“Okay, why don’t we all just head to bed now and we can talk about this tomorrow?” My dad interrupts.
This?
What is even ‘this’ that we are talking about?
“Good idea,” my mom claims- of course.
They all nod stating how this is probably what’s best for us all now, but they couldn’t imagine how wrong they are. This is what they think is good for them; what about what’s good for me? How can they all agree to let me head to sleep when I knew that they- my own blood- were hiding something from me? They think I can sleep after they have shown me proof that they may be covering something big from me?
“You guys go to sleep; I’m going to change and go out for a walk,” I state, feeling as though I won’t be able to sleep tonight.
“At one am? You’re not going anywhere,” my father demands with a stern look on his face that says ‘I’m not changing my mind’.
“Well, it’s either that or we talk, and one of you tells me what the hell you guys are so afraid of me finding out because there’s one thing I know for sure is that this isn’t the kind of thing that family does: they don’t hide things from each other.”
With that said, I exit the corridor ,not meeting any of their gazes and head to my room to change with regret clouding my vision from the hurtful words I spoke, but the feeling is gone as soon as it came because no one stops me from leaving.
Not this time.
Chapter 4
For the past hour, I’ve been wandering all over the streets of London trying to clear out my thoughts from all this drama that suddenly decided it’ll be fun to ruin my life in the week of my wedding. Because my parents, my brother and I have always been close, especially my brother, the sadness overwhelming my chest hasn’t abandoned me yet.
I know that I was not one hundred percent sure that there’s something they’re keeping from me, but now I know that I should’ve trusted my instincts all along. What’s their deal with Adam? How do they even know him? How do they know Evelyn? If they do know them, does that mean they know me? Did Evelyn know me? Was that the reason why he was confused I appeared on his front door? Is Evelyn my twin? Did Adam lie to me?
While I was wondering about all of these mind-consuming thoughts, something suddenly hits me. Something I haven’t thought about. What if I’m the one who was picked up by the wrong family at birth? What if I’m the lost twin Evelyn could’ve been searching for?
Oh God no! Does that mean those people I live with aren’t my family? Does that mean Trevor isn’t my brother? My dad isn’t my father, and my mom isn’t my mother?
With all this thinking, I haven’t realized where my trail of path led me- Lexi’s house- until I spotted the familiar bakery shop ‘Rockstar Bakers’. It was a weird unconscious habit of mine that whenever I felt extremely down, starting from minor to major causes whether it was because I failed a test or a close relative passed away, it was here that my heart always led me.
Lexi was the only person whom I could always share my emotions with.
My comfort zone.
I remember once, a few years ago, I had a huge fight with Adrien because he wouldn’t let me attend our college’s most popular boy and his best friend- Noah Jacob’s party, stating how parties weren’t my scenery. Since he was busy that night, in helping out with his father’s company, and couldn’t attend the party with me, he literally ordered me not to go, claiming how there’ll be at least fifty drunk teenagers there. When I told him that I was going whether he liked it or not, he warned me that if Noah told Adrien that he spotted me there, we’re done. That was the first time I thought about how controlling and possessive he is, and I wasn’t anywhere near happy to say the least. Even though Lexi, who didn’t even attend Oxford like we did, was going to the party since her parents gave her their approval, she didn’t when she opened her bedroom door and was met with my tear-stained face.
They were angry tears.
Maybe I was being overdramatic back then, but she was still there for me.
Trying to cheer me up, she didn’t leave me alone that night despite reminding her that the entire college students will be attending this party. I constantly told her that I won’t allow myself to be the reason that’s stopping her from going out and socializing with new people, but all she did was burst into a hysteria of giggles. “Are you kidding? Do I look like I do socializing? Dude, you’re my only friend- literally, so if you aren’t going, who will I have there to have fun with?”
Instead, she took me out to Starbucks, bought me my favorite chocolate Frappuccino, listened to my ramblings from the tiniest, irrelevant, stupid details to the major ones then took me back to her bedroom, switched on Gumball, which was our favorite cartoon, just so she could get me to laugh at least once. That’s how she always knew that I’m going to be okay.
As the memories flash back into my mind, the ends of my mouth start tugging down, for I wonder if her earlier conversation with my brother will have a toll on what will happen now.
When I was just about to knock on the front door with my hands, an alarm rang
