The Truth About Us

2. DO NOT ENTER

New Chapter, Hope you enjoy :)

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By the time I was discharged from the hospital Alex looked exhausted. He took me back to our house and tried to attend to my every need but I told him to go straight to bed and he argued back only half-heartedly before giving in. After a while I'd come to trust him more, but honestly I just wanted some time alone to look around the house.

I fell in love with it as soon as I walked in the front door. I could imagine a family sitting in the lounge room and arguing over which game to play on family games night, I could imagine chaos in the kitchen on school mornings, everybody keen to get on their way. There were still shoes on the shoe rack inside the front door and a coat thrust haphazardly on the coat rack.

I slowly walked around the room taking in the pictures on the walls. We all had huge grins plastered on our faces in every single picture. There were pictures of nearly every moment of our lives, covering the walls and on every single available surface; pictures showing Alex growing up, pictures showing me growing up, even pictures of my mum and dad when they were dating. FIlled with sadness i realised these photos showed just how much of a family we really were. And these photos, more than anything, showed me what I had really lost.

I heard Alex moving around upstairs and I realised I'd been down here over an hour. As I climbed the stairs I realised how hard all this must be on Alex. I felt an intense longing for the family in the picture and I hated not remembering my parents. But at least I have Alex. He has no family left though. And I just ruined his dreams of being a professional musician.

Alex is now my legal guardian, so he has to move back here to take care of me, abandoning his entire career in London. I don't think I even count as his little sister anymore. Not if I have to ask him what his name is. It's ten times harder on Alex because he knows what he's lost.

When I reached the landing I came face to face with the door to my bedroom. There was a sign written in blue tacked to the door which read "Katy's room: DO NOT ENTER" in shaky, childish writing. There were crayon drawings tacked to the door which I suspect I had drawn around the same age as the sign. They were the typical type, which a yellow sun in the corner, spiky green grass and several stick figures.

I pushed open the door and took in everything surrounding me. The room was absolutely tiny but I couldn't have imagined anything more perfect. The entire space was filled with personality. Every single wall was covered with cutouts from magazines, spectacular drawings and photos of me with friends at parties. There were little mobiles and wind chimes hanging from hooks on the roof and a large white bookcase was stuffed with books. There was a blinding orange and pink cover on the bed that was nearly hidden by a huge fluffy Costco bear. A white desk was shoved in the space next to the bed, under the window, and it was covered in moisturizers, makeup and books.

I opened a door to find a small walk in wardrobe stuffed completely full of clothes, there were clothes strewn over the floor in both the wardrobe and the bedroom... looks like I wasn't the cleanest of people.

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Alex couldn't sleep very well so he came into my room and sat on my bed for a while, answering all my questions. I learnt a lot in those few hours. We've lived in this house since Alex was a baby. Mum and dad knew they needed more space but they could never get themselves to leave behind all the memories. I'd always wanted to paint my walls pink as a little girl but mum and dad held out on me, assuring me that I would regret it later. Alex told me that he knew I was glad they hadn't let me paint my room, but that I wouldn't be caught dead admitting the truth.

In every single photo on my wall I was with Jack Parker and Darcie Langley, my two best friends. I met Darcie in year 8. She was new to our school, but she acted like she owned the place. As soon as she saw me sitting in a corner sitting by myself on that first day, she had pranced over and proceeded to tell me about her weekend as if she was my best friend. That night I had come home jabbering all about what Darcie said and what Darcie did and how cool Darcie was until Alex was sick of her name.

Jack had always known Darcie's family, the two of them being neighbors. He sought her out as soon as he found out she was coming to our school and the three of us became best friends. I had been scared of Jack at first. He was a typical jock and all the girls practically drooled if he so much as made eye contact with them. I had always been the quiet girl who ran in a completely different social circle to him. But after a few weeks I grew comfortable around him and his friends, and no longer sat by myself at lunch. Just like that I became one of the girls at school guys took notice of.

Jack asked me out in year 9. We've been dating for two years and we're known as the school's power couple. Jack was the boy I lost my virginity to.

I was surprised that Alex knew all of this about me, and that I trusted him enough to let him in on everything that happened in my life. Looking at Alex now I'd be scared to tell him I even talked to a guy, for fear he'd beat them up. Alex seemed to sense the question in my eyes because he said softly "we were always closer than normal siblings K. Even when I moved to London you Skyped me nearly every day. I told you everything too. We were pretty much best friends." I could see how much it hurt him to use past tense.

I went and sat down next to him, picking up his hand and placing it in mine. "Now we can become best friends all over again" I said softly. Alex looked at me and smiled before wrapping his arms around me. "I'd like that."

We sat in silence for a while, holding onto each other. I hated that I'd put him through so much and I wished that I could make all of this up to him so badly but I knew what he needed right now was his sister, and I was determined to be exactly what he needed. And really I just wanted to get to know him. Because he was the only person I could depend on right now.

A while later Alex broke our comfortable silence to remind me that I was going back to school tomorrow. The hospital advised Alex that getting a psychiatrist would be a good idea so he called their recommended one earlier in the morning. He set up and appointment for me later on in the week but my psychiatrist said the best thing for me right now would be for me to go back to school, and she emailed Alex a letter to give the office, explaining my condition.

Alex told me that both Jack and Darcie called him as soon as they found out what happened, but he turned them both away, saying I needed space right now and that I'd see them tomorrow. For some reason the thought of seeing them filled me with apprehension. How was I supposed to pretend I was friends with someone I've never even met?

Eventually Alex told me it was time for bed. He made me take my meds and tried to convince me to eat something but honestly I was too tired, so he left me alone.

I lay in bed with my eyes open, trying to get used to the fact that this was my life now. But I knew that wouldn't happen anytime soon, so I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep.

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So what are your thoughts? Liking it so far? If you think it's moving a bit slow then never fear, hot guys are here!! (In the next chapter ;)) yep you heard right, we're going to be introduced to Darcie and Jack in the next chapter, and maybe even another special someone ;) so have faith. Don't forget to VOTE, COMMENT, SHARE and FOLLOW my lovelies!! xx