’s childhood a while back to write something about Marques and Fari’s childhood but i was scared to write it until yesterday when I started this. This does have abuse and if you are sensitive to the subject of abuse I’d recommend skipping this.
“Fari, I’m scared.” Angling her head down slightly to look at her younger brother, Fari quirked her eyebrow. “I didn’t do too good on my report card in one of my classes” Marques clarified. Fari doubted he did poorly by anyone’s standards besides their mother’s, but that’s why he was so nervous. Holding her hand out she told Marques, “Let me see.” Putting the paper in her hands the slightly smaller boy waited to see what she had to say. She was right, he didn’t do badly. All As, one A-, and one B- in mathematics. She doubted he could ask for extra credit without his teacher asking too many questions and trying to comfort him by saying it’s a perfectly acceptable grade to have and he couldn’t throw the paper away like she does; the punishment would be more severe and be towards the both of them. She tried to think of a solution to help her brother but nothing that would actually work came to mind. ‘Shit, neither of us should be scared over a dumb B- but here we are...’ is all she could think while looking at her brother, he was almost on the verge of tears. “I think the most we can do it prepare for the worst.” A sad, “Ok.” is all she got in return. Trying to comfort him Fari said, “Someday we won’t have to worry about things like this.”
“Really?! A B- is the best you could do?!” Standing in the kitchen stood the two kids, Marques with his head hung low while Fari stood as straight and confident as she could, both trying not to flinch at their mother’s raised voice. “And you! You threw away your report card again didn’t you!” “Yes ma’am”
*SMACK*
“Don’t. Do. That. Again.” “...” “Did you hear me?!” Through a stinging cheek and gridded teeth, the young girl responded, “Yes ma’am.” Yes, she heard the order but they both knew she wasn’t going to listen, but that didn’t stop Mrs. Temple from pretending her daughter would. “Good, now you...” looking towards her son as he flinched away in fear Mrs. Temple continued, “you know you need to be the very best yet THIS is what you bring back? A disgra- “the older woman stopped speaking to look at the girl who started mumbling under her breath. “Is there something you want to add, Fari?” Straightening her back, Fari repeated herself, knowing full well what was going to happen when she did. “School is about learning and he’s learning, if he wasn’t, he’d have a F not a B- “
A loud *SMACK* went through the air again. “You know full well that As are what I expect from both of you, NO EXCEPTIONS!” Glaring down at the girl she gave birth to, Mrs. Temple started to speak again, “I believe it would be wise for you to go to your room, especially if you plan on continuing your interruptions.” She said it as if it was a suggestion but they all knew it was an order, an order that would have even more consequences if disobeyed. Looking forward with two stinging cheeks Fari walked to the stairs that lead to the upstairs bedrooms. “When I’m done with your brother, I will come get you, understood?” Still looking forward Fari responded will a curt “Yes ma’am”
When she got to the stairs, she heard a whimper, alerting her that the woman they called mother had forcefully grabbed her baby brother’s arm. Fari gripped the rail to stop herself from turning around and doing something she’d regret. After she started to walk up the stairs Mrs. Temple responded to her son’s sound of distress, “Don’t give me that, when you don’t meet exceptions you get punished. That’s how the world works, do you understand” A quiet “Yes ma’am” was all Fari heard before the door to the garage slammed shut and she finally let the tears stream down her face. She ‘This won’t be forever’ chanted in her heard like a mantra, hoping her thoughts reached the boy in the garage. Maybe it will end sooner if their father came back to the family he left years ago but Fari doubted it.