Apathy

19| Ambush

A S T R A E A

It's been a month and a half since we had returned under the care of our biological family. In this time, we have really bonded. Helena and I always go shopping together. She loves telling me stories about her life when she was younger and mostly how she and my father fell in love. I also enjoy telling her about Nic and I's relationship, she gives great advice. Hermes and I bonded over sushi, after he noticed my unhealthy obsession with sushi, he informed me that he makes the best homemade sushi I will ever taste, and he was damn right. Every time I crave sushi we spent the day making them in the kitchen then devour them while watching 'dynasty'.

Val has also been adamant about teaching me how to paint. After some time, he finally convinced me. I wanted to try new things, learn new things. There was nothing to lose. And strangely, since I began my artistic lessons— like Val likes to call them— I start finding peace in painting. —Yes, I am not the greatest painter out there, but I am not actually that bad. I even drew a small village house, and it was too.... shitty?

Romi and I wake up every day at 6 and go do our workout routine in the gym together. After that, we would go to a local small café and buy some coffee and pastries or we stay at home and make healthy smoothies. I have noticed that Romeo's a bit of a health freak sometimes, especially after working out.

Antonio and I still have those calming midnight talks, whenever I can't sleep and he would still be working late. It always turns out the same, us having a not-so-normal conversation and me eying him siping his whiskey from his cup enviously— but hey, there is this one time, he offered me a cup and well, of course, I took it— that was nice of him. And every time, I would end up in his room, cuddling and sleeping soundly in his protective embrace, that I had found myself addicted to lately.

Despite Vince being extremely busy with the mafia lately, he still made time for us. We still go to the park and eat ice cream often. I also found out that he loves astrology, something that we share in common. I have always loved watching the stars. For some people, a star is just a luminous ball of gas, mostly hydrogen and helium, held together on its own. gravity. But for the rest of us, the twinkling stars are like many lanterns. They embellished the dark, lonely sky.  They would be just as magnificent as the stars if the spirits dreaming in this city were to become sparks in the gloom. As only complementing polarities can, stars entrenched in the dark night provide beauty for each other.

My twins and I were worried and scared, we started caring for those people too much and way too quickly. But we talked to Ma and Pa about it, they reassured us that it was completely natural and we shouldn't push them away. We even almost accidentally called them Mom and Dad. We also agreed that we will introduce our bios to the Rodriguez and Hales soon.

Atlas, Ares, and I still have our sleepover every Tuesday. We do that to connect even though our bond is unbreakable, we always want to make it stronger. During that sleepover, we sit down, gossip, or tell each other's what is on our minds. Then we watch moving and eating lots of unhealthy food. We never keep secrets from each other's and the fact that I am keeping one from them is killing me, the guilt is killing me. To make it worst, my secret is a big one— well at least I think it is— I mean getting raped is pretty big.

God, they will kill me if they find out— when they find out.

But I can't tell them. It will bring back memories that I want to forget. I will picture it all over again. His hands on me, him calling me darling, Santiago being forced to watch helplessly and powerless as they tortured me.

"Miss Regio"

"Miss Regio"

"Miss Regio" The frustrated voice of my teacher snapped me out of my daze. I blink trying to recover and go back to reality "yeah" I replied, furrowing my eyebrows.