As her eyes refocused. Shaira slipped through her brother's hold as she looked in his eyes. Her hand on top of her.
Ezra was holding her like his life depended on it. Shaira felt it too. She swiftly moved out of his hold as she sat infront of Alkov whose eyes widen as Shaira examined his face.
"You need ointment for that. Ezra help him-"
"Stop it, Shaira. It just made me feel even more guilty. I deserved that punch."
"Yes. That's right."
Alkov eyes met Shaira as she looked at him.
"You deserved that but that's it. You deserve it come in your senses. You did. The hurt afterward, no. The regret and repentence, yes."
Shaira said she pulled him up.
"You don't need to say it, Shaira. This is far less than you have experienced in your life."
Alkov said as his eyes turned darker.
"The last thing I want is to anyone get punched on his face because of me, Alkov. As much as I hate to say it, even I would never love you guys again but I will never let any of you get hurt too."
A small smile graced on Alkov face. He was sad.
"I could never imagine a twenty-eight year old-me- believing the words of a seventeen year old girl. I just want to remind you, I regret every moment that I said those cruel things to you. I never thought I could be this inhumane and pathetic man but I did. You are too good to be true."
Alkov said as his eyes cast downwards in shame and humiliation.
"Your apology is heard. Loud and clear."
Shaira said. Her voice came out soft yet strong.
"Can someone help me move him to his room?"
She said looking at both of her other brothers. Ezra understood the assignment as he took his brother from the floor up to the room.
Her eyes travelled to other brother who had not said a single thing still lying in same position.
"Maximus. Please help Ezra if he need anything."
Shaira said Maximus looked at his eldest brother with agony. He hated him being weak but he was a human after all.
Maximus reluctantly nodded as he moved upstairs.
Shiara stood up and sit beside his eldest brother silently. Patiently waiting for him to say something.
"Are you okay?"
A speck of silence and Dexton asked Shaira. His voice come out somewhat heavy.
Shaira could not help but smile. He was Dexton after all. His number one priority was his family. Not him.
"That was one grand fall, there."
"Doesn't matter, as long as you are okay. I still stand on my actions. He deserved that."
Dexton as he finally removed his hands from his eyes.
"Can't argue that. I hate to say it but the punch was good though-and satisfying too."
Dexton sighed as he said,"I hate that you had to see it."
"I have seen far more worse than this, Dexton."
"Sometimes, I think you are a thirty year old lady trapped in a seventeen year old body." Dexton as he got up.
"I am not that fucking old."
Dexton raised one of his eyebrows as he gave no nonsense eyes to her for using a curse word.
"Don't curse in front of me. Ira."
Shaira gave him a stink eye.
"A thirty year old lady can curse the world if she wants and by your words, I can curse anybody just not in front of you."
Shaira said as smiled to his brother. His cold eyes had cracked to show such raw hurt that Shaira could not help but let him come down from his high before she said anything to him. He was like a strained glass and the most strained glass would not be broken in half. It would shatter in pieces with no way to return.
"Ira."
A warning resonated in hall. Shaira laughed.
"Rest assured brother. I don't curse. It's not my style. I was just seeing how it feels."
Shaira said as she met his eyes for the firtst time. Dexton eyes widen as he noticed her.
"You are not wearing your lenses."
Shaira eyes widen as she realised that she had completely forgotten about her eyes doing damage control.
She closed her eyes.
"Dr. Sordo asked for change. I did it. They are looking hideous, right? Bear with it today. I will wear lenses again-"
"Open your eyes."
She could not complete her sentence as Dexton pulled her cheeks.
"Ouch, that hurts. What are you doing?"
"Open your eyes, Ira. They are so beautiful that I would have to chase every boy away from my sister."
Shaira eyes opened as she looked at her brother.
"Are you.....sure?"
"Yes, I am fuckin' sure."
"Haw! Dexton."
