Her mom enjoyed sewing and cooking. Allison learned to cook a few dishes, but Alex said she was far from improving, so she stopped. Her older brother loved teasing her, making her swear to throw him into one of the dungeons when they go back to Wakerlin. Alex was five years older than Allison. They played together, danced together. Alex was trying to make his sister happy, but never stopped teasing her.
But she was still sad for some reason.
“What’s bothering you?” she heard Alex ask in his ever-annoying voice.
“Nothing,” she murmured, letting the sun rays touch her face. The sun was starting to set.
Alex scoffed, making her open her eyes. “You will never get yourself a boyfriend if you continue acting like that, Signorina,” he said before sipping from the cup of tea he was holding.
“Don’t call me that,” she growled, punching him on the side.
“You know, during this time of the day, I’m always reminded of Liza,” Alex’s voice suddenly became serious. There was a bitter smile on his face, as well.
“Who’s Liza?”
“Yeah, she was my wife,” Alex chuckled, shaking his head softly.
“You’re married?” Allison gasped. Alex was married? “She must’ve been crazy for marrying someone like you,” she snorted, directing her attention back to the setting of the sun.
“Yeah, she was,” he agreed. His voice sounded lonely, making the younger sibling turn back to him.
“What do you mean by ‘she was’?”
“She left me,” Alex's voice started to crack. His eyes were focused on the horizon.
“Oh, that’s sad.”
“You see, people we love tend to leave us,” he murmured.
“Yeah.”
“Why is that? I always ask myself.”
“I don’t know,” she replied, watching the last rays of the sun sink below the horizon.
“Maybe because I didn’t love her enough,” her older brother said, clicking his tongue. “Or maybe she never really loved me.”
“Or maybe love wasn’t enough to make it work…” She heard him exhale rashly.
“But you know, I used to think that you could do anything together, as long as you love each other,” he muttered then laughed dryly.
“You’re a hopeless romantic,” she snorted.
“I’m an artist, remember?”
“But in the end, it would still be up to those people if they want to work it out, right?”
Alex fell silent. There was a comfortable silence between them when he blurted out of the blue, “Or maybe it was because I didn’t try hard enough! Thank you!” he kissed Allison’s forehead and left the gazebo, leaving her in awe. Did she just give him an idea of how to solve his love life?
Pfft. That loser.
She closed her eyes, letting darkness devour her as it had devoured the world. Enjoying her solitude, Allison pondered the short conversation she had with Alex.
You can do anything together as long as you love each other. Alex’s words echoed in her mind.
He doesn’t love you. He never did Stop dreaming,she reminded herself. She didn’t want to give herself false hopes. That would be the end of her.
Did you ask him? No, you didn’t. Did you give yourself a chance? No, you did not.
