Carmen Robins closed her notebook at the toll of yet another final bell. She inhaled and released, going over everything that had been covered that day as quickly as she could, before she rose from her seat. It grated against the floor in amongst the dozen others, many of whom chatted excitedly amongst themselves and many others who, like Carmen, calmly made their way from the classroom. The hallways always seemed different after a lesson, freeing in a way. Despite being trapped in the same institute and crowded by over a hundred students.
Carmen took a deep breath as she stepped outside. The air was calm, only a light, almost indistinguishable, breeze blew in from the north and brought with it the icy bite of winter. Grey-white clouds hovered overhead, blanketing the Earth below from the sun's warm glow. A single oak tree stood sentry over the pathway exiting the school grounds, its branches barren of life to resemble the crooked fingers of a fairy tale witch. The pavement below was cracked and the grass clearly untended to.
Such a shame, Carmen thought with a sigh as she studied Saint Puella's wasted campus. The school had once been a beacon of sorts, a public school with a dedication to helping girls learn, achieve and become anything they wanted to be. But poor decision after poor decision led to its rapid decline. If Carmen had to estimate its lifespan, the institute had perhaps one more year before being shut down.
With one final savouring inhale of the crisp air, Carmen resumed her path out of the campus grounds. She passed a group of girls huddled together, all wearing thick, expensive coats to hamper the creeping cold's efforts. They ignored her and she did the same, but couldn't quell the jealous disgust she felt towards them. Chilling slices of cold nipped at her skin through her lone jacket, one made for summer, and through her itchy sweater. Beggars simply can't be choosers.
And nowhere was that truer than for Carmen.
"Where do you need me?" She inquired upon stepping into the staff room of her part-time job at a local coffee shop, Soothe the Soul. Its owner was a bona fide coffee lover, drinking and brewing the beverage for decades, and firmly believed that it soothed even the most tumultuous feelings. Carmen would refute this were it not for the evidence that stared her in the face every day.
"Oh, Carmen, glad you're here. Could you handle the till? Monica got sick again so I'm sort of doing everything here," Stacy smiled and shrugged, handing a customer his change and rushing to brew his cup. Not once, in her two years working there, had Carmen seen her expression turn sour. Even when unruly patrons made a mess or demanded compensation for their own faults. Stacy would always handle the situation with a calm, jovial smile on her well-rounded face.
"No problem," Carmen nodded and put on her apron, relieving her boss of her unreasonable duty. A twinge of annoyance clouded Carmen's features when she thought of Monica, her co-worker in name only, as she rarely showed up or did the work required of her. But Stacy was simply too kind to let her go, even with Carmen's logical explanations as to why Monica was a liability; she sleeps on the job, doesn't handle customers well, likes to sample the product in blatant view of patrons. The list could go on and on.
The job wasn't even difficult compared to most. Talk with paying customers to build a repertoire, earn tips, sell coffee, and make sure everything ran smoothly. Perhaps it was simply Carmen's nature to excel, but she found her job peaceful in a way. It seemed to be one of the few escapes from the pressures of school and an energy laden little sister.
The hours ticked by with a regular stream of customers. Soothe the Soul had more than earned its spot on the street, amongst the convenience stores, cafes and bistros and all other sorts of establishments, over the years. A small store with just a few tables, free wi-fi, delicate cups of caffeinated drinks and a charismatic owner was all it took to earn a loyal fanbase among locals. Carmen included herself in that distinction, though she mostly came for the free internet.
"I'll see you tomorrow!" Carmen called back as she left for the day, waving to the kindly owner still sweeping along the floors.
"Keep working hard," Stacy replied with her usually disarming smile and a nod of her head.
"Always am," Carmen said with an exaggerated groan, earning a small laugh as she stepped out onto the streets. The sun had long since set and the winter night sent rampant chills down Carmen's spine, as gusts of frigid air bombarded her. Carmen zipped up her jacket as best she could to hide from the chill and hurried back home. What she wouldn't give for a car sometimes.
Despite the chill, or possibly to spite it, Carmen enjoyed the walk home. The streets of New York at night are heralded as hazardous, and no such claims were entirely without merit, however they also held some intriguing spectacles. Especially just a couple of weeks before Christmas came.
