"people keep telling me that life goes on but to me that's the saddest part."
***
It had been exactly three years since Harry had left to join a military school, at first he didn't want to leave Aria alone but his grandparents had assured him that she would be okay, and they insisted on how much of a distraction it would be to him from all the memories of his dark past.
So now three years later Harry stood down the grand staircase and watched as the maids carried his bags inside the house. He still hadn't seen his grandparents or Aria anywhere but he was told they would soon be coming back from their trip to Disneyland.
Harry didn't understand Aria's obsession over Disneyland, he remembered when they were still living with their parents and how she would insist on always celebrating her birthdays there. The last time they had gone was on Aria's seventh birthday, after that the horrible accident had taken place and nobody remembered Aria's birthday that year. Then Harry left and missed the other two birthdays of his little sister, but now he was back he didn't want to miss her eleventh birthday.
Harry walked through the door to his room, it still was exactly how he had left it three years ago. The place felt empty and he knew it was because he still missed his old room from his parents' house, but he didn't want to admit it out loud.
He walks over to the curtains and slides them open revealing the magnificent view of the sun set through the glass wall. He knew the room he had was beautiful he just couldn't get over the fact that it didn't feel like home.
His grandparents were good people but no matter how hard they tried to make him feel at home with them deep down he knew he still missed his family, with all it's imperfections.
He walks around the room, it was big and spacious. It had a four poster bed in the middle, a huge flat screen TV against the wall facing the bed, a walk in closet, and a bathroom that looked way too big to him. He had to admit his room was like one offered by a five star hotel. He was thankful that his grandparents had done so much for him and Aria, so he made himself a promise that one day he will do something as a thank you for all that they had done for them.
"Harry!" he heard his name being called out, a warm feeling melts his heart and he smiles knowing who was calling him. Aria bursts into her brother's room and runs over to him jumping in his arms, Harry stumbles back a few steps but manages to stop himself from falling.
He hugs his little sister tightly taking in the moment, it had been three years since he last saw her. Aria moves back a few feet to take a proper look at her brother, she felt like it had been so long since they last saw each other.
Harry notices how tall Aria has become, reaching just about his upper arm, how her shoulder length blonde hair now reached her back and how her big grin that usually showed her missing teeth was now replaced by one with no missing teeth.
"wow! You have really grown up Ari" he said ruffling her hair which earns him a smack and a glare.
"hey! I spent two hours trying to keep my hairs straight so don't you dare ruin it" she warns him with a playful tone.
"come on you're too young to be worrying about your looks already " he said rolling his eyes.
Aria folds her hands on her chest, "I'm eleven...two more years and I'm an official teenager, I have to care about my looks"
Just as Harry was about to come up with a reply their grandparents walk in the room ending their bickering, Julie walks over and tilts her head upward to look at her grandson. She pulls his cheeks and smiles, "God! You have grown up so much" she says.
"but you still look young as always" Harry said making everyone in the room laugh, Julie blushes at her grandson's comments playfully smacking his shoulder.
"it's good to see you again" Ben said walking over to Harry, Harry pulls his grandpa in for what could only be termed as a manly hug.
"you missed so many things, Disneyland was amazing...and I just saw the new frozen it was great. " Aria kept on narrating to her brother all the things she had done for her birthday as they walked around the house.
"you still watch those kinds of stuff, aren't you too old for that?" he asked with an innocent smile but Aria stops walking and looks at her brother with a deathly glare.
"did you just call me old?" she asked.
Harry chuckles shaking his head, "hey! You didn't like it when I was calling you a kid" he defends.
"I want you to refer to me as an adult not a kid or old" she yelled at her brother as she chased him around with her shoe.
"you two should stop playing around and come eat, dinner is getting cold. " Julie called out to her grandkids who were running around the back yard.
"grandma help me catch Harry, he said I'm old. " Aria complains while folding her hands on her chest. Harry stands a few feet away sticking his tongue out at her.
"so immature Harry" Aria yells rolling her eyes, Julie laughed looking at her grandkids just then Ben walks out to the backyard and stands beside his wife.
"what is the fight about this time?" he asked with a smile on his face, "Harry called Aria old" Julie replied moving closer to her husband. Ben puts his hand on her shoulder.
Ben and Julie start laughing at the scene in front of them, Aria had resulted to throwing her shoe at Harry which hits him on the face so now Harry was the one chasing her.
When Monday morning came Aria was more than excited, she loved school days but today was even better since her brother would be dropping her to school. Usually it was Julie who would drive Aria to school but since Harry's new school was in the same direction of Aria's school it was decided he would drop her on his way to school.
Aria bursts into her brother's room pulling the curtains open allowing the light from the sun to flood Harry's room. He groans and covers his face with a pillow.
"get up Harry, we are going to be late for school. " Aria shouts at her brother.
"go away you little brat" he said his voice coming out as muffled due to the pillow on his face.
"Harry...I just can't be late, Mike would be waiting for me by the gates. "
At the mention of a boy's name Harry shoots up alert, he gives Aria a look waiting for her to explain more about the boy. Aria giggles at her brother's look.
"Mike is my best friend you monkey, get up we can't be late. " she whined as she walked out of the room closing the door behind her.
Harry gets up from the bed and goes to take a shower.
