It was a hundred percent fluke.
How could I be this lucky? I knew it. Even the nonexistent fate doesn't want me to be happy even for a second. Well, it's my fault. I shouldn't have forgotten about it. I should've confronted it instead of running away from it.
Now, they stood in front of me with their invisible scythes, ready to chop my happiness off my head. My parents, smiling and grinning after shouting surprise stood on my door.
I blinked. Great... Just great.
"Son? Why are you just staring at us? Aren't you going to invite your mom and I inside?" Dad grinned. The gleam in his eyes stings my chest. I can feel the corner of my eyes burning. No. Don't let this happen, Adrien. I don't want to cry in front of them. I don't want them to now how painful it is to look at them.
"Come in." I murmured, opening the door wider. I still haven't glanced at mom and she hasn't said a word.
"You haven't initiated contact with us for a year." Mom started. Her voice is soft and gentle, a contrast to the harshness in her voice a year ago. Even though they don't know that I was listening, it still hurts. If they knew that I can hear them, will they say all those hurtful words on my face?
Our footsteps thud on the floor before I led them in the living room. I don't even know what to say to them. My eyes kept on darting everywhere but on them.
"Son?"
"Yes?" I forced my lips to curve into a smile. Inwardly, I'm hitting my self. They should have seen the fakeness in my smile. Dad should have pointed it out right now. Why aren't they saying anything? But, do you want them to point it out?
"Do you... don't you want our surprise?" He sheepishly smiled, scratching the back of his neck. As I look at him, I notice the subtle changes in his face. My dad looks... older. Up close, there seems to be tiredness behind his eyes. His dark circles are more clear on his pale skin. I gulped, containing the whimper that threatens to come out. There is something that is clogging my throat as I observe my dad.
"Of course, I do!" I slightly winced at the breaking of my voice. I bit my lip as he frowns.
"Adrien?" My chest feels like someone has punched me with great force. I choked. I immediately averted my eyes. I need to get out of here. Without saying anything, I stood.
"Uh... uhm, I" A whimper escaped. I can feel their eyes on me. "Bathroom."
I ran.
Again.
***
After spending half an hour in the bathroom trying to control my emotions, I come to the conclusion how horrible I am. I left them for half an hour after suddenly walking out on them. Now that I think about it, why haven't they check what I was up to?
As I step in the living room, I heard laughter. I frown. I thought March is out?
"Clare!" I exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"
She glanced at me with a grin as he sat beside mom. I pursed my lips at the grin on my mother's face. Her blonde hair is in a braid just like how I always remember. And just like dad, there is an air around her that I can't recognize.
"How rude, Adrien. Clare was the one who came with us." Mom carefully said. I blinked at the sudden change in her. Earlier, she hasn't said anything and only sat in silence. I glanced at dad, but he just smiled.
"So, that's where you've been the whole week?" I asked Clare. Something flashed in her eyes as she looked at me, but it was immediately gone after she blinked.
"I visited my parents, then I had an idea... What if I brought your parents here? I'm sure that you also missed them." She gently smiled. I blinked. I'm...
Sure, I miss them, but...
"It looks like he didn't miss us at all, Clare. Please tell your boyfriend that he should at least pretend that he's glad to see his parents after a year." I blanched mom's words. I don't know if it's about me not missing them, or how he basically called me Clare's boyfriend, but I feel my heart drop all the same from her words.
"Mom." I croaked. She waved her hand as dad laughs.
"I do miss you, mom..." I whispered. "I missed you too dad."
They calmed at my words. I averted my eyes from Clare's. Her stares feels too heavy. The adoration that reflects in her eyes are a burden. She's too stubborn for her own good.
"Finally, he said it!" Dad exclaims, causing me to chuckle. I really did miss them. "Come here, Adrien."
Large arms engulfed me in a hug. I let myself sink in his embrace. Every time his arms tighten around my shoulders, I also tightens my hold around his torso. After a minute of hugging dad, I slowly pulled back and grinned. He smiles before ruffling my head. "Now, go and hug your mother."
My head lowers before facing my mom. "Mom... I-"
"I missed you, my little boy." She whispered in my ears. I gulped, slowly lifting my arms. Her arms tightens around my torso. I flinch, hesitating to wrap my arms around her. Her words, still echoing in my mind.
"I hate this. I'm tired of pretending. It's exhausting."
