She is the one by Asheslove (book recommendations for young adults txt) 📕

'Mom, why didn't you wake me up' I said loudly coming out of my room.

My eyes fall on my brother and I walked to him.

'Hey' 'here is the birthday boy' saying this I lifted him in my arms and kissed his cheeks. 

"Happy birthday little monkey".

'Thank you Eli' he giggled showing his teeth.

'Today I will get a lot of gifts' he said opening his arms in air with action.

'Of course you will, but the thing is how many are you going to share with your big sister' I question from a smile and raised eyebrows. 

This is the most interesting thing about kids, they like to play with you but they don't let you take their toys and share them.

His face dropped but he thinks of something and it again lightens up quickly.

'There...there will be no need to share, we will play together with them. This time you are not going before a week Eli' he replied innocently.

'I am not going anywhere' I said in a low voice as my mind again run back to all the horrible memories of last month but before I could breakdown I composed myself.

I chuckled on his words thinking how smart and cute at the same time he is remembering his answer. If you look at him he can easily mistaken by a three or four years old kid instead of six as of today but when you talk to him he can shock you by his attitude and arrogance sometimes.

I went to our kitchen where mom was preparing things for evening and placed my brother on the kitchen slab.

'Good morning mom, where’s dad' I asked from groggy eyes, walking at her back and kissing her cheek from behind. The morning with my family felt like nothing has happened with me, and I am same as I was a month ago but deep down I know the reality. I can facade it but that doesn't change the truth.

'Morning El, your dad is at bakery there's still some work left from yesterday. He will be back in an hour' she said placing the trey of cookies in the oven.

My brother quietly sneaked a hand full of candies from the box behind and slide them in his pocket swiftly which my mom didn't but I noticed. I smirked looking at him and when he found out that I had seen him he placed his finger on his lips pouting them out telling me to shut mine and not to tell mum. When mother turned to my brother he filled his mouth with biscuits acting like eating them for a long time and started munching with a loud noise.

'Alex, you go play outside, we are coming' saying this she put him down on the floor and he rushed out of the kitchen making me giggle from behind due to his smartness.

Now my mother turned to face me and when she looked at me, I already knew what she had in her mind so before she could speak I speak.

'I am fine mom, it was just a nightmare last night, don't worry'                 

She stared at me, her eyes tender and soft with grave expressions floating on her face showing how many questions she had in her head.

'I know you used to have nightmares El, this is not something new but you know what?' she paused; spasm of worry crossed her face with hint of fear in her almond eyes.

'You were continuously crying and screaming for half an hour in your room. When I and your dad went in, it took us fifteen minutes to wake you up and bring you back in reality. It's been three years since I saw you last struggling in nightmares like this but yesterday the way you were threshing in your sleep it make me remind the horrible days of five years ago'

I kept looking at her not knowing what to say or tell her now, my eyes filled with thousands of emotions, all I once.

She was looking at my face and her eyes once again met with the scare on my head. Her hand came up and I don't know why but my body automatically flinched which she noticed. She frowned with a confusing look on her face and her finger tips softly traced its length.

'You still didn't tell me how you got this; last time when you came you didn’t have any scare on your head. We have a lot to talk about El' she whispered staring warmly in my eyes.

I went in my room, took the bath and looked at my image in mirror. Strangely I didn't saw blood on myself this time. There were fading marks of his fingerprints on my waist, hickey and bruises on my breasts, stomach, chest and neck which was hidden earlier in makeup. I slightly gazed my finger tips on that marks and sucked a deep breath thinking about the time he gave me after he killed Simon in front of my eyes.

 Tears coursed down my cheeks freely and I closed my eyes shut but they came anyway. As more tears came, more thoughts whirled through my head.

Even though, I had arrived back but the fear of him won't settle down in me. After spending one month with him, his fear somehow seeped in my veins like some kind of disease and threatens not to leave me any time soon but I tried to pacify myself telling again and again that everything is fine now.

The all day went happily and cheerfully celebrating Alex birthday. We went to amusement park with all his friends. I tried to hold everything in me because my tears were just ready to flow at any second feeling the freedom and having my family back. We cut the cake in the evening singing the birthday song and after that in night I and Alex burst all the remaining balloons together. We opened the gifts and I played with him until he got tired and fall asleep.

After tucking him in his bed, I came in our balcony to weep all my sorrows and fear away in form of tears. I closed my eyes embracing this silence and freedom which was taken away from me forcefully. 

I have to forget about him and everything which happened, I had threw every memory of him. All the memories of last month rushed in my head in slow motion from the day he kidnapped me and lonely tears fall down my chin followed by my silent sobs.

Suddenly a hand came on my shoulder and I flinched jumping out from my position. When I looked up it were mom and dad standing their holding concern for me and I relaxed composing myself?