Detour

8: Assumed Relationship

"I DIDN'T CAME HERE FOR YOU ASSHOLE!" She retorted, sitting on my couch just right after I opened the door. She smiles whenever our eyes meet, but nevertheless shoot daggers straight to the person she's shouting at right in this moment.

There are times when all you could do is shut up and watch a fliptop battle, standing in front of two contestants as they exchange their own words of wisdom in which you're clueless about because you're after all, just a big fan of William Shakespeare.

"Wow! This is really touching. Don't tell me you came here to summon me." Now I think I'm knowing some crimes here in Amsterdam. "What? You're now by yourself which is, one hundred percent impossible—" He invited himself too.

Oh. All strangers in Amsterdam are welcome in room nineteen! Attention! To all strangers in Amsterdam!

Astrid stood up and went in front of him, hands in her waist. "Shut up Cole! If you don't want Mom to clip your balls out and drag you way back home, you better be good to me—" This shit is getting messier, "because God knows how you left us!" She shouted at the top of her lungs which is normal, I think.

I assume the two is fighting, which is really obvious even for a blind man. Second, based on the word mom, the two must be sharing something intimate, and more intimate on how Cole left them.

But on second thought, is this the right moment to interrupt? Because I don't even know what's going on in here.

Wait, is this even my room? Or Cole's?—

"That's because I'm independent As!" Right. The war is still going on. "Unlike you, crybaby, and won't even leave without Mom—"

Live? Like live in? As a couple?

"I'm independent! You're a rebel!—" Astrid starting poking his chest, her cheeks reddening.

"You're immature! That's why I left you!—"

"You're—what?!" She gasped, horror in her face, while the other is plain as a hard wood. "Just because of that, you left me?"

Okay. I just figured out I'm invisible. It's totally fine. Psh. I also figured out this is just an exact copy of my room and my soul is just probably floating out from my body and wander here in front of the two persons fighting.

But obviously I'm not that shitheaded.

"Umm...are you guys finished?" I took the chance after a couple of minutes silence took place.

They both turned their heads at me like I'm just a commercial on TV and the loudest commercial they heard.

"Yup. All clear." Calm as the morning sea, Cole plastered a smile. "Thanks for letting me in." Anytime Cole. He waved he's hand in the air and was about to go—

"Mom will going to kill you if I'll tell where you're at!" Yup, they're relationship is legal. Two scottish couple who owned auburn hair.

That's just...strawberry shortcake love, don't we all want that?

"Yeah. As if she'll care." He closed the door behind him.

I guess that's it, yeah?

As I tried to recover from what just happened seconds ago, not mentioning the whirlwind conversation they had, not mentioning they're both invaders, and strangers, I still can't believe I held such power. The power of being patient not to throw tantrums or throw both of them out of my room.

Damn, I'm fucking proud right now.

Astrid, who fell silent after a couple of minutes, dropped herself on the couch like she's about to cry. And I panicked as tears rolled by her face—I don't even know how to comfort a friend!

There are times Therese would cry because of her past boyfriends but I always assured her that it'll be okay since she still got me and Vince behind her. And maybe the part where she fell in love with Vince because you always encourage her.

"Hey." I make my way beside her. I don't want to tell her to be strong when I'm weak myself so I rubbed her back otherwise. "I don't want to interrupt earlier but, are you guys," I hesitated but I just want to clear something before I give an advice, you know. "Engaged? Or something? You shared something intimate back there and I assume you both really love each—"

All tears in her eyes were replaced by something new when she burst out laughing. Tears were formed and her laughters filled the room another after the other.

"ENGAGED?! Jess! You—" stopped, clutching her stomach, still dying with laughters. "Oh my God, I'm sorry." She wiped her tears with the back of her hand. "I didn't mean to—I'm sorry I laughed at—" and laughed again.

I just don't understand. Is it that funny? "Astrid—"

"No. I'm sorry. God, that's funny." She wiped her remaining tears of joy—or whatever it is, and held my hand. Seriously. And on what I meant seriously, she closed her eyes first and took her time before speaking such private information. "Jess, we share one mother,"

I nod, not because I appreciate her calmness to share her experience with her lovelife, but because I understand how to be a daughter-in-law of someone you love but denied you're not engaged to him. I understand but it doesn't mean I experienced it.

"And he left us," her voice broke a little.

I nod again because I know that hurts,

"After four years, thank God I found him here," she closed her eyes briefly, "All these years Jess, mom and I were looking for him and he don't even know how much I missed him."

I sympathized through smiling and squeezing her hand after knowing the real reason why she cried. I was about to say something courageous when—

"That bastard reasoned out he left because I'm immature!" She groaned, "Now tell me Jess, does that shitty brother of mine made himself less immature?"

"No Astrid, Cole—" I halted, her words sinking, "Cole—COLE IS YOUR BROTHER?" Can't help myself being surprised and shouted the words before lightning would struck right down at me for being such a girl who can't recover from a severe shock in the heart, brain and body. "The one who came in just a while ago, the one who I met last two days, a total stranger to me, to be exact?!"

She just sweetly nod, waiting for me to recall all the memories of her brother like I met him before. "You knew him already Jess. I told you all about him before!" She giggled, trying to read my mind again.

I stood up, waiting for something that would cross on my mind about what she said last ten years of our existence. Shit.

My mind went blank and I gave up, just remembering Astrid crying with her doll in her hands, "I don't remember you have a brother—" Fuck, that burnt, bald doll in her hands is still creeping in my bones. "Cole... is the one you hate back when we're children because he set your doll on fire?" Dawn hit me, "The main reason why you pleaded your mom to go on a vacation and there, you met me? Is it him or we're talking about your other brother, whom I don't even know because for the whole summer, God help me, I only met you As." I gave out a long breath after I felt my lungs just died in my body.

My eyes are bulging and my head aching from all the flashback, Astrid, my angel in disguise, after setting my brain on fire, just sweetly nod.

I collapsed on the couch. "Well, fuck."