"Is the cake delicious?" Arina asked, spoon-feeding Lily, her youngest daughter.
With sparkling eyes, Lily nodded enthusiastically. "It's super yummy, Mama!" she exclaimed, giving a double thumbs-up. Arina smiled softly, stroking Lily's fine hair.
After finishing her cake, Lily fell asleep in her lap, and Arina was lost in the warmth of motherhood, gazing at her daughter's innocent face.
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps shattered the silence. Arina turned to see Alex, her third son, hurrying past the living room. His clothes were neat, but his expression was cold and distant. Arina wanted to call out to him, but Alex had already disappeared behind the door, without a backward glance.
Something clenched Arina's heart. A wave of guilt and regret washed over her. She realized how distant she had become from Alex, how she had neglected her son all this time. Alex, who used to seek her attention, now withdrew, creating a painful distance. Arina missed Alex's playful chatter, but she knew the wounds she had inflicted were perhaps too deep.
Lily stirred, her eyes searching Arina's somber face. "What's wrong, Mama?" she asked gently.
Arina snapped out of her reverie, trying to hide her sadness. "Mama's fine, sweetie," she replied, forcing a thin smile.
Lily tugged at Arina's hand. "Let's move to my room, Mama. It's not comfy sleeping here," she suggested.
"Alright, let's go," Arina said, her smile a little brighter. She hugged Lily tightly, as if seeking solace. For a moment, she forgot about Alex, lulled by Lily's innocent affection. Too quickly, she forgot about Alex.
****
Alex stepped out of the house, an emptiness echoing within him. He didn't know where he was going, but he felt the need to escape, to put distance between himself and his mother's vacant stare, a gaze that seemed to pass right through him. His feet carried him to the supermarket at the end of the street, a place usually bustling with life and noise.
As he entered the supermarket, Alex felt a slight sense of relief. The cheerful background music, the colorful rows of shelves, and the people busy selecting their groceries offered a momentary distraction from his sadness. He grabbed a shopping basket, though he had no idea what he wanted to buy.
Alex wandered through the aisles, his eyes scanning the various products without really seeing them. He stopped in front of the chilled drinks section, picking up a bottle of mineral water. He was thirsty, but more than that, he felt empty. He needed something to fill that void, but he didn't know what.
He moved to the snack aisle, grabbing a few bags of potato chips and chocolate bars. He knew these foods weren't healthy, but he didn't care. He just wanted something to chew on, something to provide a little taste amidst the emptiness he felt.
Alex paid for his purchases at the cashier and walked out of the supermarket. He sat on a park bench in front of the store, opened the bottle of mineral water, and took a long drink. He gazed at the twilight sky, feeling utterly alone in the midst of the crowd.
He tore open a bag of potato chips, chewing them slowly. The salty and savory taste offered a small comfort, but it wasn't enough to fill the void in his heart. Alex felt like a stranger in his own world, unsure of where to go or what to do.
Alex chewed on the chips with a blank stare, his mind drifting far away. He felt isolated, even in the midst of the bustling crowd. Suddenly, a young man sat down on the bench next to him. Alex turned, surprised to see a familiar face. It was Gabriel, a senior from his school.
"All alone?" Gabriel asked briefly, glancing at him.
Alex nodded, slightly taken aback by Gabriel's presence. "Yeah, senior."
"Something bothering you?" Gabriel asked, giving Alex a look of concern, a stark contrast to his usual blank expression at school.
Alex shrugged, unsure how to answer. He didn't want to share his family problems with anyone, especially a senior he barely knew. "Just wanted to be alone for a bit, senior," he replied shortly.
Gabriel nodded understandingly, not pressing Alex for details. "Sometimes, being alone is necessary. But don't stay alone too long. The world is too beautiful to miss out on," he said wisely.
Alex fell silent, pondering Gabriel's words. He did feel lonely, but he didn't know how to break free from that loneliness. Besides, he didn't have many friends to hang out with like most young people, only Kevin was his sole friend.
Gabriel stood up, stretching his muscles, then turned to Alex, who was still munching on his chips. Gabriel chuckled at the sight of Alex's amusing eating habits.
"Want to come with me?" Gabriel asked.
Alex looked up at Gabriel, who was gazing at him gently, and nodded in agreement. "Where are we going?" Alex asked, tidying up his trash.
"Just for a walk," Gabriel replied.
After Alex nodded, Gabriel took his wrist, leading him away, and Alex didn't seem to mind.
****
Dirga stepped into the house, and the atmosphere felt slightly different than usual. Arina, who had just come down the stairs, greeted him with a worried look. "Why are you just getting home? It's already late," she said, shaking her head at her son's behavior of returning later than his usual routine. Her voice was soft, but there was a hint of a mother's concern waiting for her child to return. "I stopped by somewhere, Ma," Dirga replied, his eyes scanning the room, searching for the person he was looking for.
"Looking for your little sister?" Arina asked, as if reading her son's mind. Dirga nodded. "Lily is upstairs, she just woke up," Arina explained. "Not Lily, but Alex," Dirga corrected, his voice slightly lower. Arina paused for a moment, her face showing a bit of confusion. "Oh, he hasn't returned yet. He went out earlier," she said.Dirga nodded wearily, his gaze shifting to the plastic bag he was holding. Inside was a vanilla cake, Alex's favorite. He intended to give the cake as an apology for the incident a few days ago, when his emotions flared and he slapped Alex. However, it seemed his plan had to be postponed. "Wow, what did brother bring?" Lily exclaimed, her voice cheerful , coming down the stairs quickly.
Her eyes sparkled as she saw the plastic bag in Dirga's hand. Before Dirga could answer, Lily had already snatched the bag. "Wow, cake! Is this for me?" she asked, her eyes looking at Dirga hopefully. "That's for Alex," Dirga replied gently, trying to explain. "Ihh, why didn't you buy me any?" Lily pouted, her lips pursed. "I'll buy you some later. Besides, you don't like vanilla. This cake is vanilla flavored," Dirga reasoned, hoping his sister would understand.
Lily paused for a moment, then quickly retorted, "It's okay, I still like it," she chuckled. Dirga sighed, a little puzzled by his sister's change in taste. He knew very well that Lily didn't like vanilla, but for some reason, she insisted she did today. With a heavy heart, Dirga nodded. "Yay, thanks,brother !" Lily exclaimed happily, then hurried to the backyard, leaving Dirga and Arina behind.
In the backyard, Lily walked towards the trash can available in the garden and threw away the plastic bag containing the cake with a crooked smile on her lips. Her eyes flashed sharply, filled with hatred. "Alex shouldn't get any of their attention, it's all just for me and mine," she said with a smirk.