Her Brother.

8. Oh God. Is That You?

I felt my heart pounding in my ears, a heavy weight pressing down on me. Tears refused to fall from my eyes, my ears ringing and my vision blurred. The desire to cry was overwhelming, yet I couldn't bring myself to do so.

The pain of rejection was unexpected, cutting deep into my heart. Memories of Miles flooded my mind, the one I had once rejected but who persisted until I fell in love with him. He brought joy and laughter into my life. I couldn't understand why I was feeling this way.

The constant feeling of heartbreak weighed heavily on me. As I drifted off into my thoughts, I was suddenly jolted back to reality by a gentle nudge.

"Oh my goodness, you startled me," I exclaimed, turning to find Xavier with a concerned expression. "I apologize, I was just... my mind went blank," I chuckled nervously. "Are you okay?" he inquired. "Of course! Let's head inside," I replied with a forced giggle, walking ahead without waiting for him.

"Should we leave now, Aace? Or should we wait for-" Xavier began to ask, but I interrupted him. "Let's go. I'll grab my bag," I said with a strained smile, leaving him once again.

As I retrieved my bag, a single tear escaped my eye. Soon, the tears were flowing uncontrollably down my cheeks. The rejection from Sebastian brought back painful memories of Miles.

I felt a mix of emotions - rejection, heartbreak, and confusion. As tears streamed down my face, there was a knock at the door.

"Aace? Are we ready to go?" Xavier inquired. "Y-" I began to respond, but my hiccups interrupted me. "Yes, later... I'll come out once I finish packing," I managed to say between sniffs. "Alright, I'll be waiting downstairs," he replied before leaving.

I made my way to the bathroom and splashed warm water on my face, trying to clear my stuffed nose and fix my hair. After taking a deep breath, I looked at myself in the mirror before finally leaving the room.

"Finally decided to join me?" Xavier teased as I approached. "You're such a jerk," I forced a laugh, lightly touching his face before walking away. However, my smile quickly faded as I distanced myself from him.

While descending the stairs, I ran into Sebastian ascending.

"Leaving so soon? You guys can hang on-" He began, but I interrupted, "Yes, we are. See you at the beach on Sunday." I smiled before walking away, but my smile disappeared as I passed him.

Sebastian suggested, "Maybe it would be best to wait. Avis would be upset if she discovers you left without informing her."

I turned to him and replied with a forced smile, "Can you tell her instead?" I stared at him intently.

Xavier attempted to speak, "Maybe we should wai-" but I interrupted him, saying, "Let's go, Xavier." I smiled and added, "Take care." Sebastian returned a soft smile, saying, "You too, Xavier," as he looked at him. "Thank you, phi, we appreciate it," Xavier said with a smile and a bow before following me.

After placing the bags in the back seat, I moved to the passenger seat and fastened my seat belt.

"Hey, are you upset with P'Seb? You were staring at him so intensely earlier," Xavier remarked as he also buckled up. "No, why would you think that? I'm just feeling tired," I replied.

"Do you want to take a rest?" he inquired. "No, I think I'll just sleep for the entire journey," I responded. "Sleep well," he said with a smile before starting the engine. Throughout the road trip, I remained quiet and engrossed in my phone.

Xavier didn't engage in conversation with me, seemingly understanding that I needed some space and quiet. Upon reaching the hotel room, he finally spoke to me.