“I love DaBaby!!! He is so ignorant!!!” Riri screamed at the top of her lungs!

The song ended, and Riri sat back in her chair with a big smile on her face. She lightly gripped her steering, almost crashing into another car as she slowly switched into the left turning lane.

My heart was still beating erratically, but I was slowly starting to get used to Riri’s driving. Evidenced by me no longer clutching my chest.

I turned around to see how Mizuki was doing, and she was doing even worse than I thought she would.

Mizuki was shaking uncontrollably, and her hand gripped the door as if it would disappear at any second. Her eyes were wide and it looked like she was on the verge of tears. Her lips quivered, and her chest was roughly heaving up and down

I am such a terrible brother….

“Wh.. How did you get a license?!” Mizuki suddenly screamed as she punched the seat.

“License?” Riri frowned. “Who said I had a license?”

“WHAT?!” Mizuki and I screamed in unison.

Riri suddenly pumped her foot on the brake, causing Mizuki and I to nearly fly out of our seats if not for our seat belts.

“Rule One!” Riri held up a finger. “Don’t touch my radio, steering wheel, A/C to any of my shit!”

The cars behind us were beeping their horns, but it didn't seem to affect Riri whatsoever.

“Rule two!” Riri shouted as she held up two fingers. “Watch who the fuck you’re talking to! If you don’t like my driving, then both of you can get the fuck out and walk!”

I wanted to say so many nasty things to Riri, but Saya came to my mind and I held my tongue.

Saya.. you better be worth it.

I sighed deeply.

She probably isn’t.

There was an awkward moment of silence before Riri snorted and resumed driving.

The ride was mostly silent except for Riri’s music and Mizuki’s occasional shout of fear. Riri was no longer singing and dancing, just yelling at other drivers from time to time.

“W-Where are you two going?” Mizuki suddenly asked, breaking the silence.

“Oh, we’re going to hangout.” I quickly responded.

“Oh.” Mizuki said as she looked down. “Can I come?”

“N-“

“Yes.” Riri cut me off instantly.

I twitched, my heart nearly leaping out of my chest at Riri’s sudden declaration. I turned to Riri, my eyes screaming ‘What the fuck are you doing?!’

Riri smiled in response, her light brown eyes lighting up in glee. “Unless you want me to drop both of you off at home?”

You bitch.

“Mizuki, are-“

“Yes!” Mizuki cut me off instantly.

I turned back to Riri, and she had a triumphant smile on her face.

I bit my lip in frustration, but didn’t voice out any complaints.

You win Riri…

Riri was back in a good mood and was happily singing. Until..

The areas we were driving through quickly plummeted in quality. From rows of stores lining the street and happy people walking around. To old shabby houses in need of repair, and shady looking people eyeing the car we were in as if it was a Christmas miracle.

Mizuki was looking out of the window with a burning curiosity. While Riri..

I looked over to see Riri’s arms shaking, and she was sweating a little.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

“I’m good.” Riri replied weakly.

We finally came to a stop in front of a grey and white house. The yard was overgrown and covered in random objects and trash. There was barely a gate, and what was left of the gate was rusty and falling apart. Some of the bricks from the infrastructure were missing. A few of the windows were boarded up with wood, and the front door looked like it was about to fall off. And it was missing a porch, just like what Riri described.

“Is this where she lives?” I asked, my eyes wide opened and surveying.

“Yup.” Riri answered warily. “Is that a dog?!”

I looked to where Riri was pointing, and there was a big black pitbull walking around without a leash and collar.

“This is where we’re hanging out?” Mizuki asked, her eyes scanning around nervously.

“Yeah…” I said weakly. The guilty feeling for bringing Mizuki with me sinking in.

“I don’t think-“

I honked the horn, cutting off Mizuki. The pit bull shot up and ran off at the sudden loud noise.

“Hey! What are-“

I opened the car door and stepped out. Ignoring Riri’s angry voice.

I closed my eyes, taking a long deep breath, my chest rising and falling heavily.

It’s now or never!

I started walking towards Saya’s house. Ignoring Riri’s angry shouting.

I heard Riri’s car doors open and the alarm being activated in the next second.

“Wait!” Riri screamed as she ran to my side. “I’m not staying out here alone!”

