Zephaniah

Darkness engulfed me, so did the slight panicky feeling. The covers felt strange against my skin, itchy, rougher than my own and the smell of them not familiar. My free hand tried to pet his soft hairs as he slept beside my bed- but he wasn't here. I looked up, I didn't know who would be sleeping above me, but I guess it didn't matter to me.

My eyes flickered through the room, I didn't feel safe, but I was exhausted. I didn't want to sleep in the same room as them, but I had no choice. Perhaps, sleeping early did have its benefits- I didn't have to face them now.

Rolling onto my stomach, I rested my cheek on the thin pillow, my left hand underneath my cheek, the right one resting underneath my body. My eyes closed, but my mind was cautious, therefore woke me right before the moments I thought slumber would take over. I didn't exactly know what I was afraid of- other than that I wasn't surrounded by either my parents or Cooper right now.

Probably, the fact that I was sharing my room with the boys I didn't really like. I wondered if they would do something to me, I just felt anxious. Or maybe about the fact that when I would get an epileptic seizure- no one would be there to help me out.

Every unfamiliar sound blustered through my ears, I blinked my eyes faster because of that. The country sounded different- I wasn't sure it made sense. I tried to focus on something else, tried to settle on the noises Haven was making.

It sounded like she was still placing her clothes into the closet. I didn't want to do that- I wanted to keep them in my own suitcase. Haven coughed, sneezed and fidgeted with the zipper of her suitcase- I recognized the noise because it had been the only thing I had done during the ride towards University this morning.

Swallowing, I stared at the wall that was hung full with decorations, the same blue and white tiles they had downstairs, a few posters of Amsterdam and some decoration plants. I felt anxious still, my lips moved before I knew. "Have?" I called out, taking a deep breath.

"Yeah?" I heard, the walls still separating us.

"Good night." I lowered my voice, I wasn't sure if she had heard.

"Good night, Zeph." She said softly, her familiar, sweet voice soothing my anxious heart. I fell asleep.

"Hey! Hey, autistic sloth!" A rough movement jolted me awake, my heart beating fast immediately, though, I kept lying in the position I was currently in. "Your alarm has been going off for ages, it's seven am, dude." Luke growled, dropping my phone onto the floor as he pressed it off. I flinched at the noise, swallowing as I stared at the wall, my back turned towards him.

I felt my back aching, he had most likely pushed me there. Rubbing my tired eyes, I thought he had left me alone when he didn't say anything anymore- but he hadn't.

"Are you going to say anything?" Luke huffed, tugging at my arms as he rolled me around, so I was facing him. "We wanted to sleep in, yet you woke us all with that stupid alarm. Anxiety much? Seven am, dude, seven am. They're serving breakfast in an hour. You need hours to get ready?" A few profanities left his mouth, while Louis glared at me. I glanced at them, somehow shutting off completely. I didn't know what to say, didn't know what to do. I had had that ever since I was little and came into a situation I didn't know how to handle.

"Listen," Luke slapped his hands onto my shoulders, pulling me up- almost making me fall out of the bed. It hurt, I was feeling extremely sensitive at this moment so I flinched away, but he didn't stop. "We hated that we had to share our room with you too, but that doesn't mean that you have to pester us on purpose. Got that? Next time that alarm goes off again, I'll smash that screen and I'm serious."

Pester on purpose?

"Luke, let the boy wake up. It's too early for this." Abel muttered, the bed moving and creaking as he turned around. He slept above me, it seemed.

Luke scoffed. "The harsh way, like he woke us. He gets everything his way at home too, Tara says. I ain't letting it happen here with us too. He's got to learn someday, right." He murmured, but I heard it well. I wondered what Tara meant with it, I didn't really understand. Luke seemed mad, it was my fault.

I watched him as he dragged himself upon the upper bed of the bunkbed he shared with Louis, the middle finger he showed me, making me look away quickly. Deciding to get out of bed, I collected my clothes and left them, walking over to the bathroom.

Taking off my shorts and sleep sweatshirt, I traded my underwear for a fresh one, slipping on my denim trousers after that. I rolled my tongue around my mouth as I applied deodorant underneath my armpits, the coldness shivering me. Quickly slipping a white and dark blue striped sweater over my head, I washed my face with my hands after that. I didn't like combing my hair, so I simply ran my fingers through it until it looked somewhat decent.

Spraying some cologne on my neck, the one Dad had given me for my eighteenth birthday, I flapped my hands for a brief moment when the tiny, somewhat soft, splatters fell onto my hand. Despite it being soft, it felt cold and strange. Staring through the mirror, I briefly looked at myself, sighing a little.

Perhaps, they were right. I was done getting ready, where did I have to go now? Unlocking my phone, I checked the time, seeing it was twenty past seven.

Suddenly, I heard the cats meowing, probably asking for food. Leaving our area, I silently made my way over to the living room, making sure no one was there first before entering fully. Both the cats walked over to me, I smiled lightly, petting them. The long haired, grey, cat was definitely a Maine Coon, the other one was grey as well, or well- more like British blue, was a British Shorthair.

The Maine Coon licked me, while the British Shorthair rubbed her head against my knee. I followed them into the kitchen, where I saw their empty bowls. Luna was written on the first two bowls, Maan on the other one. I didn't know what it meant.

