[ olivia's perspective ]
...it couldn't be true, i must be seeing things, "Olivia who is it?" Dad asks as he walks to my side and just like my reaction he looked like he saw a ghost, "olivia.." xavier says as he takes a step closer, "no no, you're dead, you're supposed to be dead" was all I said as I tried so hard to control my emotions, the tears kept on flowing down as i refused to believe that he was really here, is this dad's form of gift? Giving me a hologram of my supposedly dead brother? Then i looked to dad and he seemed to be unaware of this as well, "but I'm not, I'm very much alive" xavier says as he pinches himself to prove to me that he isn't lying, "so... so, all these years? All these years I thought you were dead, you were alive?" I felt betrayed i felt upset, "don't you remember that i was your baby girl andd all those times - why did you lie" I continued as more tears began to pour out, "there are something's i just can't tell you, but i am sorry that i didn't come to you sooner, hell I'm sorry for the pain I've caused" he says, "faking your death wow" I said as the tears began to dry, "hey i think it's time for you to go" dad says as he puts a hand on my shoulder, "no, not after i spent the entire day on airplanes" he says defending himself, "what would you like to do?" Dad asks me, i just wanted a good birthday... and somehow this is far from a perfect birthday, "he can sleep in the guest bedroom" was all I said before i turned on a dime and ran up the stairs closing my door hard to let them all know how upset i am.
[ xavier's perspective ]
the look on my baby sister's face when I showed up made me feel more guilt than i already felt, being at the doorstep of her new family's home made me hurt internally, at least she had a good life or i hope, i exhaled and tried to control my emotions and my actions, as the door opened revealing my baby sister, my heart ached so much, she had grown into such a fine young lady, it felt like it was just yesterday when i chased her around to get her in the bathtub or when i read her a bedtime story, I'd be the same finding out that my brother who was supposed to be dead is very much alive and breathing.i felt slightly happy that she allowed me to stay in the guest bedroom
it was better than being chased away, as she ran up those stairs flashbacks of when she was a toddler came back resurfacing in my mind, "so you are xavier" the older gentlemen says as he closes the door and lets me in the house, "yes" i said giving off the same aura he was giving me, "why do you show up of all times?" He questions, "she is my sister do i not have the right to see her?" I questioned a bit offended, "if she is your sister, then how come you didn't want to see her sooner?" He continues to interrogate me, "personal reasons that has nothing to do with you" i said a bit short, "do you realize how much pain you are giving her since you've showed up?" The older gentlemen says, "if you think you are helping her, you're just causing her more pain, i think me and you both can come to a mutual understanding that it would be better if you continued to fake your death and never appear in her life right when she was at the verge of recovering" the older man continues, I never felt so much hate for a single person, i directed all my anger towards my problem, "i understand my mistake, but starting now, i will be in her life" i say, it'd be easy to win her trust after all I'm her older brother right? She'll definitely come back to me.
oh how wrong was i, it had only been the fifth day and she kept on keeping her distance, each time I offered to drop her off to school or even asked if she wanted to go shopping her replies were always; 'can't im busy' how can a 14 year old be so busy that they can't even spend time with their own dear brother.
i kept trying, because I knew if I gave up now, then she would only get hurt more, the older gentleman I finally learned the name to, Alex, he had been out of the house to run a few errands so I was left at the house, then the door opened and my baby sister walked into the house first by taking off her shoes before throwing her backpack to who knows where, "how was school?" i asked as i stood up from sitting on the living room couch, "uh it was good.." she responds still with the same nervousness and distant to her voice, "what did you do?" i continued I really wanted to have some sort of bonding moment, "I have a soccer practice," she says heading towards the kitchen, so I followed, "what time? do you have a ride?" I questioned as I casually leaned against the counter as she was fixing herself some glass of water, "around 3:30pm and it ends at 5:00pm" she retorts as she takes a sip of her water, "ah, would you like-" before I was able to finish my question, she responded quickly and said, 'no' my heart felt like it just got stabbed at the rejection, "alright.. well, have a good practice." I said trying my best not to sound disappointed or sad. "yeah thanks" was all she said before she disappeared up the stairs.
I sighed as I failed at breaking through the iceberg, but there is still hope left, I only have 3 months before I have to go back to London, I helped myself to the pantry and fixed myself a Nutella sandwich, sometimes eating simple is the best way to go, as I was finishing my sandwich I decided to go take a walk around the house and see the family photos, I saw her in her soccer uniform standing on the ball as she posed for the photo, she really enjoyed soccer it seems.
[ olivia's perspective ]
i know I haven't been the most welcoming or opening person towards him, but, he really hurt me, he's been alive all this time? I still couldn't wrap my head around that, i probably should be happy and spending most of my time with him but it's the opposite I'm making up every possible excuse to avoid to have those awkward conversations or the bonding moments, I know I should feel grateful that he isn't dead, but if he isn't dead he just didn't want to see me? I still want to live with Alex, he helped me recover, and to just leave him simply for the sake of my brother? that would be selfish... half the reason why I don't even want to get close to xavier is because... I don't want to see him disappear, I don't want to wake up and realize it was nothing but a false reality.
after i finished changing into my practice clothes, i went into the bathroom and tied my hair into a high ponytail before exiting the bathroom, i felt guilty for denying him to drive me off to practice... to be fair I just didn't want my friends to get the wrong impression and for the record I actually don't have a ride, but that's what chauffer's are for, i quietly walked down the stairs careful not to make a sound, then i saw my brother looking rather, sad, as he was staring down at the soccer portrait of me, i felt sad to see him looking so down, maybe.. maybe it isn't a bad idea to just have him drop me off, i coughed which quickly caught his attention, what I noticed about him is that he's really attentive, and even though I try my hardest not to get close to him, he always has a smile whenever I refuse to spend time with him, and that's what makes me seem ungrateful, painful memories kept on resurfacing every. single. time.
looking at him, maybe he felt the same way?
