تعاشروا كالإخوان وتعاملوا كالأغراب
Get together like brothers, but work together like strangers
Rose
I open my eyes to an empty spot right next to me—making me blink a few times and realise that I'm actually in bed, all by myself. As I sit up straight, I immediately look left to see myself in the mirror; hair in different directions, lips pale and chapped. I definitely look like a mess but I can hardly care.
Sighing, I take a step out of the bedroom to find Elia standing near the glass window as he exhales before I see him holding a cigarette in between his fingers. Within seconds, he turns around to look at me as he clenches his jaw and walk towards me.
Once we're close enough, I look up straight into his eyes, seeing that he's caressing the side of my cheek with his other hand—but I stay still, not wanting to react in any way possible. My heart starts to beat at a fast pace, making me close my eyes in respond to calm it down.
Elia brushes his nose against mine and I feel him holding my face up before meeting my lips in an instant. We both kiss passionately slow and in sync—somehow leaving me to taste the softness of his touch including the sparks that comes flowing by.
He slowly break the kiss, letting our lips brush against once another; leaving traces of the sudden urge. I stay still as he does the same without pulling away or losing the contact of our lips. As I look up into his eyes, I see him looking directly at my lips before he backs away slightly.
The both of us manage to enjoy the silence and the awkwardness without uttering a single word. I just look into his eyes while he looks down at my lips for a few seconds after glancing up to my eyes. For once, I wish I can read his mind so that I can understand what he's trying to say through his actions—but I can't. He's in his own world of secrets.
I furrow my eyebrows in confusion when I see him disappear towards the front door. As he pull the door open, I see Elis standing there—looking straight at Elia. Then, he glances towards my direction, ''I thought she was dead,'' He says, stepping inside the house.
In respond, I start to roll my eyes before waiting for him to walk towards the middle of the living room with Elia trailing behind him, ''It's nice to see you too, Elis.'' I reply.
Within seconds, Elliot starts to appear from the front door, running in before pulling me for a tight hug—making my eyes widen immediately but I slowly react by patting on his back. Then, he pulls away, smiling widely down at me which I respond with a smile too, ''I missed you, Rose.'' He mutters.
I chuckle, ''I missed you too, Elliot.''
My eyes wander towards Elia who is currently staring at Elliot and I while Elis just disappear towards the kitchen. Elliot wraps his arm around my shoulder as he smiles at his brother, Elia, ''You should've told me that she's back.'' He says.
''I should've.'' Elia replies, walking towards the kitchen; leaving Elliot and I alone in the living room.
Elliot puckers his lip to the front, ''What's his problem?'' He asks before looking down at me with a slight smirk on his face. Honestly, Elliot is a much better person to be around with—because he's filled with smiles and joy other than Elis who spends most of his time frowning or with a poker face. Then again, Elia can be both too; he's such a mystery.
''I'm not so sure myself,'' I reply.
''Come on, I want to show you my new car.'' He says, holding onto my hand as we walk outside.
My eyes widen as soon as I meet a white Maserati on the driveway. I immediately turn to look at Elliot who has a really big smile on his face—somehow showing how he's happy with his new car, ''I bought it a few months back and Elia did help me a little with the money but most of it, it's my own effort.'' He chuckles.
''You're lucky,'' I say as I smile back at him.
We both get nearer towards the car, ''You can drive it if you want.'' He says from behind, making me turn to look at him in surprise but I furrow my eyebrows immediately—realising that I don't even know how to drive.
''Maybe one day,'' I answer.
''Good. That means I'll still be meeting you in the future, I like that.'' He responds with a smile and I just smile back at him—not really knowing whether I will still be with one of them in the future.
Elia and I are getting weirder in a way that I hardly understand. At one point, he would show affection but then he would step away as if he was trying to prevent anything from happening between us. As for Elis, it seems like he has this unknown hatred towards me just by the way he looks at me. He doesn't seem too happy when I'm around but then again, I never see a happier side of him. Elliot is the only one who smiles a lot yet I know, there are pain.
It takes me awhile to realise that I've been staring at him but he doesn't seem to notice as he continues to look up at the sky—enjoying the view.
To my surprise, he looks down at me, a frown in between his eyebrows, ''Are you happy, Rose?'' He asks; catching me off guard.
We both continue to look into each other's eyes while I think of an answer. Am I happy? I thought. Truth be told, I've been trying to seek for happiness ever since I've been with Elia and I haven't found it. When I was with Emmet, things were clearly simple. Other than normal arguments, we were happy or was I the only one?
''I don't know,'' I mutter before shrugging which continues to leave Elliot in confusion.
Elliot looks up at the door and I turn to follow his gaze; seeing that Elia is standing there before he starts to walk towards us—making Elliot pat onto my shoulder as he disappears into the house. As I look up, I see Elia standing in front of me with his hands in his jeans' pocket.
He looks away as he exhales while I just continue to look at him; wondering why he's here if he doesn't want to talk or say anything. Sometimes, I think that we lack conversation. We should talk more often about stuff but instead of talking, we've been dealing with it.
''You're not happy,'' He says, breaking the silence.
''How can I be?'' I ask.
His brown eyes are pierce into mine, making me look straight at him—not really knowing whether his gaze has anything to do with his feelings, ''I don't know my feelings for you, Rose. I've been trying to figure it out but I can't. When you were gone, I tried to forget about you, I don't want you to be with me because I don't want you to get involved. I don't know why I was jealous when you were with Emmet because I was the one who wanted you two to be together.'' He says.
