Brother

Dazaree's sweat is as cold as ice, and it begins to feel as if her body has frozen in place, that she's too afraid to turn around. She has no inkling why she is shivering. Perhaps she is afraid that their relationship will end up like her auntie's. She doesn't want that to happen again, especially now that she's trying to start a new life away from all the painful memories.

"W-what are you talking about?" She tried to calm herself down by washing her sweating hands and diverting her attention. She bit her lips and thought, how can someone's presence be enough to make her shiver?

"I think I heard my name," Fablo said. Dazaree heard his footsteps that made her heart skip a beat.

"You think? That's absurd. I'm not saying anything. You're being delusional." She argued and picked up the last dish on the counter to avoid him.

"Explaining too much makes you sound defensive, missy," Fablo advised her. He leaned his back against the wall and crossed his arms while staring at her. Fablo doesn't think she's an enemy nor an ally. He believed that she'll just bring trouble to them and he doesn't want that.

He's afraid of the things that hunt him even in dreams. He doesn't want that nightmare to reoccur. Not with Troye, whom he considers to be his biological brother. If he couldn't protect him, he won't consider himself deserving to be a brother to anyone.

Dazaree ignored him and left the kitchen to serve the food in the dining area. He doesn't want to stay there alone with him. On the other hand, Fablo just watched her leave.

He doesn't mean to scare the girl. The truth is, he wants to help her and he pities her misfortune but she's no one to him. He believes that he has to think of the closest people to him first and that is Troye.

A memory suddenly flashed in his head. The memory he once cherished is now a nightmare he couldn't escape from. It was a memory from his childhood before he met Troye. Memory before the tragedy.

His parents were killed by a man he didn't get to see. He escaped with his sister as his parents instructed and succeed. They escaped but their parents died. Perhaps he could've done something, he thought. Just maybe if he was stronger then.

The beautiful innocent face of a toddler flashed through his mind. It was his younger sister that was taken from him 8 years ago. She was taken from him because he was too young to take care of her. He doesn't know who adopted her because he never sees her again after being taken to the orphanage. He doesn't want to give up on looking but what would he do if he finds her anyway?

Fablo was informed that his sister had been adopted by a wealthy family who could provide her with the life she deserved. He is well aware that he is unable to do so. He knows that she will only suffer if she remained with him because his life has always been miserable.

Fablo heaved a deep sigh and washed his face before going back to the dining area.

Dazaree, on the other hand, couldn't help but stare at the lovely people sitting in the dining area. Nana Seling is at the far end of the table, with Troye on her left and Maui in the second chair on the right. She assumed the first chair to Nana Seling's right was Fablo's, so she sat next to Troye after setting the dish on the table.

She greeted Troye with a smile which he returned. Dazaree gazed at Maui and smiled at him. Maui smiled and nodded back to her. She thought that she has to thank him properly later for the things he has done for her.

"Where's Fablo?" Nana Seling asked her the moment their eyes met.

"Oh, he's in the kitchen," she responded.

"What is he doing there? Let's just wait for him before we start." Nana Seling said.

Dazaree just smiled at her and looked at her plate as they started chatting again.

"So what courses are you gonna take this year, Maui and Troye?" Nana asked them.

"Well, I'm gonna take BS Architecture as planned, Nana," Maui replied.

"That's great! What about you, Troye?" Nana asked Troye who suddenly stopped.

The three of us were waiting for him to answer and it seems like he's uncomfortable with the topic.

"Troye?" Nana repeated while worriedly looking at him. She thought that something might've been bothering him.

Troye looked at his plate and then looked at Nana again.

"Actually, Nana, I still don't know." He smiled and they don't think it's a genuine one.

"Really? Why? Is something bothering you?" Nana asked.

"There are," he replied. This time, he's not smiling.

Dazaree didn't think he's having a problem deciding about his career. He seems like he has a lot of problems in mind. What could it be?

"Don't worry. You still have time to decide." Nana said while trying to cheer him up.

"That's right, dude!" Maui said and stood up to reach him and tap his shoulder.

Dazaree just smiled at him because she doesn't know what to tell him. She still doesn't know what his problems are, that's why she couldn't give him proper words of advice. For now, the only thing she thinks she can give him is a smile of assurance.

"Yeah." He smiled but it seems like he's still bothered.

When Fablo came, they started eating. Dazaree thought she'd feel awkward with him around but because of Maui and Nana Seling, the mood lit up even though he is grumpy. For some reason, Dazaree felt like Fablo is not listening to them as if he's living in his own world. She feels like, just like Troye, he is troubled by something he wouldn't dare speak about.

Everyone is sharing funny stories as an ideal family does. Now that she thinks of it, she sees them more like a happy family even though they are not blood-related.

There is a part of her that wants to be part of them. She wants to get along with them well. In short, part of their family. Dazaree looked at Fablo who's peacefully eating his food. She wanted him to be her brother too because she never had one.

Actually, she is starting to envy Troye for having a brother who cares for him so much even though they aren't real brothers. It's too ideal that she didn't think it happens in real life.

She wanted to be trusted by them. She thought that perhaps if that happens, they will treat her as a family too. I noticed that Troye is looking at me while smiling. I couldn't help but smile sheepishly. To be honest, he looks like an angel. Really kind and humble. He's very generous and polite like a real gentleman, she thought.

It's her first time analyzing his face and realized that he's really handsome.

She blushed when she heard his voice say thanks in her head. He's currently eating his food too. She realized that he can hear what's on her mind.

"Sorry, I didn't mean it," he replied.

"It's okay!" She smiled at him.

She still doesn't have any idea how his ability works and still finds it amusing. She took a spoonful of rice and ate it and gazed at Maui. He's a really funny guy with cute curly hair and glasses. She still hasn't got to know him, but she already knows that he's a great person.

Fablo himself is a kind guy. She thinks, he probably just doesn't know how to show it. He looks like a great big brother to the two and has really great features and physics like a mature man.

Then she looked at Nana Seling who's now talking to Troye.

"When will you get a girlfriend, Troye?" she asked.

She can't believe the woman is already in her fifties. She appears to be very young and lovely. There are a few wrinkles here and there, but that's about it. Even though she is a beautiful and classy woman, she speaks to them as if they are just friends, and she is very approachable, generous, and caring, almost like a mother to them.

"Troye will never get a girlfriend until he mans up." Fablo suddenly said and grinned that made Maui laughed. Dazaree was surprised when Fablo joined the conversation.

For some reasons, she wanted to see more of this beautiful view in the future if they'd allow her.

***

End of chapter.