On Monday :
morning smelled like rain and mildew.
Elias was already packing when Lira woke up. He moved like a machine, stuffing her textbooks into a box labeled "Lira's School" in his blocky handwriting. His work jacket hung off his shoulders—he'd lost weight again.
She checked her phone to see three new messages from mira
"Mira's coming to help," Lira said to Elias , pulling her hair into a ponytail.
Elias told her "Tell mira not to touch Grandma's vase."
Mira arrived at 10 AM, her designer backpack clashing with the peeling walls. She froze in the doorway, staring at the bathroom's black-mold ceiling. "You guys… live here?"
Lira shoved a stack of clothes into a box. "Temporarily."
Mira picked up the chipped vase from the altar. "Why keep this? It's broken."
"Put it down!," Elias snapped from across the room. He didn't raise his voice, but the edge in it made Mira flinch.
Lira took the vase gently. "It's Grandma's."
Elias left at noon, mumbling about "talking to the landlord." By 3 PM, the apartment was stripped bare except for the altar . Lira wiped sweat from her brow."where is Elias ?"asked mira
Lira replied "He's probably requesting the land lord to lend us sometime until the new apartment is ready "
*Mira hugged her, quick and awkward*
"Call me if you need anything, okay?" Said mira
Rain started as they hauled the last box outside. Elias returned soaked, his hair plastered to his forehead. "We can camp here tonight," he said, nodding to the apartment's weed-choked lawn,Owner's letting us stay till morning."
Lira eyed the sagging sofa they'd dragged outside. "What about the rain?"
Elias flopped onto the cushions. "I'll watch the boxes. Go find shelter."
"Not without you."
"I'm fine here." His voice softened. "Go on. You'll catch a cold."
Lira hid under the staircase, listening to the rain drum against the concrete. Elias laid on the sofa like a ragdoll ,
He was screaming in his mind" M-Mom Dad why did you have to go ,we don't have anyone here to help us, Grandma Died last year I m working 2 Shifts Just to pay rent, food ,Liras School fees and what not, I'm exhausted i can't manage this ,what should I do ? ".
Elias later fell asleep on the sofa, rainwater pouring down his throat,his tears hidden in the rain.The eviction notice floated in a puddle beside him, ink smudged beyond recognition.
*Lira woke up*
She draped her hoodie over him. His phone buzzed in his pocket—a reminder for his morning shift at the auto shop.
"Two jobs", she thought. "And he still packed my stuff first. "