book 1 of the windows of the soul duology
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lucent: softly bright or radiant
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My brother's hand traces the cut on my right cheek for some minutes. I have no idea how a cut can be so interesting, but I won't judge a book by its cover.
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If I honestly thought Voski wouldn't get on detective mode and "interrogate me" on what has happened, I couldn't have been more wrong.
Sitting still while patiently waiting for Lennox and Voski to arrive in his office the next morning was proof of that.
I'm already thinking of distinctive ways this conversation can go, preparing the words that will come out of my mouth when explaining everything, as I've already come to terms with the fact that I can't keep hiding this stuff from them anymore. In my opinion, the situation's has only gotten worse ever since deciding to bottle up things for myself.
The hinges of the door being open snap me out of my thoughts, averting my eyes upwards and momentarily meeting my oldest brother's. He's wearing his usual blank expression, but today a hint of distress and softness is visible in his eyes, though it appears that that glint keeps vanishing and materialising again and again.
Lennox comes right up behind our older brother's footsteps, looking the opposite of Voski: gleaming, a smile adorning his lips as soon as our gazes collide.
As he goes to sit down on the chair positioned next to mine, he lightly squeezes my shoulder, for reassurance maybe. If he thinks this might possibly help the tiniest bit, it does.
As the four of us are awkwardly enveloped in the blankets of silence, I nervously massage the palm of my left hand, searching for something to pass the time while my brothers think of their next move.
It's only when Voski coughs that I do cease my anxious activity.
Glacial blue eyes meet ocean ones, though it's not him who ends up speaking up first, but olive green ones.
"Layla, I think it's time to come clean about some things, yeah?"
My eyes are cast downwards in the next second, unable to stare at their faces while owing up what's been going on these past two months.
I nod meekly, not attempting to voice this affirmation in case my eyes decide to water themselves. Instead I lift my gaze a bit higher, the bar minimum so my brothers can clearly see my face while I avert their intense and curious stares.
Silence follows my answer, but then Lennox breaks it. "How do you want to do it? Do you want to tell us everything by yourself or would you like us to ask questions?"
"The questions, please." Comes my reply, barely a whisper, even though my blood relatives are able to hear it properly.
"Okay." Voski's voice comes out gruff and deep. "We'll start off small, have you been a hundred percent honest in your therapy sessions with Lennox?"
I clench and unclench my fist. "Not completely, no."
