Word Count: 350
"Modesty forbids me to agree with you, sir, but yes. Yes, I am," Rose says, smiling her brightest smile. "It has taken years to get my routine down, but you see the results. My skin is as unblemished as my reputation."
The sound of laughter behind her makes her jump. Rose turns, eyes narrowing when she sees Hugo in the kitchen, his tawny owl, Isadora on his shoulder with a letter attached to her leg. Hugo grins. "You're doing that thing again, aren't you? The thing where you pretend you're being interviewed." He throws his shoulders back and pushes his chest out before continuing in a falsetto. "Yes, I am Rose Weasley, and I am the most amazing person in the world, and I am better at everything than everyone!"
Rose's cheeks burn with annoyance. With a scowl, she turns away from her little brother. "I can taste my hatred for you," she snaps.
Her brother laughs, moving past her opening the window. Isadora leaps from her perch before flying out. "Yes. I know," he says. "Your life is one of anguish and darkness, and you are so full of rage."
She rolls her eyes before turning back to him, folding her arms over her chest. "What do you want, Hu?" she asks. "You've thrown off my groove, and now…"
Rose decides it isn't worth explaining. Hugo wouldn't understand. No one else in the family really gets her, except maybe Lucy. They think she's pretentious and a know-it-all, but they can't see what it's like in her head. If she doesn't try to be the best, it feels like a failure, and that is terrifying.
Let them tease her and laugh. They'll never get it, and it hurts, but she has to deal with it.
"I don't know why you bother with that," Hugo says. "Why do you pretend that you're so great? You already are great."
Rose softens. She doesn't know how to respond at first. Smiling, she reaches out and pulls him into a hug. "You're a pain in the arse, Hu," she says. "But you're my pain."
