reticent

7

• ARCHER •

"You need to drop your sister off across the street." My father tells me as soon as I step through the door. I hardly drank last night, but I've still had a horrific headache throughout the day. That paired with sixth form, it's something I never want to relive.

     No drinking in the week for me anymore.

     "Why?" I ask, following his voice to the kitchen.

     "Your step mother wants her to start the workshop in the dance studio. It's for kids her age. A few people from her class are going, too."

     "Does she want to go?" I ask.

     He sighs. "Yes. It starts in twenty minutes. Make sure she's ready."

     As much as I'm willing to take care of my baby sister for the rest of my life, why can't he raise at least one of his fucking children? Ally idolises our father, and he's not doing anything to help support that. It pisses me off.

     Still, I nod and leave. It's not worth starting an argument over. This time Alexandra is awake, and the last thing I want is for her to catch our father hitting me.

     It'd probably ruin her.

     I walk up the stairs and toward my little sisters room. I open the door, a grin blooming onto my face when I see Ally making up her own dance.

     She smiles when she sees me. "Watch, Archie!"

     "I'm watching." I say, leaning on the wall. I watch as she spins in ungraceful circles, then kicks her leg up. She drops to the floor and rolls, standing up again to do jazz hands.

     I laugh. "That was great, kid." I say.

     She blushes, and my heart swells. "Are you excited for the dance thing?"

     She nods excitedly. "Yes!" She exclaims, doing another twirl. I smile. "I'm gonna be a ballerina! Leah bought me a bunch of stuff! I have a tutu!"

She looks over at the heaps of things in the corner. My eyebrows raise in surprise when I see everything. She's only taking one dance class, how could she possibly need all this stuff?

"Jess asked the dance teacher what I'd need, and it was only the stuff in my bag. But Leah got me more anyway. Isn't it cool, Archie?"

"It's amazing." I say. I smile. "Why don't you start getting changed and we can leave soon?"

"Okay!" She exclaims. I ruffle her blonde hair before leaving.

•

It takes us less than two minutes to get to the dance studio; we live right across from it. Alexandra, clinging to my hand, jumps up and down with nerves and excitement. She's never done anything like this before. As happy as I am for her, I'm also worried. I hope she'll be okay.

"You okay, Ally?" I ask quietly as the front space begins to fill up.

She nods.