Chapter 15
Lian’s brows drew together as he watched. Just as Alexander, walked out of the reach of view of the camera, the girl, a junior, who jumped down the building, walked by.
She walked like a robot and looked like she had no destination. Her eyes were looking straight, she didn’t look normal. It was as if she was being remote – controlled.
It was over weird.
“A senior in a Junior’s building… During lesson hours? This guy is so busted.” Marlin said, with an interesting look on.
“Call Alexander over as soon as we check in into school on Monday.” Lian said.
He knew there had always been something about that guy. And to think that he’s hanging around his sister? It made Lian vexed.
“By the way, aren’t you going home?” Shane asked Lian.
“Nah… I’ll be passing the night here.” He replied.
Marlin and Shane stared at him with confused expressions. The Lian they knew never like sleeping out, even though it was their hangout.
“Is something going on at home?” Marlin asked and he nodded. But he gave a heads up that he didn’t want to talk about it.
“What about Mia? She’ll be alone.” Shane protested.
“Mia isn’t a kid anymore.” Lian replied simply.
***
Alexander had dropped Mia at her home after she got discharged that afternoon.
The house was empty when Mia signed in. No one was home. She had been feeling down spirited ever since the day before. Lian sure didn’t bother about her, neither did he check on her… and now he wasn’t home too.
Mia started to regret ever proposing a distance between them. She thought she’d be okay with it but she was absolutely wrong. She wasn’t anywhere near okay.
She took a lukewarm bath before retiring to bed, to take a nap.
…
She heard a knock on the door. Julian came in.
“What are you doing here?” Mia questioned with a straight face.
“Mia… let’s make things right. We being apart is changing lots of things. I can’t do this anymore.” Lian said.
“Brother… Things are right already. Things are fucking right! I’m okay like this so leave me the hell alone.” Mia yelled.
“But I’m not okay!” ian yelled back and held her hands.
“Then deal with it yourself Lian. I don’t want to be a part of it.” Mia said harshly.
“Mia please… I’m sure you’re not okay with this. Please.” Lian beseeched and Mia cooed down. And now her soft spot was getting into the picture.
Lian pulled her into a hug. “I’m sorry.” He said.
Mia wept on his shoulders for some good minutes before Lian’s phone rang. It was an unknown number.
“Hello, Lian Torres speaking–”
“I’m calling from state’s airline, there has been a plane crash and some of the boarders were Travis Torres and Paige Torres, you were made their next of kin.”
Lian’s heart skipped two beats immediately and Mia’s breath seized.
“What!” Lian exclaimed and the phone slipped off his hands.
“I didn’t hear that right, right? Lian… I didn’t hear that well.” Mia said in a low tone as she held Lian’s collar.This content © Nôv/elDr(a)m/a.Org.
She was already losing it.
“That man was spitting nonsense right? There’s no way mum and dad would die.” She continued. She didn’t know how to express her feeling yet.
Lian suddenly growled loudly. He was in pain. “Lian stop! We need to call mum and dad. Call them now.. I’m sure they haven’t left Japan.”
Lian remained unmoved. He was still, unsure of what to do.
“Lian say something! There’s no way our parents are in that crash. Not mum, not dad!!” Mia screamed.
Mia screamed into reality. She sat up. She was sweating all over, and feeling scared.
What kind of dream was that? She was reminiscing when she realized it was raining. A deafening thunder stroke and she shivered.
Then she started hearing different unknown sounds. Mia started screaming and covered her ears tightly.
“They are all hallucinations Mia… they are hallucinations.” She tried to calm her self down but it didn’t work.
She was greatly terrified. And the only words her trembly voice started echoing was, “Lian, where are you?”
***
Just before Lian retired to bed, he sat down and thought about his sister, for a while. She was probably lonely.
‘Is distancing ourselves from each other best for us?’ He thought critically.
The whole thing was getting to him but he didn’t know how to pull it off.
Just then, it started raining.
‘Mia’s phobia!’ Those words echoed in Lian’s head and he sprang up, picked his keys and sprinted out of the house.
‘She can’t be fine alone.’ He thought worriedly.
Not minding traffic rules and regulations or the pouring rain, Lian showed off his crazy driving skills that night.
Their house was like 40 minutes away from the hangout. Mia would definitely pass out before he gets home… she can’t hold out for so long.
He started dialling her number, but she didn’t pick it. The more the rain poured, the more worried he was.
Five minutes away from the house, the rain stopped. He spent less than 30 minutes before he got that spot.
Even though the rain stopped, he continued his journey to the house.
“Mia!” He called out loudly as soon as he entered the house, looking restless.
Lian was taken aback, when he saw her walk down the staircase, with a mug in her hand.
Mia acted as if she saw no one important as she just made her way to the kitchen.
Lian was still on that same spot, frozen. ‘What changed?’ He thought.
When she came back into the living room, he stopped her.
“Mia, are you okay?” He asked with lots of concerns exhibited.
“Do I look like I am not?” Mia replied bluntly was shocked. He didn’t foresee that.
“Mia why are you like this?” Lian asked again and tried holding her hand, but she yanked her hand away from his hold.
Lian felt a part of his heart broke. He couldn’t handle her harshness.
“Mia, what happened? Your phobia… is it gone?” He arched his brow.
“That is none of your business.” She replied and started ascending the stairs. She missed a step and almost fell, but Lian was fast to get to her.
“Are you okay? Need some help?” Julian asked again, holding her up.
Mia let herself free from his grip and she stood properly.
“No, I can help myself, thanks.” She said grumpily and continued walking up.
‘This space is more than what I pictured… I can’t keep up with this.’ Lian thought regretfully.
Just then Mia’s phone rang. It was her mum.
“Mum..” She said as soon as she picked up.
“Guess what?” Mrs Paige Torres said.
Mia frowned. “I’m not in the mood, mum.” She replied. She wasn’t interested in anything she had to say.
“I and your father are returning next
week.”