“ Happy birthday, Andrea”

Anastasia....

" Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday dear Andrea! Happy birthday to you! Yeep yeep! Hooray!" My grandma and I sang out immediately after my little brother walked out his room, shirtless and rubbing his eyes.

" Oh, thank you. It is a joyful day indeed," he said in his deep voice.

" Happy birthday Andrea," I cheered, walking over to him and giving him a box wrapped in white and blue paper.

" What's in here?" He asks while raising his bushy eyebrows.

" Open it," I said, waiting impatiently.

" Nonna?" He asked my grandma.

" Open it, Andrea!" She also whined.

He gave us a suspicious look and then sighed. He tore the wrapping paper as if I had not spent two whole hours last night trying to figure out how I was supposed to do it. All my hard work is gone. Only pieces of the wrap float down towards the floor. He then looked at the packaging and grinned.

"An Xbox?" He asked softly, but since he had a deep voice, it seemed like he was talking normally.

"You like it?" I asked nervously.

"Like? I love it!" He said, engulfing me in his bulky arms, laying my head exactly right under his chin.

"I'm happy," I softly said.

"Thanks sis," he said before kissing my forehead.

"Anything for you lil bro," I said, smiling. I felt something warm on my cheek but felt him trace his finger on my cheek.

"Don't cry, Nana," he cooed.

"Don't call me that!", I whined, "I am still older than you."

"I am still taller than you. More mature than you, scarier than you. I look older than you. My voice-," he said, but then I interrupted him.

"Shut up!" I whined and he chuckled before kissing my forehead.

"Come to nonna, baby boy," my grandma said, and he walked over to her and she pulled him down.

"Nonna, you are killing me," he whined.

"No kill. Nonna love you my baby," she said before releasing him from the hug. "Anastasia, aren't you going to be late?"

"I am only going to the diner at three. I changed shifts so I could take Andrea to the cemetery", I said.

"Should I come with you?" My grandmother asked. She misses her, just as much as we do.

"Si nonna, she is your piccola," I said softly while playing with my fingers.

"Let's go then," she said joyfully.

"Only after Andrea decides to wear a shirt," I said, staring at him.

"I wouldn't mind going there showing my sexy self like this," he said whilst flexing his muscles.

" Idiota," I said softly.

He scoffed before disappearing into his room.

My name is Anastasia Tory. I am twenty-one years of age and I live with my sixty-three-year-old grandma and my seventeen-year-old brother who just turned eighteen, Andrea Tory.

I work in a diner close to my home during the day, but at night, I work in a strip club downtown, but no one knows about it. Even though sometimes my grandma asks where I get so much money, I always brush it off and say "The diner is doing very well." In between the two jobs, I usually go to school for night lessons. I'm studying Mining engineering.

I started working at the diner when I was in the eighth grade, after my grandpa passed away due to cancer. I only started working in the strip club when I was a senior, only because my grandma stopped working due to her arthritis and my grandpa's life insurance was soon to end. I'm the sole breadwinner of this house and, due to my two jobs, I can manage to take care of my family and spoil them once in a while.

I decided to go into my room to change the shirt I was wearing. My room is not big, but it's big. It's painted in cream, making the room feel warm and homely. I have a queen-sized bed covered in white polyester and cotton sheets, situated against the wall on the right side of the room, with a white home-made headboard behind it and white bedside drawers on each side of the bed.

On the left side of the room, there stood a white, wooden home-made wardrobe and next to it, a study desk made of polished, light brown wood. My bed was situated on a fluffy white carpet. Opposite my door, were two long windows which were situated on either side of a white French-framed glass door that led to the balcony of my room. My room was the only one with a balcony since we lived in a Latin American apartment building.

My late grandfather was the one that made my headboard, study table, wardrobe, and the bedside drawers in my room, as well as other carpentry in the house. He was a carpenter while my grandmother used to work as a domestic worker. Now she knits and cleans her house, while taking care of me and my brother, Andrea.