Shaira fake gasped as she laughed when he saw his brother eyes squinted controlling his laugh too. Shaira was adorable in Dexton eyes. She would always be his little baby sister whom he would cherish as long as he had time left with her.
"Never loose your shine, Ira. You don't believe it now but you are the strongest girl I have ever seen."
Dexton said as he looked up ceiling. No matter what he said. It was true he failed himself. What would he do with all this money and grandour when he could not bring his family together. He don't want any strains in his relationship with any of his brothers or sister.
What should he do?
"Don't worry, Dexton. You don't need to choose."
Shaira said looking at him.
Dexton said as his eyes widen.
"Anyone with sane mind could tell your delimma. You love them more than your life, Dexton. I have looked up to you for a brief period of time. I can understand it too. They are your brothers. Your real brothers."
"You are my real sister too. Everyone who had to say otherwise had to face me." Dexton said as his eyes sharpen.
"You have to apologise to Alkov."
"Are you being serious right now?"
Shaira sighed.
"Trust me, I am. The act was not right-atleast in front of everyone. Alkov had always been looking up to you. As much as he needed to come out of his own world. He need support too. You are his support, Dexton. Ours too. We can't function without you."
Dexton eyes trained on Shaira as she herself looked at the chandelier above.
"How could I let myself forget what I have done to you? When I am the sole reason you have to grow up so fast."
"Don't forget it, then. Live with it, Dexton. Like I am living. You can't do anything about what happened in the past and personally, being complimented as mature of your age is actually not that bad. I hated toys anyways."
Dexton chuckled.
"But your choice of clothes-with all those cats and pandas said otherwise."
"I am mature not old, brother. They are cute. I am not a thirty year old who always is busy with his business and always only wear suits. That's kinda boring. How would he get us a sister-in-law then?"
"Oh really now?"
Dexton said raising one of his eyebrows and pinching her cheeks.
"Ouch! Sorry! My cheeks would get swollen. Let them go."
"What did you say, Miss.Shaira Angelina Vanedestine."
Shaira eyes widen as he saw her brother giving a full blown smile.
"My brother is the most handsome man on the entire planet!"
Dexton eyes widen as he thought she would apologise again but her response made him laugh out loud.
Shaira rubbed her cheeks as Dexton left them.
"Where did you learn that?" Dexton said as he calmed down.
"Diaz do the same thing. He don't let go until I said something good about him. He loved being complimented."
Shaira said as she smiled fondly. Her smile dimmed as she saw his brother smiled vanished as he looked at her somewhat sad. Her brother always become serious whenever she talked about Diaz. It's like he is not comfortable.
"Does he treat you good?"
Dexton said he looked at her. Shaira eyes widen.
"Yes he did. He took me in as her younger sister when I was just fourteen. He was there with me for every crying session after movies. Even without Daniel. He helped me with studies. He was always there for me. He is my hero."
Shaira said she fondly remembered all those moments forgetting about the person in front of him. Her heart dropped as she saw Dexton looking heartbroken at her. As the other dots connected.
"You are good to me too. Dexton."
Dexton gave a heartbroken smile to her.
"You are too kind for your own good, Ira. I am happy that at least someone was there for you in all those tough times."
Dexton said as he kissed her forehead.
"You don't need to stand strong in front of me. I have your back now. Thanks for giving me support when I needed it but now I am up. You can cry too. You can take it out too. You could share your feeling too. There's no way you are not affected today but you still stood for us, Shaira. The amount of courage it required is immense."
Shaira eyes teared up. She now realised, it was not facade that she was strong. She was strong that's why she handled the situation like she did.
Her heart was finally at rest like she had puked out all the poison in her body. She let them knew that she was hurt. They accepted it. They accepted their mistakes. She was at peace with it. For now, She will hold on to this.
"You should get some rest. Today is over."
Shaira said as she wiped her tears and stood up lending a hand to his brother.
"Your weak time is over, Dexton. I want my feirce brother back."
