"Here's your coffee!" Mary came into my room while I was preparing for my test.
"Thank you, I needed it!" I smiled at her and took a sip with my whole attention back on my book, but instead of leaving, she sat beside me. I looked up at her and found her closely looking at me.
"What?" I asked as I looked at her.
"Nothing... I just miss my old Alara!" She told me and I frowned and looked down.
"I don't understand what you are talking about?" I muttered lightly as I flip the page of the book acting as if my whole attention is on the book but my mind is somewhere else. It's been a month since I last talked to him and it felt like everything has changed in me and around me.
"Do you remember the last time you laugh?" She asked me as she touched my shoulder.
"Mary you are thinking too much, it's just I am busy with my study. Becoming a doctor is not easy" I told her. She only smiled back at me.
"I just want you to stay happy," she told me and leave the room.
I sat there thinking back to her words, she is right but what can I do? It's like I can't do anything. I always feel this immense sadness. Whenever I am not busy my mind goes back to him. Noah and Caleb also have sensed that something is wrong, they would always ask me but I am tired of lying to them.
Noah's birthday is coming and I want to go back for his birthday but at the same time, I also don't want to face them. They will see straight through me. And also that stalker he has made my life so difficult. I am always scared to go out. And I have no one to tell about him. Noah and Caleb will take me back if I told them. I thought to tell Jack about it but then thought against it.
I have told Rachel to throw the flowers away if they come for me but the stalker get to know of it and wasn't happy about it not that I care. The next day I got a Teddy bear in my bag, I don't know when and how he got near my bag but that thing scared me. He knows what I wear and what I eat, and he knows about all my favourite things. I am already dealing with a lot and at top of it, this stalker has made my life a living hell.
I have started spending most of the time at the house and come back from the bookshop early and if I am late I would hail a cab. I just hope this stalker or whoever he is just gets out of my life!
*************
It was Friday and I decided to go back home to surprise my brothers. I want a little peace that I can only get from my own family, in my own home. I told Mary to not inform them about our arrival.
We reached late at night and Mary's son picked us up, they dropped me at my home and left. Mary was also missing her kids and grandchildren. And I was feeling bad that only because of me she couldn't come here, Caleb and Noah had come to meet me there in New York many times but she was missing her family. It's been six months since we have lived in New York which is a lot.
I stood in front of the door and looked at my home. A tear came to my eye at all the happy memories. I never thought that leaving this house will cost me heartbreak. I was happy here, my brothers always make it sure that I am being well cared for and well provided for. I never had to worry about anything in this home and now look at myself standing in front of my home with a broken heart.
I wiped my tears and ring the bell, nobody came for a while so I rang again and this time I heard Noah yelling at Caleb to open the door who mumble something back. I heard Noah cursing him as he came to open the door and when he looked at me in front of him he paused, he was sleeping by the way his hairs are messy and he is in his nightwear.
"Apple pie!" He asked still unsure and I groaned at his nickname for me.
"Noah bear!" I said back with a teasing smirk at which he chuckled and shake his head. I then moved in his arms and I put my head on his shoulder. I missed them!
"Why didn't you tell us? Where is Mary? Did you come alone?" He asked me to go, I giggled and told him everything. We then walked inside the living room where it seems Lily and Caleb were having a date night. They were laughing at something, it was Lily who saw me first and her smile wavered as she looked at me. I waved at her. Caleb followed her gaze and looked at me. A wide smile came on his face as he looked at me.
"Muffin! When did you come?" He said and walked towards me. He took me in his embrace and pecked my forehead.
"You didn't tell us that you are coming!" He said as he looked at me. I hugged lily and this time she smiled at me but that smile looked too fake. Am I imagining things? I asked myself.
"Yeah someone's birthday is coming and I had to be here to watch them get old" I chuckled at Noah who rolled his eyes at me.
"I should leave," Lily said and moved to pick up her bag, but neither Caleb nor Noah stopped her.
"Hey No it's okay! You two enjoy. I am going to sleep anyways" I told her and glared at Caleb.
"Yeah stay," Kay told her but I heard Noah scoffs. I gave him a look at which he only shrugged.
"I am going to my room, good night!" I said good night to both Lily and Caleb who I know want to spend some time with me but we will have two days and this is their time right now.
Caleb picked up my suitcase and we both went upstairs talking while talking. I was telling him about the test that I aced. He was proud of me as he always is. He listened to me calmly but then he spoke when I was pulling out my nightwear from the bag.
"Are you not eating? You look small!" He frowned at me, he was sitting on my bed.
"No I am not small, it's just you two are so big" I huffed at him.
"Al I am serious!" He said and he was reading my face. I was too scared that he will find something there so I turn around and walked to my closet room.
"What happened?" He asked when I came out after changing.
"Nothing happened Noh!" I said as I sat beside him.
"What did you have for dinner?" I asked him suddenly feeling hungry.
"Are you hungry?" He asked me and I nodded.
"Let's order pizza," he said and I smiled widely. That's what I was missing!
We head down as the doorbell rang but stopped in our tracks when I heard voices. Not just any voices Caleb and lily were arguing over something.
"Should we intervene?" I whispered to Noah who shrugged and walked straight towards the door. He came back with the pizza and I was still standing on the stairs because I couldn't move from what Lily said, Noah too looked at me and he also frowned.
"It's always her, Alara Alara and Alara. I wanted to spend one night of peace with my boyfriend but guess what I can't. I understand you love your sister but you are not her father even if you think so." She said bitterly.
"It will always be her, you will always choose her before me, before us!" She barked and I flinched at her words. Noah made his way towards me and motion me to go upstairs. I felt tears in my eyes threatening to fall. I can tell Noah is angry at lily's words.
"She always ruins our dates, I hate her..." she yelled and then I heard Caleb's loud voice.
"Get lost, I don't want to see your face. Get out!" Caleb yelled, I have never seen him yelling.
"I knew it but it still hurts knowing you will always choose her but I am telling you she will leave you two and hurt you one day!" She said and then walked out of the living room. Her gaze fell on me and she glared at me, I wanted to say sorry to her even if I don't know what I did but I don't want her to leave my brother. I know they both love each other. Noah came infront of hiding me from her and I am sure he is glaring back at her she stepped back a little and then walked out.
Then Caleb came out and when he saw us, he looked shocked and then he looked at me.
"I am sorry Alara," he said, he looked so sad.
"You shouldn't have yelled at her" I said. Both of them looked at me at once.
"She said bad things about you, if I were him I would have done the same" Noah said nonchalantly.
"No you two can't do that" I scolded them.
"Caleb go and talk to her, she needs you and she loves you. She must have some ... misunderstanding. You two should talk" I said. Caleb came towards me and patted my cheeks.
"No Alara there is nothing left to talk about. If my girlfriend can't respect my little sister then I don't want her. It's not the first time she has made it an issue. I ignored it at first but this is going too far" he said and then looked at Noah who was standing with pizza. They both talked with each other through eyes. Then Caleb sighs and turned towards me.
"I am going in my room, tomorrow we will go out, alright?" He smiled at me and then walked upstairs leaving is behind.
"Come on let's eat!" Noah said but I shake my head and walked to my room.
"I am not hungry anymore" I said.
Why they are not understanding? Caleb is wrong here, if lily is feeling insecure about something then he should talk to her and clear her doubts. But he let her go just like that! I was always afraid of this them prioritising me more than their partners!