I walked towards my wardrobe and took out a white woolen sweater, made by my grandma, and mom-jeans. I took off the black oversized shirt I was wearing and put on my outfit and paired it with white sneakers. I tied my long, dark hazel, curly hair into a messy bun. I put lip balm on my lips and grabbed my bag and phone and walked out of my room.

My grandma, Annette Tory, was in the kitchen, shaking her hips. She is short and chubby. She has light brown eyes and has an olive skin tone. She has long, silky, dark hazel hair with streaks of grey. She has a button nose and tiny plump lips. She looks cute honestly. She had tied her hair into a messy bun and was wearing a black, ankle-length skirt and a blue short-sleeved shirt with white stripes and paired it with white pumps.

" Nonna, who are you dancing for?" I asked teasingly.

" Your grandfather's spirit." She said, smiling, showing all her perfect teeth.

" Okay, stop shaking your assets because now I'm here," I said and she chuckled.

" Listen to your granddaughter Alberto." She said, talking to an invisible man behind her, making me smirk.

My brother and I have gotten used to the fact that she is a medium. She is always talking to her late husband and, these days, her daughter, who is my mother.

" I'm done," the deep voice said directly behind me. He was wearing a white hoodie, black denim jeans and black A1 Jordans. I bought them.

" What the...?" I managed to say as my grandma looked at me quizzically. "Don't do that."

"Sorry, Scaredy-cat." Andrea said mockingly.

" Can we go now?" I said, rolling my eyes, as my brother hovered over me.

" Let's go," my grandma said before opening the apartment door and walking out, and we followed.

My brother locked the door and put the keys in his pocket. The apartment building we live in is old but is still well located and neat. The building is a home to Latino families. The place has a yellow and white exterior, and is three stories high. We climbed down the staircase slowly, so that we could help my grandma walk down it.

We got out the building and my brother stopped a taxi and we got in. It took us fifteen minutes before we arrived. I handed the driver fifteen dollars and thanked him. We got out of the taxi and walked over to my mom's grave, which was not far from the entrance. It took us only five minutes to get on the black granite stone with white words engraved on it.

Andrea Aletta Tory, 1976/11/16–2004/03/26, "ha caído un ángel. Mientras descansa en paz."

(An angel has fallen. As she rests in peace)

Andrea walked over to the stone and slumped down on it. Every year, on his birthday, we come to the graveyard and celebrate his day with our mother, since she died on the same day he was born. I sat down next to him, on the grave stone and he wrapped his arms around me, with my head on his chest, while his chin was pressing down my hair. My grandma was talking to the other gravestone, next to our mother's, which belonged to our grandfather.

Alberto Terrence Tory, 1953/09/17–2017/ 06/9, "Ha caído un rey. Mientras descansa en paz."

" She loves you," I said softly and I heard him sniff.

" I know. She loves you too," he spoke. You could hear the strain in his voice.

" She loves you, " My grandma added, smiling and looking at us, a tear falling down her cheek, ” she is even sitting next to you, Andrea."

"I'm glad," he said in a hoarse yet strained voice.

After fifteen minutes of silence, and my grandma talking to her husband, we stood up from the granite stone and looked down at it. I kneeled one last time and kissed the stone. Andrea then helped me stand, and then we walked over to get my grandma. She kissed the stone as well and we left off.

We got in a taxi and we went back home. Our mood was dark and dim. Andrea was holding on to me, tightly, as if I were going to leave him. He opened the door to the apartment, and we walked into the house before he got in. My grandma disappeared, as well as Andrea. I went to the kitchen of this three-bedroom apartment.

The kitchen was white in color and it had dark, polished, wooden floors. It has grey kitchen counters made from wood. There was a breakfast bar, where three white, wooden chairs with white cushions were situated. There was a built-in gas stove and a white Defy Fridge.

The lounge walls were painted cream. A creamy brown, four-seater, linen couch with a white shawl was situated against the right side of the wall. A mahogany brown, polished, moon-shaped coffee table in the middle, situated on a creamy brown carpet. A modern, mahogany brown, wooden TV stand was situated against the left side of the wall, with a flat TV screen. The room had white, cotton curtains covering the windows but then it allowed the light to enter the room.

