Where My Heart Used To Reside

Chapter 5

   "Brina, are you done?"

   I heard Gabriel's voice from outside my room and the door knocking repeatedly. I looked around my messy bedroom with a sigh and then opened the door.

   "What took you so long?" Gabriel said as soon as he saw my face.

   "I couldn't find my ─ Wait.. Is that my other sock?" I gasped when Gabriel lifted up his hand, showing a white, long sock.

   "I found it in my clothes. Maybe someone accidentally mixed up the laundry," Gabriel explained whilst handing me my missing sock.

   I thanked him and went to grab my school bag before following my brother to the dining room where I saw Daniel eating a toast.

   "Eat your breakfast. I will be the one sending you two to school," Gabriel stated and drank Daniel's tea, making the latter glare at him.

   "Hmm?" I gestured with my head at Daniel, asking Gabriel the reason he suddenly wanted to send us to school because Daniel was always the one who did that. If it was not him, then it would be our family's driver, David.

   "Daniel's car broke down."

   I caught my two brothers scowling, seemingly blaming each other. I didn't dare to ask how that happened and who did that. I just wanted to ask where David was. But, first......

   "Uh.. Don't you have a lot of cars in the garage? Daniel can drive one of them, right?" I asked, looking at Daniel, who just glanced at me with his cold eyes.

   "I don't trust him with those cars in the garage, except his own," Gabriel said whilst glaring at Daniel in irritation. "And David isn't working today. He has to take an emergency leave," he adds, clearing up my query.

   I wanted to ask what type of emergency leave David had to take. Is it because of family or personal issues? However, I kept my mouth shut because I didn't want to be a busybody. Sometimes, people wanted to keep their lives private. Plus, Gabriel hated it when I asked him a lot of questions.

   When it was time for us to go to school, I raced with Daniel to take the front seat and unfortunately, he beated me to it. He was fast - unlike me.

   "Remember. I'll fetch you from school too," Gabriel reminded me and Daniel as we extended our legs to get out of the car after we had arrived at our school.

   "All right!" I showed him an 'okay' sign with my fingers. I felt like I had to acknowledge his statement because Daniel just ignored him. I felt guilty.

   "Good," Gabriel smiled and reached out his hand to tousle my hair, causing me to quickly avoid it. But, he was also fast, like Daniel, because I didn't see him gripping my left cheek and pinching it. I just felt the sudden pain that formed on my face when he let his hand go.

   I grunted as I rubbed my cheek.

   "Study smart, okay?" Gabriel grinned and left after I exited the car.

   I turned around and looked for Daniel. And guess what? Yes, he had already gone. He didn't even think to wait for his poor, lonely little sister.

   But, don't worry. I was starting to get used to it.

*•°*•°*•°*•°*•°*•°*

   It was break time when I bumped into a girl carrying a set of painting tools. She had wet paintbrushes and a box of painting tubes in her right hand and a white canvas which had a painting of a pulchritudinous landscape in the other. She seemed like she was struggling to hold those things properly whilst clutching a small box of chocolate milk drink. And she almost fell when we bumped into each other. It seemed like someone needed my help.