At the dinner table, Leona smiled so much that her cheeks hurt. Regardless of her behaviour at dinner, or if there was a smile on her face, nobody would notice if she wasn’t present at the table. It had always been like that.

Dinners were a must for the family. It was the only time they spent together, and it was a chance for them to bond. But to Leona, it was another stage where she had no choice but to perform. Their parents only had time to focus on one child, and Leona was not the chosen one.

It wasn’t a big deal for her. She had the time to do her own thing and be as wild as they wanted her to be. Everything was fine. She had been putting on plays for everyone, not just her family, since she was young, and it was something she had gotten used to.

As she dug into the food that was prepared by the cooks, she studied her sister’s expression and how she fidgeted in her seat. Though Alaina tried to subtly shrink away from the noise and still her fidgeting hands under the table, Leona saw it all.

Leona had noticed all the little things her sister would hide, and how she tried to act like the perfect daughter for her parents’ sake. It wasn’t a secret to anyone that they were a proud and upright couple who didn’t tolerate the slightest imperfection.

At first, Leona had wanted to help Alaina and make things more comfortable for her, or even get to know her more. But they had been kept separate since Leona’s birth and had grown up like the other didn’t exist at all. How could the two bond if they were barely in the same room together?

The feeling of wanting to spend more time with her sister soon turned into jealousy and resentment when she saw how much effort and care went towards Alaina.

Their parents often forgot Leona and only remembered her existence at mealtimes or if her name was mentioned in passing. However, she tried to keep these feelings down and in check - after all, none of this was her sister’s fault. Also, she knew that there were some things that Alaina faced every day that Leona would never fully understand.

Nothing could destroy the short time the two sisters met each day, no matter what. Perhaps, in the future, there would come a day when they could be like any other family and not like the semblance of one that had formed since the day Leona first opened her eyes in this world.

At dinner that evening, Leona sat across from Alaina. Their parents spoke in clipped tones about work, their eyes barely leaving their plates. The atmosphere between them all felt thin, as though even sound might shatter it.

Alaina glanced up, her tired eyes meeting Leona’s. She offered a faint smile - it was strained at the corners, and if anyone paid close attention to it would see how much she was struggling to maintain it. Although the smile was barely there, it was a sliver of warmth that Leona had rarely felt in this cold, detached family.

Neither of the sisters spoke. They hardly ever did during the times set for meals, unless they were called upon by their parents. However, this was something that seldom happened.

Leona picked at her food, her appetite fading. She noticed her sister fidgeting once again in her seat, and knew that Alaina felt like getting up from the table and running back to her room, but she couldn’t in fear of what her parents might do if she did.

As she struggled to eat something, Leona felt her stomach tighten at the sight of her sister. She wanted to reach out, to say something, but she couldn’t bring herself to break the fragile peace between them.

One day, she promised herself. One day, she’ll be strong enough to ask Alaina what she goes through. And one day, hopefully, she would have the courage to break free and tell Leona everything.

But for now, they could only share a quiet understanding in that single glance they shared across the table. It wasn’t enough, but at least it was something.