The apartment also had a white bathroom, which was not big, but it had enough space for a white bathtub situated against the wall, and a shower situated on the opposite side of the bathtub. A white toilet was situated in between the shower and bathtub, while the basin was across the toilet, covered by white drawers underneath it. A full-length mirror on the wall, where the basin was situated. A white mat in the middle of the bathroom and a laundry basket was situated on the door, under the towel rails.

I decided to cheer them up by making brunch. It was only one o'clock, so I still had time before going to the diner. Luckily, today I do not have any classes. I decided to make tacos, something light, so that I could finish. My brother waltzed in, while I was still waiting for the mince to finish.

"Nana," he said in a hoarse voice.

I turned to face him and smiled. My baby brother was hot though. He was 6 feet tall because he was always hovering over me. He had dark tanned skin, olive green eyes, a sharp yet symmetrical nose, a sharp well-defined jawline, small pointy ears that he had recently pierced, bushy well-trimmed eyebrows, long eyelashes and had a well-built physique due to football.

He has black curly hair but he cut the sides and left some hair to hover over his forehead. He has plump pink lips and when he smiles, you can see the two deep dimples engraved on his hard cheeks.

" Huh?" I said, still holding my smile.

" When are you going to work?" he asked.

" After making tacos for you and nonna," I answered, while turning back to the stove.

" Oh. Are you going to come to my trials on Saturday?" he asked, moving into the kitchen and I turned to face him.

" Obviously. Since when do I not come to any of your games?" I asked, frowning.

" Okay, my bad," he said, raising his hands up.

" Cut the onions, fry them till they look a bit burnt," I ordered, tossing him a knife and he caught it.

We then started cooking together while having a light conversation. When we were done with the food, he took some tacos for my grandma and went to her room, while I took out the plates and placed them on the breakfast bar. I took out the orange juice from the fridge and poured it into two glasses. I walked away from the kitchen counters and I had to lift myself up, into the high chairs.

"It's not nice being short, hey?" Andrea said, walking in and sitting on the chair, easily.

" Don't talk to me," I grumbled as I turned to face the delicious tacos.

" Nana?" he said mockingly and I rolled my eyes at him.

I started eating, ignoring the tall punk next to me. He was staring at me while eating his food. I was looking at him from the glimpse of my eye as he started leaning down while staring at me. It is like he was studying me.

" What?" I finally exclaimed, taking the last bite of my food.

" Do you look like her? Nonna said you do. She said I looked like her when I was young and now you look like her. She said when you were young, you looked like your father, but she said I don't look like my father," he said with a frown on his face when I tensed up.

"Mm," I hummed.

"Where is my father?" he asked and I froze, "and where is your father?"

"Andrea, Stasia need to go and prepare for work," my grandma said, walking in the kitchen and we both faced her.

I got off the chair and directly went into my room. The door banged. It was not my intention. I went over to my wardrobe, and took out a backpack. I placed my diner uniform in the bag, which was only a shirt. I took my stuff then walked out of my room.

Andrea was still on the kitchen stool and he turned to face me. I faked a smile and walked over to my grandma and hugged her goodbye. I then walked out of the house, without saying bye to him. I would not face him, I just could not. I walked down the hallway, down the stairs before I heard stomping. I knew it was him, I could smell his Playboy scent.

" What?" I said, still walking down the stairs.

" You didn't say bye to me?" he said. I could hear the sadness in his voice.

I stopped and turned to face him. His bushy eyebrows were now knitted together. I smiled at him and his face formed into a confused one. I grabbed his vascular hand, and walked down the stairs, with me dragging him along. I only stopped when I was at the entrance of the apartment building. I tiptoed and wrapped my arms around his neck while his were around my waist.

" Yes, I look like her, " I finally answered, whispering into his ear." Yes, you do not look like him. You look like a boy version of little me. I hope I am making sense."

" You are," he said, whispering back into my ear. "When will you tell me what happened?"

" When I'm ready and when you are ready," I said softly in his ear and he nodded while stuffing his face in my neck.

