"Aren't you happy you met him after so long Nathan!?" I asked as I twirled a strand of my hair happily, little did I know someone wasn't exactly in the mood to share the same sentiments.
"Vivy, stay away from Jacob. Don't entertain him any further." Nathan sternly stated as he bared his cold back to me while untying his tie, lost deep in his thoughts and putting a damper on my happy thoughts.
I don't understand.
"I don't understand." as if repeating my monologue. Why would he say that? Isn't Jacob his friend too? Weren't they close? Wasn't today a happy reunion? Fine, they just met after a long time but still wouldn't he consider my feelings about it or at least give a proper reason?
"Why would you say that?" I asked him calmly again. I knew Nathan wouldn't say something like that without a good reason. He wasn't a hot-headed brute like Gray. Nathan tried to ignore my question but he knows I'm stubborn and wouldn't let it go until I heard his answer.
"Just because." he plainly answered as without even turning his back around.
Did you take that long to think and not even come up with a decent excuse? What is going on in your head Nathan? Why are you acting like this? All these questions somehow didn't roll off my tongue even though I was itching to ask him. I didn't know what to make of it. Just Because? I have never heard Nathan sound so dry.
Before I could even make up my mind about what to say next, Gray fanned the flames that Nathan had sparked further by firmly expressing his dissatisfaction, "If Nathan feels that way then I too think that you should stir clear of him. I don't like him for some reason."
Gray tried to justify his support for Nathan's opinion but I interjected him as my emotions flooded my mind clouding my rationality.
"Why would you say that Nathan? I know you are an amicable person unlike Gray and never hate anyone right? Do you hate him or is it just that you were just surprised because it's been a long time? I really like him and I want to. . ."
"Vivy my decision is final no matter what you say. I want you to stay away from him. I know you like him but just trust your brother on this once. Okay?" Nathan's back drooped as he tried to think of reasons but remained resolute about his decision at the same time. He didn't face me while stating his objections and I was too self-centered for my own good that I ended up blurting some hurtful things. Ah, we youngins.
"You knew this whole time!!! If you knew it then why are you opposing it? You both were good friends and you know him too. What's the problem in there? Have I ever asked you for anything that wasn't within our means? I even sacrificed 3 years of my life when I could've finished my college degree a couple of years earlier!"
"Vivy!" Huh! Gray shouted with a painful expression on his face that's when I realized I said something too hurtful to take back.
"Is that how you felt all this time?" Nathan finally looked my way but the pained expression that he showed me wasn't what I had expected. **
Right, Tyler and I were homeschooled for a couple of years after our parents died. While we were facing financial troubles we were still sufficient and both pairs of twins started working early. Nathan and Gray were still young themselves and didn't have had to deal with financial matters by themselves and that's how they got swindled into giving away a portion of the savings our parents had to some distant cousins of mom's. Although with Lisa's mom's help, they did manage to get it back but lost some portion of it which was still better than losing it all. And so they started working early.
Even though Nathan got into medical school, we would still work until late at night during the week to earn as an apprentice for doctors. It wasn't a common practice but Nathan was a really talented and smart student. He got scholarships and that's how he saved up on a lot of tuition fees but he also chose the most basic college which would enable him to start immediately. Gray always liked cooking so he started working part-time first among all the others and took a cooking degree and soon joined small restaurants first to earn before landing at Regaliana.
The Grants were hanging on to I guess until a distant relative of theirs decided to help them to return the favor their father had done them long ago. Sherry's maternal grandparents took guardianship of both the Wyatt and the Grant siblings. Even though everyone was traumatized by their parent's death I was told that I wouldn't leave Nathan and Gray at all and that was another reason apart from the financial strain that we had that they decided to homeschool us. Although I wonder why Tyler still stayed. I mean he could have easily started school again once they got the financial aid from their relative.
They matched their schedules such that at least two of the elder siblings were with us whenever possible. Nathan said I wouldn't leave the two of them alone but he used to coddle me a lot more. I don't know maybe I did fear losing them, but I don't remember much, to begin with. All I know is I loved my brothers and they loved me more than I could imagine but I forgot about Nathan's burdens and scars and the love he held for me for the love of my life that had just recently re-kindled.
