Home

Valerya's home was a small, but the state of the art apartment she had rented a few years ago for her and her sister. Ugly on the outside, but sleek and modern on the inside. It had two rooms, a small living area, a kitchen and a shared bathroom. It wasn't much, but with the high cost of living in the last few centuries, she was lucky she got a place. Most people lived in shared housing, with three times more people and half the amount of space.

As she arrived at her house, she set her bag on the stand and placed her gun in the kitchen cabinet.

"Mirabelle, I would like to watch a movie," she said. The wall brought out a bright light, and Easter Darmane's face popped up on the screen. As usual, he was professing his undying love to some plain-looking girl. Valerya shook her head in disgust. She didn't watch movies much, but Easter seemed to be everywhere. A classic definition of two-dimensional, the bastard.

As the cringe-worthy performance continued, the neighbours on the floor above hers turned off their loud music. She smirked. They learned well. The annoying family of fourteen were previously fond of playing loud music well after midnight. Valerya could still remember the looks on all their faces when she pulled up in a squad bus with five members of their team and arrested all of them, including their two-year-old brat. After they were released, they made sure not to cross her again.

"Turn that off, I have a headache," Lilliban said as she came out of her bedroom. Valerya was taken aback; she hardly saw her sister so finding her at home shocked her.

"Drunk already?"

"You should know I'm never sober. How'd a dumb bitch like you get into police academy?"

"Language Liliban, you're only seventeen. And where's my car?" For the past few weeks, Valerya had to use the public system of transport because Liliban needed her car for something urgent. As police officers were allowed to use private cars and Lilliban was not a police officer, she had to painfully request a permit.

"For the last time, my name is Lilli, and your car is safe," Lilliban said flippantly as she opened the fridge and took out a bottle of water.

"Okay, Lilli. Where is it?"

"With my boyfriend."

"Adrian?"

"No, Adrian was last week. Marcus. Keep up, lady."

"Why is he with my car? He won't even be able to drive it, as the permit has your name."

Lilliban stomped her foot. "If you didn't want to lend me the car, you should have just said so. What is this questioning?" she asked as she slammed the water on the kitchen counter.

"I'm sorry Lilli. I didn't mean to offend you. I was just asking because it's been very inconvenient to use public means to and from work. Could you get it back?"

"Fine. In two weeks. But no promises!"

"Thank you," Valerya said as she put the cap back on the bottle and put it in the fridge. On the surface, it seemed to most strangers that she enabled Lilli, but they didn't know what Lilli had been through.

They had lost their parents when Lilli was just six and Valerya was seventeen. She was allowed to keep her sister because the legal age was sixteen. If she hadn't, Lilli would have been sent off to housing somewhere where she would have lived with hundreds of other dirty, uneducated delinquents. Valerya shuddered at the thought. Now, eleven years later, Valerya still tried to give her the love of both parents. She supported Lilli through school and bore her expenses from extracurricular activities. She was afraid of Lilli getting up and leaving someday, so she tried to make her happy. She was sure Lilli would grow up one day.

As Valerya clicked the exact temperature she wanted the water to be in the fridge, she closed it and stared at the photo of her parents. Of life's mysteries, the disappearance of her parents was still something she couldn't explain. They disappeared one day, and the empire told them their parents were dead. Their names were wiped from the registry like they never existed, and she and Lilli were given a sum for upkeep. She never doubted the empire, but sometimes, in the darkest part of the night when she cuddled her pillow to keep the emptiness from creeping in, she often wondered. She shook her head. There was no reason for the empire to lie.

"That bitch, Maribel told me I wasn't hot enough for the entrance summer fest," Lilli whined. Valerya gave her a look. Lilli was pretty in a soft, delicate way. She had dyed her hair platinum blonde and had it in an elegant bob which made her look much older than her age. She was of medium build, with budding hips and small breasts. She had a stubborn nose which matched her personality and a small mouth. Her blue eyes always held the look of someone who always got what she wanted. Valerya thought anyone would have to be blind to tell her she wasn't pretty enough for anything.

"So what did you say in response?"

"Marcus was her boyfriend," she said with a smile.

"Speaking of boyfriends, you need to go out more, Valerya. You need to attract a sexy rich dude who'll take us out of this hellhole because if you haven't noticed, it's below my standards," she said.

"You'll go out with me today. There's a new club I've been to, and it's so in right now."

"I'm not going out, Lilli," Valerya protested.

"I say so, so you are. Come on," she ushered Valerya into her room, which was completely pink, except for her wardrobe and wood-lined floor. She rummaged through a few clothes till she brought out a white dress with lace trimmings at the bottom. "Wear this," she said.

Valerya started to protest, but seeing the look in her sister's eyes, went to her room to have a shower. As she put it on, she was startled by how different she looked. Lilli was right, she thought. She should live a little. As soon as she applied light makeup, her sister came in, as usual without knocking.

"One more thing," Lilliban said and loosened Valerya's tight bun. She nodded in approval as Valerya's hair fell loosely over her back.

"Now you're ready."