I was finding my right words to at least scold this brother of mine without sounding snob and without hurting his ego.
"Brother..."
"What? What the hell's wrong with you?"
"You don't know why I'm pissed?" I said softly to Allan.
"Why should I care?" The brat argued.
'What? I was trying to correct you, and I haven't said anything yet, and you just cut me off!' but Allan wasn't finished yet and said something that made me snapped.
"You think I care about why you pissed? I'm asking why the hell you didn't give me your answer, brat!"
'Now, you've done it!'
"Brother..." I scowled at him and continued what I'm going to say.
"You think you can just tell me to come here and then what? Ask me questions that I don't have a bit of obligation to answer. Who do you think you are?!"
All my pent-up frustration exploded when Allan acted like some unreasonably boss who keeps on slaving his employee to meet an impossible deadline.
"Evelyn...!"
"Look here, brother...!" I cut him off and emphasized the last words to make him focused.
"I don't owe you any explanation, besides, what Father and I talked about are just between us two. So, keep your curiosity in check!"
Allan looks dazed, he can't believe that her sister, who's always meek, and is always clinging to her, is looking at her indignantly.
"Ha… Now, you have the guts to talk back to your older brother!" The silver-blue young man said.
'Argh…! This brat! I'm going to die again of frustration. I need to get out of here if I stayed any longer. I might kick this kid.'
I let out a deep sigh and start to assemble my thoughts again.
'I should vaguely tell him what the Duke and I talked about. That will be the easiest way for me to get out of here.' I calmed myself and stared at his eyes.
"If you want to know brother then fine..." I saw him smirked when he thought that he won.
"Father and I talked about my training. That's all." Then I shrugged. It was not that big of a deal to tell him, and I excluded the talk and the full context of me hunting a dead wolf by myself. I don't need to inform a stranger about it. I hated his guts.
"What? Just that?"
"....."
I glanced at him curiously.
"Is there something that I should know more?"
"If that's just what father told you then you can just go."
"What?"
He raised his body from the chair and turned away. Then, he called the butler to lead me to the door.
'This! How can he be so rude...!' And then, I remembered that he came from the same mold as Father, both are ill-mannered.
Bang- the door slammed, and I was left alone outside his study room.
I menacingly stared at the closed door, cursing that I can't do anything to retort his impudence.
My fist, threatening to punch someone who would sully this Lady's' mood any further.
"Ha..." I sigh greatly. I need to endure a lot just because of something that I don't even know and did myself.
I can't even curse Evelyn, who acted like a fool to his brother and father. I was also like her, craving for attention.
"Let's just go to the garden."
I walked away and took a trip to the backside of the mansion where the garden is, that I frequently go when I was down.
I found the big tree where I had my accident after the ban was lifted, I went and visit this place, and I immediately know why the young me were always here.
It was beautiful, like all the sorrows that you have will be sucked away when you see the gigantic tree, and you'll feel that you can rely on those.
So, when I saw it again, my feet always made its way here when I have too much to think, or like today, when I felt most frustrated.
"I don't have class today so; it should be okay to laze around right now. Ha... Dammit!" I lie down in the grass. My hair that was carefully arranged by my maid Sheila was now entangled with all the head-scratching that I did.
I closed my tired eyes and let the wind swiftly sway my rage.
'I need to pretend that I'm alright when I went inside my room.' I lamented to myself.
When I recalled what happened I was angry at myself for hoping that Allan would at least hear my opinion or would pretend at the very least.
But not an ounce of consideration can be seen at Allan, he just looked at me like some leech.
A dry laugh left my mouth, then a shed of tear was falling.
"Ha... What's this?" I swept my hand across my face preventing the incoming hot waterfall.
'Ah... aren't you accustomed to this Adelyn? Why are you hoping for it again? You know you wouldn't get this in this lifetime? So, why are you crying?' I hide my face with the help of my palm, and then, I brushed my face and strongly promised myself that this would be the last time that I will get my hopes up.
"Wake up, Evelyn! Nothing would happen even if you cried a river!"
After all the self-pity, I stood up and made my way to my room.
"The warm bath is probably cold right now." I think of the request that I made to my maid to prepare warm water for me to have when I wash.
"I should take that bath now. I'm too tired!"
Allan was looking at the closed door where her sister went. He recalled the way her sister looked at her.
"She was really angry..." Allan laughs when he remembers the frowning face of Evelyn.
"That face was worth looking out for, now she knows how to be frustrated." A glint of fury was reflected in his eyes.
***
After soaking myself in a long bath, the fatigue and the mental exhaustion were relieved for a bit.
Then I wish 'If there is someone who's listening, a deity, spirit or anyone who has the power. Please, let this day end.'
'I don't need any more "family bonding" with those pair of rude creatures. I have a one-year supply of frustration and anxiety because of them.'
My hands were clasped together and my eyes were forced to be close with each other.
I spew everything that I desire, just so, I can prolong my sanity until the time comes that I escape.
'Let's hang in there Evelyn...!' I just comforted myself to ease my worries. Then, I said aloud,
"It will be a bumpy road ahead..."
I reached and tucked myself in the soft sheets of my bed and I close my eyes.
'Ah... this is the only thing that I'm thankful for the Duke. This fluffy bed... such bliss!'
And, I went into dreamland.
I think I need to clarify this for a better interpretation of the characters. The quotation marks ("like this") are the dialogues of the characters and the single quotation marks are for the 'inner thoughts' or the POV.
Thanks, guys ~ keep supporting this novel.