When the morning came, Acheros and Dayanara woke up as early as they could to prepare breakfast and check on Loralai despite having to get to sleep late. As Dayanara went to the kitchen to cook their breakfast for this very, but not so special morning, Acheros decided to check on Loralai in her room. He's having a bad feeling, to be honest. He felt like any time from now, Loralai might disappear or suddenly go missing again like what just happened to her.
Acheros immediately knocked the moment he is in front of Loralai's locked door. At the same time, Callum steps outside his room, just woken up, and is still scratching his eyes. Callum's sight immediately panned to his father who is knocking on Loralai's door repeatedly, but no one opens it. He stepped closer just to know what's the problem, but before he could reach the door, his father started calling out Loralai's name.
"Loralai! Loralai, open the door," his father shouted, clearly not aware of the possibility that Loralai is still sleeping. "Loralai!"
"She might still be sleeping, dad."
"Is she?"
"Probably? I don't know," Callum shrugged. "If she wasn't, then she could've opened up the door when you shouted."
"I'm just worried."
"You shouldn't," Callum said making Acheros' brows tug up. "She came back after weeks of missing despite having several wounds that can kill her. I think she won't leave the house as you imagine."
"I hope so," Acheros softly said, shoulders sagged as she looks back at Loralai's door. "I'm really worried. I don't know what to do if we lose her again."
"Well… you can find her if you lose her again."
"Tssss," Acheros playfully rolled his eyes before tugging up Callum towards their kitchen where Dayanara is serving their breakfast… and Loralai is already eating. Acheros' mouth hanging open as she stares at Loralai who is eating quietly at their dining table. Then he glanced at the stairs they just went to, then looked at Loralai again. Embarrassment was all he felt, especially when he heard Callum's soft but audible laughs. He face-palmed in his mind and just acted as nothing happened. Like he didn't shout countless times in front of her room. "Good morning," he greeted.
"Hmmm, good morning," Loralai greeted back, not even glancing at Acheros. "Join me."
"Yeah… that's what I was to do."
Silently, they all sat down and ate their breakfast. Dayanara cooked dishes that aren't meant to be eaten for breakfast, but still, they ate it because it looks delicious. All throughout their breakfast, the silence was all over. No one wanted to talk because no one knows how to start a conversation. Acheros and Dayanara didn't know if it's safe or fine for Loralai to tell them what really happened since she looked okay now. But they stopped themselves because Loralai might look fine, they still don't know if Loralai is comfortable sharing what she experienced for the past few weeks. It wasn't appropriate especially knowing that Loralai might have trauma and is still unable to talk about what happened.
After their breakfast, Loralai went to the living room, turned the Tv on, and watched the latest news. Callum, who barely cares about what happens to who went straight to his room to do his business. Dayanara and Acheros stayed at the dining table, talking and discussing their plans for Callum's transfer, which now includes Loralai. They're discussing everything thoroughly that they didn't even notice that it's already lunch. Good thing, which might be a bad thing, the dishes they ate for breakfast will also be their lunch. Dayanara cooked a lot, and they didn't manage to eat all of them for breakfast that's why they are eating them all again.
After eating their lunch, they went with their individual businesses and acting like nothing really bad happened. While Loralai was walking towards her room, Callum was behind, looking at Loralai's back intently; like he will get the answers he needed if he will look at Loralai. While Loralai felt awkward. She felt Callum looking at her, and she felt conscious.
"Do you have something to say?" Loralai asked, not really sure if Callum has something to ask.
"Yes," Callum answered frankly.
"What is it?"
"Were you really lost, or you are just faking for something?"
"Is that even necessary to ask?" Loralai said, laughing a little at how ridiculous Callum's question was. "If it is this obvious to you, then I wouldn't have done it because it won't make any sense."
Callum felt frozen. So stupid of him to ask that question when the answer is so obvious. He wouldn't have asked that because if ever Loralai was lying, then she would know that he is already suspicious of what happened to her. He mentally faced palm, then maintained his stoic face while looking at her sister.
"Then I'm sorry for asking," he apologized. "I was just thinking so much after what happened to the school. I'm sorry."
And now, it's Loralai who froze for what she heard. They've been together for years. There are times that Callum is being mean to her and she won't hear any apologies even if his parents say so. But now, Callum apologized without even hesitating a bit, and Loralai was surprised. She wasn't expecting any of those words from Callum's mouth. And he even said it twice, making Loralai more surprised than she already is.
"It's fine, I understand," Loralai replied, blinking numerous times and slightly shaking her head to know if she is just hallucinating or not. Let it be called over-reacting, but she is really surprised especially when she saw a glimpse of Callum's smile. She blinked again, but what she is seeing is real. She thought she was imagining it. "I'll get going now," she said, dismissing Callum's smiling face in her mind. "I want to rest. Bye." Before Callum can even say anything, she shut her door and lean her back against it.
She felt her heartbeat loudly inside her chest. It was her first time to feel this kind of feeling, and she's not liking it. Loralai punched her chest a few times, but her heart is still beating fast, and Callum's smiling face registered her mind, and she can't throw it off. She doesn't want this kind of feeling. She felt strange. And as soon as possible, she wants this strange feeling gone because nothing good will happen if this feeling develops.