Colliding Rulers

Holiday (3)

Gevia's P.O.V

"What do you want to do for Christmas, honey?"

Our Thanksgiving wasn't that memorable. We went to a bunch of places that Daddy took me to and then stayed outside the US for two days and that was it. I was waiting for Daddy to take me to the cemetery where Mommy was, but he said that we shouldn't. My emotional status turned upside down. It was intriguing and certainly was the reason why I wasn't in a jolly spirit.

I answered in my most non-jolly tone ever, topped with a sigh.

"Nothing." Daddy's shoulders slumped down and he sat beside me. He had his hand over my shoulder and gently rubbed my shoulder. He gave me a side hug while he was at it, but it wasn't going to cut it for me.

"Honey, someday you'll know. But for now, please understand that we can't."

I didn't want to keep a bad feeling when it was Christmas. I should be happy, smiling. But since we can't visit Mommy, my Christmas wasn't at all going to be the happiest. I miss Mommy and us not visiting her wasn't helping me in any way. I gritted my teeth, unsure of what to think of at the moment.

Was there going to be any point in celebrating Christmas without celebrating it with Mommy? It was always that or nothing at all. I looked at Daddy and I could tell that he also wanted to visit Mommy. So what was stopping us from doing that? I couldn't hold it against Daddy. I'll never be able to do it. I'm sure there's a reason why. All I need to do is understand the unknown.

"Alright," with that one word, Daddy smiled and gave me a kiss on the side of my forehead.

"We have a guest over. Be sure to make her feel comfortable. Oh- before I forget, I also invited Josua's family over for supper." Daddy was trying to make things better, and I guess it was working. I was a little excited about dinner.

It was the first time that we were going to celebrate Christmas with a bunch of people. And I can finally meet Joshua's family, especially his younger sibings. I've never met them, even though I stepped foot inside Joshua's house already. But more importantly, who was our guest?

"Who?" I had to ask, but Daddy giggled and walked away, leaving me speechless.

"What is it with people walking away?" I sighed, aggravated.

I walked back to my room when I heard the door open. Out of reflex and human curiosity that we can't seem to kill, my body turned to look at the person. Daddy didn't really specify what time the guest was going to come over, so I assumed that it was going to be a bit later. What other thing I assumed was also that it was just a maid at the door, but boy was I wrong.

The shocked expression I had must have been so unpleasant that it made Aeron laugh. She bursts out laughing, holding on to her stomach, holding for dear life. I wanted to throw a paper right into her mouth to make her shut up. I turned around, leaving her there when she was quickly right behind me and grabbing me by the waist.

My dislikeness towards her dissipated when Joshua told me that she was repenting for her mistake. She made up for it by becoming the students' lap dog for errands. She pulled me by the waist and brought our faces closer. As if everything happened didn't happen. As if I didn't see her kneeling and crying, begging for my forgiveness.

She really resembles Alex and I can't help but get lured in. I pursed my lips before pushing her away. Aeron could never be Alex. There was a very distinctive trait between them that I feel but can't vocalize. I started walking to my room and I felt Aeron's presence behind me, following closely. I could totally feel her eyes on my ass, stuck staring.

I sighed before turning around and catching her redhanded. She immediately backed away with a sly smile glued on her face. She acted so flamboyantly. She must feel so at home, or did she feel that she has my daddy's protection if ever I start harassing her violently in the context of self-defense?

"What are you doing?" I asked, bothered by what she was doing. I hated how she looked like Alex. I miss Alex and I miss my Mommy.

Guess I can't have both.

"Why, following the host." she sounded so cheeky. She winked at me, obviously not giving me the effect that Alex could give.

Again, why am I comparing them both? Am I so indecisive, even though I already know that I have feelings for Alex, that I keep comparing them both? That's not indecisive. That's called options, and I don't like it. I chew the insides of my cheeks.

"Well, can you please wait in the living room? Your host has to change her clothes." she threw her hands up and went back to the living room.

I walked fast to my room and changed quickly. Now that I was changing my clothes, I realized that my clothes were a bit too revealing. Would Alex like it if I revealed too much ski- what the f**k am I thinking? We're not even in a relationship yet.

Is this what falling in love feels like? I'm being way too conscious about things that I don't usually care about? Especially someone else's thoughts.

I slapped my cheeks to make myself snap out of it. Once I was out of it, I exited my room and saw Aeron leaning on the doorframe, waiting for me. She was even crossing her arms in front of her chest. I scoffed, feeling a bit disgusted. Was she trying to be cool? It was a bit cringe, if I might say so myself.

"What are you doing there again?" she flipped her hair. Okay, now she's just trying to be funny.