''His feelings for me weren't real,'' I say.
''You said you wanted to experience a normal life. I gave you that. You were clearly happier—I can see that right now, you don't even want to be here. You want to be there.''
I breathe out, ''I've always wanted to be with you from the very beginning. You've caused chaos in my heart but you threw me away, Elia. I met someone new and when I thought that he was actually real, you came again; pulling me into reality.''
He walks closer towards me, cupping onto my cheeks before resting his forehead on mine as he holds onto both of my hands, ''Don't. Don't say it as if you were forced to be here,'' He mutters.
''I can't talk about this right now,'' I reply before pulling away. Without a second glance, I quickly walk back inside—leaving him standing there by himself. As soon as I step inside, I walk up the stairs, trying to spend some time alone instead of being with anyone; I don't need that right now.
My eyes widen as soon as I see Elis near the glass window which shows a perfect view of where Elia and I were standing. I continue to look at him before he starts to turn around, revealing his profile, ''You know what, you're right. I don't know him. I don't know Elia but then again, I don't know any of you yet I get along so well that it pains me.'' I say, not realising that I'm slowly trying to reveal my feelings.
He walks closer towards me before leaving a few inches in between but I don't feel like creating a bigger distance, ''Why do you think that I hate you?'' He asks which causes my eyebrows to furrow in confusion.
''What?''
He couldn't have heard that. I didn't say it out loud—it's highly impossible for him to know what I've been thinking. My eyes are focused into his, realising how they are actually a little bit lighter due to the sunlight, ''Why do you think that I hate you?'' He asks once more.
I keep quiet, not really knowing what to say.
''I don't hate you, Rose. I hate it that you're here. I hate the fact that you're trapped when you should be living your life—not be here with my brother and face his problems. You deserve better, so why are you here?'' He asks while I stay still, not understanding what he means or what he's trying to show.
''Don't you get it? Your brother is my life,'' I reply.
No matter where I turn or go, I'll always end up thinking about the missing piece I've lost. I can never forget his touch nor his gaze—it's like we're never meant to lose each other. It may sound crazy because before meeting him, I've been living in a complete darkness but when he came, I finally see the light.
''No he's not. I swear to god, you deserve better. Why can't you see that?'' He breathes out.
''Why do you care?'' I look up into his eyes, searching for answers but I don't see anything. All I see is the way he's looking at me and the way he's clenching his jaw.
All of a sudden, his lips curve up into a small smile, ''I don't.'' Then, he starts to walk down the stairs after bumping onto my shoulder—leaving me looking at his back until he's finally out of sight.
I immediately escape towards the bedroom, wanting to release the stress that is slowly radiating. It is something that I don't need at the moment so getting rid of it would be pleasant. My body falls onto the bed; letting me relax by the softness of the mattress.
Without me realising, I manage to fall asleep even though I'm hardly tired. Maybe it's from the fact that I don't want to deal with the world at the moment—that's quite helpful sometimes. When it feels like I've been asleep for only five minutes, I open my eyes to find a familiar face looking back at me as he tries to wake me up.
My eyebrows furrow at the sight of Elis.
''Wake up,'' He says as he looks straight into my eyes.
I sit up straight after being pulled by the wrist by him. I continue to look around in confusion, not really knowing what's going on but by the look on his face—it's clear that something is happening.
When I was about to ask him, I hear a loud bang from outside which causes Elis to quickly pull me out of the room—making me run, trying to catch up with his pace. My eyes widen as soon as I see the mess downstairs. We quickly walk down the stairs before running towards the backdoor.
Elis stops walking as we come face to face with an unfamiliar man pointing a gun straight towards us. My heartbeat raises at the sight and even from the side, I see a slight worry appearing on Elis's face. I turn around but the unfamiliar man shoots near the counter which causes me to scream at the sound.
''Get back inside.'' The man says.
To my surprise, someone shoots him from behind and I see Elia looking straight at us after the man has fallen onto the ground. My breathing hitches for a moment—not used to this kind of thing even though I've gotten myself way involved last year.
''Here's my car keys. I want you two to get the hell out of here,'' Elia says before glancing at my direction for a few seconds, ''They'll be here any minute so go.'' He adds.
I start to hold onto his hand, trying to gain his attention but he pulls his hand away; causing me to feel a slight pain in my chest. Elis notices the whole thing as he stays still at the side—eyeing me. As I was about to say something, the window starts to break in pieces as someone shoots it from outside.
Elia pulls me behind the kitchen counter with Elis trailing on my back.
''Elis, now.'' He says through the noise.
My eyes couldn't move away from looking at Elia as I keep on trying to make him talk to me but he just continues to look somewhere else. I cup onto his face, trying to gain his attention once more and within seconds, he is looking at me but the noise was heard once more—causing him to groan and glare at Elis.
Without me realising, Elis is already holding onto my wrist and leading me out towards a black Jaguar. He opens the door for me before pushing me inside and I start to breathe heavily at the situation. Within seconds, he is already starting the engine—making it roar to life.
''What the hell is going on?!'' I turn to look at him.
He starts to drive out towards the other way, causing my eyebrows to furrow once more. As I keep on looking back, my eyes immediately widen at the sight of the house burning up in flames—causing me to look at Elis in shock.
''Why did you leave him?''