An Inconvenient Attachment

Chapter 28

Cecilia pov
Dreadful was the perfect word to describe how I was feeling. For the first time in my entire life I stayed up so late to the point where it's morning. I hesitated to walk in through the gates. Alec was dropping me off.

"Go," Alec said in a reassuring tone.

My body, tired and sluggish, I turn to him sloppily. "But it's so awkward..."

He laughed in response saying it would be fine.

He turned, about to walk away but I quickly held his hand, preventing him from walking away. I gaze up at him awkwardly and he nodded, smiling, like he understood.

We walked through the front gates together. As I got to the front door, about to knock on it, the door swung open and I nearly fell inward.

"Oh. Cecilia," a familiar voice called out my name.

I quickly look up to see Jess, "Jess?"

My eyes slowly panned beside her and Blake was there standing next to her. They both looked very awkward.

"Jess? What are you doing here?" Alec asked.

"Alec?" Jess trailed off, "What are you doing here?" Her gaze went past both of us, "You rode your bike that you swore you would never ride it again?"

"Jess, what are you doing here?" I questioned and the whole conversation came back in full circle.

"Oh I– Uh–" she shuttered, "I came to see you!" and faked a laugh.

"Yeah! She– came to see you," Blake quickly interjected with his cheeks turned all pink.

Both of their eyes had bags underneath them. It was like staring at a mirror. Alec and I, who also had bags underneath our eyes, were staring right back at them.

"Cool, cool, cool," Blake said as he slowly backed up and then quickly turned full 180 degrees, running up the stairs. He looked almost comical.

Why do I feel like he was running away?

Whatever, I don't have time for this. The lack of sleep was killing me. I walked past Jess. My mom is so going to kill me. I was ruining all the habits that I had when I was back in the city.

My head was slightly pounding and my vision was doing some wonky effect. Wait– Mom? I halted in my tracks and slowly a smile crept up to my lips and a chuckle escaped. Staying awake has messed up my mind real good.

"Cecilia?" Aunt was the first one to see me near the door. "Oh goodness gracious," she quickly walked towards me, cupping my face and squishing it between her hands, "Where have you been the whole night?!" She shifted her gaze between me and Alec.

"I texted..." I replied.

She sucked in a sharp breath and opened her mouth like she was about to say something but gave up.

I nodded at her and we walked past her.

I texted her every minute she called me, updating my whereabouts throughout the night, whatever. My body was longing to just pass out on the bed.

Looking at the ground tiredly, I bumped into something. I lifted my head to see mom and dad gazing right back at me. My tired eyes shot open. I know I went missing for a whole night– Their gazes felt like it bore into my skull. Subconsciously, I stepped back.

From the corner of my eye, Alec stepped in front of me and I scooted right behind his shoulder. My eyes darted up, gazing at them. They furrowed their eyebrows gazing at Alec. But he didn't say anything neither did they.

"Sorry," Alec nodded, finally breaking the tension. "I'll drop her to her room and leave." He didn't shy away and stood his ground, unlike me.

It was my first time defying them, so I felt a bit awkward. Seeing Alec not shy away, scared or awkward and not being intimidated gave me a sense of security. They shook their heads as I hasten both of us to walk upstairs. I just know I'm going to hear an earful later.