“I’m here.” Mizuki announced as she ran to my side.

“And?!” Riri screamed. “I’m not giving them a two for one special!”

Riri clung to my left arm, her small and perky breast smashing against my arm. In the next second, Mizuki did the same. Her still growing modest chest pressing against my right arm.

Any other time I would be elated at this development, but I have other things on my mind right now.

Damn you Saya for ruining this for me!

As we approached the house, a smell hit us that made everyone frown.

“What the fuck is that smell?!” Riri screamed as she covered her nose.

I thought the exact same thing as I searched for a side door. Unfortunately there wasn’t, it was just a boarded up hole where the side door used to be.

I didn’t know what else to do, so I entered the trash filled front yard. As I was walking through the yard, I noticed that I was stepping on things that were colorful and squishy.

“Ew! What the fuck is that?!” Riri suddenly screamed as she stepped into a squishy greenish pile as well.

Mizuki looked down at her shoes in horror, coming to the same realization that Riri did.

Mizuki and Riri kicked their feet and tried to wipe the substance off of their shoes, but to no real avail.

“It’s not coming off!” Riri screamed with panic in her voice. Her white shoes now stained a greenish color.

I knocked on the front door. But, there was no response. So I tried knocking again, just a little harder. Still, no response.

“Maybe..maybe we should go?” Mizuki asked as she squeezed my arm even tighter. “They’re probably not home.”

“Yeah, let’s do that!” Riri screeched as she tried to pull me back to her car.

Suddenly we heard yelling from inside the house.

“Answer the door!” Saya screamed.

“You answer the fucking door!” Another voice inside the house screamed back.

“I just got out of the shower!” Saya screamed even louder.

“Useless bitch!” The voice snapped back.

Is.. is that her mom?

There was a moment of silence between all of us outside. I looked at Riri and Mizuki, and they were just as caught off guard as I was.

Riri looked straight ahead with wide eyes, her body trembling slightly. Mizuki looked up at me for answers that I was unable to give.

*BANG*

The silent atmosphere was suddenly broken when Saya’s door flung open.

A black haired woman with big brown eyes smoking a cigarette was standing behind the door. Her hair was a disheveled mess, she had dark bags underneath her eyes, and she looked unhealthy pale. She looked to be in her mid thirties, but still looked somewhat good for her age. Her slim and curvy figure is evidence of that.

I covered my nose, the smell had gotten even stronger now that the door was opened.

Saya’s mom stood over us, her eyes looking down on us. She had a deep scowl on her face as she was examining every single detail of us. “What are you? Some kind of pimp?”

I was confused at first, but then I looked to both sides of my arms. Mizuki was blushing, and Riri looked embarrassed but was still clinging to me desperately.

I guess I can see how it would appear that way?

“H-hey!” I coughed lightly. “No, I’m not a pimp. My name is Jeff, and-“

“Why are you here?” Saya’s mom interrupted.

“We’re actually here to see Saya. Ms???” I trailed my voice off.

“Morgan.” Morgan eyed me carefully, her silence nearly deafening. “Why?”

“We actually have some homework to give her and-“

“Where is it?” Morgan interrupted.

“It’s in the car.” I quickly responded. Sweat forming on my brow.

“Yeah…” Morgan said suspiciously.

“So.. Can we see her?” I asked nervously.

Morgan looked behind her back, then turned her attention back to us. She leaned against her door, and held out her hand.

…Is that a yes?

I tried to move my left arm, but Riri was still attached to me.

I looked at Riri, and she made a complicated expression before reluctantly letting go of my arm, but she still stuck close to me.

“Thank-“ I reached out to grab Morgan’s hand, but she smacked it away immediately.

Morgan held out her hand again, staring at me silently.

“I don’t..”

“Ugh..” Riri grumbled before reaching into the small purse on her shoulder. A few seconds later she produced a twenty dollar bill. “Here!”

Riri handed Morgan the money. Morgan quickly stuffed the money into her bra with a smile.

“You owe me for this.” Riri grumbled to me.

Morgan turned around, leaving the door wide open.

I didn’t move to follow Morgan, my brain was still processing what had just happened.

