Hiraeth

C H A P T E Rㅤ S E V E N

"The guy you've been dreaming about. He's... uh... your de-"

Flynn got caught off of his words the moment the door flew open. Mother and father came inside with exhausted looks printed on their faces. Nixon and Rey stood from their seats and greeted them politely, but father waved his hand and told them that it was fine.

They both turned their gazes to me. They came up to me and dad ruffled my hair. "Good to see you alive and talking." Dad commented just after ruffling my brown hair, messing it all up.

Mother, without a word heard from her, came up to me. She hugged me, kissed me, then went upstairs like I wasn't the child who got hospitalized for I don't know, a month? The door closing was heard from here and I saw dad following her upstairs.
"T-they're probably tired." Flynn said, waving his hands around since he saw how my eyes turned sad. Nixon got up and sat beside me, rubbing circles on my back for an attempt of comfort. But it only brought me more sorrow.

"You're parents are dicks." Rey whispered, his hand over his mouth as if he was some kid who was telling us a secret. Nixon threw him a pillow that landed exactly on his face.

I chuckled at their childish acts. "Don't state the obvious." I smiled at them as I took a sip from my cup. Flynn was smiling again and Nixon was too. Rey looked at me with a satisfied grin knowing that he did his job.

Rey had always been the one that makes me laugh the most. Next to Nixon probably. But once these two collaborates, I just can't help but laugh my ass off. But somehow, the only thing they got from me today was a chuckle. However, to Rey and Nixon, it was a good start for them.

The moment I finished the last sip of my cup, the pixelized text had disappeared. It felt lonely for some reasons and the heat from the cup was replaced with a solitary feeling instead. I sighed and placed down the cup, resting my back on the sofa and feeling myself sink to the fabric.

"Nixon and I'll be heading out to buy us something to eat later. Rey, take care of Tori for me." Flynn asked Rey for a favor and Rey saluted childishly. I heard the door open then closed, hearing footsteps leave the house till it was almost inaudible.
I sighed and let my body flop on the fabric of the sofa, a faint 'whoosh' could be heard from the sofa as my body weight was transferred there.

Rey looked at me with a reassuring half-smile. "Spill the milk already, sweetheart." He said as he sat down on the sofa just in front of me while placing his feet on the coffee table just between us.

I raised an eyebrow. He chuckled. "I know you're bothered about something." He said, crossing his arms. I ran my fingers through my hair, frustrated about an unidentified thought. Frustrated about a nonexistent question.

"There was something I needed to ask." I said softly. The air got heavy with the sudden change of atmosphere. Rey's once genuine smile faded. "What?" He asked with a voice deep and monotone. My skin crawled with his sudden change of pitch and I gulped.

Did I say something wrong?
I wanted to voice it out. But I forced it down my throat and shrugged it off instead. I continued. I opened my mouth to say a sentence but ended up saying -"The mug..."- something pointless, honestly. How would Rey know the answer to a phrase that isn't even a question?

"Yeah. I noticed you were bothered by that a while ago." He said, his voice unexpectedly sounding sad. He stared at the window, the rain started to fall softly, staining the glass with beads of raindrops racing down the window.

"You always used that cup. Ever since you got it, there was never a day you wouldn't use it." He told me, know staring at me with an inconsolable expression.

All so suddenly, rain started pouring down heavily. Fragments of memories abruptly came flashing back. My head was pounding. All this memories are like broken records. Jumping from memory to memory.

"Tori?" Rey voiced out.

I lifted my hand to my head, massaging my temple. The fragments of memories that I'm seeing in my head right now, it's not natural. It doesn't feel like its actually flashing back. It feels like its forcing me to remember something.
"Who..." I managed to voice out as I shifted my body closer to my knees, thinking that it would help me in remembering.

"What?" Rey asked and he stood up to sit next to me. He rubbed my back, thinking I had a headache.

"Who gave it to me?" I finally completed. Rey scratched his nape and let his eyes wander.

"I need you to answer that question yourself." Rey said as he held my cheek, caressing it gently. We heard the doorbell and knew that Nixon and Flynn was back.

Rey looked at me with a reassuring smile and patted my back. He stood up to get the door. I sat there staring at the cup, trying my hardest to remember. But I only got and remembered words, names, memories, and faces that didn't make any sense.

Chimera, Gemynd, Renade, and that guy wearing a black beanie.
I ruffled my hair in frustration and saw Nixon and Flynn come inside the room with Rey following behind."Hey! We bought pizza! Lets eat." Nixon said with a smile as he placed the box in front of me. I smiled at him.
I need to take a break from this.

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sorry for the short update! next chapter would be long :)