An Inconvenient Attachment {Editing}

Chapter 26

Cecilia pov
"Come down for breakfast idiot!" Lucas yelled as he left my room door wide open. Couldn't he at least close the door? How annoying. After gazing at the stars with Alec, I had pretty much got home late. We basically talked for hours there in that field. Mostly random topics.

A tired yawn escaped as I entered the dining room. Everyone seemed anything but tired and messy. Pulling out a chair, I sat down and picked up my cutleries. It was... quiet. Of course, it has always been quiet. But this atmosphere felt empty. How have I never noticed how unbearable this silence was? And the fact that I was a part of this routine.

My eyes widened like I had made a sudden discovery, like I had been pulled out of a certain perspective and now was gazing at them in a third point of view. Is it because I hung out with the others too much? Whenever I was with Jess and the others, everything was loud yet enjoyable. This feels shallow.

My eyelids went back to looking tired and I started eating breakfast. Today, quinoa porridge was on the menu, it seems, and a green smoothie. Probably mixed with all kinds of fresh vegetables. Looking around, my eyes landed over at Julia and Lucas. Of course. I rolled my tired eyes. Fresh orange juice seemed to be on the menu too, just not for me.

Who even genuinely likes this stuff? I gaze at the green smoothie.

"The forecast said it's going to rain today," Julia said, breaking the empty silence.

"Oh! Then let's have a stay-in party in the game room," mother smiled, "Cecilia, why don't you prepare the game room for us?"

Too tired to be dealing with this right now. "I don't feel like it, have Lucas do it." I said in a sleepy manner.

"Maybe she doesn't want to play games with us honey," father glanced over at mother and then back at me, "Why not practice playing the piano? I think you have had enough rest for the summer."

A twitch ran over my eyebrow but I decided to stay calm about it. And when I didn't respond, mother faked a smile, "Cecilia?" Expecting me to frantically apologise and agree right away.

"It's okay! I'll do it," Julia expressed a nervous laugh.

"No." A firm tone came out of my mother. "Let Cecilia prepare the game room or maybe perhaps father is right? You have done nothing during the past few weeks."

There it is... the tension. I had always backed out but... today, I didn't feel like it. I stood my ground.

Julia and Lucas started to look at their plate awkwardly.

Aunt let out a sigh, "Oh my goodness! It's just picking a game board and preparing the game room. I'll have one of the workers do it, no need to make a big deal out of it," she added a light hearted chuckle, "Right Lia?"

I nodded lazily, still feeling sleepy.

"No no. Alright, I understand the game room part but I insist that Cecilia should practice the piano. After summer break we have been invited to one of my business partner's opening ceremony. He was delighted to hear Cecilia would be playing the grand piano for the opening," father looked at me as if he was expecting me to agree with him.

When did I agree to play for the opening? He definitely made that decision for me. "It's still summer break though, I don't feel like practicing," I yawned mid sentence.

"Where are your table manners? Yawning at the table? You have been skipping breakfast these past few weeks too," my mother's face grew pink. Heh... It was rather amusing to see that expression. A small gasp escaped– Has Alec rubbed off on me... That felt like something only Alec would think about at this moment.