Unveiled

I shot up, out of bed, realizing that I had been crying. Zero was no where to be seen—although why would he stay with me through the night in my bed anyway?

"Valery? Sweetie, are you up?" My mum came inside, and seeing me crying she flung herself at me and cradled me against her. "Darling, what's wrong?"

I wiped my tears, letting a sob pass my lips.

"I just had a nightmare, about that night. How Mrs. Thomas...she..." I grabbed mum's work suit and held her close.

"Valery, that was not your fault. Mrs. Thomas died in a car crash—do you hear me?—that was not your fault," she hushed, kissing my forehead countless times. "Many people get into accidents honey, sometimes no one is at fault."

"But the other car..." I sobbed again, not knowing who they were, if they died, and the boy's cry ever present and crystal clear as if he lodged the memory in my mind, making me unable to forget the tragedy.

"You didn't know them, hun, you were in a coma for a long time and so was the boy who survived in the other car," she hushed.

"Really?" I croaked, hearing this for the first time. "I wasn’t the only one who survived?"

"Oh Valery, my lovely girl, don't worry about it. That was five years ago, and we've moved on, every one has. Don't let the past affect your future. Hey come on, I'll make you breakfast," she smiled, pulling me back.

"But...don't you have work now?" I asked, confused.

"Oh...I'll always have time for you, dear," she smiled and I smiled, almost wanting to cry again. My mum—and I don't doubt my dad—were really too caring.

"It's okay mum, thanks for everything though, and you're right, I've moved on too. Just hurry, get to work. I'm sixteen, I think I can manage breakfast," I got up and gently pushed her towards my door.

"Aw Valery, I love you honey, see you later."



At 9:33am on a cold Saturday morning, for the first time ever I actually saw Zero walk in through the back door which my dad always unlocked in the morning because he went outside to check on the garden (yeah my dad's the gardener type of dad). It was so astonishing and weird that I'd never seen him; I just had to record the moment in my head.

"Wow, you are so right. I always sit on the right side of the table, which means I can't see that door from my left. But you are still a loser. You just go up my stairs into my room as if we're—" I stopped short of my sentence and looked at him as he looked straight at me. I noticed he'd cut his hair so that his left eye was visible to my right one, with his right eye covered by his fringe. He looked good—and that thought is in the trash.

"As if we're...what?" He questioned, moving over to get some food.

"Siblings," I replied quickly and he gave me a disgusted look.

"I'd never be your brother. I'd rather kill myself then be your brother," he muttered and I threw a part of my toast at him.

"Jerk!" I huffed and he came towards me, patting me on the head.

"Hey! No, really, I mean...it's just...if I was your brother, I wouldn't..." he froze on the spot, just like I had when I was saying 'as if we're' and it was my turn to question him.

"You wouldn't what?" I said slowly, a blush creeping up as I had all these possibilities racing through my mind in the seconds before he answered.

"Never mind. I need to take a piss," he mumbled and made his way to the upstairs toilet.

I sat back in wonder; curious to what he had to say, but also quite amused at his language. Zero was getting more normal to me everyday. He suddenly wasn't the sophisticated, overly formal boy I thought he was, but a clever, really good looking guy who I'm pretty sure was making me blush way too easily for my liking.