Finding my Forever

3

Alexander sat in the kitchen with his face buried in his hands. Dinner had been uncomfortable, to say the least. He had tried and tried multiple times to engage Elisa in a conversation of getting to know each other. But all he received was a blank look. He did notice a few things about her behaviour, however which had him questioning her past life with both their mother and her life in the system.

The moment he mentioned their mother, she tensed up, and her eyes would flicker to stare at her hands; when he asked her about the foster families, she had stayed with she would have a sad look on her face, and whenever she did look at him when he spoke, he noted how she never looked him in the eye but rather looked past his head slightly or at his chest. She never made eye contact; she did not want to know him, and he cursed his earlier thoughts of wanting her to feel pain. She wasn't what he expected, and he wanted to know everything. He sighed in frustration and lifted his head, only to let out a small yelp when he came face to face with Owen's curious one.

"What have we said about the personal bubble Owen? To not touch the bubble. You just obliterated mine!" Alexander snapped. Owen frowned as he studied him before speaking his opinions; not at all affected by Alexanders' words and tone.

"First Roman isn't getting sleep and now you're stressing about something. No, wait you are frustrated because something is not going your way. What is it?" He asked his brother who looked at him incredulously. Alexander mentally wrote down that he would have to chat with his brother yet again about his tendencies to read people out loud. Sometimes it got on people's nerves, and he didn't blame them, not everyone wanted their feelings being spoken about openly.

"It's nothing. Dinner is in the microwave if you want it." Owen watched his brother leave the room and go upstairs with his head hung low and his hand running through his hair, tugging slightly. Roman heated their food and set it in front of Owen before digging into his own plate.

"Where's Pres?" Roman shouted out knowing their brother could hear.

"At Andres!" Alexander yelled back.

Owen furrowed his brows and stopped chewing his food. So, Alexander was home alone. They had a rule of not leaving the lights on if you were not in the room, and they never broke it. So, who was upstairs? Which room was it? He stood up, leaving his food unattended, and walked up the stairs to figure out why this issue was bugging him. His gut was telling him that something was different; something was amiss, and his gut was never wrong.

Alexander was just coming out of the bathroom when he detected movement on the far side of the hallway. He thought for a hopeful moment that Elisa had left the room to come talk to him. But his hope diminished when he realised there was a person about to enter the room- not leave it. Before he could stop his brother, the door was opened.

Owen stared in complete confusion at the figure sitting on the window seat. Their legs hugged to their chest and their eyes which had been previously looking out the window were now staring at him expressionlessly. Hazel eyes which should have been lively and warm, were cold and empty. A deep dark hole of nothingness which could suck in any person staring directly into her eyes. Her hair covered her face mysteriously as if protecting her. Owen could not read this little girl; he could read everyone; he could always see through their facades. But this girl whose eyes seemed to be hollow had no story to tell. Not one that he could read anyways.

Alexander rushed to his side breathless and investigated the room. Owen turned to his brother wordlessly, searching his face for an explanation.

"Look at her properly Owen." Alexander finally let out. Elisa watched Alexander struggle until he finally gave in, her eyes went back to observing the new man who was her other older brother. Owen- The second eldest. Narrowing her eyes, Elisa took note that this man was one to watch out for. The way he had been studying her intently earlier suggested that he could normally pick out lies and would know if someone was hiding something. That is someone she needed to avoid.