I STARED OUTSIDE the car window, watching as the trees went past us. It felt as if they were alive, and running so fast, that they were almost a blur of green. The cold wind nuzzled my face, making the strands of my blonde hair fly. My mind was entirely blank, and I didn't thought about a thing, letting the serenity of nature engulf me. 

Glancing away from the window, I stole a glimpse of Aaden's side-profile. His sharp jawline, determined eyes, and the traces of stubble on his chin made him look rather attractive. He clutched the steering tightly and focused entirely on driving. It seemed as if his mind was somewhere else, and he was barely present here.

After the conversation three hours ago, we took all our stuff, and drove away. We didn't exchange a word after that. Almost ignoring each other as if nothing had ever happened.

There was no turning back now. It was like a dream had shattered, and then, reality knocked on my door. 

I let out a frustrated breath, and prayed in my heart that everything went as Aaden planned. And I get to see him again.

The sound of the screeching of wheels against a sharp turn brought me out of my thoughts, and I folded my hands in my lap.

Soon, we escaped the forest road, and entered back into the city after two months. The familiar sight of traffic, and honking of the vehicles brought a sense of nostalgia with it. Never in my life, did I imagine that I would miss the hustle and bustle of Manhattan. 

The sight of skyscrapers filled my vision. They reached high into the sky, disappearing among the clouds. 

Time flew faster than light, and I didn’t realised when the car stopped in front of a familiar house. 

It was none other than my brother, Raul's house.

Aaden unbuckled his seatbelt, getting out of the car. I followed him, and sucked in a breath as I looked at the red roofed house in front of my eyes.

It took me a moment to make myself believe that this was real, and I was no longer running for my life with Aaden. 

"What if Raul isn't here?" I asked, looking at Aaden.

"He is," He answered immediately.

"You sound rather sure." 

"It's because I talked to him a day before yesterday when you were deeply asleep. I went to a nearby town, and got a new cell phone." 

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Uh...to be honest, I just forgot about it until you asked. I'm not used to telling others what I do." 

He strode towards the door, and pressed the doorbell. The door swung open within a minute as if somebody was standing right behind it, waiting patiently for guests to arrive.

My brother's face filled my vision as soon as the door swung ajar. His hazel-brown hair was tousled into loose waves, and his green eyes were as clear as ever.

"Aaden," Raul exclaimed. 

Then, his eyes landed on me.

"Viv." He dashed towards me, and a smile spread across his face. 

"Hey." I waved at him.

He engulfed me into his arms, hugging me tightly. I hugged him back, and a wave of longing crashed into me. I rarely got a chance to get together with my brother, and seeing him after so long made me feel a bit overwhelmed.

"I'm glad to see you safe." He let go, and looked at me as if checking whether all my limbs were attached to my body or not. 

"Me too." I smiled at him, and saw Aaden leaning against the door frame casually, watching this brother-sister reunion like a spectator.

"You have lost weight," Raul said after a long time of contemplation. His brows were knitted together, and it seemed as if he was frowning.

"Don't worry. I'll gain it back." I assured him.

"You know what, you don't really need to. You looked a bit fat before. This change is good." He laughed. "Very good, indeed."

"Shut up! You idiot." I stood on my toes, and punched him on the shoulder. "I've been through life and death and this is how you treat me." I fumed.

"Can't I tease you a little?" 

"Oh please." I rolled my eyes. "Seriously, Aaden you tell me, was I fat when you first met me?"

"No comments." Aaden folded his arms over his chest, laughing a little.

The moment he spoke the atmosphere suddenly turned a bit serious. The smile on Raul’s face disappeared, and he turned, coming face-to-face with Aaden.

"I almost forgot that you were here," Raul said, running a hand through his hair.

"It's fine. At least you have a sibling that is not corrupted like mine." He sighed. "Let's get inside first then, we can talk all we want." He walked inside, and we followed close behind him. 

After we entered inside, Raul assigned each of us a room, and we went our separate ways.

***
Water dripped down my wet hair like spherical droplets of rain. I wrapped a towel loosely around them, walking towards the vanity. Taking out the blow dryer from a drawer, I focused on blow drying my hair. After finishing the task at hand, I strode towards the bed, and saw a tray of food. My favorite chicken and dumplings were on it. Along with a small bowl of vanilla ice-cream.

I sat on the bed, and devoured all the food on the tray. My taste buds finally got to taste delicious food after surviving on makeshift sandwiches for so long.  

I looked at the clock that hung from the wall and gasped. It was almost midnight now. I didn’t realized where all the time went, but at this point, I didn't really care. 

So, I kept the tray and bowls on the nightstand, and switched the lights off. 
The feather soft comforter and comfortable, warm bed was like a dream come true. I snuggled under the comforter, and drifted to sleep. 

A/N: I hope you enjoyed reading. Don't forget to vote, comment, and share :P