From the perfect start

Chapter 49- That brain of yours?

"Well, those people who want my brain have never seen inside of it." He scoffs out, but without any anger, just a slight painful rasp in his voice.

"I am sorry, I know it can be hard but I think I got a good look at it and with great confidence I can say it's spectacular, if you are not using it to be an ass at the moment." I let out a laugh.

"That's just because of your si-" He stops himself.

I freeze.

"What?"

He turns around, my hands sliding down his arms.

"I know about your sister, Ally. 184? Sweetheart, we know that's nothing compared to who you grew up with. You forgot who my best friend is. He never said names, and most of his personal life was private but I gathered some information over the years. Her IQ is so high no test could even determine her intelligence anymore. Your sister Antonia, she is the epitome of intelligence. Only 22 and has already degrees in law, maths, and medicine and a doctor in string theory and analytic number theory. She does modeling, she is gorgeous. 12 languages fluent, ancient Greek and Latin not included."

"I get it, Kaden. Stop. You don't have to list up how perfect my sister is only because you are hurt because I touched a topic you don't like. I was careful, you could have just said you don't want to talk about it. I would never force you." I huff out, biting my inner cheek trying not to choke out a cry.

"You are not listening to me, Aleandra. You are not listening to what I am telling you. You are phenomenal." He says, taking his palms and frames my face.

"I am sorry, but I don't get how you glorifying my sister is saying I am phenomenal. I know she is great, I love her. I am so damn proud."

"I am not glorifying her, I am stating facts. I would love to meet her one day. I would love to meet the person with the greatest sister. You are not her. You have probably heard that a hundred of times in your life. The only problem is you took that as an insult. You are not her. But you are beautiful, you are smart. You have learned 7 languages with determination and hard work. You are patient, you are kind. You defend the people around you. Your brain amazes me. You fought depression, sickness, goddamn it, which 12-year-old wakes in the middle of the night up and can't feel her legs anymore. Which twelve-year-old has to crawl out of her bed over the entire bathroom floor, her joints aching so much, it feels like slithering over glass. Which twelve-year-old visits the next day school and writes a test even though you wouldn't even grip the pen anymore."

"I failed the test. God- I was so bad in Latin."

"Not the point, Aleandra Raven." He voices with determination, tightening his hold on my face so I look into his eyes.

"Whether or not you performed well on this Latin test is inconsequential. What is beyond anything I have ever seen is someone who was so terrified... and yes, you told me this when you were drunk and sobbing, and I believe you. To awaken with the sensation of one's body unraveling before even reaching adolescence—a plight for which no initial medical diagnosis could be offered, evoking palpable trepidation in the eyes of physicians, for they recognized the gravity of the situation. This, Alexandra, is where true resilience resides. It is not your afflictions, nor your battles with depression, that define you, but rather your unwavering determination to conquer them. You wield the power to vanquish these maladies, rendering yourself a force to be reckoned with. You, my dear, are nothing short of extraordinary, and perhaps my preoccupation with academic prowess or linguistic eloquence pales in comparison to the profound understanding we share. Harvey understands me, and so do you—such comprehension is all I require."

I hold my breath.

"You are terrifying, Aleandra. You are the most terrifying individual I have ever encountered because your fear of being average robs you of seeing as you who you are."