I woke up rubbing my eyes. There was an unfamiliar smell in the atmosphere. No, not unfamiliar but a familiar. I stood in a sitting position and wander my gaze around, scanning every detail where I was. I was in a room, a bedroom on a bed which was not mine. Having a little awareness about the room my heart raced. Tilting my head to a click sound, I saw Loren coming out of the bathroom with black jeans, a naked torso and a towel over his neck. My heart skipped a beat on this site and my stare began at his lean, muscular body. He didn't see me as his head was bent drying the wetness from his hair. When his eyes met mine, I quickly laid back on the bed covering my face.
This is weird and embarrassing.
I shouldn't be staring at him. Hearing the approaching footsteps my heart raced with its sound. He pulled me up by my hand. Removing my hands from my face he stoops towards me and lightly touched my wounded head.
I didn't feel anything when he touched my wounded forehead. Instead, I was busy with my stare. His body was too close, smelled like a cologne or shampoo. Whatever it was, it's the same smell as his coat which is good. It's the second time I'm facing him this close in this form.
He straightened, putting an end to my stare. I averted my gaze and looked down. Down to the floor.
It's hard to resist him. I thought then looked up at him as he spoke whilst gently removing my bandage.
"You wet it last night."
"Me? When? How?" I didn't remember anything that happened last night.
He bought a first aid box from a drawer and started putting a new one. I waited for an answer. When I didn't get any I spoke. "I ask you something."
"And I prefer to ignore it."
"You cannot just ignore it."
"I can and I am doing it."
"Loren, when did we come from the restaurant?" I asked, looking up at him
"You remember the restaurant?" He asked, focusing on tying.
"Yes, I-" my memory was vivid about it. When I tried to think of it my head hurts.
"You what?" He questioned.
"I don't remember."
"That's good." He finished tying the bandage and gave a quick Peck on my head.
Ignoring what happened last night, I was concentrating on the present. He had always been good to me, he teases me but cares too. Sometimes it's hard to understand him, but sooner or later you'll get the course of his actions. After keeping the box from where he took from, he put a shirt on and came to me.
With a gentle knock on my head, he asks. "Is your thick head hurting?"
His knock brought me out of my spacing state. The moment I think nice of him he called me thick head.
"No. My proper head is hurting, as I don't have a thick one."
He chuckled and went out of the room. I stood up to follow him. As soon as I was on my feet my head felt dizzy and surrounding rotates around me. What happened just now? My wound doesn't feel deep to cause such dizziness.
I sat and stood again, slowly walked out of the room. Loren was sitting on a stool near the food counter while reading a newspaper. I went and sat beside him where he dragged a cup of tea with a plate of toasts towards me.
"I don't drink tea."
Folding the paper, he placed his elbow on the counter, resting his chin on his hand.
"What do you drink then?" He smirked at me.
"What do you mean by that? You know I drink coff-" I muted my mouth when I remembered I was drunk last night.
My face flushed up on the thought of what might happen last night, how stupid I may have acted. Hiding my face in my palms I rested my head on the counter. Slowly removing my hands I was staring at my fingers. What should I ask him? He's not going to reply. I kept on folding and opening my fingers. Staring at my hands, my gaze fell on my loose sleeves. I was wearing a black shirt.
"When did I change?" I raised my head and look at myself once. I was wearing his damn shirt and I didn't realize it till now.
"Your reaction arc is slow." He said, after having a sip from the cup which he offered me.
"Stop judging about my reaction arc, you're not a biology teacher."
"You don't have to be a biology teacher to know about the reaction arc."
"Don't change the topic, explain." I sound demanding. I do need an explanation.
"Don't you remember?" He asked.
"No, how many times will you ask that?"
"Well, you were trouble."
His words hurt me. I caused trouble to someone, maybe I was annoying too.
"I am sorry for troubling you." I tamely said each word.
But that's not the answer to my question.
"Bhí sé spraoi a fheiceáil do thaobh troubling." He was smirking at me when I looked at him. [It was fun to see your troubling side]
"You-" He cut me off with a question. "What about your father?"
My eyes dampened when that question hit me. I don't even know what I told him about father. Noticing my silenced expression, he said. "Let's talk later about this." and dragged the plate of toasts in front of me. "Finish it, I have to drop you home." I nodded and ate.
