It was another morning to begin with. "Rise and shine, Nelissa," I said to myself, beaming with a smile as I stretched lazily, feeling the warmth of the sun creeping into my room.
"Morning, Olivia. Morning, Martha," I greeted cheerfully, immediately noticing their presence as they bustled around, drawing the binders open to let in the golden rays of sunlight.
"Morning, miss," they chorused, their voices pleasant and routine, as they set about tidying the room.
I slid out of bed, ready to take off my pajamas, but suddenly froze. Wait! I had forgotten to change out of my clothes last night. A jolt of embarrassment washed over me as I pieced together the fragments of the previous night.
"Oh! Master Adrian called our attention to your clothing last night," Martha said casually, her tone light but completely unaware of the storm her words caused within me.
Wait, what? I turned to her, my eyes wide with alarm. "Sorry, I didn't catch that. Did you mean Adrian was in my room last night?"
Martha paused for a moment, her eyes darting between Olivia and me, clearly unsure if she should elaborate. "Well, yes, miss. You were asleep, and he mentioned it seemed uncomfortable, so we came to assist."
I felt my cheeks flush, a mixture of indignation and mortification swirling in my chest. "Uncomfortable?" I echoed, my voice tight as I tried to process the thought of Adrian standing in my room while I was utterly unaware.
Olivia quickly added, as if to reassure me, "It was nothing inappropriate, miss. He was simply concerned."
Concerned? Was that supposed to make me feel better? My mind raced, flipping through possibilities as I tried to recall any memory of the night before. Did I say or do anything embarrassing?
"Next time," I began sharply, but softened my tone halfway through, realizing they were only doing their job, "just… just let me handle it myself, alright?"
"Yes, miss," they both replied in unison, bowing slightly before continuing their work.
I sighed, pressing my palm to my forehead, and muttered under my breath, "Adrian…" This was going to be a long morning.
---
All ready for school, I sprang my way to the dining room for breakfast. Though "sprang" might be the wrong word—my legs weren't exactly springs, especially after the chaos in my head this morning.
"Morning," Adrian greeted warmly the moment he spotted me descending the stairs, his usual bright and confident tone filling the room.
I couldn't meet his gaze properly, the memory of last night still fresh and irritating. Did he really have to invade my personal space like that? The annoyance I felt bubbled to the surface.
"Like seriously? Whatever!" I snapped at him, my words sharp as I walked past, refusing to let him see how flustered I actually was.
A faint chuckle escaped his lips, but he said nothing in return, which somehow annoyed me even more. He always seemed so unbothered!
"Morning, Dad. Morning, Mom," I greeted politely, forcing a smile as I took my seat at the dining table.
"Morning, dear," my dad responded, briefly looking up from his newspaper.
"Morning, sweetheart," my mom chimed in, her smile soft but observant, as if she was sensing the tension in the air.
I busied myself with pouring some juice, trying to act casual, but I could feel Adrian's gaze lingering on me, like he was waiting for me to say something. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction—not today.
"Morning, sis," Eliana greeted, her voice laced with an almost sickly sweetness. "Why didn't you reply to Adrian?" she added, her tone clearly baiting me.
I sighed. "Morning," I replied tonelessly, not bothering to mask my irritation. "Really, can't you do us both a favor by eating quietly and giving us just one day without a fight?" I added, trying to keep calm.
"Oh, I see," she said with a mock gasp, feigning innocence. "But my answer is no, and—"
Dad's sharp cough interrupted her mid-sentence, cutting through the growing tension like a knife.
"That's enough, Eliana," Dad said firmly, lowering his newspaper to glare at her. "Don't push things too far. You're both sisters, and I do not want to witness this kind of behavior between you two anymore. Am I understood?"
Eliana and I exchanged a quick glance before reluctantly nodding in unison.
"Good," Dad said with a satisfied nod, his tone softening. "And by the way, Adrian will be staying with us from now on."
"What?" I exclaimed, my voice rising in protest. "Dad—"
"No buts, dear," Dad interrupted, his voice leaving no room for negotiation.
"Sure, Dad. Welcome, Adrian," Eliana chimed in quickly, her voice honeyed and her smile sleek. She turned to Adrian, who returned her smile, though I couldn't help but notice it wasn't really meant for her—it was directed at me.
"That's more like it, Eliana," Dad said approvingly, clearly pleased with her seemingly cooperative response.
I sank deeper into my chair, my appetite suddenly gone. What was Adrian up to, and why was I the only one who seemed uneasy about this.
I couldn't help but frown with disgust as yesterday's memories replayed in my mind. Sitting in the school garden, I clenched my fists, feeling anger coursing through me. How dare he? If he dared to show his face now, I would've slapped him hard without a second thought.
But before I could even process my emotions, Adrian suddenly appeared. Instead of avoiding me or retaliating against my anger, he did something completely unexpected he hugged me tightly. The embrace was so sudden and intense that even after he released me, I struggled to catch my breath.
"I'm sorry, Nelly," he said softly, his voice filled with regret. "I didn't mean for yesterday to happen. I just… I couldn't hold back anymore. I've been longing for you for so long."
"Adrian, what are you talking about?" I asked, narrowing my eyes, my voice sharp with confusion and annoyance.
He sighed, avoiding my gaze. "I thought you were dating someone else, and I got jealous. So… I may have told him that you didn't want to see him anymore. That he was bothering you and should stop disturbing you." He paused, his voice trembling slightly. "I just wanted you to be mine, Nelly. Please, be my girlfriend."
My heart stopped. Oh, heavens, this wasn't happening. "Adrian," I said, my voice trembling with disbelief, "please tell me you didn't actually do that."
"I did… I'm sorry," he admitted. "I know I shouldn't have invaded your privacy, but I saw the messages on your phone last night. I couldn't stop myself. I thought I was protecting you."
My fists clenched tighter. "Oh, good heavens. You didn't!"
He nodded. "I did."
I let out a bitter laugh, trying to suppress the burning anger in my chest. "You know what? Fine. Give me some space, Adrian. Just… leave me alone for now."
I picked up the book I had left on the wooden bench, trying to gather my thoughts and walk away, when Nathan appeared out of nowhere.
"You brat," he spat angrily, stepping toward me with his hand raised as if to slap me. My heart jumped, but before he could lay a finger on me, Adrian stepped in, grabbing Nathan's wrist and lowering it gently.
"Yo, take it easy, man," Adrian said, his voice firm. "She's your ex, not a punching bag. And, for the record, she's my girlfriend now."
My jaw dropped. "Adrian, I—" I started, but Nathan cut me off, his face twisted with rage.
"Oh, yeah? Just because she broke up with me doesn't mean she gets to parade around with you like this."
I snapped. "Excuse me? Aren't you the one who broke up with me just to get with my twin? Who's the devil now, Nathan?" My voice dripped with venom as I glared at him, my anger uncontainable.
Nathan's lips curled into a sneer. "You know what? Screw you. You and your new boyfriend deserve each other," he said, turning on his heel and storming off.
Before I could even process his words, Adrian turned to me, his tone softening. "You know, you two are over, so maybe you can—"
"Just shut up, Adrian!" I snapped, cutting him off. My voice was sharp, filled with frustration and exhaustion. "Stay the hell out of my life."
I stormed off, leaving him standing there in stunned silence, my heart racing as anger and confusion swirled in my mind.