The air around me at the moment felt compressed, tightening and suffocating. Although, the lack of ability to breathe didn't hinder the earthy sandalwood scent from invading my sense of smell. My brain was in a muddle, long gone any idea with it.

"Alfie, let me go," I begged. My toes clawed on the tiles below, seeking ease from the foreign tantalising feeling.

Moments stilled under his deep scrutiny, eventually his grasp on my hands loosened. When he finally let go, I gripped on the side of the counter to hold my weight. Something was happening inside my body; the obvious heat leaked through my skin.

All of a sudden, he chuckled. Following it was his reverse, giving me space to breathe. But my feet were bolted to where I had stood, still within his reach.

"You should see the look on your face," he said while snickering.

Confusion recommenced as I stared at Alfie's unusual yet captivating expression. My eyes took to the side of his right shoulder, where a scar marked his skin. It was a remembrance of the dreadful day we failed to run away and were taken by FOS. I couldn't have imagined everything.

So where did he learn to have such humour? It doesn't make sense to me.

"Yeah, but you were acting weird." I couldn't help but frown, but it was short-lived at the sight of him.

"I changed, Charis. But how could you even think I would hurt you?" he asked, disappointment had taken over the look on his face instantly.

"You won't tell me anything, Alfie. How could I not think of it?" I spilt my defence.

His expression morphed to stolid, with it I saw the innocent side of him years ago. He turned his head to the window, peering outside.

After a moment of silence, he spoke again, "Fine, I will tell you."

I didn't expect him to give in that easy, but maybe I had misunderstood him by his change of appearance. I couldn't explain it, but he was venting something that seemed to make me feel vulnerable.

"I had been with Amy the last 5 years," he confessed.

My mouth fell open after yet another hit of shock. "Amy who?" The question gushed. Deep down I believed that I knew the Amy he was talking about. Yet, I still hoped that she was another; that she was not the friend from my past.

Parting with the view outside, he took me instead. His gaze was deep enough to make my mind hazy. And for a moment, I forgot there was bits of unease. Until the words took fleet from his lips, "You know her. I first met her at your old house."

Regret oddly was what first to react. I couldn't take back the question no matter how much I wanted to hear a different answer. Yet I willed myself to risk again. I wanted clarity through Alfie's expression. And he who stood close, swivelled instantly when our eyes locked.

"She's beautiful," he muttered.

When I caught his smile after the word 'beautiful' left, the outrage I had a second ago diminished. A different feeling proceeded. My eyes moved towards his pants and his hooded blouse hung on the wall. A fragment of memory rolled in; of my last visit to Amy's house. The strange design of his clothes, his personality, and the revelation had led me to piece two and two together.

Doubt entirely quit the case, taking away any chance of what I had hoped for. With it, I felt a pang. A feeling I had never before experienced decided to materialize in such a drastic way.

He had spent his share of 5 years, probably a life in leisure with my own friend. Whereas I was put behind walls to live in isolation.

For a moment, I couldn't side which was good for me, believing he was dead or this. Because after a long grief, I had finally tasted healing. But why did I feel like my heart was bleeding once more?

Every other question suddenly became a none importance. The recollection of him and Amy, looking at each other in my room 5 years ago was filling the motion in my mind.

"Then why are you here Alfie? Why don't you just stay with her?" I couldn't hide the hurt in my voice. It was a part of the foreign emotion that I was feeling.

He sighed, "It's a long story."

I turned and started towards my room. "Another time then," I let out once fairly far from him, hoping he wouldn't hear the shudder in my voice.

Once I reached the solitude of my little space, the dam in my eyes broke. I cried silently, dwelling on my confusion of the whys and hows all this was happening.

After a few minutes drowning in my sea of sadness, a rustling sound arose from my room's door.

"Charis, I told you it's complicated. Are you upset with me?"

I took a deep breath and answered, "No, I'm just sleepy."

My lips quivered at the thought that I had never even once lied to Alfie, and I just did.

"Okay, we talk later," he uttered, followed by silence.

Without any persistent coming from him to talk further, or a sign of him knowing my real state, I was pulled deeper into disappointment. Unbeknownst to him, I was raised to be soothed, and I was expecting to be coaxed by him too.

***

Hours passed, tears shed, but soon came the discernment. I had come to a conclusion that what had happened couldn't be undone. I wanted to be happy for Alfie, that he survived and he had lived well during my absence.

I wanted to put everything behind. He wasn't mine to keep, he was a person with feelings and he had his own rights for his life.

Then I started thinking of my future. Beside my purpose of finding my mother, I had to think of a way to start a living. Above all I had no one to depend on anymore, there was only me. Alfie might go back to Amy anytime he pleased.

After washing all the salty tears from my face, I sat on my bed, scrambling into my backpack to find the note Beatrice had given me.

Once the note unfolded, a simple establishment's name was written inside with an address.

REYPAL BREW

The irony of my past kept coming back to me was shocking. It seemed that it couldn't let me go. But my curiosity had the upper hand as it urged me to find out why Beatrice suggested this place to help me start anew.

To be continued...

***

Thank you for reading. Sorry, this chapter might be a little unexciting but I have prepared a bonus chapter to release soon.

I hope you enjoy reading.