If I have Nothing (Absinthe Series 5)

Kabanata 40

ATTICUS RHETT VASILIEV

Kabanata 40

"Rhett, I'd like you to meet my new sister, Syden Amaryllis." Boaz was smiling widely when he introduced me to the girl shorter than him. She was small, looking innocent and scared when she stared back at me.

Crossing my arms, I stared at her more. I roamed my eyes all over her face to examine her features. She had a tan skin that made her look different from Boaz and people could clearly say that they're not related. She has a pair of almond eyes and her orbs were in the softest shade of brown. Her eyebrows weren't that trimmed because some of it were scattered a bit. Her nose is small but they stood proud. My eyes lowered more to her lips, they were pale and her lower lip is a little bit thick compared to her upper ones.

"H-hi po," I got distracted by her stuttering voice. My eyes immediately found her innocent almond eyes. Her eyes were brown, lying on the softest shade of it.

"Hi." I simply greeted before looking away. I caught a glimpse of her lips and she bit it after I greeted.

I don't like her. She's too reserved and innocent. Maybe she's hiding something or just faking it. After all, she's an orphan. They don't have parents who could teach them the how to's of life and she doesn't look like someone who knows everything.

Boaz seems happy to have a stranger for a sister. He doesn't care is she came from somewhere or who are her real parents. What was important to him is that he has a sister now whom he could protect and care for. I can't believe Boaz easily accepted her to their own family. If I was in his situation, I won't trust her easily.

She was five when I first met her but I don't see her often. Whenever we visit their house, she was nowhere in sight. Our friends always wonder why she was so shy around us. She's young, alright, and we're three years older than her. That makes sense. It wasn't easy to associate yourself with someone older than you, especially with us who's apparently a stranger to her too.

When she turned seven, Boaz formally introduced her to our friends during her birthday party. Unlike the first time I met her, she was different. She doesn't look like a person who came from an orphanage. She looked clean and cheerful now.

But I wasn't easy to be fooled. Her innocent looks may have deceived everyone but not me. I always think that there is something wrong with her innocent eyes. They're too alluring that somewhere behind it, hides mischief.

"Inaaway mo ba si Syden? Bakit palaging takot sa'yo yung bata?" It was Jax who asked. We were in Boaz' house. When we entered, the little girl just went up the stairs after giving us a short greeting.

"I don't. I don't even speak to her." My forehead was now crumpled into waves. What is that little girl's problem with me?

Jax chuckled and playfully slapped my back. "Ikaw kasi, bakit kasi iyang tingin mo nakakatakot? Loosen up a bit. You look cold and stiff."

"This is how I am. Deal with that." I told him sternly.

"If Bo finds out you're scaring the shit out of his sister, you gotta hide. Walang sinasanto iyon kapag si Syden ang nasasaktan."

Well, damn true. There was once a time when she got bullied in her school because she doesn't have any resemblance to any of the Costellos. Kids told her things about her being adopted and filthy. Bo got the news and didn't hesitate to report those kids. The bullying stopped after. They were afraid of him. They were afraid of what Bo will do if ever they laid their hands on his beloved sister.

I don't understand how Bo will try to risk everything for her. She's not related to them. Not even a single strand of hair resembled the both of them but he was so protective of her. I have a brother but I think Alexei's too young to experience bullying and I am not that protective of him. He's just four and he doesn't really talk much but he's a tech-savvy.