You Know My Name, Not My Story

Something Old XI: Unexpected

Alice's POV

I haven't spoken to Philip nor Edmund since that night. It was supposed to be a good night, my father announced that we will be moving in America and then two boys I love the most just ruined everything.

I was sure mad at both of them that night. I'm still mad at Edmund. He couldn't stop asking me about what happened that night and he would force me to tell him everything but I think he gave up and understood that I still have a personal life.

And when it comes to Philip...I don't have the courage to think about the chaos I caused.
I was mad at him for acting like my brother but I realised the exact night when I was in our secret garden that he only punched him back to defend himself.

I'm so blind sometimes, most of the time. But my temper is something I can't control. It makes me blind like that. Now, Philip probably hated me, my relationship with Edmund was destroyed, my father and the rest of my siblings were worried about how I was acting...

I was very tired at this point and I wanted to tell Philip that I was sorry but how could I look at his beautiful eyes and not cry?

I was in some sort of endless cycle and I no matter how I tried, I couldn't get out.

Charlotte, Horace or Aurora has probably told my behaviour to Angelica, Philip little sister, who told them that Philip was in the same kind of behaviour lately.

Nobody wanted to ask any of us about what happened but I think they made a plan where Angelica invited me over to sleep.

Angelica is someone I admire. She is always full of joy and she is pretty smart for her age. She has this sense of wittiness just like her aunt, where comes her name.
We both became really close friends in a short amount of time and she is very understanding and she can keep secrets.

So at one hand of the story, I was happy to go at her house and relax and pretend nothing happened and enjoy that night but on the other hand, I couldn't stand the fact that I'll be in the same house as Philip.

What if I saw him? What if I had to talk to him? What if he told me he didn't want us to be together anymore? God, I'm such a mess.

~The Night Of The Sleepover~
Anyway. Those last weeks were quite overwhelming but I was happy to be beside Angelica. She was just two years younger than me but it didn't change the fact that she was an amazing friend.

We were in her room and she was braiding my hair. It was already dark outside.

"I don't know how to start this subject but I have to." she said quietly.

"What subject, Angie?" I asked confused.

"I know what happened between you and Philip. He told me everything." she continued calmly.

I just let our a sigh without being able to speak.

"He told me how he felt and...listen, he would kill me if he hears that I told you this but, he is sensitive." she said hesitantly.

"Sensitive?" I asked in confusion.

"Very sensitive. I can't tell you how much he cried when he told me everything that happened. Philip doesn't want you to know that he's sensitive, mostly when it comes to you. It's like you don't want him to know about your temper..." she said.

"He...he cried? I asked hoping she would say that it was not a big deal.

"A lot. I don't know what you do to him that he became so attached to you..." she said smirking and moving her eyebrows hysterically.

I looked at her before realising what she meant and as soon as I did, I looked at her with my eyes wide open in shock.

"Angelica! We never— How can you—" I didn't know how to respond to this, honestly but I blushed a bit.

She smirked even more.

"Nothing like that happened between us! Goddamnit, Angie!" I shouted as I blushed.

"Yeah, not yet..." she smirked again.

"Sorry, I was just messing around!" she laughed.

I sighed an rolled my eyes.

"Anyways, I wanted to tell you that I'm sorry for what my brother did but in his defence, he had to defend himself or he'd end up looking un-hot for his girlfriend." she started.

I don't know if this is an American thing to be this sassy or if it's just Angelica but in both ways, she could make me chuckle even in the worst situations.

"About that...I know. He didn't do anything wrong. I mean, he had to protect himself. Edmund can be such a moron sometimes but it was not the best thing to experience with my temper..." I added quietly.

"But in Philip's defence— Wait. Did you just say that he didn't do anything wrong?" she asked a bit confused.

"He kept on telling Edmund that he can explain everything calmly but Eddie didn't hesitate one second before punching him. Philip had to do something about it anyway." I said calmly.

"You guys might need to talk." she said in a malicious voice.

I turned at her. She had finished my braid.

"You look beautiful, like always." she scoffed.

"Then I must be a mirror. But thanks." I said and thanked her.

We both went to sleep but I woke up in the middle of the night because of a nightmare. It was about my mother. I saw all the memories of when they took her and I started to cry quietly not wanting to wake Angelica up.

I decided to go at the terrace. Whenever I had a nightmare, I'd go take some fresh air.

I walked quietly and slowly. I couldn't see a thing but I knew their house by heart, I knew where everything was so it was not that hard to find myself.

I finally got to the terrace and sat down. I observed the sky to find my mother's constellation. Andromeda. But I couldn't so instead I looked at the sky without thinking about anything.

The silence seemed so loud.
All I could hear was my own breathing.

But unexpectedly, I heard footsteps approaching. It got closer and closer until it reached the terrace.

A tall figure of a man was standing at the door. He was holding a candle which made me see his freckles and eyes. His shadow had curly hair put in a ponytail. It was Philip. The one I least wanted it to be.

"Alice...I'm sorry, I didn't realise you were here." he said quietly and turned away.