TO THE STARS

Chapter 34

Day 80

It slowly became a habit— assuring that any doors or windows accessing my room were locked and in place, I mean. I couldn't help but be slightly paranoid.

Exercising was something that stuck with me from the institute. I unlocked my room door and tiptoed to the lavishly equipped home gym at the basement. It was one of the rooms that caught my eyes during the tour on my first day in the new house.

     That wasn't the only thing that caught my eyes on the first day. When I walked into the house, I was warmly greeted by a few of my family members as well as my friends too. There was a huge banner with a 'Welcome Home' sign written beautifully and colourful across it, there was food, music.

     It was fun.

I unlocked the door and my hand immediately went busy searching the walls for the light switch. The room was slightly dark as it was barely six in the morning. My hand finally connected with the switch and the room lit up; brightly.

Did I mention how lavishly the gym was decorated?

There were different exercising equipment lined up against the wall and scattered at the center of the room. They were also spaces designed in the walls to hold smaller workout apparatus.

My eyes swept the room, deciding on where to begin. I quickly made up my mind and headed for the treadmill.

...

My phone, faced downward on the marble countertop, dinged with an incoming notification. I flipped it over and immediately smiled when I saw who it was from. Aidan.

That's right. You definitely hear me correctly.

For about two weeks now, I've been neighbours with a certain grey eyed. It was amazing, to say the least. (Write more here)

I picked up the phone and unlocked it to read the message.

Can I come over to yours for breakfast?
P.S. I hope you're not done yet though?

Simple and short.

I was about to reply when my mother caught up to what I was doing. "Texting your boyfriend, hmm?"

My cheeks got warmer. "Mom," I wailed in embarrassment.

My mother was the first one to warm up to the idea that Aidan and I might have had something going on. She was happy for me and proud that I was willing to move forward and let the past stay in the past, where it belonged. Dad came along outward. But Andrew?

I couldn't blame him really. If someone he considered a brother could hurt me, what made a stranger any better. Those were his exact words to me.

My mother was actually smirking at me. "What?" She waved the hand that held the spatula around. "Did I say something wrong, perhaps?"

I could hear snorting behind a newspaper as I averted my eyes. I picked up my phone to send a reply, however this time, I was interrupted—again—by the doorbell.

"I'll get it," Andrew announced before I could. "I'm pretty sure I know who's at the door," he smirked, brushing my shoulder softly, heading to the door.