It had been four months since my little "stunt" (as my siblings have come to call it), and things have changed in many levels.
My brothers and sister moved back to the manor. I knew it was because they were afraid something else might happen, now at least someone could call an ambulance sooner or help prevent it from happening again.
Kiku came by almost every day and many times stayed over the night, although he lived in the other side of town.
But at this moment Eily was loading the car with the last of my luggage while Alistor started the car. Dylan was busy checking we did not forget anything for like the millionth time and Cailen was preparing tea for everyone, while I sat staring out the window while Kiku continued to tell me the plot of a manga he had finished reading the other day.
Soon enough Alistor came by telling us it was time to go and Kiku quickly said goodbye, promising he will come to visit me in a couple of days. I hugged him before he left telling him I will be fine.
After he left everyone got in the car and we started the inevitable journey to the Ostroff Centre, a place where I could get the help I needed in my Siblings' eyes. The whole journey was spent in an almost silence with me blocking all their voices out by putting on my headphones and staring out the window.
I watched as the scenery changed but I didn't really cared anymore, the world was just was just somewhere to be, all a blur of color, emotions, and people. And this life was a reward or a torture, depending on how lucky you were and death, well, death was what everyone expected even if you didn't know it. It was the relief everyone expected or dreaded.
Nothing more and nothing less
"You are going to love it there, Alice. They have this huge garden filled with roses and all the rooms have a great view of the city…"I heard Cailen said before he continued to ramble about how amazing this place was.
I continued to stare out the window, not caring about my new "home" or whatever they called it. I really didn't care about anything for that matter.
"Here we are" Alistor informed us as the car came to a stop
I glanced up to him and out of the window again only to see a mansion like house, which is weird considering we are near the city.
"C'mon Ali"
"It is for your own good" Eily whispered to me before we strode towards the entrance
"Since when do you care?"
"I've always cared Alice but with all our fights and misunderstandings I guess I never really showed it but you ARE my little sister after all"
"C'mon Ali the sooner we go in, the most time we can stay with you" Cailen said
While Dylan sorted everything out, including the endless paperwork and forms that were necessary for my stay in the Centre, Alistor unloaded my luggage and took it inside. After a while we got the room which was assigned to me.
As we walked there I looked around, the floor and ceiling were white while the floor was covered in a beige carpet. It was blinding, as if they didn't want us to see what happened in this halls, which I think was the actual purpose for the colors.
When we reached the room, we all started unpacking. The room itself was medium sized, with a small bed that sat in the middle, a table next to it and a petite closet with five drawers that stood next to a huge window with an amazing view of London.
I noted some family pictures were already there, I thought that probably Dylan brought them a few days ago when they decided to put me in here. I inspected them remembering every single memory behind the photos, until one caught my eye.
It was of all our family. Mom and Dad were behind all of us, standing and smiling at the camera, Eily was holding a baby Cailen with a hint of a smile with Alistor and Dylan next to her both of them beaming. The three of them were standing as well but because of their heights they did not reach our parents shoulders and thus located in front of them meanwhile I was sitting on the floor the dress I had worn pooling around me while and he was sitting next to me his expression as serious as ever but I could see the playful gleam in his eye, we were looking up to them not in an obvious way but you could still see the small smile that graced our lips.
The picture was taken 15 years ago. I flipped it over so the smiling faces were facing the ground.
"I don't want it here"
"What?"
I took the picture in my hands before placing it on Dylan's
"I don't want it here"
He looked at the picture and smiled sadly at me but nodded either way before placing it on the, now empty, luggage that they were taking back home.
"You look tired Alice why don't you change and get some sleep?" suggested Alistor and everyone agreed
"We probably should get going too, it's late, visiting hours are almost over and it will be a long way home"
Once I changed into pajamas, they all tucked me in before heading out. I stared at the wall until I heard muffled voices from the other side of the wall. Knowing it was my sibling I got up and put my ear to the wall so I could listen.
"Nobody must know about this" it was Eily
"Why?" the almost too melodic voice of Cailen said
"Because it would only show how weak our family has become, first Arthur now this, what will come next? She was brought up to be a lady not some broken person" Eily calmly replied
"How can you say that about your own sister?"
"Don't get me wrong Alistor, I love her as a sister would and I am still very concerned. But nobody must know nor think that our family is still imperfect. Do you know how people will talk if they knew about this? We really don't want them to know our family is just that messy right? She was brought up like a lady and she ought to be one! She will not follow Arthur's lead!"
"So you are willing to sacrifice our sister's wellbeing for creating a good appearance?"
"I am not…" Eily started only to be cut by the youngest in the family
"Just answer the bloody question Eily! Are you, willingly, going to sacrifice her for a public impression?" his tone was dangerous mixed with some disbelief in there
We all waited for an answer but there was none
"Cailen calm down" it was Dylan this time
"How?! She's willing to kill Alice just for the sake of public relationships!"
"She is NOT going to do that! And Eily you know very well Arthur did not commit suicide, he was at the wrong place at the wrong time!" Alistor practically barked
"Guys can you stop talking about me like I am not here?" I said opening the door and stepping out of the room.
All eyes fell on me in less than a second and there was silence for a couple of beats
"Ali go back to sleep" Alistor finally said, his eyes softening and his voice becoming soft and comforting, like when you talk to a child. It was as if he feared I would break if he raised his voice too much
"I'm not going to break Scottie" I said using his childhood nickname "and this is not just a fight you can hide me from as if I was a child" I directed a blank stare toward the rest of my siblings "you should get going, as you said visiting hours are almost over and it is a long way home" and with that said I entered my new room before anyone could say anything else.
I am so sorry it took so long to update! I really am thanks for being patient it's just school and everything just keeps getting busier every time and my life was just out of control and I finally regained some normalcy so yeah!
Disclaimer I don't own anything
Again sorry for the delay
I love you guys!