"I'm also tired but I love him too..."
"He should've been the one who's gone!"
"I also loved him but all I feel now is hollowness."
"I miss her."
"I miss her too but..."
"But he's not our true-"
"Don't say that!"
"I'm just telling the truth!"
I cleared my throat before suddenly pulling away. The unwanted heat ignited in my chest after hearing those words in my head. I hate feeling this way. I hate that apart of me is reluctant to forgive my parents. I hate that a large part of me hates them.
My eyes caught Clare, looking at me with a strange expression. I averted my eyes, pushing my hands in my pocket. I don't want to see the look of disappointment in her eyes. I just settled on looking at the floor.
"So... why did you come here exactly?" I asked. They both look at each other before looking at Clare. Clare averted her eyes.
"Clare?"
"I-"
"Son, is it wrong to visit our own boy?" Dad sternly asked. I glanced at him. he's hiding something.
"I just missed my son..." Mom added. I stared at her with a thoughtful look.
"I hate this. I'm tired of pretending. It's exhausting."
"He should've been the one who's gone!"
"I also loved him but all I feel now is hollowness."
"I miss her."
"I'm just telling the truth!"
No. You don't consider me as your son so stop calling me your little boy. Stop looking at me like you genuinely missed me. I'm not the one who you misses. My blank stare quickly turned into a glare.
"Adrien?" Her voice brought me to reality. I jolt at her confused stare.
I turn around to avoid their confused and questioning eyes. I grabbed Clare's arm until she reaches the door. "Adrien, you're hurting me."
I gulp at her words and removed my hold on her arm. "Clare, a lot has happened in the week that you're gone. Please, do not do things on your own next time without telling me, especially if it involves my family."
"But, I just wanted to help you see them. I saw loneliness flash in your eyes sometimes. So... I persuaded them to visit."
"And it took you a week to persuade them?" I paused. So, they have to be persuaded for a week to see their adoptive son after not seeing him for a whole year? I scoffed. She takes a step back at the change of my demeanor, but I just ignored her. "Clare, leave."
"But-!" I gave her a glare before pointing at the door. She purses her lips and slammed the door at her way out.
"Mom, Dad, please tell me why you're really hear." I said as soon as I reached the couch. Slowly, I slumped at the sofa across them.
"Where is Clare?" Mom ask, looking at the direction of the door.
"She left. We need to talk."
"You shouldn't have to make her leave. She-" The deep frown on her face startled me. She soon stopped when dad touched her shoulders before shaking his head.
I cleared my throat, crossing my arms across my chest. "She doesn't need to hear what we're going to talk about. And just to make things clear, she is not and will never be my girlfriend."
She opens her mouth but Dad interrupted her once again. "Divina."
"But Glenn,-"
"To answer your question earlier, we do have something to tell you. I know that there is a high possibility that it might end up in the worst case scenario, you might end up hating us... but I talked to your mother and we decided that it is best that you knew, since you're already at that age."
Dread started to pool at the bottom of my stomach. I feel like I understand what he's talking about. No, I knew it. They are about to tell me that I'm just adopted. My skin quickly became too cold to the touch but tine beads of sweat started forming on my forehead.
Please, don't. I'm not yet ready. Why does things have to come crashing down when everything has been good so far? Why now? Why now that I just have Kane?
Charlie...
I stared back at the grave expression of my father and my squirming mother. When, suddenly, dad's frown vanished and was replaced with loose chuckles.
"Don't worry too much, son." He sighs before pushing his knees to stand. "We will have that talk, but not now. Your mother and I will have to look for a hotel for now, since it's getting dark."
And just like that the tense atmosphere disappears. However, further deepening the dread in my head.
"Wait. For how long are you staying here?" He grinned as he place his arms around my mother's shoulders.
"A week." He shrugged before also wrapping his arms around my shoulders. Then, he pulled both of us together in a hug. With his lowered head and arms around mom and I, he whispered. "I missed this."
In a daze, I followed both of them until we reached the entrance of the apartment. "Why a week?"
"What? Of course, we expect to see how you're doing in a different city without your parents. And, we want to meet your friends. We don't want to see our son associating with the wrong people, are we?" I blankly stared in space at his words.
"We will see you soon, son." Mom smiles with a wave.
Then, they're gone.
Along with my peaceful days.
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