Zyla: The Last Chapter

ZYLA: SIBLINGS

=ZYLA=

            I had literally fled all the way to my apartment. My thoughts were all over the place on the ride here but automatically, my consciousness swallowed all of these stressing thoughts which had let me calm down. However, I felt guilt afterwards. He is after all my mate, I shouldn’t have treated him like that. I sat down at the foot of my bed and just stared at nothing while all my thoughts could show me was the incident this afternoon. I didn’t know how long I had sat there but it must have been a long time since it was already dark outside when I was taken back to the real world with the ringing of my phone. I picked it up without looking at the caller.

“Oh good, you answered.” Someone said on the other side of the phone.

“Mom? What’s wrong?” I asked as I got up to switch on the lights.

“We’re having dinner tomorrow night. You’re brother and sister already confirmed so you can’t refuse.”

“Okay.” I answered since I don’t have any other accepted answers and besides, I have no reason to not go.

“See you tomorrow dear. Oh, and do buy that wine you bought last time. Your father seemed to have liked it.” Mom said and I know that she’s actually the one who likes it.

“Okay.”

“Okay. Bye. Love you, dear.” Mom chirped happily.

“Love you too mom.”

            I was the last one to arrive home since my flight was delayed but not too late for dinner. Of course, mom and dad did all the cooking as always while we all, me, my siblings and their mates, helped in any way we could but most of the time, we just sat at the living room listening as Day narrated her adventures during her travel with her parents. When Day woke up, Zoya decided that she’s going to make the most of the time that Day has. I just wish that I could find a solution before everyone’s heart gets broken.

            At exactly 7 p.m., mom called me to help set the table for dinner and at that time, the spontaneous thought just crossed my mind.

“Mom, I met my mate.” I blurted out. Mom paused in surprise but she smiled and took my hand.

“Oh that’s great honey. When can we meet him?” Mom asked excitedly.

“He’s a human and I only met him once.” I saw mom’s smile get crooked. “He doesn’t know.”

“Oh honey. What are you going to do then?”

“I actually don’t know. Maybe I’ll just leave it all to fate since it seems stubborn.” I said as I returned back to the task of setting the table.

“If you need any help, anything at all, just call us. Okay?” Mom said after a full minute of silence.

“I know. Don’t worry about it.”

“Okay. Now, go call everyone to eat.”

            Dinner was as lively as ever and with the people getting added to the dinner table, I don’t think it’s ever going to quiet down, not that it was ever quiet when it was just the five of us in the family. It’s actually a relief on my side since I don’t have to talk all the time.

“Zyla met her mate.” Mom suddenly announced to everyone but I just found out that I don’t really want everyone to know since I don’t want to be bothered about it. I groaned out loud unintentionally.

“Oh that’s great!” My sister said as she elbowed me with a wink. “What’s his name?”

“William.” I politely replied, hoping that would end it.

“William Shakespear?” My brother joked and everyone laughed. Surprisingly, I stuck out my tongue to him. I’ve only ever did this when we were young.

“Just William. You can’t meet him yet because he is not aware.”

“What do you mean?” It was dad this time and I shrugged.

“Well, eventually, our dear William is human.” Mom answered for me.

“Oh.” Everyone said in unison.

            The word human is an understandable word without any sort of explanations. Having a mate of a different species is hard especially when they have no clue that your species even exists.

“Hey, you can do it. You’re my sister after all.” My sister said to me while giving my knee a gentle squeeze. I gave her an awkward smile.

“On that note, since you are all meeting your mates and all, anyone who misses any of this regular dinner events is dead to me.” Mom said out loud. “You can’t just go forgetting your parents once you have flown out of the nest.”

“Yes mom.” Me and my siblings, also Abigail, answered.

“That includes you Josh. Don’t act like you are not part of this conversation.” Mom called out with her stern voice while dad and my brother snickered.

“Yes ma’am.” Josh answered with a smile.

“Good.” Mom said.

Unconsciously, me and my siblings looked at each other with a knowing look. When mom gets stern like that, no one can really go against her but I don’t ever remember an instance where we ever did go against her.

“I see you three looking at each other over there.” Mom suddenly said and I immediately turned my eyes to my food. “You three are going to do the cleaning and the dishes tonight.”

“Jeez, we’re not kids anymore mom.” My brother said but…

“Did you say something Zane?” Mom asked with a pointed look. I thought so. Dad, on the other hand, was secretly laughing on the side.