Drive to home was in silence. There was one thing in my mind, 'need to talk with brother'. I am sure he knew everything. Wait. He knew everything. Then he knows I was with Loren. Ok, there's nothing to hide it. When we arrived, Loren gave me my phone, which somehow survived. Before I could leave he pulled me by my hand and place a gentle kiss on my forehead. Again giving a weird feeling which I shrugged off and stepped out of the car.
I was greeted by Lady Anna's worried look. She hugged me with some thanksgiving words to God.
"Are you alright?" She asked, releasing me from her hug.
I nodded with a sad smile, don't want to talk anything until I had a conversation with the brother.
"Whose shirt is that you're wearing?"
"Ah! I, well." What should I say, maybe she knows where I was or with whom.
"Get some rest you're leaving."
"What? I mean where?" I was astonished by her statement.
"Get some rest, Adam and you are going to Ireland." She precised her sentence.
"You're bad at joking." This cannot be real.
"Admund has already booked the tickets, we are leaving to the airport within 2 hours."
"Are you serious, you really must be joking. And you're taking this joke too far." I snapped at her whilst walking into my room to check my wardrobe, it was empty. Two Suitcases were packed and placed at the door of my room.
"I am not going anywhere." I sorely raised my voice.
"You're not being asked." She turned around to leave. "Get some rest till then." And supplied.
I turned her to face me. "I am not leaving, that's it. You cannot take me anywhere."
How can I leave my life behind and go to some other country? How can he do that?
"We are leaving to the airport in 2 hours, make yourself ready."
"Stop acting like a mother when you're not, I am not leaving, it's my final decision. And no one can force me, neither brother nor you." I said irefully.
Hurt was return all over her face when those words left my mouth. I cursed myself for saying that, she has always been with us like a mother.
"I am sorry." I walked closer to her with my eyes struggling to hold water in them.
"It's for your own safety." She softly replied, Ignoring my sorry.
"I don't give a shit about it, I am.not.leaving," I stressed each word. "Safety from what? A world war three?"
I was convincing myself for not going. When Admund takes a decision no one rebels it. I know, one or the other way, he does what he decides.
"I am going out." If I stay any longer, I would say something more which will again hurt her.
"You cannot go out."
"Why?"
"There are his men outside the door, who are taking us to the airport. Only the airport no other place"
With that my anger turned into tears which aimlessly ran down my cheeks. She turned me into a hug. "I am sorry, nothing is in my hand."
I was crying at the thought of leaving everything behind. I don't want to go, I don't want to leave my college, my friends. How can I? I don't even know whether we will be back or not. If I am really leaving, at least I have to meet everyone.
"I need to go out."
"You cannot."
"Please." my voice was shaky with more tears streaming down my face.
"I am sorry."
"Please, please let me go," I whispered my plead to her.
She didn't reply. The silence was the only thing I got in return. I was always taken away from the people I got attached to. Leaving behind a friend from kinder Academy when I was brought home, was the first time I experience it. It took long enough for the mother to get close to me when she did, she died. Brother was everything to me and he left too. And now I have to leave Jacob and Loren. Adam was the one who's always been with me. Adam!
"Where is Adam?" I asked.
"In his room."
I went to his room, he was staring out of the window. When I called him he gave the same reaction.
"Are you alright? What happened?"
I pulled him into a hug. "We are leaving this country, you know?"
"I know, I don't want to go." He whispered back.
"I know, neither do I."
After a little hug, I decided. However, I am leaving I have to say my goodbyes and confession before that. I went into my room, was trying to put my phone on the charger with my shaky hands and moist eyes. When it was on, I scrolled down the contacts until I found Jacob. It was hard to read names when your eyes are watered. And It was the first time I actually found my phone useful.
"Jake." My voice sounded terrible.
"What's wrong, Levy?" And he sensed that.
"Come to my place," I said wiping my tears with the back of my hand.
Without any further questions, he agreed and hung off the phone. I scrolled further to find one more number. I kept on scrolling but couldn't find it. Then I blinked twice and thrice to clear my vision and again searched for it.
I don't have his number.
How?
I never asked his number. Now what? I have to talk to him, I want to talk to him, I need to talk to him. I took a deep breath and threw my phone on the bed.
I am sneaking out.
•••••••••••••
What do you think of this sudden twist?
LOCKHART.