She could see festive lights through curtains on several floors in several buildings. The distinctive styles and decorations to celebrate either Christmas or other religions were always fascinating, if only to reaffirm how divided the human race really was. Some people could see eye to eye on many subjects, but never would a day come that all of humanity would be united.
Carmen sighed and hastened her pace. She had a bad habit of over analysing humanity, herself included.
"I'm home!" Carmen announced and shut the door to her family's tiny, one-bedroom apartment. It was a depressing place, with creaking floorboards, cracked walls - poorly concealed by peeling wallpaper - and a penchant for letting the arguments of their neighbours in all directions through the walls. Yet, even in such a dingy residence, there was a bright star of joy that eroded the misery. Said star came bounding toward Carmen.
"Carmen, Carmen! Come see what I drew!" Melody cried in glee, wrapping her older sister in a hug fit for bears. Carmen made a show of grunting and struggling to extract herself from her sibling's grip.
"Okay, okay," Carmen gasped, "Just let up on the hug, Supergirl." Melody giggled and loosed her embrace.
"Come on!" Melody beamed and took hold of Carmen's hand before she could fully kick off her shoes, "See?!" Melody grinned excitedly when she and Carmen were in their room, holding up a crudely drawn image of what looked to be a horse with a woman on top, reading a book.
"Wow!" Carmen took the picture, "Is that me?" She asked, pointing to the rider.
"No, that's me when I'm older. You're, hmm," Melody scavenged around for another drawing, flicking papers onto the floor haphazardly, "Here!" She handed a new picture to Carmen, this time with just a person, but also with a lot more care put into the work.
The older sibling was briefly at a loss for words. It was actually good, not just by the lowered standards of a child, but genuinely decent. Carmen didn't have a particular eye for artistic talent, however she knew Melody had a future.
"That's amazing," Carmen fully echoed her sister's jubilant smile, "Can I keep it?" Melody nodded excitedly, always eager to please after a compliment of such high regard, "Thanks, Supergirl."
"I wish," Melody giggled, "Then I'd be smart and strong like you."
Carmen chuckled as she plucked a bit of blue tack from a pile and adhered the picture to her side of the room's wall, amidst the other drawings Melody had granted her over the years, "Smart, yeah. Strong, hmm, I'm not so sure."
"You are strong," Melody said with conviction, "And I can prove it. Lift this," she handed her sister another piece of paper and quickly scribbled '1 billion kilos' on it.
Carmen smirked and pretended to struggle with the 'massive' weight, only to succeed and hold it over her head, "What do you know? I guess I am strong."
"Told ya so," Melody giggled.
Carmen echoed the sound as she sat at her battered desk. Chips of wood had been taken out of it and scratches, both deep and shallow, lined the surface. There had once been several crude drawings drawn and etched into the material, before Carmen had covered them up to spare Melody such horrendous influences. Now it served as her paltry excuse for a workstation.
Melody copied her sibling from across the room. She grabbed a wooden board and laid it on her lap, paper and pen at the ready, watching Carmen for an unspoken cue to begin working. Carmen placed her notebook on her desk and grabbed a pen, checked its ink, then poised it to be begin. The sisters glanced at one another. Then, in an imperceptible agreement, went into action.
They shared the only bedroom. Single beds sat not two feet from the other, identical were it not for the few stuffed toys that decorated Melody's, or the desk that sat at the foot of Carmen's. Drawings adorned the walls, varying in their level of ability, though all of the best graced Carmen's side. Their mother slept in the main room on their poor excuse of a couch, but never complained of the discomfort it brought her. Not when she thought they might hear anyway.
Carmen's pen froze for a second as she tried to push these thoughts from her mind. She couldn't solve the problems by dwelling on them like this. They would only further get in the way of the solution; be the best and find a job that would pay for them all to live in comfort. Her mother deserved it and Melody had no reason not to have every advantage that other girls had. Carmen returned her attention back to studying.
Only a few more years and she'd be able to solve all of their problems. First step was a scholarship and the next was to ace her college courses, with as many majors in the most the lucrative fields as was possible. Life would fall into place after that, so long as she stayed the course.
"Carry the one... no, that's not right. Maybe..."
Melody had grown up listening to her sister mumble when concentrating and simply ignored it. It was the least she could do, since Carmen was ignoring the fact that she should be doing her homework. She glanced up at her sibling regularly, wanting to get her likeness as best she could.