They kept meowing, I blinked my eyes a little faster, they were extremely loud for their creatures being, especially in the early morning. What if they woke other people up? It would be my fault again. They were hungry, and needed food. I looked around me, searching for it. Opening a few cabinets, I saw glasses, plates and bowls, but no cat food.

"What are you doing?" Somebody hissed, my heart dropping at the sudden, unexpected voice. I glanced at the silhouette, it was Norah.

I blinked my eyes at her, pointing at the bowls. "Uhm, they wanted food."

"So you're just going to snoop through somebody else's house to find it?" Norah frowned, shaking her head. "That's not how it works, Zephaniah."

I frowned a little, I wasn't snooping. The cats were waking other people because of me and they were hungry. I didn't want to starve them so the best solution was to feed them. Why was that wrong? Finally stepping out of a comfort zone of being too hesitant and not doing anything at all, it took me years as a kid yet when I did it- it was still wrong; I simply couldn't understand it.

"You don't get it, do you?" Norah asked, her voice softer. I glanced at her, my blinking eyes returning to the, still hungry, cats. Suddenly, Nina entered the kitchen, I gulped a little, Norah had made me feel as if I had done something that wasn't allowed to.

"Is there a problem?" Nina asked, making me glance at her for a split second. Her eyes stood warm, her voice was soft, she wasn't mad.

"He was snooping through your house." Norah frowned, making my heart skip a beat.

"No, no!" I exclaimed, recovering quickly after that, even when my sensitivity made my eyes glisten. "I- they were hungry, I wanted to feed them, is all."

"He was just looking for the food." Haven's voice made me look up, her presence made me feel extremely relieved. I unconsciously scooted a little closer to her, lightly flapping my hands. I hid them for Nina, for Norah, but Haven whispered that it was okay, so I didn't hide them from her.

Nina nodded her head, opening a drawer underneath the kitchen sink that I had missed. "It's in here, love. If you want to feed them in the mornings that's more than okay, really. Usually we fill the bowls with dry foods, and besides that they can have a small plate with chicken meat, which is these canned foods."

I blinked my eyes faster, I was confused. Wasn't she mad? I did something wrong, wasn't it a consequence?

"Do you want me to write it down for you?" Nina asked, already retrieving a pen and notebook. I simply nodded, quickly though, not wanting to stop her now she already took the effort to grab the pen and notebook. I felt slightly uncomfortable, like a bother. "I'll lay it here, on the counter, that alright? We'll be serving your breakfast soon, guys."

"Thank you." I stammered, now I was hesitant, grabbing the food out of the drawer now that she was standing here. Once she left, I slowly opened it, taking the food out. The cats both meowed louder, the Maine Coon digging her nails in my trousers as she climbed up. "Oh, patience."

Haven chuckled, I felt her eyes lingering on me. "They love you."

"They love the food." My eyes squinted as I laughed a little. I struggled a little with the big bag, chunks falling out the bowl rather than inside. It made me frown, I disliked the mess.

"Let me help you." Haven said simply, holding up the bowls for me.

"Thank you." I said quietly, glancing at her. She wore grey jeans with a slightly oversized ochre sweatshirt. Her socks were black and white striped, I was walking barefoot, as always. I liked her clothes- she wore my favourite colour, I liked her hair. It looked wavier than normally, therefore it hung just above her shoulders, while on other days it touched them lightly.

"I braided my hair last night. Do you like it? I guess it looks fuller this way, if you know what I mean." She smiled at me, her always rosy cheeks seeming soft. I stared at the tiny freckle on her right cheekbone, nodding a little. I was distracted, the bowls were overflowing with food.

Blinking my eyes, I quickly held up the bag, trying to pick up some and stuff it back inside. I was tired, I tended to stare more when I was feeling that way. "We're going to van Gogh, right?" I asked, even when I had read the program for today more than ten times already. Confirmation made me feel more at ease.

"Right, Zeph. Are you looking forward to it? I surely know I am! Hopefully Starry Night will be there still, cliche, but don't we all like a bit of clicheness? Not sure if that's a word, but you get what I mean." Haven laughed, remaining silent after that as she glanced at me.

I hummed, missing Cooper as I stared at the eating cats. "What's Maan?" I wondered, looking up at Haven as I was still crouched down.

"Means moon in Dutch, why?" Haven asked curiously, playing with a silver bracelet she wore around her wrist.

I pointed at the food bowl. "Maan. She's called Luna. Doesn't make sense, does it?"

Haven furrowed her eyebrows, her lips pouting. "Well.. it is a different language, so basically it's a different name, but then at the same time, it is the same name but a different language.." she hesitated, the two of us briefly making eye contact. "You know what? It doesn't."

We both laughed.

~~~

Do you think Luke has a reason why he acts the way he does?

Zaven?

The next chapter is one I love sooo much. Stay tuned!!

Thank you all for the birthday wishes I got yesterday!! Feeling very thankful for God for another year I have gotten. I'm 20 now, I feel so strange haha!

Let me know your thoughts on this chapter ❤️ every single vote, comment, feedback is much appreciated. X H