Hate You Not

CHAPTER EIGHT

Malvina

Who does he think he is? I walk, more like limping towards my home. The small town of Westwoods is almost empty, it is late at night, it's around nine in the evening, and aunty is going to kill me for sure.

       I sit on the empty bench near a lamp post, my battery is dead and my leg hurts like hell.
My thoughts drift towards him. I have never met someone like him, he's so...peculiar. Someone you should probably avoid for your good. But cannot resist.

         He is cold yet charismatic. The way he was so adamant about the situation, he's the type who gets what they want and takes, no matter how.

      I still don't understand our earlier interaction, but all I know is, I need to stay away from people like that. Wise is the one who learns from others' mistakes rather than their own.

      "Malvina!" The voice of my brother catches my attention. "Malvina, where are you?" He runs down the street, calling my name. He runs towards me when he spots me. I wave at him, sheepishly.

"Seriously? Mev." He plops down beside me, panting. "I have been searching for you for almost an hour now. Went to Mrs. Linda, and she said that you left an hour ago. On top of that, your phone is switched off, you are hurt, and it's late at night." He keeps on scolding me, "You know how worried I was. I thought-" he pauses, then looks at me. "Don't do that again, Malvina." He sighs  looking exhausted.

    “Hey! Stop worrying about me. I am not a child.” I laugh.

“With the things you do, you are in fact a child. What am I gonna do with you?” He sighs, a mocking smile playing on his face.

“Aw! Look at my older brother being so concerned for me! What am I gonna do once he leaves for Northridge?” I fake cry, “I am so  scared.”

    “You are so annoying.” He rolls his eyes at me. And I sniffle a laugh.

I place my head on his shoulder and wrap my arms around his shoulder. Ronan has always been attached to me since childhood. We are, after all, the only family for each other.

I feel his arm around my shoulder, "Did something happen?" He understands, even without words. He always does. I shook my head and continued staring at the sky. After a moment of silence, I pull away and wrap my arms around myself.

"You know Ro,I sometimes wish I remembered what my life was. Was it good, were we happy? What happened?” I smile.

“It doesn’t matter what it was like. All I know is that we are fine and happy now.” Ronan ruffles my hair.

“Are you happy?” Is he, really?
“Ofcourse I am. I have you.” He whispers.

I chuckle. " I promise even if I am broken and messed up, I promise to always protect you, Ro. Always." I take his hand in mine.

“Broken? I would say bruised and sprained.” I smack his arm and laugh out loud.

       I feel tears burning my eyes, so I look away and continue, "I wonder if you had a mother, she would have given you so much love and care. I am sorry, you never experienced that.”

        A pair of hands grip me by my shoulders, "Malvina.".
I am pulled into my brother's arms, a sense of relief washing over me. After I calm down, I pull away and we both just sit and stare at the stars in the sky.
"You are the only family I have. The only family I know. Malvina. I have you and I never wanted anything more than that. True, that I never met our mother, but I sure know how she would have been, because of you." I hear him speak. A heavy feeling settles in my heart, and he continues.