The Wrong Sister

Recovering

A/N Hi, guys. Sorry I know this update is super late. I started paragliding and it has taken up so much of my time. 

Chloe refused to be in the same room as Gabriel. Which made sense. As much as I told Gabriel to stop touching me around Chloe, I couldn't stop the staring. It was a little unsettling. When we were alone, he touched me all the time. Innocent touches, the squeeze of a hand the stroke of a cheek, but they didn't feel innocent. They started a fire in my body, and when he stared, it was like he was touching my soul instead. Like I was under a magnifying glass. 

It was uncomfortable to say the least. That and Gabriel had moved me to his room. He was sleeping in one of the guest rooms, but more often than not he was there when I woke up. 

 It had been awkward watching him take down the hanging photos of him and Chloe. 

That was probably what pushed Chloe over the edge. In the beginning, Chloe would sit on his bed with me, a little uncomfortable, but it was worth it, because I wasn't allowed to move. She told me stories from when we were children; the time she accidently gave me a black eye jumping over me, the time she got stung by a bee on the tip of her nose. 

The stories were comforting. They were softly reminding me that I had a childhood outside of Jozef. 

She told me how our parents were doing and hugged me when I cried. 

One day she had remarked offhandedly, "He still has all these pictures hanging up. It's a little awkward, hey." 

I nodded my agreement, "Great pictures, though." 

She had laughed and pushed me softly. 

Gabriel had come in after that. 

She kissed my head and left.

And then the pictures came down. 

The next day, Chloe marched in arms filled with snacks for a movie day. Her face fell when she saw the bare walls. 

We had avoided talking about it for long enough. 

"About the break up, are you really okay?" 

"I guess I'm as good as any one would be." 

She let the snacks fall on the bed and plonked herself next to them.

 "I mean, I know I broke up with him, but he's just so fucking obsessed with you." She paused staring at the bedsheets, "You know he used to say we were soulmates? I know that's just something guys say, but... I don't know. Something about the way he said it... Like he really believed it." 

Something ugly twisted in my gut. 

"I..." I tried to say something to comfort her, but my words died in my throat. I felt guilty that I was essentially the reason for the downfall of her relationship. I felt angry and jealous that he told Chloe she was his soulmate. 

"You don't need to say anything. I get that he looked for me when everything happened and that he's providing everything for mom and dad. I know you shouldn't be moved right now, but I don't like that when I said I wanted to take you to a hospital he..." She took a deep breath. "Whatever. You'll recover in two weeks and we can all get out of the house." 

"Where will we go?" 

"You should go back to university. We can put Mom and Dad in a hospital. I need to go back to uni too."

I frowned, "When you were taken I took leave of absence. I can't go back until next year." 

Chloe sighed, "Then you can come stay with me."