Through the Screen

Chapter 93

heartbreaks were of two kinds.

the first where your heart collapses within itself , when you can't do anything for the person you love,

when you have to helplessly see them breaking apart right in front of your eyes, when your fingers try

to numb themselves so they stop itching to comfort the person. this kind of heartbreak was something

abel was familiar with, somehow chaining the pieces of his heart together because he was getting the

hang of how to deal with it.

the second one however, was completely uncalled for, a blatant, harsh contrast to the previous one.

here noah was, laughing and giggling and genuinely seeming happy inspite of whatever that had

happened in the previous hours in this very apartment. he's bubbling with the same energy, wrinkles

appearing occasionally and unabashedly next to his eyes, and his laughter accompanies that of the

other two members who seem to be engaged in a conversation.

abel is not a part of their conversation, he doesn't want to be. he's too confused and too tired and too

hurt by the fact that this whatever there is between him and noah has stopped bothering noah. of

course, he doesn't want noah to be hurting, that is the last thing he wants, but seeing him so unaffected

by the whole scenario is bringing another storm inside abel 's head.

he watches patiently as noah talks, moves, eats, drinks, laughs—it seems too natural, too normal, too

like his heart hasn't been broken at all. the glow abel had been desperate to see on noah's cheeks is

there, the stars in his eyes are shining bright, and his smile is something that is still lighting up a

thousand galaxies, but somehow, abel doesn't like that.

he can't explain to himself why he can't stand noah being happy without sounding like a complete

asshole, so he avoids the topic. he lets the confusion pile into his chaotic head, saturated panic

dripping from his fingers and sadness forming in his eyes making them even dimmer than they

previously were.

"i'm really tired, we should probably have dinner now and go to sleep," kathryn suggests, a yawn

breaking past her lips as she leans on noah's shoulder, an adoring smile on his lips. he had really

missed his family, he wished his dad was here too, and martyn.

"how do you expect me to sleep when it's christmas tomorrow?!" adrian almost screams, his eyes

bright and glimmering, and his cheeks holding a certain colour that only christmas can bring about. abel

smiles, despite of the ache in his chest. he loves adrian too much.

"calm down child," kathryn rolls her eyes and adrian mirrors her expression before flopping back

against the soft material of the couch.

"will anyone stay up with me or is it gonna be a lonely christmas for me at the young age of thirteen?"

adrian pouts dramatically and the other three roll their eyes before two of them answer simultaneously.

"okay,"

"i will,"

and then watery blue eyes seep straight into the warm brown soil, nourishing it and cutting through it all

at once, and abel looks away quickly, his cheeks heating and he curls his body more towards himself.

"good then, all three of you can do christmassy stuff like a happy family, and i'll just take the biggest

bed in the house," kathryn stretches her arms above her head and despite of the most awkward

tension in the room, adrian sputters a few giggles at the statement.

"you can take my bed it's really comfy," adrian offers and kathryn just smiles at him.

"what a gentleman," she pinches his cheeks briefly and he blushes, pushing her hand away and giving

her a dimpled smile.

"you know it, i bring back chivalry,"

"abel stop being a lazy bum, and go help noah in setting up the dinner!" kathryn poked his arm, and the

previously lost look on his face was replaced with wide eyes and pale cheeks. she really didn't mean it

when she said he was being lazy, she knew that something had happened between them and it had

been several hours since she's even seen them look at each other willingly, so the only thing she could

do was force them together and make them talk about it—there isn't much to lose anyway.

"bit hypocritical nan, when you're also being a bum," adrian looked up at her from her lap, her fingers

tugging at his hair playfully as a response to his cheeky remark.

"i'm a guest, i'll be the biggest bum," kathryn says and adrian giggles softly, burying his face in her lap

and snorting.

"that's a sentence i never want to hear again," adrian says and kathryn just rolls her eyes at him, urging

abel to go and help once again. she watches as he audibly gulps, licking over his cracked lips and

fiddling with his hair before slowly getting off from the carpeted floor and making his way outside the

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"do you think it's gonna work?" adrian mumbled softly, looking up at kathryn with a sheen of hope

covering his irises, and the older woman just smiled comfortingly and pressed a kiss to his forehead.

"don't worry,"