The Story of us

Chapter Eighteen: Visitations

AHHH! my internet is driving me insane, it keeps crashing all the time and it's super slow:( this is my eigth try to publish this so, hopefully it works this time... Sorry again for the wait! 

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He's back... he's back... he's back.

My white ceiling had very interesting patterns the longer I looked at it. "He's back," I murmured disconsolately for the umpteenth time. But isn't it too early for him to be back already? Beside me on my bed, Ellie turned her little head towards me. Her chocolate brown eyes gazed into mine with childish innocence.

"What are you talking about, Layla?" she wanted to know.

I smiled at her, "Nothing at all, Ells. Your sister just has a lot on her mind. Are you sleepy yet? You should go to bed."

Eleanor was much more discerning than I gave her credit for. "Who's back?" she asked. I mentally cursed myself.

"Just a friend," I said in a light voice.

"From where?" Five-year-olds were always full of questions. I decided to give up dissuading her, figuring it would be best to just answer her enquiries with blatant honesty; something I wouldn't be able to do with an older person.

"He came back from New York, sweetie. You know, where the statue of liberty is?"

"Ooh. Did he go for a holiday?"

I marshalled my thoughts, "Hmm. No, not really. He went to look for someone very important to him."

Ellie propped herself onto her elbows, eyes lit up with interest as they were every time she was told a story.

"And he found them?"

"I guess so," I answered uncertainly. Had he found her?

My little sister nodded, absorbing all this information that would have satisfied a normal child. Then she looked at me curiously and asked, "But then why are so worried about it? Are you not happy that he's back?"

Biting my lip, I had to think through this one for a moment.

"I am happy," I said at last, smiling at Ellie. "I'm glad he's back. But I'm just confused. You see, I thought I felt one way about him, and then he left so suddenly... but now he's back I'm not sure what I feel anymore. So many things happened when he was away that it's all upside down and jumbled up."

Now Ellie looked confused and I chuckled, ruffling her locks, "Don't worry about me, Ness."

"No, I understand!" she persisted, eyes lighting up again, "It's like when I really liked strawberry ice cream last summer, and then I didn't have any during winter because it was too cold, and when it was summer again I tried it and it was still nice, but not my favourite anymore."

I was reading way too much into this. Looking at Ellie intently, I asked, "Then what was your favourite?"

"Hot chocolate." She grinned toothily at me.

I cracked a smile and laughed again. "That's probably it, Ells. You always make things clearer, don't you?" I stood up and scooped her up into my arms, making her giggle as I carried her out of my room, "Alright, sweetie, it's time for you to go to bed and get some good sleep for school tomorrow."

"Aw, but I wanna stay up with you, Layla!"

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The Kensington stadium was always so neatly and tidily kept whenever I went. I visited that particular afternoon because it had been awhile since I'd been there, and with a relaxed composure I sat myself at the stands, peering down at the flat greenery below me. All was still and quiet; the largeness of the place made me feel like I could breathe properly.