Introduction

"Sofia Falls!" our mother Elizabeth Falls shouted. "What on earth are you wearing?!" 

"I'd thought you'd like it..." Sofia stammered. 

"Like it?! You look pregnant! Go change right now!" 

"Lay off!" I shouted. "There's nothing wrong with her outfit!"

"You aren't much better!" she screeched. "Look at your hair!" She pointed to the pink feathers.

"Will you relax? It's not even real!"

"Of course not! What's next, a tattoo?" she yelled. "You've been trouble since you've been born!"

"Mom..." Sofia said timidly.

She whirled on her. "Don't you dare stick up for your sister! She's a brat and she knows it!"

"She's not a brat!." Sofia protested.

"Shut up!" she screeched. "You two don't deserve to be her! I should cast you both out on the streets!"

"I bet it'll be a whole lot better then living here." Sofia retorted.

Our mother strode up to her, fury in her cold eyes. She raised her hand and slapped Sofia across the face.

"You ungrateful little brat! Both of you get out of my house right now!"

"With pleasure." I said, grabbing Sofia's hand. "C'mon." I said running out of the house.

Behind us, mom screeched "That's it! Run away and leave my sight!"

Just as I was about to shut the door, I turned around.

"You need to stop talking to your reflection." I said. Before she could respond, I slammed the door and ran after Sofia.

One of the perks of living right across the beach is that we can visit whenever our mother went on a rampage. Which was pretty much every day.

"Let me see your cheek." I said.

Without a word, Sofia tilted her head.

"She got you good." I muttered.

"It'll fade." Sofia sighed.

"You really told her off today. I'm surprised you finally stood up to her."

Sofia smiled slightly. "There's only so much I can take." she said.

Sofia is truly every mother's dream. She doesn't wear makeup, she's modest, and incredibly kind. She almost never yelled at anyone. She was very shy and until today, had never stood up to our monster of a mother.

I reached out to hug her. "We'll make it through." I whispered.

"Somehow." she said.

***

"Watch'a reading?" Sofia asked.

"A 100 baby challenge guide." I said.

"May I ask why?" Sofia said.

I shrugged. "I'm bored. Besides, it actually sounds kind of cool."

"I can see it now." Sofia laughed. "Ruby Falls, the newest challenge mother!"

I laughed too. "I'll be famous! I'll have a big house, a handsome husband, and a million toddlers crawling around."

"Have you forgotten about the 8 to a household rule?" Sofia said.

I swatted her. "Just let me dream for a while."

"Do you seriously want to do it?" Sofia said.

I sighed. "I dunno... I may. I've been thinking about it for a while."

"I'll support whatever you do sis." Sofia said.

"I cannot believe what I'm hearing." Our mother said behind me. "My oldest daughter wants to give up everything and become one of those disgusting challenge mothers!"

"What's wrong with you?" I yelled. "The challenge mothers are some of the coolest people ever!"

"A passing trend." she sniffed. "None of them have stable lives. Is that what you really want?"

"Are you kidding me?" I yelled. "They have stable lives!"

"You don't know anything about stable lives then!" she screeched.

"Yeah, because I live with YOU!"

There was silence. Then my mother raised her hand, cold hard fury burning in her green eyes. I flinched slightly, expecting to get slapped like usual. Instead, she pointed her finger at me.

"You ungrateful brat. I have provided everything for you-"

"Yeah right!" I interrupted. "There's never any good food here, Sofia and I haven't had any new clothes since we were fourteen and you sit here, counting the money grandma sends us and blows it all on cheap junk and scream at us! We have to wear your clothes for the love of Pete!"

My mother was now trembling in rage. "Fine! Go ahead and sleep with a bunch of men and pop out babies! You try and be a mother! Just don't come crying to me when you can't get past baby 5!"

"I will! Maybe you'll see how terrible of a mother you've been!" With that, I went to the room I shared with Sofia and began throwing my few possessions into an old backpack.

"Ruby please!" Sofia begged. "Don't leave me with her!"

I looked at my sister, trying not to cry as I saw the tears brimming in her eyes. We had gone through so much and she was my best friend.

"Fi, I can't." I whispered, using the nickname I had given her when we were kids. "I just can't..." Tears were slipping down my cheeks.

"I can't stay with her alone!" Sofia cried, crying as well.

"You can come with me..." I whispered.

Her face brighten up for a split second. Then it fell as she shook her head.

"You need the room for your challenge. Besides... I'm not ready..."

I understood. Sofia despised our mother, but she always tried to please her, trying to make her seem likable.

I hugged her. "I'll miss you Fi."

"I'll miss you too Ru."

I stood there, saying goodbye to my sister one last time when my mother had to ruin everything.

"So little bratty Ruby's gonna go have a family!" she sneered.

"I bet that's what grandma said when you left." I said, yanking open the door.

Behind me, my mother screeched something, most likely about how bratty I was and how I should have never been born. I didn't care.

"So this is what freedom feels like." I said to myself.

"I like it."