20 Chapter 20

"mmmm" she groans as she lifts her eyelids open and meets the sunlight scorching her heavy eyes.

"Wake up! The sun is out" She strides out of the room after drawing the curtains open exposing her to the sunlight.

"Mom..." She groans and covers her head with the blanket.

She stays under covers for a while and finally kicks the blankets away. She stretches her body and lay facing up the ceiling. She gazes at the wooden pattern of the ceiling and the chandelier lights hanging on the ceiling. She turns her head to face the open door which leads to the balcony. She rolls her body and violently falls to the ground.

"Ouch!" She thought that wouldn't hurt, she was wrong.

She seems to have a flaw of judgement lately. Is she losing her reasoning ability? She sits upright with her legs bend up to her face, she pushes herself up and lazily drags herself to the balcony. She lean against the balcony rail, surprisingly brushed by the cool air. The cool air caressing her sun-exposed warm skin is relaxing. For a moment, she feels like oblivion.

Experiencing the state of nothingness. Nothing matters, her presence is not obsessed with existence but simply being, breathing and allowing yourself to be absorbed by the Universe. She feels herself drifting and getting filled with a warm feeling. It is okay. When you don't hold tightly to something, you allow it to grow freely and simply be. The beauty of love, the beauty of existing.

Being able to be present and try not to be in control of everything but be present to experience everything. It is a beautiful and fulfilling feeling. Is that what they call being at Peace? Is this what her Father tried to tell her during her naming ceremony?

That being a Peacekeeper, it's not an outside job, but a job which you practice daily. You can't apply or practice peacefulness if you are not in peace. She needs to let go and accept her fate with Kyle.

"Amica..." A voice echoed next to her. "You are deep in thoughts, care to share your burden with your father?"

She turns her head to face the tall figure next to her. She smiles pushing her cheeks up and exposing her warm smile.

"Well...I was just appreciating life" She fixate her gaze resting on the verdant surrounding of the house.

"Is life being bothersome to you? " His voice was delicate and luring her to open up.

All she wants now is to breathe and experience the sanity of being still.

"A few minutes ago...but I realised life is never bothersome but it is our minds that turn against us and convince us that life has become a burden and unbearable to live" She pauses and continue to utter more words out of the realisation.

"This is caused by the inability or denial to accept our present circumstances. Because once the heart is invested in thought or act, committed itself, it is hard for our mind to comprehend failure. Our minds are goal centred and the heart is passion centred, with this, it is hard to withstand failure or inability to achieve or get something, which results in pain and regret" She purses her lips and let her gaze wander with the movement of the trees blowing.

"Isn't it unjust?" He asks calmly

"It is just. That's what makes life worth living. That's what makes one strive for something and to live a purposeful life" She turns her gaze and faces her father who is looking at the movement of the trees.

"Do you see what is going on with the trees?" He asks softly sliding his arms in the side pockets of his cardigan.

"Yes" She answers softly

"What is happening?" He asks with curiosity.

"It's moving..." She answers hesitantly

"Which direction?" He continues probing her with questions.

"I don't know, side to side" Now she is becoming baffled and don't understand the intention of these questions.

"That is how life is. There's no exact direction, it tosses us back and forth, side to side, and all we can do is move with it; just like how the tree moves with wind regardless of the direction. We should experience and try not to control because the desire to control results in agitation" He heaves a sigh and turn to walk away.

"Father..." She hails at him softly

"Yes, daughter" He stops and waits for her to talk.

"Thank you" her voice was graceful and soft.

He walks away and leaving her to enjoy her solitude. Her talk with her Father has elevated the heavy heart she has been having for a week now. The whole week she was trying to control everything, her reaction and how she felt about Kyle. She has been going about this in the wrong way. She takes a deep inhale and slowly walks back into her bedroom.

*

She slowly glide into the lounging room and the whole family were lounging on the sofas. She cautiously walked and insert herself in between her sister Bianca and brother Zayn.

"She has finally blessed us with her presence" Zayn swiftly comments.

"The cat has finally dragged out of the bag" Peace teases. She shoots dangerous stares in his direction.

"Are you for real?" She pouts

"For a minute there, we thought we have lost you forever" Zayn comments drawing her into his embrace.

"It depends" She tears a sinister smile. Zayn's heart sank because he knew what she was referring to.

"I think you need a meditation retreat, you need to connect with your inner core" Zayn suggests feeling annoyed by her stance on defending Kyle, even though she is suffering a heartache due to his mindless ways.

"The whole family needs a meditation retreat..." Peace suggests.

"You are right. This is why after the family meeting we had recently we concluded that we will have a meditation retreat then after that do a get together where you are introduced to the allies of the family" Utah's settled next to his wife, utters in a calm voice.

He looks calm with his white hair radiating with pure whiteness. His presence just brings peace to the room. That's his ultimate power, he hopes that his children, like Peace, unravel this power and be able to save lives with it.

"How we should have done this get together before things became messy" Zayn murmurs the words.

"Pardon Zayn" Utah glances in Zayn's direction.

"How we should have done this get together before we met Kyle. It is clear that we don't anyone, and this could lead to mistakes, what if I fall in love with my cousin or auntie by chance" His gaze and hand gestures wander around while raising his point, which is based on true events according to his understanding. Everyone gave him a cold piercing gaze except the parents.

"Okay. But at least now that can be prevented with this gathering we are going to have" Amy counterparts his statement. How dare he try to wake still waters?

"Yah..." He smiles pretentiously.

"This is not an argument. I am not in a state to witness your childish quarrels" He and his wife depart with their mom glancing at them suspiciously.

"You are such a trouble maker" Amy pokes Zayn

"Excuse me for trying to vent, since I am not allowed to avenge your broken heart" Zayn pouts and gaze away to show his defiance.

"I am not heartbroken argh! I am just disappointed. You are such a drama king" Amy frowns her face.

"What are you guys talking about, please catch us up," Bianca asks curiously with her eyes wandering between Zayn and Amy.

"Yeah...a lot seemed to have happened in a short of time when we were away" Sydney agrees with Bianca.

Zayn and Amy keep on quarrelling ignoring Bianca and Sydney's requests. They turn their heads to Peace but he instantly starts fiddling with his phone. They gaze at each other. Something is fishy and they have to follow the smell to find out the truth. Something is going on and it has to do with the words that Zayn said.

They shake their heads, hoping that Zayn has not fallen for a relative or the mysterious allies which they are going to meet after the meditation retreat. There's no chance that Amy is the one causing trouble. But why is Amy's heart broken? This part leaves them dumbfounded. Is she the one perhaps who has fallen for someone and her love was not reciprocated?