BitterSweet

CHAPTER TWO

The chatter dies down a bit when I appear. I watch as their eyes examine my damp hair. I relax when maids come out with plates of spaghetti and one by one, we get our plates. Everyone eventually stop eyeing me and separate into  their own conversations. A fuzzy sensation goes through my stomach when I see how nice the meal is. I take a few bites before getting full. I don't want to be ungrateful but If I ate anymore I would throw up, I already feel a bit nauseous. So I play with the food instead, scraping it side to side.

" Aurelia, why aren't you eating?" Nathaniel asks.

I freeze when I look up to see everyone staring.

" What? This food isn't up to your standards?" Lucien says, obnoxiously for everyone to hear.

I feel tears prickle my eyes and I open my mouth but nothing comes out. I take a deep breath. I don't know why I'm so sensitive right now. 

" I'm not hungry" I mutter out feeling self conscious, trying to draw back my tears from leaving my eyes.

" Don't tell me you're one of those girls who starve themselves for attention." Lucien says with a smug smirk.

I feel a few tears escape my eyes but I wipe them off before they reach my cheeks.

I suddenly see Alessandro stand up abruptly which makes me flinch back a bit. From my blurry vision I can see Alessandro scold Lucien. I don't know why or what he is saying. I can't make out anything out over how hard I'm breathing but at the same time I feel like I can't breath.

My brain blanks out and I run. 

Nathaniel Cole Black

I watch as Aurelia stands up and sprints towards her room. Alessandro stops scolding Lucien and stares in shock, Lucien looks guilty, Matteo and Alec looks concerned and Hera looks smug?

" She had a panic attack," Alec says, breaking the silence. " She was trembling and looked like she was having trouble breathing."

" She was dizzy, she almost fell over when she got up" I add on, stating the obvious.

We  sit in thought as one by one we leave, our dinner unfinished. This is not how I expected how our first dinner with her would go.

This is weird, like having her back into the house and everything. I see everyone changing, Alessandro never takes charge of the family. I usually handle all the family conflicts. Alessandro is usually handling the business part of things. When dad passed away he was only 14. He was forced to take over all the burdens he left us. I tried my best to help. I let him focus on the business side of things while I took care of the family. It was stressful I admit, but it was stressful for everyone. I mean, our mother ran away with our little sister and then our dad passed away a year later.

We were all so young.. way too young.

I wonder how it was growing up for Aurelia, I hope it was way better than the way we grew up but again Lara was never really a good mother. We just have to hope she changed when raising her.

But I doubt that, Aurelia seems very hesitant with everything and flinches often. I'm praying it doesn't mean what I think it means. No one has brought it up yet but I'm sure everyone has noticed it.

I'm just so glad she's back with us. We missed her so much, especially Lucien. It's honestly painful to watch him push her away from him. He was nine when she was taken. I tried my best to distract him and take care of him when dad fell into a state of depression but it was hard. I was only 12 after all. Lucien started to disconnect himself from society and developed anger issues as a form of self- defense. It was horrible to watch. I'm just grateful he reconnected himself back to society.

I wonder what happened to Aurelia, she was the sweetest at even when she was just a year old. She was a good baby, she would barely cry and was the most adorable thing to exist. Don't get me wrong, she's still sweet now. It just feels.. forced.

Her smiles don't seem genuine but forced. Maybe I'm over thinking it. I really hope I am.

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