seven souls seven sins

chapter 72: heartache returns

Natasha's pov:

"Thanks for the ride." I repeat to Xander and Xavier as I get out of the vehicle. I only receive a subtle pitiful look from Xander but that's about it. I step out of the garage and head to my room. I quickly finish my homework in a breeze and storm downstairs. I only have a few hours before my brothers get back from work, and I had a lot of determination to get this finished on time.

I travel to the pantry and tie my hair back into a ponytail as I grab an apron.

I try my best to tie it around my waist and I begin gathering all the necessary ingredients. "Found you." I mutter as I reach for the flour. "Gotcha." I smirk and grasp onto the whisk. "I can't forget yous." The food colouring bottles clank against each other. "I would never forgot you." I pick up the sugar bag.

I huddle all my ingredients in the middle of the counter.

I have no idea on how to make a cake but I'm going to try. Back in London, our apartment had an oven but we never got around to using it because of how filthy it was. The previous tenants didn't scrub it, leaving it as a rubbish bin instead. My laptop lays on the counter as I try to follow the steps.

"Two eggs, a dash of vanilla.." I say to myself whilst I mix all the wet ingredients together.

As I measure the dry ingredients, my endless stirring brings me back to this morning.

Flashback:

I hobble downstairs and leave my bag in Xander's car. As I walk towards the breakfast bar anticipation fills my mind. I step in and begin to greet my brothers as usual. "Morning Adri!" I try to hug him but he's caught up in conversation with Xavier so I abruptly stop. I turn to Vincent. "Good morning Vince!" I greet and walk up to him expecting a forehead kiss.

"Morning." He nonchalantly responds and reads some important document in his hand.

"Hi Chase." I smile at him but he continues to pour protein powder into his beaker. "Hey Leo." I try my other brother, my voice getting less enthusiastic each time. He nods at me to take my seat. I wedge myself in between the twins. "What's up guys." I greet them. They murmur something so low that I can't understand it.

What is going on?

This has never happened before. If it was a work issue then it would've resolved itself within one day, two days is suspicious. I glance around and they all chat to each other like normal, but it isn't. Nobody is talking to me. "Eat." Adrien shoves me a plate of toast. I look around at everyone's plates of maple pancakes.

"Where's the pancakes?" I ask hoping that they didn't run out.

"All gone." Chase licks his fingertips. "Oh. It's fine, I'll just eat my t-" I glanced to my brown almost black toast. "It's burnt." I state. "Womp womp." Xavier rudely comments and carries on devouring his stacked pancakes. Nobody looks in my direction again. The paranoia is getting to me, I need to speak up.

"Did I do something?" Self doubt begins to kick in.

What if I did? If I don't acknowledge it soon then they'll hate me even more. I peer up to find all eyes on me. They glance at each other, unsure of who's going to answer. That gives me confirmation, I did do something. Fuck. I don't even know what I did but it must've hurt them. Guilt claws at my stomach.