"Is that how you felt too Gray?" Nathan asked Gray, as his face grew sadder by the minute. Well in Gray's case truth be told cooking was his second choice but he didn't mind as the money was good and he it wasn't like he hated it. He wanted to be a Biotech engineer but there weren't many colleges in the vicinity and because of our circumstances he decided not to pursue it. Technically instead they both were the ones who sacrificed a lot more but I was too blind in the fit of my childish rage.
"What are you talking about? Stopping talking nonsense! Don't listen to Vivy, she's just upset today for obvious reasons and too emotional to think straight." Gray tried to rectify my errors.
"N . . . no. I mean" I fumbled through my humiliation but soon recovered my ego fueled by my rage when Nathan still remained adamant about not letting me near Jacob.
"Well, Whatever the two of you think I still won't allow you to date him. Just steer clear of him Vivy and that's final."
"Huh? Fine if you're gonna be stubborn about it and not give me reasons then I have something to state too. I'm an adult capable of making my own decisions and I've decided to date him regardless and he's serious and sincere about it with marriage as a goal..." before I could complete my sentence Nathan's voice rumbled sending shivers down my spine. I thought I would see an angry Nathan but it was more of a terrified expression.
"WHAT. DID. YOU. SAY. VIVYLYN!" I stepped back as Gray shield me from Nathan, fearing he might do something he will regret.
I'm scared.
Was written all over my face, Nathan hesitated for a bit and then gave in to his frustration, "Vivy you're not associating yourself with him anymore and if I see you with him I swear I'm sending you away to a boarding house. I don't want you near him at all! Do you understand me?"
What? Why? What is making him go to such lengths?
"Why are you doing this to me? What have I ever done wrong to you? I am not asking the impossible here, am I? All I'm saying is I wanna date him. I've been in touch with him for a couple of months now and I know he's a decent guy. You know it too! Gray, tell him please!!!" I screamed at the top of my voice as tears tried to swell up but I held back stubbornly.
I have to stay strong to convince him this is not just a whim. I stayed connected with Jacob for over six months or so and yeah I get it that he is concerned but I'm only asking to date him not marry him (what I said earlier was just in the heat of the moment but not something we need to think about right away). At least not now. I tried to sort my thoughts out in an attempt to explain my side to him one more time but I heard a scoff before he simply bulldozered his opinion on me.
"Vivy. I said no and that's FINAL!" Nathan shouted and I lost all my reasoning.
"Fine. I hate you! I'll move out and stay independently then you won't have anything to object to right?" I shouted back but this is not what I wanted to say.
I stormed into the house, upstairs to my room as I tried to hold back my tears. Stop! you have to explain it to him properly. But my body wouldn't listen. I didn't look back and banged the door behind me as a loud expression of my dissatisfaction.
Nathan slumped onto the floor as if his world had been hammered to pieces.
Gray stood there perplexed no less than I was. He knew Nathan had always, I mean always spoiled me, let alone rejected any of my requests. So seeing him act like that was just as much of a shock it was for Gray as much as it was for me.
As Nathan stood up to head out, Gray asked, "Nathan, I don't like the idea of that guy dating Vivy and it's probably just my protectiveness towards her but what is your reasoning for so viciously opposing? It's not like she said she was going to marry him immediately, more like the marriage part was probably her blurting out in the heat of the moment. She said she'll just date him for now so we can just watch over her and see how things go. I have never seen you so strongly reject someone or be so harsh, especially towards Vivy. What's the deal man?"
Gray waited in anticipation for an answer through the thick tension, Nathan never looked back and left without even saying a word but his silhouette showed a multitude of expressions that left Gray further baffled.
*SNIFFLE* *SNIFF* *SNIFF*
While I cried, Gray pondered over whether he should knock on my door or not for several minutes before he concluded it was an exhausting day for us all and a good night's sleep could help.
*AT THE GRANT RESIDENCE*
"Nathan, It's alright. Do you think it would be better to tell her the reasons, she's a grown woman now. Maybe she'll understand them. But I also get why you're worried." Sherry tried to console the depressed Nathan gently caressing his hair, as he hugged her belly while shaking his head gently in denial and lulling himself to sleep.
The night was just the beginning of the unraveling of the events that took place whether they were for the better or for worse.