He Caught Her Eye (Caught #1)[UNEDITED]

28

DRAKE MCCORAL

I can't help but cry when I get in my room.

Fucking bullshit.

Maybe I am insensitive. Maybe I should've considered what'd be like for Gino and Pablo to see Lina's current state and blame themselves for it. Maybe I should've thought of Pablo's reasons for not reaching out. Maybe I should've tried to look for the man who ruined my idea of a perfect family.

I bite my tongue to keep myself from letting out noises that'll only confirm my sobs. I don't say anything, my heart aching so badly as I bury my head on my pillow and let the tears flow out.

The worst kind of crying.

Within a few heartbreaking minutes, I try to get out of bed, only to end up falling flat on the floor. Shit. My jaw screams with pain but I remain quiet, not wanting to draw any attention toward my room as I see a familiar notebook under my bed.

Reaching out to it, my hands tremble when I take it out and stand up, my feet wobbling as I throw Riana's diary on the bed, where it slips to one of the last few pages.

A page that shows her handwriting, its size big.

I scoot closer, still shaking.

I miss my brother. I miss Jay.

He was the light of our family.

Jay?

I take the notebook and flip to the last few pages and see no more of her writings.

But a picture. Glued on the second to the last page of her diary.

In the photo, Riana is seated between a girl whose most likely Marla Garcia, her older sister with dark hair, clear cheekbones and big blue eyes. Riana doesn't look at the camera, instead, she's smiling brightly at the young boy next to her — a thin happy boy with eyes as dark as hers.

Her brother.

"Because I don't want to lose another family member ever again." She had said to me a few days ago

Riana had a brother. A brother named Jay, who passed away. I wonder how? I couldn't bear the thought of how she must've felt when she found out that Jay passed away.

She's definitely been through a lot.

She and I are indeed not so different. We both grew up in a world with rainbows and flowers, only to have it end up as a world of storms and disasters.

Back then, I was afraid the flowers would wither, but Mom always reassured me that flowers always find a way to blossom back eventually.

It certainly hasn't blossomed again. And it's been five years.

My phone beeps, and I see a message from Don asking how I am and that Ross wants Pablo to go to the lighthouse alone this evening.

~~~

I see both Pablo and Gino the moment I open my eyes. They fall into silence when I force myself to get out of bed, stopping what ever conversation they had.

"Morning," I greet them neutrally as they all just stare at me without saying a word. I add an exasperated yawn and pray I don't look weak, even with my current state

Gino approaches me and pats me on the back in a comforting manner. "It's four in the afternoon. Maybe you want to eat lunch."

It takes me a few seconds to process what he said. "I'm not hungry," I look at Pablo. "Ross wants you to go to the lighthouse this evening. Alone."