silent

8

• XANDER •

"Put your seatbelt on." I order Amalia, who scrambles to obey, letting her phone call on her lap. I glance at it to see that she's playing Candy Crush.

I look back at the driveway, only starting the car when she's safely buckled in. She discards her phone in her pocket and grabs the small backpack she brought, unzipping it and pulling out a book. She opens it, careful not to crack the spine, and leans back in the seat.

The bandages wrapped around her wrists peek out from under her jumper, and I suddenly want to apologise to her, but don't. What's the point in building a relationship with my baby sister if the possibility that she can be taken away again lingers?

I can't do it again—can't miss her. Miss the little cutie she used to be (and still is, quite frankly). It ruined my life, ruined everything. Dad hardly spoke for years, my brothers used to cry every night. They would ask me where Amalia was, and I'd have to lie and say she was fine, when I really didn't know.

I'd leave their rooms after staying with them until they fell asleep and cry myself, when all the lights were out. When the curtains were shut and my door was closed. When no one could see me.

     I let out a shaky breath. Amalia looks up from her book and at me.

     I glance at her. "What?"

     She snaps her head back down, a small, scared whimper escaping her.

     Fucking hell.

     I hold onto the steering wheel tighter. She must notice or something, because she shuffles away, closer to the car door. I loosen my grip, silently cursing myself.

     I just wanted her to not like me, not be scared of me. I only wanted her to not want to get to know me, so I wouldn't be forced to get to know her—to like her as much as I used to. But she's afraid of me. She's petrified.

     Shit, I have to fix this.

•

"You can sit here." I say, pulling my desk chair out for Amalia, who sits in it tentatively. I lean on the desk next to her and turn my laptop on, logging into it and clicking on Disney+. "Watch whatever you want. I'll come check on you when I can."

     She nods, curiosity gleaming in her eyes. I walk out of my office hastily, shutting the door behind me before entering the main part of my restaurant.

     My currently very busy restaurant.

     Amalia is supposed to be here with me all day, so I'll make her food in a little bit. We had breakfast before we drove, though, so she should be okay for a few hours.

     "Hey, boss." My best friend, Leo, says as I walk into the kitchen. I nod a hello before washing my hands and grabbing a ticket off the waiting bar. "Who was that little kid?" He asks after I shout an order to a few of my kitchen staff. They're being too lazy, which is bad on such a busy day. And everyday in general.

     "My sister." I respond, pouring rice in a pan to wash it.

     "Since when have you had a sister?"

     "Since she was born." I respond, mixing the grains around a little bit before leaving them for a second and setting a few chicken breasts into a pan.

     He rolls his eyes. "Obviously. I've never seen her before, though."

     "My mother took her ages ago. She's dead now, so she's back with us."