vii. it's easy to forget that you are gone.
◞ ྀི◟ ͜  ׁ ˙ ◞   ྀི◟ ͜◞ ྀི◟ ͜  ׁ ˙ ◞   ྀི◟ ͜◞ ྀི◟ ͜  ׁ ˙ ◞   ྀི◟ ͜◞ ྀི◟ ͜  ׁ ˙ ◞   ྀི◟ ͜

The grand oak table stretched out beneath a glittering chandelier, its light catching on the polished silverware and delicate crystal glasses. A quiet tension simmered in the air, thicker than the rich sauce poured over the roasted chicken.

Augustine sat rigidly in her chair, her jaw tight as she stared at the pristine plate in front of her. Her brother, Augustus, shifted uncomfortably beside her, his eyes darting between their parents and Lenore, who sat directly across from Augustine. Lenore, of course, looked as unbothered as ever, her glossy dark hair framing a face that radiated smug composure.

Sophia Verbaan, Augustine's mother, attempted to cut through the tension with polite conversation. "Nicholas," she said, addressing her husband with forced brightness, "tell us about the new project you've been working on. It sounds exciting."

Nicholas Slade cleared his throat. "Yes, well, it's—"

"Does this project involve keeping secrets?" Augustine interrupted smoothly, her voice deceptively sweet. She reached for her wine glass, but her gaze never left Lenore. "Because we all know how good you are at that, Dad."

The room fell silent. Sophia pursed her lips, but didn't chastise her daughter. Instead, she looked away, her knuckles white as she gripped her fork.

"Augustine," Nicholas said in a warning tone.

"What?" Augustine replied innocently, swirling her wine. "Just making conversation." She smiled tightly at Lenore, her tone turning icy. "Isn't that what we're all doing here? Playing nice?"

Lenore leaned back in her chair, a faint smirk tugging at her lips. "I didn't realize family dinners were supposed to be a battlefield," she said coolly, cutting into her duck with surgical precision. "But then again, I'm new to the whole Slade experience."

Augustus flinched, but Augustine didn't miss a beat. "Oh, we're not that complicated. Just don't sleep with someone else's boyfriend and you'll get along fine."

Lenore's knife froze mid-cut, her eyes narrowing. Nicholas cleared his throat again, more forcefully this time, but Sophia spoke first. "Augustine," Sophia said sharply, her voice laced with disapproval.

"What?" Augustine said, feigning surprise. "I didn't name any names." Her gaze flicked to Lenore, her meaning unmistakable.

Lenore set down her knife and fork with deliberate calmness. "You know, Augustine," she said, her voice steady but her eyes gleaming with challenge, "maybe if you'd focused more on your relationship instead of throwing tantrums, you wouldn't have to play the victim now."

Augustine's fingers tightened around the stem of her glass, her composure cracking for the briefest moment before she forced a laugh. "Ah, there it is," she said, her voice dripping with venom. "The wisdom of someone who's never had a real relationship in her life. But I guess being a homewrecker is its own skill set."

"Enough!" Nicholas's voice boomed, silencing the room. He glared at Augustine, then at Lenore. "This is not how we behave at this table."

"Oh, forgive me," Augustine said, rising from her chair, her tone mocking. "I forgot we're supposed to pretend everything's perfect. Well, you're better at that than I am, aren't you, Lenore?"

Lenore smirked but didn't reply, her silence more cutting than words.

"I think I'm done here," Augustine said, throwing her napkin onto her plate. She glanced at Augustus, who looked like he wanted to disappear into the floor. "You coming?"

Augustus hesitated, but Sophia's sharp look pinned him in place. "Stay," Sophia said quietly.

Augustine gave a bitter laugh. "Of course. Keep pretending, everyone. It suits you." She stormed out, her heels echoing against the marble floors.

In the heavy silence that followed, Lenore calmly picked up her glass of wine, taking a slow sip before setting it down. "Well," she said, smiling faintly. "That went well."

Sophia's fork clattered against her plate. Nicholas ran a hand over his face, but no one dared speak but it's Augustus who silently excuses himself and follows Augustine. He knows she's had enough; he also knows that Lenore did this on purpose, she'd been tormenting Augustine since they were kids.

𓏲ּ ᥫ᭡ ₊ ⊹ ˑ ִֶ 𓂃

JUNE 11TH 2012
Augustine sits on the grass in her backyard, the sun filtering through the trees as Augustine paces back and forth, her arms crossing over her chest; Max sits crosslegged, his usually neutral expression now replaced with something more attentive and watchful as he watches her movements — Augustine is 14, all sharp angles with thinly veiled anger and distaste, "she does this every time!" Augustine said, her voice pitched higher with frustration and aggravation. "First it was Josef; all of a sudden, she likes him too! And then next thing I know she's giggling and flirting with him! And then it was..." Augustine trails off and groans.

Max glanced at her, "So stop telling her things." he suggested.

Augustine stopped pacing to glare at him, her cheeks flushed. "That's not the point, Max! It's not about them. It's her. She just... she gets everything so easily, and I'm always stuck watching it happen. Like I don't even exist when she's around." Her voice softened at the end, and she looked down, kicking at a stray rock.

Max sat up straighter, his brows furrowed. "That's not true," he said firmly.

She glanced at him, her eyes lingering a moment too long. "Feels like it sometimes," she muttered, her tone quieter now. She didn't say anything for a long moment, her frustration fading into something else entirely. Finally, she huffed out a laugh, shaking her head. "Well, at least you're not falling for her act," she said, her tone light but her eyes searching his face.

He glanced at her, "it won't always happen." he reassured her. "Not everyone is susceptible to Lenore's antics." he reminds her.

He doesn't have to say it, she knows. She knows that he would never fall for Lenore's charms — Lenore would be the world's favorite Slade but Augustine would be Max's.

𓏲ּ ᥫ᭡ ₊ ⊹ ˑ ִֶ 𓂃

Augustine sits next to Augustus, her head on his shoulder and her lips form a frown, "Max said he'd never pick Lenore." she says quietly.

"All men do is lie." Augustus reminds her kindly.

"You're a man." Augustine reminds him.

"I'm not interested in our sister." he retorts as he wrinkles his nose in response. "Lenore has her thrills, she will tire of him as well, as she usually does." Augustus glances at Augustine, "she does this because it hurts you, not because she actually cares for him. Just go for something she wants, it'll hurt her too."

Augustine shakes her head, "I refuse to stoop to her level, I'm not seven anymore."

Augustus sighs, "she really hooked up with Max...?"

"Yep." she says quietly. "Only a week after Max and I broke up."

"Ouch." a small pause. "Do you have a plan...?"

"No, Max is running a smear campaign on my name. I'll do the same, he forgets, I know him too." she says quietly.

"But you don't want to do a smear campaign. You've never been one to smear someone's name." Augustus says and his lips form a frown, "Perhaps our father could help...?"

"And do what? Make Max look like an angel for putting up with his problem child...?"

"Okay! I get it!" Augustus exclaims. "You know, theres a saying, hell hath no fury for a woman scorned." he hums.

"I'm already trying to ruin his life."

"Try harder." he glanced at her, "And you know what? Prove to him that you don't need him."

"I don't."

"Yeah but you're not showing it, so go, live and then never ever let him cross your mind."

𓏲ּ ᥫ᭡ ₊ ⊹ ˑ ִֶ 𓂃