_Lavalee Flamelinne Hanazono's Point of View_
"Can I come with you, ate?" she asked and I nodded
We went out of the room and I gently closed the door, when I turned around I saw Jace leaning on the wall opposite to us with his arms crossed.
"Let's go," I said and wrapped my arms around Autumn
"Why are you still awake?" Jace asked Autumn
"I have insomnia, Kuya Jace," Autumn replied
We went back to the venue and we saw Icarus, Jester, Ares, Franco, and Bryle drinking whiskey.
I looked at Jace warningly and he raised his brow at me.
"Don't drink much," I reminded him and he nodded then went to the guys
Jace sat on the chair beside Franco and Jester placed a shot glass in front of him.
I shook my head because the guys seem to be planning to get wasted.
"Let's go," I said and brought Autumn with the girls
"Why's that one still awake?" Irene asked
"Insomnia, Irene," Chelsea answered and Irene nodded
"How old are you again, Autumn?" Enyalius asked Autumn
"I'm twelve, a-te Yali," Autumn answered
"Don't tell me you're planning on making Autumn drink," I warned Enyalius and she shrugged her shoulder
"It's just wine, ate Lav." She reasoned out
"A wine with 35% alcohol," Jess revealed which made me chuckle
"We had tasted a wine like that, Rielle, Spring, and I," Autumn said and took a stick of marshmallow kebab
"What does it taste for you?" I asked her
"It was hot on the throat and bitter but after a few glasses it made us feel like we have no problems," Autumn answered
"But when you're drinking, put the liquor in your stomach not your brain, okay?" Chelsea lectured her and Autumn nodded
"Yes, ate Chelsea. That reminds me of something. Wait," Autumn said while looking up
"That's what Kuya Ravien used to tell us whenever he's preaching to us about the bad effects of alcohol addiction." She said while looking at us
We suddenly burst out laughing the moment she mentioned Ravien's name.
We didn't expect Ravien to be lecturing 7-year-old little girls about the bad effects of alcohol addiction.
Damn.
Wave Ravien really has a weird and unpredictable mind.
When it was already half past 4 AM, they went into the Mansion, I looked at Autumn who was just there her face on her folded arms on the table.
The girls went into the Mansion to rest too, the maids and butlers are starting to clean up the whole venue, and I saw Jace helping, looks like he still has energy left.
"Are you sleepy?" I asked her and she looked at me before shaking her head
"I wonder how Eomma is doing. How is she, ate?" she asked and I smiled and pulled her for a hug
"I'm sure Aunt Aubrey is doing fine, Autumn," I said
"I wonder if she misses me." She mumbled
"Of course, Aunt Aubrey loves you, Autumn," I assured her
Deep inside, I felt a bit guilty for hiding the truth from her as I hugged her.
'She loved you so much to the point that she adopted another baby girl to fill in her longing for you.' I thought.
I couldn't tell Autumn that, I can't hurt the child's feelings.
"Why did she chase me away then, Ate Lav?" she asked softly
"We, people, make bad choices when we're mad, scared, or devastated, Autumn. Me, for example, I wanted to leave because I can't live without eomma and appa but then I realized that my siblings need me. Realization takes time, Autumn." I explained while caressing her hair
"Will eomma realize I need her too?" she asked
"Of course, she will realize that you need her and that you're all she has left so she'll take you back," I said and she leaned
"How did you become so strong, ate Lav? Because we're having a hard time, we're having a hard time adjusting that we have to leave every school year and that we have to take language lessons to fit into our new school." She asked
"I'm strong because I know that my siblings need me. When you're having a hard time just think that you're not alone, you have your friends. " I told her
"What did Kuya Frost mean earlier that Uncle Arkin picked you up?" she asked
"It's not a secret to anyone close to the family, Autumn. Remember when my brothers and sisters were in Delcruss for almost a month and then yours?" I asked her and she nodded
"I made a huge mistake, I hurt Nii-sama and my siblings too much, especially Freia," I said
"Huh? Why is that, a-te?" she asked and looked at me
"I was so devastated a week after Appa died, we all went through that but I became selfish. I wanted to be with them so I tried to kill myself." I said
"Like what I did?" she asked and showed me her wrist
"Yes, only that it was more dangerous," I said
I held her left hand with my left hand, we both have a scar on our wrists.
"What happened next?" she asked
"I saw eomma and appa, I was ready to leave with them but then I heard Freia's cries. She was begging me not to leave her, she was begging me to stay. I realized that if I choose to go with eomma and appa, Nii-sama will have to handle everything alone, and my siblings would be unstable even with the help of imo, aunt Arizza and our uncles. I can't bear the thought of that so I chose to stay." I said and looked at the sky that is slowly changing colors
"When I woke up, Freia kept on hugging me, she never let go of my hand, wherever I am she always wants to hold my hand or a strand of my hair, even in the bathroom." I chuckled remembering how innocent Freia's eyes were every time I try to explain to her that I need to take a bath.
"So, it's also Freia..." she mumbled
"Yeah and I think it made Array appear more frequently," I said and she sighed
"Samantha's appearing more frequent now too." She said
"I know, and so is Array. It's because of Samara's death three years ago, isn't it?" I said and she nodded
"Summer eliminated Chrissel Erimanthian." She mumbled
"Another kill," I sighed
We may be part of the underground society and we strive by killing those who are threats to our lives, but we didn't want our loved ones stained and scarred by the same chains instilled in us.
All of us are so against the idea of having Freia kill or take away a person's life but we can't control her.
No, the one we can't control is her other identity.
We can't control Samantha Akuma.
Somebody tapped my shoulder so I looked up and I saw Jace.
"You should rest, Autumn," Jace said and tapped Autumn's head
"I'm not sleepy, Kuya Jace," Autumn said
"I said rest, not sleep," Jace said and ruffled her hair
"Okay," She said and stood up
"Do you want us to walk you back there?" I asked her and she shook her head
"I can manage, ate Lav. Good morning," she said
"Good morning, Autumn." I greeted her and she went back to the Mansion