When I finally reached my room, I stood in front of the door, hand on the knob, hesitating to open it. But when I heard footsteps that I was sure belonged to my mother, I slipped inside.
The room was pretty much the same as I'd left it. It smelled better, probably because Mom had been cleaning it regularly. Still, even though I knew it was my room from memory, it felt like I barely recognized it.
I had underestimated my obsession with becoming a surgeon, and this room was proof of it. Now it made sense why I'd withdrawn so much after I failed. Being a surgeon wasn't just a goal; it was what I lived for. It was one of the only things I had ever really cared about.
I locked the door behind me and pressed my ear to it. I could hear Mom pacing on the other side, probably trying to figure out what to say.
"How long are you planning to hide in there?" she asked. I didn't respond.
"Come downstairs for dinner when the sun goes down."
"I'm not hungry."
"Yeah, well, it's not up for debate," she said before I heard her footsteps retreating down the hall.
I sighed and sat down on my bed, looking around to spot any differences. The walls were still painted with that pastel blue, decorated with framed medical-themed posters.
Anatomy charts, motivational quotes for when the stress of studying got to me, and posters of my role models—people who had achieved their dreams through grit, sweat, and blood—hung on the walls. They were people I used to relate to. People I used to admire.
I got up and walked over to my desk, which took up a key spot in the room. A small lamp sat on it, adorned with plushie stickers. The desk was surprisingly organized, with advanced textbooks stacked neatly: biology, chemistry, human anatomy.
I sat in the chair and absentmindedly ran my fingers over the pens, then opened one of my old notebooks. Inside was a rough sketch of human organs, each labeled with detailed notes on their functions. It was weird to think I used to be so fearless. It felt like it belonged to another person. I closed the notebook and put it back where I found it.
I got up and wandered over to my bookshelf, which was filled with all sorts of books—crime, mystery, psychological thrillers. Not much romance, though. I'd never really connected with romance stories. The idea of people giving up everything for love seemed ridiculous to me.
I ran my fingers along the spines of the books until I reached a section where there were no books—just framed photos of my friends and family.
It's funny how many people in those photos I thought I'd spend the rest of my life with, but now I barely remembered them.
"It was good to be young..."
I skipped looking at the makeup area. Sarah, Dawn, and I used to play around with makeup there, but I avoided it like the plague. Same went for the bulletin board above my headboard. It was full of dreams and a constant reminder of my failure. I'd have to take it down when I got the chance.
I flopped down on the bed, closing my eyes, imagining I wasn't here, but back in my apartment, playing online games and trash-talking people's mothers because they sucked at gaming.
"Eva, wake up. It's dinner time."
"Mmgh, go away..."
"If you don't wake up, I'm telling Mom."
"Leave me alone... I'll be there in a minute."
"Okay, you leave me no choice. MOM! EVA'S—"
"Alright, alright, geez, I'm up, you annoying little shit."
My head buzzed as I peeled my eyes open. Ugh, I can't even sleep properly without being disturbed. 'It's good to be home.' I thought sarcastically.
When my eyes finally focused, I saw Kat's face hovering way too close to mine. "What the hell are you doing? I'm your sister for god's sake."
Kat backed up, her face twisting in disgust. "Why would you even go there, you pervert? Ugh, I almost forgot how your dirty mind works."
I groggily sat up, stretching my limbs. "I might have a dirty mind, but I'm not the one hovering over her sister like she's about to kiss her."
"Ew! I've officially lost my innocence because of you," Kat snapped, glaring at me like I was the plague.
I smirked. "Pretty sure you lost your innocence a long time ago."
"No thanks to you," she shot back.
I rolled my eyes as I got off the bed and stretched again. "Yeah, yeah. Let's go before Mom sends out a search party."
When we got to the dining room, Mom asked us to set the table. We did, helping out where we could, before everyone finally sat down to eat. We said grace, and then... silence.
That is, until the first bite of Mom's casserole hit my tongue, and I couldn't help but let out a satisfied moan. Damn, I had missed this.
"Like it?" Mom asked, noticing my reaction. I nodded enthusiastically.
"Are you kidding? You make the best casserole in the world."
Mom smiled softly. "Well, I don't know about the world, but I have had time to practice. I think I've improved."
"You definitely have. I can taste it."
We ate in silence for a bit longer before I couldn't take it anymore. I looked at Mom and muttered, "I'm sorry about earlier. I meant what I said, though. I can't talk about it yet. But when I'm ready, you'll be the second person to know."
I didn't finish the sentence, but they all knew what I meant.
"I'm sorry too," Mom said softly.
I raised an eyebrow. "What do you have to be sorry for? I was the one in the wrong."
"I shouldn't have pushed you to talk. I should've waited for you to come to me, like you always have. I raised you to take accountability, and though it took you a while, you did come through in the end. Instead of being happy for that, I made it worse. For that, I'm sorry. It won't happen again."
My throat tightened, and my eyes misted over. Kat's did too, and so did Dad's. Mom just shook her head, clearly exasperated by our reactions.
"You girls really take after your dad."
"And who do you take after, Mom? A Stone?" Kat deadpanned.
We all burst out laughing—except Mom.
We weren't just laughing because Mom could be a bit stone-hearted during emotional family moments. We were laughing because her maiden name was actually Stone before she married Dad.
We spent the rest of dinner talking like old times, and I even got a notification about my completed mission. I'd also unlocked an insider reward: my parents' expectations of me.
It wasn't what I'd thought. Of all things, their only expectation was for me to be happy. It was something cheesy, and yet, I grinned like an idiot, knowing they'd never placed burdens on me I couldn't handle.
After dinner, I headed outside and found Sarah just about to knock on the door. We decided to take a walk, and not even ten minutes later, we saw something we couldn't believe.
It was an invisible person mugging our neighbor, Mrs. Greene. Their skin was invisible, but not their clothes or the kitchen knife they were holding.
"Eva, is this real?"
"As real as it gets..."