" I love you Nana," he said, and I smiled.

" I love you too Dre," I said before removing my arms around his neck.

We pulled out of the hug and we looked at each other. He kissed my forehead and I smiled. I then turned away and left. My brother and I have a very, very, very close bond and, due to our height and physical features, whenever we walk together, we look like a couple. Especially when he holds my hands. He is very affectionate, and for some reason, he treats me like one day I'll leave him. And I know this, because I treat him like one day, he is going to leave me.

I walked out the apartment building. It took me fifteen minutes to arrive at Derick's Diner. It was an old diner situated in a Mexican architectural building. The exterior was orange and white and the interior was orange and green. The diner is always packed because this is the only diner that sells all Latin American meals.

I greeted the customers as I went past the foggy, glass doors that led into the back of the restaurant. I went into the staff bathroom, and got into a clean chamber. I took off my shirt and replaced it with a white golf shirt, with a thick blue stripe across my chest. I packed my shirt inside my bag and went out, placing my bag on the shelf.

" You are early. You said you were coming in at three, it's quarter to three,” the familiar voice said.

" Jorja, really?" I said, facing the half Jamaican in front of me.

She had lightly tanned skin and she was taller than me, but she was slim and thick. She had emerald green eyes and caramel curly hair that reached just above her neck, but she usually tied it into a bun. She has a long, oval face, a small button nose, plump pink lips and she had freckles on her nose. She was wearing black mom jeans, white sneakers, and a golf shirt.

" Anna, really?" she said mockingly.

" You don't want me here?" I asked, faking the sadness in my voice.

" Come on, I am kidding. Jamie said you had a short shift today. We are all because he is closing early today," she said, handing me an apron.

" What time are we out?" I asked, tying the apron.

" At five pm," she answered and I nodded.

We headed out and started serving people. After serving people and showing off our grand smiles, we finally sat down on one of the wooden benches and waited for our manager to tell us off. It was only five minutes till five and only three customers remained in the diner.

" I'm tired," Jorja exclaimed, throwing a cloth at my face and she laughed.

" Same," I said, removing the cloth from my face.

" Ladies, you can go now, " Jamie said.

" Oh, thank you Jamie," Jorja exclaimed before pulling me off of the bench and running towards the back of the diner.

We took our bags and bid farewell to our colleagues before heading out. She knows about my second job and disapproves of it but she also understands why I'm doing it. She is from a rich family but she somehow enjoys working at the diner. She lives downtown in a rich estate. The strip club is close to where she lives, so she always walks with me or drops me off if she is driving.

" I still don't like it," she said, frowning at me.

" I know," I said, sighing, "I must do it through until I have enough money to get out. I am paying for my school, as well as Andrea's, as well as Nonna's medical stuff. I pay for the food, electricity, water, essentials. Really, I need this job."

" Can I at least help you?" she asked.

" Nope. You can help me by supporting me," I said, looking at her and she hesitantly nodded.

We continued to walk until we reached the club. We both walked in and, since I was early, we sat down at the bar and started talking to the bar lady, who was our acquaintance, Onika.

She was tall and had the physique of a model. She has tanned olive skin and long, silky, black hair that she always tied into a ponytail. She has dark hazel eyes and a long sharp nose, she has a circular face but has a jawline, she has piercings on her ears, she has bushy eyebrows, small heart-shaped pink lips. She was wearing a black short-sleeved shirt with "Dark Crystal", which was the name of the club, black denim jeans and black pumps.

" If it isn't twiddle Dee and twiddle Doo," she said while wiping a glass with a cloth.

" If it isn't twiddle DeeDoo," Jorja said while sitting on the barstool.

" How are you?" Onika asked while placing the glass down and taking another.

" Tired," Jorja exclaimed and I chuckled.

" When are you in?" Onika asked, referring to me.

" I don't know," I said, shrugging, and she frowned. She took out a board from under the counter and started browsing it.

"You are in, in like five minutes," she said, and I nodded. I bid farewell to both before disappearing, going backstage.