Stars in our Hearts

Twenty Four

My voice broke and it was embarrassing. This isn't how I imagined this conversation to go. Hell, I never imagined a conversation with anyone about this.

I talked to Alida and then one thing turned into another, as if letting it out was the solution.

"I... Crius, I didn't have anything then." She said, mournfully. People with nothing are the strongest, because they have nothing to want and nothing to keep. Yet, she didn't give a shit.

She wasn't my real aunt, it didn't matter.

But it did... it did.

"Let me tell you why you didn't save me. It was because if you did, he wouldn't have given you anything. You wouldn't have this building right now, no one would give a shit about you if you weren't his sister. You believed that without him, you were nothing. But, let me ask you, are you something now? Other than a bystander, a witness, an addition to my trauma." I was breathing heavily by the time I finished. I didn't bother to look at her and wait for an answer.

So I turned around, taking small steps to the door.

"We all made mistakes back then," she whispered loud enough for me to hear.

I sighed, "And we've all learned from them, except you. You're still making mistakes."

"I do what I do for a reason." She was walking away, probably back to her chair. "One day, Crius. One day, you'll look at me with sad eyes rather than angry ones."

Silence.

"No. No, I won't." I replied.

By the time I reached the door, she added one last thing.

"This doesn't make up for anything but, I'll tell your dad you're gone to check out some universities."

"I'll see you in a week, Charose."

And I walked out without saying goodbye.

The place was quiet, which was odd. Usually, there were models everywhere, getting dressed up or practicing their walks. Some had fashion shoots here and others were hanging out. But today, there was no one, not a single person.

In the distance, I saw two people walking.

My feet froze, there must be glue on the floor if I'm stuck.

He looks the same, older, but the same.

His eyes still gave a wild panther look.

He needed to be tamed.

A woman was beside him, her long summer dress covering all her assets except for her shoulders. She was wearing sunglasses, which covered her eyes.

Something told me this was Alida's mother.

It was most definitely Thea.

Thea Vontelli was beautiful in a very cruel, creatureous way.

Alida was nothing like her mother, thankfully.

I was so engrossed in the woman, I felt a touch, light as a feather, caress my arm. I flinched, instinctively pushing the man.

His eyes looked at me in shock as he bumped into Thea.

She stopped walking, her back towards us, but didn't say a word.

I felt a lump in my throat, something scratching its way up, preventing me from talking.

But somehow, I did.

I spoke. "No, you don't get to do that." It came out strong and I continued. "You do not get to touch me, you do not get to show up in front of me, you do not get to breathe the same air as me."

The shock on his face made me happy. I wasn't a sixteen year old boy anymore. I was a man, I knew what to do now. I knew what no meant.

"Crius-" His voice sounded gravelly, like he smoked a hundred packs of cigarettes a day. He probably did.

"Don't speak to me, I don't want to hear anything from you." I spit out.

Thea turned around, taking her glasses off. She stared at me. To others, it must be intimidating. To me, it was just annoying. "You must be Crius," she said.

I looked unimpressed. "He just said my name so yeah, I'm Crius."

"Sorin did say you were a bratty little guy."

Sorin was the bratty little guy.

"You must be Thea, a terrible mother and woman. Your reputation precedes you," I smiled, but it wasn't genuine at all.

She glared at me, a scowl matching the hideous expression on her face. "I could end your career in a snap, do you want that?"

"If your way of making it up to the top is by threatening a twenty five year old, I don't think it would be my career that would end." I added.

She took a step back, anger flashed over her face.

"Why you-"

"Let's go, Thea." Jeremy's hand came on her shoulder, pushing her forward but she didn't budge and neither did her scowl.

"You're just like your father," she stated.

I smiled, "Thank you." Before she could leave, I added one more thing. "I would say Alida's just like you but she's not. Her father taught her to be a better person than the woman who abandoned her."

Her eyes widened, her stance rigid. "I didn't abandon-"

I've had enough of this. I raised my hand in front of her, "Shut up." And walked away.