            Mom wasn’t kidding though, we really were left alone to clean up everything. I feel a little bit awkward since it has been a while since I’ve been alone with my brother and sister but I can’t say it’s uncomfortable, I also like this setting in a way. After cleaning up the dining room, my sister arranged our positions wherein she cleans and soap the dishes, I rinse it and our brother would wipe it dry. We worked like this silently for a moment until someone asked me a question.

“Your mate is not a wuss is he? Zyla?” My brother asked me and I looked at him. His word is familiar but not that understandable.

“What do you mean by wuss?” I asked and my brother looked at my sister, I looked at her as well.

“Loser, I guess.” My sister said with a shrug and I found myself being slightly offended for my mate.

“No, he is not a…wuss or a loser.” I answered immediately. “That somehow annoys me to be honest.”

“It’s okay.” My sister said as she smiled at me before looking past me towards her twin. “Our brother just doesn’t get what respect means.”

            Our brother snorted.

“Says the one who is “secretly” sleeping with her mate.” My brother fired back at his twin and the word caught my attention.

“How does “secretly” work?” I asked since it’s a weird word to use for something that is obvious.

            Suddenly, my sister took the expandable faucet that I was using to rinse and aimed at our brother. He got hit in the face and my sister laughed gleefully while offering me her hand for a high-five. I could not help smiling as I touched her hand but in the next moment, my brother found his weapon. Me and my sister were wet from head to toe in just a span of seconds and it was my brother’s turn to laugh. As much as I hated the feeling of a wet sock in a shoes, I could not complain since I realized I am having fun. We continued the “water-sport” game with my sister trying to defend me from my brother as he tried to get the both of us.

“What is going on he-“ We heard mom’s voice all of a sudden and I quickly dropped the bowl I was using to scoop up water.

            I saw mom’s horrified face before she called dad to the kitchen. When dad arrived, my sister and brother pointed at each other.

“He/She started it.” They both said at the same time and I feel like staying silent is the best option at the moment.

“Kids!” Dad bellowed but I don’t think he’s that serious at the moment, at least he doesn’t look like it.

“Are you trying to destroy my kitchen?!” Mom complained.

            The mates and Day joined the audience and they laughed. Mom was the only one who was not laughing as she inspected the damage we had done to the kitchen.

“Okay, that’s it! You are all grounded for the night in Zoya’s home. Your mates and Day are staying here.” Mom decided in annoyance but my brother and sister could not stop laughing. I smiled at the scene.

“Well, I guess Zoya won’t be able to “sleep” with her mate tonight.” My brother said.

“Go!” Mom shouted and that got us moving.

            I went straight to my room to have a quick shower and to change my clothes before joining my brother and sister downstairs to head over to my sister’s house. On the way there, my brother and sister could not stop laughing and goofing around. While watching them, I could not help but feel happy at how this day ended because it has been way too long since I last spent time with my brother and sister.

“Hey, how about sleeping together in the living room. Slumber party, anyone?” Our brother suggested when we arrived at my sister’s place.

“Sounds great.” My sister answered and I just nodded.

            We took out the air mattresses and settled them in front of the fireplace before dimming the lights. My siblings talked about random stuff with me answering here and there but most of the time, I just watched the fire while listening to my siblings.

“Remember that time when we were told to watch Zyla when she was just a toddler?” My sister suddenly asked and I looked at her.

“Which one? We babysat Zyla all the time while our parents went on their dates.” My brother asked.

“That time when we lighted up a scented candle and forgot about it that almost burnt the coffee table down.” My sister continued and they both laughed. “We were both busy panicking on the closest place to get water and arguing as well. Zyla just walked over with the sand from her toy box and extinguished the fire just like that.”

“We should have seen the looks in our faces as we watched her walk back to her toys like nothing happened.” My siblings started laughing again and I tried my best to remember if my memory can reach that far but I guess it can’t.

“You were always so smart ever since you were a baby.” My sister said to me as she placed her hand on my head. “You were our brave and smart little sister.”

“She still is.” My brother said but I remembered what happened with my mate.

“I don’t think…or feel that I’m brave.” I muttered and they both just looked at me. I sighed and sat up. “I ran away from my mate and I feel guilty about it.”

“What do you mean by ran away?” My sister asked with concern.

            I recounted the events of that day to them and they silently listened. As I talked more and more, I felt a little bit better. Maybe this was what Siva was talking about. Talking does makes you feel better.

“Believe it when I say that everything is going to be all right.” My sister said after a while. “I mean look at me and Zane, we had our problems when we first met our mates but after a long time, we still ended up meeting them again. That is fate Zyla and if you want to leave it to fate then it’s okay. It’s going to be hard because you are going to pull him towards our world and try to make him understand but it’s going to be okay.”