Praying to the Moon

Chapter Nine- The Silence

I woke to a sense of tranquility and belonging. I didn't feel like I needed to plan my future there and then like I did most mornings. Instead, I could enjoy the moment I was in. It was the first time in a while I didn't feel like I was living in fear. I was in a bubble of security that I didn't think could be popped. I wondered how long this feeling would last, did I want to move back here?

I got up and got dressed, I was so hungry. I realised that I hadn't eaten anything since lunchtime yesterday and I was craving cereal like we had when I was a kid. I knew Luca still ate the same cereal so I would be able to have some. I could hear the voices of my family eating breakfast together downstairs. I wondered if I would still fit into the picture somehow.

"Good morning Lil. Help yourself to some breakfast."
My dad pointed to the boxes of cereal on the table. There were five different kinds to choose from and I really wanted them all. Much to my parents horror, I decided to pour a bit of each into my bowl and then mix it together. It was my own creation of cereal. Luca thought this was amazing and decided to make a mix of them all for himself.

"So what's the plan today? You'll have the house to yourself. Your father and I have work and Luca has school."
I had forgotten that everybody would be out during the day, leaving me to my own thoughts.
"That's okay, I have uni work to do anyway. Luca after school we could go shoot some hoops if you want?"
"Yeah sure."
Luca had recently been gifted his first phone for his birthday. Like any teenager he was glued to the screen. He was less enthusiastic than I remembered him.

I spent my morning watching lectures online and taking notes. I wanted to do well in my exams that were only a few months away. I decided it was better late than never to start trying academically again. In all honesty, I was tired of James taking up the time I used to dedicate to studying. He never put me first in that sense, so why should I?

Speaking of James, I had barely heard a word from him since I landed here. We had decided that we would take a little bit of space to regain perspective on everything. A part of me was worried for his safety while I was gone though. What if whoever was behind those incidents went after him because I wasn't there? Hopefully he's keeping himself safe and locking all his doors and windows.