M.U High [Book 1]

Thirty-Five

"I'm back—" I got cut off as I entered our house. I see grandma sitting in the couch with the some book in her lap. Grandma has her own house, so why is she here? And besides, this house is empty.

"Grandma!" I called her and she looked at me, eyes-widen.

"My dear!" Grandma exclaimed as she immediately stood up and gave me a hug. I peeked from her shoulder to figure out what book she was holding. My eyebrow creased, a photo album?  

"Grandma, what are you doing here? And what book were you reading?" I ask, curiosity.

"You brat! I came cause I know it's already your Christmas break!" I chuckled looking at grandma being angry as she returned to the couch and took the photo album in the carpet.

I walked towards her and sat beside her. She dropped it when she stood up earlier.

"I've been looking at this," grandma said and handed me the photo album, I took it.

"It's mine!?" I asked shocked. It's my photo album!

"Of course, who else?"

"My brother."

"Your brother already has a family of his. And I'd rather miss my granddaughter than my grandson." I chuckled.

"Oh, grandma. You like Chelsea more than me?" I looked where that voice came from. My brother.

"Charles? What are you doing here?!" Grandma exclaimed and stood up. Grandma hugged Charles.

"Auntie! Grandmom!" Oh, it's my nephew.

I stood up "Andrei!" I exclaimed as he run towards me and gave me a hug. Wren's more older than Andrei.

"Auntie, Auntie! We came to celebrate Christmas here!" I vaguely smiled and pinched his cheek. I hardly see them.

"Chelsea! How are you?" Astrid said and caressed my hair. She's my sister-in-law, Charles wife and Andrei's mother.

"I'm okay." I took my bag "Excuse me." I stated, I can't breath when they're here. I walked towards the stairs.

"Chelsea, where are you going? Your brother's here!" I looked at Grandma.

"I'm going to my room." I said and went directly up without minding Grandma's statements.

I jumped in my bed as I threw my bag next to my bed. I hugged my pillow, how I miss my bed.

And I know Charles is there, but what should I do? Hug him? Talk to him? Do what we normally do? Like nothing changed?! I'm not that little child Chelsea who would get super excited when her brother shows up! I'm no longer that Chelsea.

I heard a knock. "Chelsea?" It's Charles.

"Hey, Chels. Ahmm... I bought ice cream, cookies and cream your favorite!" I didn't answer.

"And ahmm... I miss you sis. Just go downstairs if you feel like eating and... we'll leave you some ice cream." After that, I heard footsteps away.

I touched my face, tears? Why is there tears? I'm crying, but why am I crying?! I hate him, right?!

I covered my face with the pillow, and before I know it, someone is already hugging me.

"My dear, If you miss your brother go and say him that you do. You'll never know when you could say that to him again." I heard grandma's voice as I felt her caressed my hair. I hate him! But... I miss him too.

It took half an hour before I stopped crying.

"Let's go for dinner, my dear." I nodded.

"You could go first grandma, I'll just get ready." I said and she nodded and left my room. I went to wash my face from crying, I could do this!

I went downstairs to the dining area. I sat in my original seat—beside Charles. Our dinner were full of laughs and stories of Andrei, but I couldn't feel myself being happy.

Afterwards I went in the balcony of the house with my ice cream. I'm just eating while looking at the starless night sky today. I wonder if they're looking at the sky too?

"Hey," My gaze went to the person who sat next to me.

"What do you want?"

"Nothing. I just want to have time with my lil, sis." He said and based from smell of the mug his holding, it's tea.

"Chels." I didn't looked at him when he called. "Can I get a hug?" I looked at him, his mug already in the table and with open arms. I looked at his eyes, I placed my ice cream in the table as well and—-

I hugged him.

I hugged him tight.

"I-I h-hate y-ou!" I cried while hugging him. You left me.

"I love you too, lil sis." He said I could hear sobs as well.

We cried that night. We got our panda eyes and runny nose because of it.

The next day, me, Andrei and Astrid went shopping! We're going to buy gifts.

"Oh, Auntie! I want this!" Andrei's with me, Astrid said that Andrei's a handful but I insisted.

"Aren't you too big for toys, Andrei?" I asked, he's 5 years old.

"No! I'm just turning 6, Auntie!" He pouted, how cute. I rubbed his hair. "Let's go, Auntie will buy that for you." I said and hold his tiny hands. That's the only thing I love about children, their hands. It's so tiny, so cute.

I waited for Andrei while he looks for the toys he wants. I on the other hand looked at some things here, it's a toy's store. Somehow, I remembered Wren. What would he like?

Oh! I took some book. It's for football, I opened it—the book is not some super oldie type. I took it, he might like this.

"I want this Auntie!" Andrei came with a box with a car in it. I smiled and took his hands.

"Let's pay for that," I said.

"Auntie, who's that for?" He curiously asked peeking at the book I payed for.

"It's for Wren, Baby." I said, I gave the cashier my card. I felt a pull from my lower sleeve. I lowered down in order to see Andrei's face better.

"What's wrong?" I ask, there are tears forming in the corner of his eyes and about to burst.

"Auntie has a new favorite!" And just like that he cried. Oh my gosh! I tried shushing him, how do you stop a child from crying?! I took the things I payed for and dragged Andrei out of there. We're causing a scene, I still don't know how to stop him from crying.

"Andrei!" I saw Astrid called and for a reason I feel relieved.

"Mommy, Auntie has a new favorite!" then he cried again, I rolled my eyes. Kids!

"Shush—shush, Auntie doesn't have a new favorite. Right, Chelsea?" I looked at them. I lowered down and looked at Andrei.

"You're my favorite, okay?" I said and hugged him and tapped his back. Kids really are handful.

Andrei stopped crying and we continued our shopping. Our chaperone's the one who took our shopping bags. I remembered everyone so I bought them gifts too including Caleb the person I picked. Then I bought Charles, Astrid and Grandma gifts too. That's a lot and oh no, I'm not gonna carry them myself.

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