I gathered the courage and finally the words found a way to convey to my mouth, "would you drop me off to practice?" I asked, and with that it was like giving a puppy a treat, he quickly perked up and pure happiness was all he gave off, some parts of me felt really happy to just see him getting happy over a simple ordeal.
the drive to practice was awkward, he would always try to start a conversation, and the last time he saw me I was really young so I don't have the same interests anymore, but at least he was trying.. when we finally arrived at the field, I instructed him that he is to stay in the car and not get out or anything, I didn't want anyone to see him, it isn't like I was ashamed of him, I just didn't want to one day tell the team that 'oh yeah he left' because I wouldn't want to come to that.
"...gotcha" he says as he parks the car, "so 5pm?" he asks, and I simply nodded as I grabbed my soccer bag while opening the car door, "have fun kiddo," was the last thing I heard him say before I shut the door, I walked down the field towards the bleachers, some of my teammates had already put on their cleats and were just hanging around chatting amongst themselves, it appears that our coach was not here, "hey guys" I said as I began to set my stuff down, "hello Olivia" one of my teammates named, Lucy says, "hey Lucy" I said while putting on my cleats, "..so should we be running the laps now or wait till coach?" I overheard Natalie ask, "well we should wait for coach, cause if we run now, he probably wouldn't believe us, cause he didn't see us do the laps" i heard kiley replying, which was actually a pretty logical answer.
we ran our 2 half laps before going to the middle of the field to stretch out, then six of us was assigned to wear a panini, i, being the unlucky person I am, was assigned to wear one. I played upfront, so I started the ball and kicked it back to center-mid, I rushed up the lines so i was able to be open for a pass, we did a few more of 9 v 9 before switching over to kicking into the goals, then played keep a way for the ending of the practice.
"alright.. girls remember to bring a sweatshirt for the game against BG" coach flancher says before we were instructed to help pick up the equipments, my teammates got all the equipments picked up so I had nothing to do, I went to get my cleats off and changed into some casual sneaks, "great passing Lucy" I said as she was putting on her shoes, "thanks, and you had a better ball control too," she says, i smiled, I was really trying my best to get the hang of ball control and of course being able to release quickly. it was habit to look for a black matte car, but I forgot my brother dropped me off, and is here to pick me up, in his white camaro, I opened the passenger seat and put my bag in there then closed it, I made my way around to the front passenger seat, "how was practice?" he asks as he starts the engine and I finished buckling, "it went well" I vaguely responded, "well that's great." he says while reversing the car and making it out to the road, i fell into a quick daze as I watched the scenery during the drive home.
for some reason, why did it feel like dad always found ways for us to bond? he's been coming to dinner late, and sometimes he wouldn't show up at all, it's as if those two have been conspiring against me, is dad trying to help Xavier win me back?
as we arrived back at the blacks' residents, "I'm going to shower" I told him as I grabbed my stuff and making my way into the house.
[ xaiver's perspective ]
i was overjoyed when she asked me to drop her off, and I felt a bit sad that she wanted me to stay in the car, I really wanted to walk her to her practice, but I guess she isn't a little girl anymore, I sat in the car for a few more moments looking at her interacting with her peers, it made me feel guilty for not coming to her sooner, I guess the main reason was, I didn't want her to be endanger, or worse be at my enemies' hands, the incident of that night is something that will go down in infamy.
I had a run in with Alex when I came back from dropping her off, "listen, work has been much more busier than usual, but, I don't want you to get close to your sister just to leave again." Alex solemnly says, I nodded in respect, "I don't plan on doing that, sir." I retorted, "good, because, the worse that I can witness is seeing her fall again after rising." was all he said before he helped himself to his car, i made a mental note of that, as much as I hated the dude four days ago, I can understand from a fatherly view in why he is cautious, and very stern, i wouldn't want to see my own daughter get hurt, if I were to have one.
there was so many things that I don't know about my own baby sister, she's changed so much, she went from a quiet and bubbly toddler to a sarcastic , moody teenage girl, i tried my best to remember what foods she likes to eat, but I knew that if I even bothered trying she would only turn her nose to what I even cook. as I was reading some newspaper, my mind drifted to a distant memory; kneeling on the ground as livy wobbled her way towards me before falling into my arms, while I embraced her in a hug giving her kisses all over her face, "you're almost a big girl now!" i happily said as she was giggling away, then she fell asleep onto my chest, "it was your nap time anyways" I said to myself while getting up to her nursery.
I snapped myself out of my thoughts before realizing it was around the time to pick Olivia up, "did I fall asleep?" I asked myself as I grabbed my car keys.
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A/N: ...yes after a month, I've updated.... thank you to all of those who decided to stay and have this story in your library!! means a bunch <3, and I appreciate those who have been with me from the start when this story first began!!, and ofc thank you to the newly readers for picking this book to read! you have so many to choose from and yet! you chose to read this very one, so thank you!
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