Circles

Chapter XIX

"I'll be back soon," Alister said as he finished getting ready for work. "Eat and behave. Don't stay locked up in here all day, understood?"

"Yes..." Noah mumbled, still half-asleep.

"Good. Remember that I'll bring it today. So..."

"I'll behave, I promise," he interrupted eagerly.

"Good boy."

Alister left the room and hurried down the stairs, without looking back.

Noah tossed and turned in bed, feeling uneasy; somehow, it seemed strange to him that Alister would want a pet, considering he had hated Hope ever since he found it. He didn't want to get his hopes up about what he would bring, but from the hints he had dropped, it was pretty obvious. So why couldn't he shake off that feeling of unease in his chest?

He decided to get out of bed, and as he did, he felt someone watching him. He quickly turned around, but there was no one there. Things had been strange at home for days, ever since Hope's disappearance; sometimes he heard strange noises or someone calling his name. He was afraid of finding his father there again, looking at him with disdain and telling him he was a fool for trusting Alister so blindly.

Taking a deep breath, Noah quickly pushed all those thoughts out of his mind and headed downstairs for breakfast. He mustn't mistrust Alister. No. Alister had always wanted the best for him and had taken care of him for years. It wouldn't be fair to suspect him of anything.

He sat at the dining table, and the staff quickly served breakfast, but he barely touched the food. He only ate to avoid angering Alister when he arrived and scolded him, but the truth was, he wasn't hungry. His stomach just twisted into knots and closed up every time he tried to eat, so he preferred not to take a bite and avoid the unpleasant sensation.

After a while, he stood up and went out to the garden. The autumn leaves of October covered the ground, giving everything a warm and nostalgic hue. For a moment, Noah thought about everything he had left behind almost seven years ago. Around that time, he was still with Andrew and couldn't even imagine that things could get better. Did he remember Alister back then?

Lost in his thoughts, he didn't notice how quickly the hours passed, and before he knew it, Alister's car pulled up in front of the entrance. As he caught sight of the tall figure of the man, he jumped up and ran to greet him.

"Alister! I missed you so much!" he exclaimed with joy.

"Why were you outside? Were you waiting for me?"

"Of course, I'm always waiting for you."

Alister ruffled his hair, and they both entered the house.

Noah couldn't stop looking around, trying to convince himself that he hadn't forgotten.

Finally, Alister seemed to take pity on him.

"Sit here and wait for me," he ordered, pointing to the living room couch.

Noah obeyed in silence, watching closely as Alister walked away and left again. He resisted the urge to stand up and peek through the window, biting his lip persistently.

A few minutes later, he heard the familiar footsteps near the entrance, followed by the door slamming shut.

Noah could barely contain his emotions.

The footsteps were getting closer and closer, and he watched with wide eyes, determined not to miss any details.

The dark figure of Alister cast a silhouette against the white walls of the room, and Noah couldn't make out what he held in his arms.