Fading Echoes

Chapter 11

My eyes snapped open as I felt someone's breath tickling my neck.

"The heck!" I yelped, bolting upright in bed as I found Ethan looming over me, his gaze piercing.

"You startled me," I gasped, clutching the sheets to my chest as a rush of adrenaline coursed through me.

"You're acting like I was about to choke you," he quipped, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips.

Even if you did it wouldn't be a surprise.

Ethan leaned against the bedpost with casual nonchalance. "Why are you here so early?" I demanded, rubbing my eyes to dispel the lingering haze of sleep.

"It's not that early, princess," he replied, the word "princess" dripping with mockery.

I sighed, resisting the urge to roll my eyes. "Cut the sarcasm, Ethan. What do you want?"

"Victor and I are going out. He told me to ask if you wanna come," Ethan said, his voice dripping with boredom.

I closed my eyes and thought for a moment. "Okay," I agreed.

He clicked his tongue in annoyance, clearly hoping I'd decline the invitation.

"We're leaving at 11. Don't be late," he said curtly before heading out.

I didn't say anything, just watched him go. As soon as he was out the door, I reached for my phone to check the time again. It was still 7:36 a.m.

I had planned on waking up at 8:30 a.m., but now my sleep had abandoned me. Great, my Sunday morning had been successfully ruined.

All thanks to my most annoying brother.

Gazing at the morning sky through my window, I sat on my bed for another twenty minutes, feeling the weight of the early wake-up. The soft light filtering through the curtains did little to lift my mood.

With a resigned sigh, I finally got up from my bed and headed to the bathroom to take a quick shower. Maybe the cold water would help wake me up and improve my mood. As the cold droplets hit my skin, I felt a bit more awake and ready to face whatever the day had in store.

After my shower, I dressed quickly and made my way downstairs, my stomach growling in anticipation of breakfast. As I entered the kitchen, I saw Victor already seated at the table, buttering a slice of bread.

"Morning," he greeted me with a soft smile.

"Morning," I replied cautiously, eyeing the food warily. The memory of his disastrous sandwich experiment still haunted me.

"Take a seat," he suggested, motioning to the kitchen island opposite him. I sat down, my gaze still fixed on the plate in his hands.

"Here," he said, passing me a plate. I looked at it hesitantly.

Victor noticed my hesitation and held up a slice of bread with a reassuring smile. "Relax, it's just bread and butter. I added a little sugar for taste. No secret ingredients this time, I promise."

I took a tentative bite, still wary but willing to give it a chance. To my surprise, it was actually good. The butter was creamy, and the hint of sugar added a pleasant sweetness.

"Not bad," I admitted, feeling a bit more relaxed.

Victor grinned. "See? I can be trusted sometimes."

I gave him a small smile in return.

I thought about the events of yesterday, how I had snapped at Victor and then avoided him throughout dinner. The memory left a bitter taste in my mouth.