“Don’t go in there!” Mizuki suddenly announced, her arms squeezing mine even harder.

“I’m pissed about my money, but I don’t trust her!” Riri added. “She asked if you were a pimp, and then took twenty dollars from me! Who does that?! What if you really were a pimp?!”

I opened my mouth, but I really didn’t have anything to say. They were right. I didn’t want to go inside either. But, I already came this far. And sooner or later I would have to confront Saya. I might as well get it over with now.

I gently removed Mizuki arms from around mine. Mizuki looked at me with a deep concern in her eyes. It looked like she was about to say something, but I spoke instead.

“Thank you.” I told them.

Mizuki looked surprised, and Riri looked like she was about to say something.

“I have to do this.” I quickly announced.

I walked to the house and climbed inside. The smell hit me even harder, and I had to hold back the urge to vomit.

I climbed all the way inside and stood up. My hands felt weird and I looked down to inspect them.

“What the fuck?! What is this brown shit?!” I yelled as I examined the brown mystery substance on my hands. “What is this smell?!”

There was a dirty white shirt lying on the floor, which I used to wipe the brown mystery substance off of my hands.

“Ew!” Mizuki screamed.

I turned around and saw that Mizuki was climbing in after me, and Riri was trying to stop her.

“Actually, you two stay outside.” I ordered.

“What?!” Mizuki screamed.

“Huh?! Don’t leave us here out here alone!” Riri yelled behind Mizuki. She was clutching onto Mizuki with extreme force.

“Let go of me!” Mizuki screamed while trying to pull away from Riri’s clutches. .

“N-no! I need a distraction!” Riri responded.

Mizuki eyes set ablaze, and she pointed her brown covered hands in front of Riri’s face. Riri released a girly scream before letting go of Mizuki and falling on her butt. Mizuki seemed satisfied as she wriggled her dirty fingers.

“Do you really want to step inside here?” I asked them both, as I pointed inside of the house. Junk scattered everywhere.

They both looked hesitant, but Mizuki looked like she was still thinking about it.

“If something happens to me while I’m in here, I want you two to be able to get away.” I stated.

“I’m not leaving you!” Mizuki screeched.

“I will..” Riri muttered underneath her breath.

Mizuki turned around and glared at Riri. Her hands raising towards Riri who scooted while away avoiding eye contact with her.

“I’m not stupid! This is why you look like that, right?!” Mizuki pointed to me, almost falling out of the door frame in the process.

I walked up to Mizuki and gave her a hug, albeit I didn’t touch her directly with my hands.

“I’ll be fine, I promise. I’ll be out in a second. Just go wait in the car for me.” I whispered to her.

“Onii..” I walked away from Mizuki’s worried expression.

As I walked inside of the house. I quickly figured out where the smell was coming from.

There were cans, bottles, cigarette buds, half eaten food, trash and clothes scattered everywhere.

There was a tv sitting on a milk crate that looked like it shouldn’t work but surprisingly did. A coffee table cluttered in filth. But there was something that caught my eye. A tray covered in powdery white dust. The wall's color was ambiguous due to the amount of holes, dents, scratches and brown grim covering it.

I maneuvered through the junk-filled mess that was Saya’s house. Following Morgan, which I could barely see due to all of the clutter.

After almost tripping over random objects scattered on the floor, I managed to somehow make it to the hallway… I think? It was far too cluttered for me to tell.

Morgan walked up to a brown door in the hallway. The door was covered in dents, scratches, and fist sized holes that didn’t pierce all the way through. The door was covered in writing such as, ‘fuck you bitch!’. And a vivid middle finger.

“You got another one!” Morgan screamed as she pounded the door.

There was no answer, and Morgan hissed her tongue in response.

“Useless bitch.” Morgan announced before walking away.

“Hey! I-“

“Just go in.” Morgan cut me off.

What the fuck is wrong with this family?

I sighed deeply.

Everything is starting to make sense.

I raised my fist to give Saya a courtesy knock. But, my fist stayed suspended in the air. My heart was beating loudly, and I was short of breath.

I… I really have no idea what I’m about to do.

I lightly knocked, but there was no response.

I closed my eyes, mustering all of the courage that I possessed, and pushed open Saya’s door. “Saya!”