I, in any way however, do not find Aeron attractive anymore. I laughed hard. I get that she still likes me, but I think she should really just stop trying. Even before I acknowledged my feelings for Alex, she never really had a chance with me. How much more now that I know about my own feelings?

"Why aren't you impressed?" I started walking, and like a lost puppy, Aeron followed behind me.

"Why should I be? Do that to someone else and I know they'll fall head over heels for you." I heard her sigh before me, quite loudly too.

"Don't you find me attractive?"

"What kind of question is that?"

I guided us to the kitchen and the maids assigned there were watching and listening to us while cooking for dinner. I went to the fridge to get some juice. Since it was a bit too early for some wine, juice was essential. I tossed one carton of juice to Aeron and she caught it. Great reflex.

"Well, if you're asking me, and since you're asking me, you must want to know my honest answer."

"Of course, why would I want another answer?"

"To save face," I looked at the maids who were actively listening.

Aeron looked at the maids and immediately felt embarrassed. I walked to the living room, where at least we were going to have a bit of privacy. I sat down and Aeron was about to sit next to me when I stopped her by throwing a pillow at her.

"Sit there,"

Why the f**k am I so conscious of sitting with her? And why do I have Alex in my mind? And why did cheating enter my mind so suddenly when I felt that Aeron was going to sit beside me? Weird.

Aeron sighed and did as I instructed. She sat opposite of me, sipping on her juice. She crossed her legs, a scowl evident on her sultry face. I wanted to laugh. She looked like she was pouting, but with anger issues. I happily sat on my juice, wishing that it was Alex in front of me, sipping on the same juice as me and then leaning over to kiss me.

"I'm not attractive?" she asked again for clarification.

"Hmm, not to me, no."

Although I do admit that she was attractive in my eyes before, but not really to the point that I would date her. A plain old one-night stand, I think. If I had caved in to my s****l frustration before, that would have happened. We met on that very fated day as well. I was really horny that day.

"What? Weren't you dancing with me and s**t? We were flirting too!" I laughed. I knew she was going to bring that up.

"It's easy to flirt when you don't have any plans of getting attached." she wasn't going to stand down.

"Well, Alex and I literally have the same f*****g face. How are we different? We're twins!" she was going strong.

I set my juice down on my lap, turning a bit serious too. She needed to know that it wasn't just the face that mattered. And the fact that she brought up Alex meant that she caught up with everything. So why was she still holding on to a possible 'us'?

"You have different vibes. Although you look like an exact replica of Alex, your reactions and movements differ greatly. Your responses to the same thing are quite distinctive. Plus, if one gets to know you, or let's just say friends for a day, differences can easily be spotted." she was deemed speechless.

"I know you're talking real right now, but can I just say that you looked so hot?" I facepalmed myself and ignored what she just said. I continued sipping on my juice until it was empty.

What is wrong with her? She sipped on her juice as well until I heard that empty sound. She fished out her phone from her pocket and I heard her snap a picture of me.

"Wha?"

"Don't worry. I sent it to your girlfriend."

"Girlfriend? I don't have a girlfriend," the smile on Aeron's face was beyond bright.

"You don-"

"-yet," her smile immediately turned into a frown. It was funning teasing Aeron. She was so expressive, like Joshua.

I'm not even sure if she was seriously going after me at this point. She acted like a clown. Was she here to cheer me up?

Wait a minute. Something doesn't add up.

"Why are you here?" she tilted her head.

"What do you mean?"

"Let me rephrase it. How come Daddy knew of your existence?" she opened her mouth, then closing it back again. She was rethinking, cautious of what she was going to answer.

"What- what do you mean?" she nervously cracked a laugh, making her seem more suspicious.

"You have no way of escaping my question. You know how persistent I am." she sucked in breath before exhaling, giving up.

"He knew of my existence way before. Don't ask me how. He'll be the one to tell you, or you'll know it yourself."

I sighed. Secrets were adding up. Was there even a way for me to know everything before my patience runs out? Even Aeron knew things that I didn't know were supposed to exist.

"That's all I can say to you. Closest answer to all your questions is your daddy, but I doubt he's going to answer you carelessly."

"Carelessly? Your choice of word is intriguing and alerting." she pursed her lips, nodding her head while looking elsewhere but my eyes.

"I swear, any more than this is prohibited. Please don't ask anymore."

"Fine, but just because you begged for it." she gasped and whisked her head to where I was.

"I did not beg-" my eyebrows raised.

"Like I said, yes, I begged for you to not ask anymore questions. Uh-huh,"

I smiled.

"Good."