TWISTED SHADOWS

CHAPTER FOUR-ALICIA

"Hey. Leave the coffee on the table. Mia loves her coffee extra sweet." She smiled at him placing the cooker on the table.
"Hmm. Smells delicious." He peeked over at her cooking, sending her a hearty smile as he breathed in the aroma. She smiled at him, dishing out their plates.
"It's been a while you know, since I've had a taste of...home" He breathed hardly. She smiled at him, caressing his face with her free hand. "C'mon Kyle. You promised no dwelling on the past."

He smirked at her. "It's only been a week Alicia. It's not easy. I remember you giving me an hard time as well two years ago, only I'm not trying to kill myself over an unknown reason"

"I'm just glad you're back Kyle. Everyone was so hopeless about you.They'd given up on you". He helped her carry the plates to the dinning room. Kyle couldn't help but sneak a spoonful of pasta into his mouth earning a glare from Alicia. As they set the table, Alicia went back to the kitchen bringing out a jig of juice.

"What's up folks? Mia in the house." A flanboyant teenager dressed in high waisted crazy jean, a brown crop top and a pair of sneakers strolled in, jumping on Kyle giving him a hug.

"Whoa whoa Mia. You've gained weight. What did you eat? An elephant". He earned an hard punch from her fist. She flashed a smile at him cutely and walk over to Alicia grabbing a spoon and dipping into Alicia's dish. "Mia!!" She groaned.

Soon, everyone was seated for lunch, and after series of episodes from Mia they all sat to watch a movie in the living room. Alicia couldn't help glance over at Kyle from time to time, getting caught mostly by Mia. It had taken a lot of consistent visit and dates with him to bring him back to the real world.

One time she told him the story of her childhood during his sub conscious state and even apologized for the drama she'd caused with Kayla, reminding him of the state she would be in if she could see him them. While she helped him relieve most of his memories of Kayla as he mourned her, she helped him create new ones which gave him a new light in his darkness. Still haunted by the horrors of that evening, he'd open up to living again, but not without punishing himself by depriving himself from every happiness that came with love.

After a while he left, feeling unsure about the strange feeling he felt around the sisters. A feeling which had become a stranger to him-Happiness. The drive home was filled with happy-sad thoughts of Kayla which gave him constant reason to remind himself why he couldn't love again. She was his one and only love! And no woman or human would ever take such place in his life.

Prepared for the usual over hearted greeting of his family slash scolding for spending most of his time with those "uncultured" women, he walked in with his mask straight face, almost void of emotions, except for the shock that was written all over his face as he stared blantly at his family and a man around his age more full of life and partyful. Skate. He approach them as the man threw him a big hug, both surprising and overwhelming him. "Skate??" He asked with a look of shock on his face.

"In the flesh cous." He patted his back.

Kyle could only smile at him and trying to be as welcoming as Kyley(humanly) possibly. Kyle used catching up with Skate as an excuse to escape the questioning look from his family, dragging him up to his room as they talked.

"I just got back from the States, and I decided to branch over and see my favourite cous" Kyle frowned.

"She's downstairs probably trying to evade mum and dad with their stupid boring talks"

"I'm glad you're ok bro. I heard what happened. I'm sorry I couldn't att..." He stopped himself before he could finish, trying to comprehend the look on Kyle's face

"It's ok. I'm tired." Kyle walked into his room and slammed the door shut. Skate stared in disbelieve

"What the fuck?!!" He chuckled as Renata came to upstairs to meet him, and found him looking expressionless. "Your idiot twin slammed the door in my face"