Chapter 2

At dinner, everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, sharing today's events and eating minestrone. Well…almost everyone, Linka didn't say or did anything really. "Linka, everything alright, honey?" Rita asked, "It looks like you barely touched your food," she said, noticing Linka's bowl was almost full.

"Dinner not soup-er?" Lynn Sr. joked.

"Not the time, dear," his wife told him.

"Sorry."

"I guess I'm just not that hungry," said Linka.

"Follow up question," Lynn spoke next, "Why were halfing it at practice earlier?"

Linka shrugged, "Maybe I just didn't have the energy."

"Well I wish you would've said that earlier. I could've given you an energy drink."

Lane went next, "And also, why weren't you reacting to my jokes? You didn't even groan. Is something bothering you?"

"Not sure, but I'm fine," Linka told him.

However, her tone made everyone think differently. "Linka, something must be bothering you," Loki suspected, "Why won't you tell us?"

"Because I have nothing to hide, Loki," she replied slightly annoyed.

"Come on, sis," Luke spoke next, "You said it yourself; you were feeling off."

Lincoln sighed, "Luke…"

"We're only trying to help you, Linka," said Leif.

"Leif, please."

"Linka…" Lexx said impatiently.

"No, Lexx."

"But, Linka…" Loni tried to talk.

"Guys," Linka almost lost it, "Listen, I'll admit, I have been and still feeling off, but I really don't want to talk about it."

After a moment of silence, Rita said, "Okay Linka, if you don't want to talk, that's fine. We won't discuss anything further."

"Thanks Mom," Linka thanked her. "Can I be excused?"

"Yes."

And with that, the sole daughter and sister left the table. Charlotte jumps in her chair and eats her owner's unfinished bowl of soup.

Levi concluded, "Based on tonight's events, Linka appears to be in the same denial state as I witnessed about 2 hours, 45 minutes and 22 seconds ago when she was in me and Leon's room."

"But what can we do? Linka won't talk to us," Lars pointed out.

"Inka sad?" Leon asked with worry.

"I'm not sure, sweetie," Rita had no answer for the baby. "I say wait until the next day. Tomorrow is Friday, so Linka might be in a better mood, knowing the weekend's around the corner."

In the parents' room, Rita and Lynn Sr. were discussing a worrying subject. "Do you think something happened to Linka at school?" Lynn Sr. asked.

"I doubt it," Rita replied, "Otherwise, we would've gotten a note or call from her teacher or principal."

"A fight with one of her brothers?"

"We usually let them handle that, but I don't think so; you saw how worried they were about their sister."

Little did the two know, all ten boys were listening from the vent in the bathroom. "A fight with one of her friends?" Lynn Sr. continued to list the possibilities.

"Possibly, but I think it's something else," said Rita.

The brothers looked at each other in concern. "Is Linka gonna be okay?" Loni asked.

"Yeah, what if she's changed for the worse?" Leif vented a bit, "Is she gonna stay that way?"

"Normally I embrace the feeling of despair, but not when it comes to my family," Lars said in sorrow.

"Guys, I'm sure Linka will be back to herself sooner or later. We just gotta have faith in her," Loki told the group.

"I hope you're right, bro," said Luke, "Linka's never acted like this before. What could've happened to her?"

"Sadly, that's literally still a mystery," Loki regretfully informed. "Come on, we should go to bed, it's getting late."

Later that night, Luke came out of his room and walked towards Linka's, sniffling on the way down. Ugh, my nose is stuffed. Hope sis has some tissues, he thought to himself. Luke carefully and quietly opened Linka's door, and entered. He tip-toed past his sleeping sister to the tissue box on her desk while trying to hold in a sneeze by pinching his nose. He lets go of said nose, grabs the box and starts to leave. But then…*Achoo!* Luke sneezed into his elbow which hit the light switch on.

"AAAAH! What the-," Linka was startled, shot up in bed and shielded her eyes as she felt the light despite them being closed.

"Sorry sis!" Luke apologized, "That wasn't supposed to happen! *Achoo!*"

Soon the rest of the family joined the scene. "What's going on?" Loki asked.

"Oh no! Linka's blind!" Loni freaked out.

Linka lowered her arm and regained her vision, "No, Loni. Somehow my lights turned on while I was sleeping."

"That's my fault," Luke admitted.

"What happened?" Rita asked.

The rocker explained, "I had some sniffles, so…*Achoo!* I went inside Linka's room to snag some tissues. Then I sneezed and accidentally hit the lights, which woke her up." Luke turned to Linka, "Sorry for startling you, sis."

"It's okay," Linka forgave him, "And I should apologize as well for waking the rest of you up."

"You're forgiven, Link. We know you didn't mean to," said Loki.

"But as for the sniffling," Rita said, approaching Luke and felt his forehead, "You feel warm, Luke. You should sleep downstairs so no one else gets sick."

"Gotcha. *Achoo!*" Luke complied, going into a tissue, and also sniffled a bit.

Rita turned to the rest of her family, "Alright everyone, back to bed; it is a School night."

"By the way, Luke, you can keep the tissues," said Linka.

"Thanks, sis. *Achoo!*" Luke said, sneezing in a tissue.

And with that, all but Linka left the room. She turned out the lights and climbed back in bed. There she lies awake with her thoughts. I don't get it. Why am I like this, she wondered, thinking back to today.