𝑵𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝑨𝐋𝐎𝐍𝐄

6 | Remain

The sky could fall
The ground could shake
The stars burn out
And seasons fade
The time will pass
And beauty fade
But all my love will remain
-Remain, Royal Tailor
...

The evening sun scorches bright as I walk up the stairs leading to the main door. I wasn't home for lunch, mum would probably kill me for that, but I couldn't say no when Brian and Melanie offered to treat me out for lunch, since I scored the first rank. I stop short at the sight of extra pairs of shoes stacked on the shoe shelf. Which only meant that we had guests.

Voices carried over from the living room as I slipped my shoes into the shelf.

"What do you mean you're keeping her here? She's a rank holder, Sam. With a grade like that, she can get into any college in England. Why do you want to keep her home?" A stern voice asks as I tiptoe into the living room. Uncle Gale, Aunt Cindy, and Bea are sitting in the sofas, across my parents and aunt Lily is seated on the window sill. Nathan and Nia are sitting on the stairs, looking bored.

"Gale, you know very well that Nerissa is very naive. She trusts everything that breathes and is so kind to everyone, I'm scared that someone is going to break my girl's heart. With her level of vulnerability, she's gonna get hurt. I feel it's better if she stays with us," my dad answers.

Excuse me?! Naive? I trust everyone? Break my heart? Level of vulnerability? What was my dad saying?

"You're holding her a prisoner inside your cocoon! She won't learn until you let her out! You might think that you can keep her safe now, but she's gonna go out into the world someday. And if she doesn't survive then, it's all your fault," Uncle Gale fumes.

That's it. I decide that it was time to make my entrance. My parents would no longer get chided on my behalf. "Mum? Dad?" Nine pairs of eyes look at me as I enter the room. Nathan and Nia look at me with pleading eyes that either portrayed Help or Get us out of here. I smile at their helplessness before turning to look at my uncle's family.

"Ah, Rissa. Congratulations on the rank," Bea gets up and hugs me, "I'm so happy for you."

"Thanks, Bea," I say, smiling softly. Bea and I, though inseparable when we were young, grew apart while growing up. It all started out as a healthy competition, but Bea's mindset that she had to be better than me pulled us apart. We started arguing for the silliest of things and when Bea's state common examinations results came out last year, she stopped talking to me altogether. Now, she speaks to me only when there's an audience.

"Nerissa dear," My uncle pats the sofa where Bea had been sitting earlier, "I'm so happy that you scored the first grade in the state. You've brought a good name to our family. Everyone I know has been talking about the 'James girl' who scored the first rank," Uncle Gale smiles proudly, "Oh, mother would be so proud."

"Thank you, uncle. Now if you excuse me, I'm tired and hungry," I lie. Yes, I was tired. Hungry, not so much. "Please don't take it as an offence if I take my leave." I walk towards the stairs where Nia is grinning and Nathan stands to leave.

"Nerissa, it's not good etiquette to leave the room when there's a guest, especially to see you," Uncle Gale says. I turn around to find uncle Gale with a disapproving look on his face. My dad pleads me to stay with his eyes. Sighing, I settle down on the stairs, next to Nia, while Nathan sits on the next step.

"So, Nerissa," Aunt Cindy speaks for the first time today, "How does it feel? Being a rank holder, you must have received a lot of attention."

"In all honesty, no I didn't," I reply, "And I don't want attention. I just want to be the same old me."