Rathi regarded herself in the mirror, pursing her lips, examining her reflection. She sighs, she would always be marked as low class by her height and delicate build. Most other Chiss of her age stood a good three or more inches over her at this stage of development, and she would forever bear the scars of her families hardship, malnutrition stunting her growth at the most critical stages of development. Even now, a fully grown adult at age sixteen, she was frequently assumed to be a child. A frown marks her face before she catches her own eye, a feature she could at least take some pride in, large and well formed and a deep crimson, set off her blue skin, fortunately no longer marred by the marks of puberty, smooth and good enough to appear flawless with only a little bit of makeup when she felt like going to the effort. She tries a smile, her teeth white, her lips painted a red to complement her eyes. The smile doesn’t reach her eyes and soon crumbles, followed by her frustrated sigh as she runs one slim hand back through her hair.
“Rafee! Rafee!”
Thoughts of the mirror lost for a moment, her smile is brilliant and genuine as her little sister sweeps into the room. A sturdy and precocious child at the age of four, solid in all the ways her elder sister is delicate, Rin’hi already reaches her sisters waist and almost her weight in springy, youthful muscle.
“What is it trou- oof!”
Rathi is nearly bowled off her feet by a flying hug, bursting into giggles.
“Mother says we can go out to Thalinis tonight to celebrate your first day! I’mm gonna get fried Bilmak and some Rinda, oh, oh, oh and umm… and some Schelkith to take home! Yeah!”
Rathi can’t help but laugh, feeling a small glow of pride. The scholarship she qualified for the year before Rin’hi was born had allowed their small family to pull themselves out of the depths of poverty and were at least now able to put enough food on the table and keep the ever sprouting Rin’hi in clothes, and every now and then, go out to a restaurant and enjoy a sweet treat.
Rathi ruffled her little sisters hair playfully.
“How do I look?”
Rin’hi eyes her slim sister in her medical personnel green, with the yellow stripe indicating her student status.
“Like a nurse.”
“Well, isn’t that lucky?”
Rathi grins, nudging her sister.
“Go brush your hair, I will drop you at school.”
“Urgh… I hate brushing my hair…”
Rin’hi left the room, still grumbling, leaving Rathi alone again for a moment. She runs her hand back through her hair and nods.
“Here we go.”
She slips her handbag strap over her shoulder, checking her transit pass is inside, close her eyes a moment, breathing deeply, keeping the curse deep inside, and steps through the doorway towards a brand new day.