Chapter 4

Walking trough the hallways from the second floor to the first floor where the dining room was I kept taking deep breath to calm my nerves. My hands were sweaty and my back was drenched, I couldn't even focus on my surroundings. I kept praying in my mind not to mess up but then I consoled myself with the fact that Alida has spent years in her room eating alone and maybe making some minor mistakes won't be to bad.

Soon we arrived at a double door room. The maid opened the door for me and with a last mental push I entered the room.

The dining room was a big room, at least twice biggest than my room. In the middle of the room was a big rectangular table with chairs all around it and in one end of a table was a more bigger and luxurious chair in wich 'my' father was seated. My mother was on his right side , her face to the door and was the first to see me enter, my brother on his left side followed by my halfsister Janet who was seated beside my mother and opposite her, beside my brother was Alida's crush, Julian Edelman.

For a moment everyone was shocked to see me enter the room but they quickly caught themselves. Father was the first to greet me.

"Good morning Alida." He was still looking at me a little shocked . I guess it's been a while since he saw his daughter huh?

"Good morning..father." i was a little awkward at the mention of the word 'father'. " Good morning mother, brother, sister and Mister Edelman". Okay, i think I nailed this one.

"Alida...good morning." my brother was the first to greet me back and he did it with a big smile too. It seems Alida's brother still likes her, that's good.

"Come Alida , take a seat, the food is getting cold." next was my mother, Patricia ,to speak.

I quickly took a seat beside my sister Jane, since the seat beside my mother was occupied. That was supposed to be Alida's seat but since she didn't participate in eating with the family she kind of lost her seat. I didn't think much about it honestly, I'm not even sure I want to avenge Alida's unfair treatment, I'm not indifferent or insensible honestly but i have to do what's best for me now since I'm Alida now. I was never scheming or vengeful just plain normal I guess.

" Good morning sister." Jane interrupts my thoughts with a shy and bearly audible good morning. I turn my head to her and see her shy and fearful gaze, looking at me like she did something wrong. I admit I wanted to smack her across the face but I'm not a toddler. I'm pretty sure my mouth twitched visibly for a second but i did the next best thing.

"Good morning Jane. You look beautiful today." I said to her with the most sincere smile and honest eyes, really it wasn't hard to do it since both her and Julian are strangers to me.

Jane was dumbfounded and her mouth was moving like a fish on land. Hehe...another point for me.

Turning my face in front i saw Julian looking at me like I'm some rare species.

'Do i have something on my face?' I thought but then threw a glance around the table and saw that everyone had the same expression as him then it dawned on me, it was because I showed a smile, a different expression from what they were used to from the old Alida. Truthfully, Alida is very beautiful,it's no wonder she turns heads especially when she smiles. I cleared my throat so everyone would snap out of it.

Soon after a maid came and brought my food and cutlery. Breakfast was uneventful, barely some small talk, Jane talked the most, she was like a social butterfly. I did make some mistakes with the fork and knife and stuff but i pretended to be invisible when I got a few stares from Jane or my mother. I tried not to force it and let my body remember what is should do and it worked well.All in all it was a good breakfast.

After everyone was done eating father was first to leave the table saying he had work to do in the study. Immediately after I excused myself too. On my way to my room Aryan caught up to me.

"Sister...Alida!"

Turning around i saw Aryan panting a little. Well...who told them to built so many stairs in this house.

"Yes? What is it Aryan?"

"How....how are you feeling?"

"Hmmm?.... I'm feeling fine.Why?"

"Not... nothing.....just ..."

Honestly it was fun seeing him stammer and squirming not knowing how to talk with his sister. It seems they did get estranged from one another over the years.

'Sigh.... let's end his suffering seeing how he's still standing in place after a full two minutes.'

"Aryan..do you want to talk in my room?"

"YES.... i mean of course. Lead the way sister." clearing his throat and with a red face he quickly composed himself but his bright eyes betrayed him.

'Pfftt....what a cute brother I have...hehe.'

And just like that there where now two silluets moving up the stairs and trough the hallways.