Dexton smiled as her took her hand. Dexton and Shaira stopped in front of room door.
Dexton eyes were back to normal. Cold and elusive.
"Good night, Dexton."
Shaira looked at her brother. His hair disheaveled. His usual touch was not there. She sighed as she wrapped her arms around him. He always hug her nowadays to give her support. She would do the same for him too.
Dexton heaved a sigh of relief as he hugged her little sister too. She understood him like no other. He placed a small his on her forehead.
"Good night, Ira."
Shaira gave a small smile as she broke the hug. She sighed as she saw his retreating back.
This time, Shaira opened her new journal as she sat on her bed. She wrote a single sentence like she had promised to Dr. Sordo.
.
Dear Dr. Sordo,
I said some of the most harsh things about myself with confrontation with my family. They countered each and every word. We all cried. Everything is chaos but my mind is at peace.
Regards
Shaira
.
Next day morning was somewhat sad. Usually there would be hustle and bustle at this time but today nothing was there. Shaira came down as she put her green tea packet in the warm cup of water. Adding two spoon of honey. She rubbed her fingertips across the rim of the cup as she sat on the couch in living area with the front facing the beautiful garden.
"Good morning, Shay."
Ezra said as he slide on the couch beside her. The sweet sunshine was pouring in the room through the window. Shaira could breathe the morning air and bask in sunlight just by sitting there.
"Good morning, Ezra. Are you okay?"
"I am trying. Are you okay?"
Ezra said as he sighed.
"I am fine."
Shaira said as she took another sip of 'Ezra favourite green tea'. It has somehow became more delectable to her that's he don't mind it drinking it in place of coffee.
"That's the most common lie,love."
Shaira eyes snapped as Ezra leaned backwards on the couch. His hand on her drink.
"I am fine, Ezra-actually better. I never thought telling your real feelings could put you at ease."
Ezra sighed. He had seen her struggle yesterday. She was calm yet there was a Strom inside her which was always there to swallow her. The things she said about herself was not simple, they were her wounds given by them.
"You are beautiful. You know that, right? Especially your eye colour."
Shaira had not put on her lenses today. She was not confident enought but if she said she would try to change her. She would very well keep her promise.
"It's normal eyes, Ezra. No big deal."
Shaira said as he looked him in the eye.
"Well for someone who had seen this eyecolour rarely. It's the most beautiful shade of green. Shay."
"Doesn't it remind you your loss?"
Shaira mumbled subconsciously. The biggest insecurity peeking out on her.
"No."
Ezra said as he looked at her home eyes.
"God Shaira, you are beautiful in them. It's just made me remind how diffrent you are from other kids. How mature and talented you are. How adorable you are."
"You know if I would have done the same thing six months back. I would have been getting some real harsh comments from you. Ezra."
Ezra's hand stopped in the middle of the air as he looked at the hurtful smile at Shaira. He put his cup down on table as he faced her.
"What could I do to get on your side? The things I have said is unforgettable, cruel and hinious but you need to believe me on this one-None of them was true. I can't make you forget anything. I will not take your right to get mad on us. To go away from us. I will not beg for a chance of forgiveness from you cause I know you deserve better than us. You deserve happiness. Not pain." Ezra said as he took her hands in his.
"But just know this Shaira. If you ever feel lonely in your life. You need to always remember, Your undeserveing pathetic brother is always waiting for you. Right here. From today to as long as I live."
Ezra said as he hugged her to her chest. Shaira hand fisted as he heard her shallow breaths trying hard to not cry. Ezra was looking tired. He was looking so defeated that Shaira just want to take his pain away but what could she do. She herself was walking on road full of broken glass pieces.
She didn't say anything but she hugged him back. He was a sinner for her but a strong sense of responsibility won him over.
She knew that day just some days before her final four months there.
A new Era had begun.
....
As promised your chapter here.
Question of the day- now who is the most favourite brother to you. Who would you give chance of repentance? Noone or someone?
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