CHAPTER 01

"Ellie, you cannot do what you want. Because, you still depend on us." Mum scolded. "You should listen to us rather than going anywhere you want without telling us"

She did this a few minutes ago because I just came at seven once after visiting my friend. I knew well that it was late to arrive home, but I still needed to prove to her I'm not a kid anymore.

My brother, Ethan was silent. He wasn't supposed to stay like that in this kind of situation. He should help me.

I stared at him for a moment to give a silent signal to do something and save myself. Within a few seconds, he looked at me before I gave a pouting face to save me.

"Mum, I think you should stop now. She won't do this again," my brother interrupted my mum's continuous yelling. "You have scolded her enough right,"

I mentally thanked him for that. But I saw his eyes saying that my gratitude look was not enough, and he needed to talk to me. I only nodded, like I understood him.

For a mere second, I hoped that the thick atmosphere at the time would be calm. Unfortunately, it was very opposite of what I thought. Because, the way my mum shot a death glare at Ethan gave me a mental notice how hard it could be the next moment.

"You just shut up and wait Ethan, don't you think your sister has forgotten that she's a girl to come this late?" She yelled at him. "You also should give her some rules as her brother to improve her behavior, I'm not happy about her behavior,"

Wait what? Was that the problem?

"Okay, now the problem is my behavior. Why can't you understand me? I can look after myself better than anyone," I retorted. "You know me better, mum, why do you always keep scolding me?"

It upset me since I really didn't like when my mother saw my behavior was not good. I still couldn't understand why she always tells me that when I tried my best to behave well.

"Alright Eleanor, you can live the way you want. But not under my roof," she remarked, crossing her arms over chest.

Okay, now I'm done with this argument.

"I don't want to have my dinner, Good Night," I spat walking away.

My fists and jaws were clenched and my heart stings at the same time. I didn't want to argue more, which would hurt mum. Because I knew my bad temper had treated no one well.

Since I was trying to control my temper, I assumed it was better to stay silent. I entered my bedroom upstairs and closed the door angrily.

"Your anger cannot break my things, Ellie," she yelled again from downstairs.

I didn't care at all; I didn't even want to!

I thought about what was going on, pacing around my bedroom. I couldn't understand why the hell I couldn't live the way I wanted.

I never hesitated to admit that I am very stubborn. However, I knew I could manage my things on my own.

After the demise of my father, I tried to live as an independent woman, but my mum thought I was still a little girl because I was only seventeen. My age wasn't a kid's age, and I thought she should understand it.

A sudden knock against my door caught my attention, snapping to my train of thoughts. But now I really didn't want to talk to anyone.

"Why??? Let me stay alone," I snapped louder, even though I didn't know who the hell was there.

"It's me, dude. Just open the door. I want to talk with you," Ethan spoke from the other side.

The person I admired a lot in my life, and the one I love the most. Honestly, he wasn't an annoying brother at all, like brothers of my friends.

Honestly, his over protectiveness was the only thing that annoyed me, but sometimes I liked it too. Ethan was friendly with me and also very strict when I exceeded the limit.

I quickly opened the door, not letting him wait further.

"Can I come in??" He asked in a serious tone, and I replied nodding.

I closed the door behind me once after he came in. He sat on the edge of the bed, gesturing his hand to sit next to him.

It was like we were really going to have a serious discussion. Most of the time, he came like this for that type of thing.

"So, Ellie, you are crossing the line it seems," He began.

"No, I'm not," I replied, rolling my eyes.

"What mum said was right. You should have limits on some things. I don't think it's good to come alone at night. Am I right??" He asked.

I knew I was just showing off my ego. But I was not an idiot, not to understand that my ego wouldn't help to solve the problems right now.

"But I just want to show that I can look after myself." I said what I honestly felt. "I don't like when I am treated like a little girl."

"I know Ellie, but you could call me even or inform me. Then I could come half of the way to pick you, isn't it??" Ethan explained to me calmly.

"Yeah," I acknowledged, nodding my head.

This was the way I would like to talk about anything. Rather than yelling at each other. Ethan was perfect to handle these types of questions. He knew where he should be calm and be strict.

"Now, please come and have dinner. I know you will get hungry in the middle of the night." He smiled.

"Can't!!!" I refused because of the attitude I gave to mum.

"Okay, I know what is on your mind." He raised his brow. "Shall I bring meals here, then? Because, we have pizza for dinner"

"Uh...mmm.. If you can, please. Thank you very much." I enveloped him with a tight hug, saying the rest to his shoulder. "It means a lot when you talk to me like that. Because, you know I have you only to share everything"

"I know. But don't be a stubborn person always after crossing the limits," He advised before I pulled myself from him to nod my head as I agreed.

After that, He left the room to bring pizza for me.

I was really lucky to have a brother like him. Wasn't it?

I had heard my classmates saying that they have rude brothers who were always kicking them and teasing them all the time. But I got a nice brother. He, too, teased me sometimes. Apart from that, I loved the way he understood me all the time when no one did.

Few minutes passed, and Ethan came back to my room with a large pizza. Both of us sat at my study table to fill our tummies.

While having dinner, he asked about my day, and I explained my times with my friends. I asked the same, and he said that he couldn't go out since he had an assignment to finish.

"So, see you next morning then." Ethan stated as he walked to the door once we finished our dinner with the empty pizza box.

"Yeah, sure bro," I answered, making him halt in the track. He turned around and looked at me with an utter shock.

"Bro?? What the hell happened with the way you talk?" He asked, either angrily or in a way teasing. But I did not know.

"Oops... sorry, brother. Teasing," I winked my eye, reasoning to pretend to be an innocent one, although I knew I wasn't.

"Watch your mouth when using words," he warned. "Good Night Ellie..."

"Good night brother," I smiled.

After he left, I had a shower, before falling asleep. All I could remember is, it only filled my thoughts; 'How to be a good girl' before a tight slumber took me over.

But a sudden knock at my door interrupted it. I forcefully got up rubbing my eyes before walking towards the door, thinking why did Ethan come this time and was he really insane?

I opened the door, sighing heavily. But it wasn't Ethan. Definitely, this is someone else.

He or she, guessing it was him. I observed him while my eyes adjusted to the dark. He was wearing a coal-black cloak, and it covered his head with a hood. I stared at the figure for a moment, not knowing how to react.

Talk or scream? Because I was already frightened.