REAL

REAL -8

ERINE
I'm still laughing when Adria calls us for meal. Arner leaves the room first and I follow him to the dining room. They all sit around the table. I look at Adria and she gestures me to a chair opposite to her. I take a step forward to sit in the chair. But a deep scary voice stops me, "Stop! Go and sit somewhere else!" "Arner, Behave yourself," Edwin snaps at him. Arner stares at him and I see a hint of fear in Edwin's eyes but then Arner starts eating. I am scared and confused but I take a seat there and this time Arner doesn't say anything and focuses on eating.

As soon as he finishes his meal, he stands up to leave and says as he walks out of the door," I'm leaving Mom." "What! No! Wait!", says Adria. "Wait for your brother to return from school," she says in a hurry hoping that he doesn't leave. I hear his footsteps stop as he hears the name of his brother. He turns, heading towards the living room this time. The food is nice and I've already finished my meal. But I still wait for the couple to finish theirs. After we are done, Edwin heads out of the house after receiving a phone call. And Adria takes me to a room. The room is dark. She goes inside and turns on the light. The room soon shines as it gets bathed with light rays.

And the first thing I see, a massive sized picture framed on the wall. It's Ruby. I ask, "Is this Ruby's room?" "Yes dear," she replies. "You'll stay here, in this room," she says with a awkward smile. I don't know how to react to this. "I'll have Sally clean this room for you," Out of curiosity, I ask her, "Where is Arner brother's room?" She replies with a smile, "It's the next room. You really like him, don't you?" "Yes, he looks a lot like my brother," I say as I think about Surgish. "Can I meet him?", I ask. She says, "Of course, he's in his room." "No, I mean, Surgish brother." Her smile fades as she realizes what I'm talking about. "Wait," she says as she gets out of the room, worry still there in her eyes.

She returns shortly after, with a phone in her hand. She hands me the phone and I hear Edwin on the other side. "Don't worry, Erine. I don't think I'll be able to take you there but I'll tell Arner. He'll take you to see them," he says. He says them. I know why. It's to make me feel a little better. But that didn't help. "Okay," I say as I break into a cry. This time it really hurt. Adria tries calming me down. Just then, Arner walks in.

"Stop crying and let's go," he says while glaring at me, his face annoyed. He's so much like Surgish but not at all. Surgish was sweet. Way too sweeter than him. "Arner, why don't you be less harsh on her? She's already suffered a lot," Adria says. She's very sweet but how can someone so sweet give birth to someone like Arner. "Whatever," he says as he walks out again. "Come fast or I won't take you there," I hear him say. "Come on now, stop crying and here change into this," she says while handing me a black-blue dress.

I wear the dress and look in the mirror. I look horrible. Not the dress but my face. I walk out of the room and find Arner, instead of Adria, waiting there for me. He was pacing back and forth across the room. When he sees me he lets out a sigh and says, "Finally!", before walking out of the front door. "Wait for me!", I tell him to wait.

When I reach out the house, I see that it's already afternoon. Arner brother had already gotten inside his car. The Veneno Roadster! I don't know why but this car makes me want to cry. I start to tear up and soon break into a cry. I just can't take it anymore. I sit down on the steps on the porch. He walks out of the car and near me. "What's up with you again?", he asks me with an annoyed look. When I don't answer him, he calls for his mother. She doesn't reply either. He, with frustration starts pacing again. He finally decides to come sit down with me. "Hey! Cheer up and let's go," he says, this time with a surprisingly soft and gentle voice. I feel a wave of calmness spreading throughout my body. This only used to happen when I was with Surgish brother.

-Friday