Chapter 82 Chapter seventy- eight
Omniscient Narrative
Alex lay on his bed staring at the ceiling when the knock came.
It was softer than the one his father had used earlier.
Not sharp.
Not demanding.
It was more like a question, like the person was seeking permission to enter.
"Lexie?"
His older sister's voice rang.
He swallowed and didn't answer right away.
The room was dark except for the faint glow from his phone screen, still face-down on the nightstand.
He hadn't checked it since he'd come inside.
He wasn't sure he could handle what might be there, or worse, what wouldn't be.
"Can we come in?" she asked again, gentler now.
Alex turned his head toward the door. His throat felt tight, like speaking might crack something open he'd barely managed to hold together.
"Yeah," he said finally. "You can come in."
The door opened slowly.
His older sister- Maria- stepped in first, her expression careful, eyes scanning him like she was trying to read what kind of damage had been done to it. But to her relief it was still the same.
His older brother-Fabio- followed, arms crossed loosely, concern written all over his face, he didn’t know what had happened or what was happening, but all he knew was that he was going to be there for his younger brother.
His younger sister-Arabella- hovered behind them, clutching the sleeve of her hoodie, eyes wide and worried, she had been suspecting he and Demi were having some trouble and she had asked him countless times but he never gave her an answer, she didn’t know it was this bad, so bad that it would lead to an actual physical fight.
They closed the door behind them.
No one spoke at first.
Alex pushed himself up slightly, propping his back against the headboard. He felt exposed sitting there, like they could see straight through him to the mess underneath.
"You look like shit," his brother said gently trying to lighten the mood and a smile on Alex’s face.
Alex huffed a weak laugh. "You don’t think I know that, and thanks, I was going for that look intentionally."
Maria shot their older brother a look, then sat down on the edge of the bed. "Dad told us to come check on you, not that we weren’t going to, we just wanted to give you space but I guess he felt you really needed the company."
"I did want to be alone but it’s great that he asked you guys to do this, I guess I do need it" Alex muttered.
Arabella climbed onto the bed without asking, sitting cross-legged near his feet like she used to when they were kids.
She didn't say anything, she just leaned against his leg, solid and warm, a way to show him she was giving him comfort.
And that nearly undid him, his heart warmed at what his little sister was doing, it was usually he who would have to comfort her and now she’s doing the exact same thing does for her.
Maria watched his face carefully. "Do you want to tell us what exactly happened? Because Bella did mention how you and Demi have been distant, shit!, I noticed too when I visited a couple weeks ago, we just thought it was a little argument but now- Alex, what happened?"
Alex's chest tightened.
Images flashed behind his eyes, Demi's face, the shove, the words.
You're dead to me.
His jaw clenched.
"I don't," he said quietly, he felt like his heart was trying to claw its way out of his chest through his throat, because he could definitely feel the organ reaching for there.
No one pushed back immediately.
Fabio nodded slowly. "Okay, cool cool cool, if you don’t want to say anything, we won’t pressure you."
Alex blinked at him, surprised.
Maria tilted her head. "Is it because you don't trust us?"
"No!" Alex said quickly. "It's not that, I promise you Maria it’s not, please don’t think it’s because I don’t have trust you all, I trust you three with my life."
"Then why?" she asked, not accusing, just trying to understand, because Alex was never one to keep a secret, he was actually the only sibling who made sure the other siblings knew what was going on in his life, they just can’t understand the sudden change in him.
Alex stared down at his hands. They were still scraped from the fight, knuckles red and sore. He curled his fingers into his palms.
"Because I don't know how to say it without making it worse," he admitted. "And I don't even understand it myself."
The room went quiet.
Fabio exhaled slowly. "That bad, huh?"
Alex nodded once.
Maria reached out and rested her hand over his. "You don't have to explain tonight."
Something in Alex's chest loosened a fraction.
"You're allowed to be a mess," she added softly. "Even if we don't get the full story."
Bella finally spoke, voice small. "But Alex?, are you... are you okay?"
Alex almost laughed.
"No, Bella, no" he said honestly. "But I will be."
She nodded like that answer was enough and leaned against him more firmly.
They sat like that for a moment, the four of them sharing the quiet.
Alex hadn't realized how tense his body had been until he felt it slowly begin to unwind, muscles easing just a little with each breath.
His brother broke the silence. "Want to do something dumb to distract you?"
Alex raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"
His brother shrugged. "Watch something awful on TV. The kind you don't have to think about."
Maria smiled faintly. "I vote for that reality show you hate but always end up watching."
“The Kardashians?” He groaned
“Yeah dummy, come on let’s go”
Alex hesitated.
He still didn't feel good. The ache was still there, deep and heavy, sitting right where Demi's name lived inside him.
But the thought of not being alone with it... mattered.
"Yeah," he said quietly. "Fine, let’s go watch them."
They shifted around, his brother grabbing the remote, his sisters settling in closer.
The TV flickered on, filling the room with noise and light and something that wasn't his own thoughts.
“Ughh here Kourtney comes with her-“
Alex leaned back against the pillows, siblings flanking him on either side.
He didn't feel better.
But he felt held.
And even as laughter from the TV washed over them, a familiar ache pressed softly against his chest.
He missed Demi.