The Way You Loved Me [Under Edit]

"Never too old for a hug from dad.."

Although all the other homes were still in a deep slumber, the residence of the Conrad-Asher household were coming to life. Rain roared against the roof as I made my way into the house, my house. The sound of rain pounding against the world was replaced with laughter.

    It felt odd, stepping back into the world I'd once known so well. Things weren't the same anymore, it felt as if  I was entering as a stranger. Life went on without me; my treatment at Reeves was nothing more than a slight pause in the past, merely a speed bump.

    Standing in the front foyer, I couldn't help but sigh. "Home. You're finally home," I reminded myself. Maneuvering my way through the home, I finally made it to the kitchen, which was located at the rear of the cabin. Hovering inside the doorway, I immediately caught sight of my old brothers River and Blake.

    River was nestled at the bar with his back to me, while Blake was sitting atop the granite countertop, a large bowl of fruit-loops in both of their hands. River's dark hair clung to his head in a messy heap, untouched from yesterday.

   Dark rings circled Blake's deep blue eyes, traces of stubble scattered across his chin. Running a hand through his blonde hair, Blake sighed impatiently. "When will she be here?"

    "Soon," a familiar voice replied. My heart leapt immediately. Tess. My stepsister on my dad's side, Tess Henry joined the family at the age of five; her father had died two years prior to our parents' wedding, so she was still torn up about it. At first she didn't like me, she despised me actually.

   "I don't like you," She'd mentioned one day while we were playing in our treehouse. "My mommy and your daddy aren't going to get married. Mommy doesn't like you either." All of her claims turned out to be false; her mother adored me and practically never left me alone once they moved into our house on the lake. That was the reason Tess didn't like me at first: because her mother did.

   I rarely spoke to my siblings once I was admitted at Reeves. Dr. Pearson persisted to get me to call them, or even text, but I never could. It always hurt too much.

   "They miss you Cahlan," She had said.

   "I miss them too."

   "Well why won't you speak to them then?" 

   "It hurts us all, Dr. Pearson." I didn't want to pester them, or even remind them of my absence. They couldn't move on if I constantly checked in. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, right?

"Ava Reese Conrad! Hand me the candy now!"

    Pulling me from the trance, my stepfather's voice thundered through from the kitchen. Moving slightly farther into the doorway, I crossed my arms over my chest, just listening. Ben began to chase my little sister down, the tap tap tap of her tiny feet echoing off the floor.

    "No!" She squealed, her steps growing louder. Closer.

   "Quite a handful you've got there!" Almost instantly, my chest began to ache. Dad.

   Like everyone else, I hadn't seen my father very much once I departed. The last time he'd managed to visit, he drove to the small mountainous town of Victoriana. Victoriana was a beautiful place, full of small boutiques and fine dining restaurants, but it got boring. There's only so much yuo can do when you're only permitted to leave the center once a week.

    Eventually you began to grow tired of the weekly group outings. I'd rather have spent my time secluded in my room; I didn't have any friends at Reeves, I refused to grow close to anyone.