Secrets

Chapter 1

After a long journey, I finally heard a voice from my phone saying "you're at your destination". I turned off the engine and sighed heavily. That was it. I was sitting alone in my car, in new city and I was about to move in with my brother who I last saw one year ago.

Luke, my brother, moved out to study at university in London. He was only eighteen at that time and I was only ten. So for that little girl, beeing separated from her only sibling, was really hard. I used to relay on him with all of my problems. I mean, we had loving parents, but even with this big age gap between us, he understood me well and I actually was attached to his hip since i was born.

So ten years later, there I was, siting in a car in front of my new home, starting a new life.

I looked through the window, seeing the apartment complex. It looked luxurious and standing only thirty-minute-walk from the city centre, it must have been expensive.

I sighed once again and I got out of my car. I didn't have a key yet, so I was hoping my brother wouldn't forget that I was moving in today. I decided to leave my luggage in a car. First of all, it was too heavy for me to carry it so far, and secondly, I was too excited to see my brother.

I quickly looked around to see that I would be living in a lovely, secured neighborhood. Next to my residential building, was a huge car park. I could see a couple of grocery shops and also a park on the other side of the road.

I went inside the building, looking for an elevator. The hall was huge, even a few coaches where standing in a corner. A lot of light could go in through big windows. In front of the entrance, there were stairs and next to it on the left, there was an elevator.

I quickly went inside and pressed '8'. I could see that the building had twenty floors overall. I was glad I was going to live on lower level, i had a little fear of heights.

I've started feeling a little anxious. It's been a year since I saw him and ten years since we were living together.

What if he don't want me here?
What if we will be fighting a lot? And he'll send me back home?
What if I won't like London?

There were so many 'what if' that I was glad when the doors finally opened. I went through the hallway, looking for the right door. I only heard my shoes tapping on the floor. My hands started to sweat and I started thinking if I didn't smell bad after such a long journey.

When I finally found wooden door with number '58' on it, I took a deep breath.

In and out.

My heart started beating so fast, that I almost could've hear it. I smoothen my dark, grey shirt and I instantly regretted not wearing something better. I guess wearing light 'mom' jeans and normal shirt in it, wasn't the best outfit to visit your brother.

You're overthinking.

Again, I took a deep breath to calm myself. It didn't work but I finally got enough courage to knock on the door.

Why are you even anxious?
It's your brother!

While waiting for him to open up, I straighten my hair. They barely were touching my shoulders and I liked that length. I put my phone in my back pocket to have free hands to hug him. I bit my lip and looked around. The hallway was spacious and light. A few plant were standing in the corners. For my surprise, even some paintings were hanging on walls.

I almost started to think that he wasn't at home and then I saw him.

I would say Luke was taller than the last time I saw him. And he obviously didn't grow up anymore. He was 28! He also got a beard, which surprised me. If I wasn't so much excited, I likely would cry. He didn't look like a kid anymore, he was a real grown up. His hair got longer and he probably could tied then in a little bun. But the best thing was that his ocean blue eyes remained the same. I've always been jealous of them. You could've actually drown in them, they were so beautiful, while mine was just plain brown.

"Oh my god, Amelia, you're finally here."

And then I couldn't breathe anymore. He clasped me to his chest and I immediately relaxed. He smelled like always, it didn't change.

"You're crushing me." I breathed out. He instantly wanted to get his arms out of me, but I didn't let him.
"I missed you so much."

He then took my face in his hands and looked closely. I had happy tears in my eyes and the biggest smile. I probably didn't looked great after a long journey but right now I didn't care. I finally had my brother.

"You grown up so much, Amelia. I'm so happy you can be here with me now."

I smiled even wider and we went inside. My breath was taken away again. The inside was so beautiful. And I only saw the hall. A big white wardrobe was built in a wall on a left. On a right there was a huge mirror and a white cabinet underneath it. I could see pictures of him and his friends, our family and me and him standing there.

He led me to a living room which was also breathtaking. A huge grey couch was standing in the middle with a glass coffee table in front of it. The newest TV was hanging on a wall and underneath it there was a low locker with Xbox or whatever it was on it. One of the walls was whole in a glass and the view was amazing. In the corner I could see an orange armchair with some plans on both sides of it. I already loved it.

I could imagine myself sitting there while reading a book, with beautiful view of a city and my lovely brother playing some game on TV. It would be a perfect moment.

"I love how you furnished the inside. I'm actually surprised you can do it so well." I laughed.

"When you'll see your room, you'll be grateful that I'm so good at it."

"You can show me then and we'll see."

So he showed me my room. And I couldn't asked for more. It was more than enough.

The room wasn't big, but there was enough space for me. The walls were paint in light brown colour. A big dark wooden bed was standing in the middle with a night stand and a lamp on it. A standing mirror was in a corner and I already loved it. I had a huge window and underneath it there was a dark brown wooden desk. I was glad it was there. I needed a lot of light while drawing. A couple of paintings were on walls. I wasn't sure if I could've been able to do it so beautifully.

"Luke" I looked at him. "I love it."

He smiled and I could've seen his dimples.

"Check what's behind this door."

He pointed to the door on left. I quickly opened it and went inside the room.

It was a fucking walk-in closet.

I was in heaven, honestly.

And then I saw another door so I opened it. Of course, the bathroom. It was amazing like the rest of the apartment. A huge shower, which, I was sure, could fit two person inside was on a left. And on a right, there was a sink and a mirror.

I closed the door and went back to my room, where Luke stayed. I quickly hugged him.

"Thank you. I love it."

"So am I good at decorating?" he teased.

"You are the best."

I smiled at him and we went back to the living room. While he sat on a couch, I took a place in an armchair.

"Wait, where is your luggage?" he asked suddenly.

"I left it in a car. We can take it later, don't worry."

So we did. We ordered dinner and ate it in a kitchen. And I don't have to say that I also loved it. It was all grey, with the newest technology. And wooden table in the corner.

We talked, we joked, we laughed while eating. Even if for the past ten years, we didn't see each other often, we didn't feel awkward. It was like we've always been leaving together.

And that night I went to sleep with a big smile because I knew that everything was going to be alright.