Broken Bonds

Chapter 15

Ariana Romano

The word 'weird' was no enough to describe what happened. Eliz was never the type of girl who would willingly bring me to a shopping mall and claim that it's a sisters' date. We shopped almost the whole mall ever since I returned home from school. Not that I disliked it, but it just felt so weird. 

We finally came to a cafe and took a seat for a short break. I could no longer feel my legs and sitting down never felt so good. Sipping on my iced latte, I glanced over at Eliz, who seemed to be in a daze. 

"Something's wrong." I said. She shook her head and I rolled my eyes at her,"It wasn't a question." She shook her head once more and replied,"I'm planning for our next destination."

I widened my eyes at her words and pleaded,"Holy, please Eliz, no more shopping. My legs will break at this rate." She chuckled at my reaction then suggested,"How about we go to the arcade for some fun? I haven't been there for a long time." I nodded my head at her suggestion, then we finished our drink and headed there.

We returned home with our hands full of plushies, a big toy gun, three figurines, and a bunch of shopping bags. I was beaten out with today's outing and it felt fulfilling. It was tiring but yet my excitement was still bubbling within me. It was our first time going out to have fun as sisters, as twin.

We sat beside each other with our heads rested on the couch and laughed at each other's tired look. This is how happiness should be for Eliz. To smile brightly as if nothing in the world could bring her down. 

And I hope the smile will forever be engraved on her face so she would never have to cry again.

Avery Romano

As I laid beside Bea, a tear trickled down from the corner of my eye and I squeezed my eyes shut tightly, hoping the tears would stop flowing. I was not ready to leave her alone again. 

My phone started vibrating on the nightstand beside my bed and I slowly got off the bed without waking Bea up. Wiping away the tears around my face, I realised that it was a call from Vincenzo. Sniffling slightly, I made sure that I didn't sound like I was crying before I answered the call.

"Hello?"

"Avy! This is Andrea! You didn't text nor call me so here I am." 

"Sorry Andrea, I've been a little busy these days and haven't got the time to text you."

"It's okay! I just want to ask you when will you be free to come over again." I could hear a faint voice which belonged to Vincenzo, asking Andrea to return his phone. The thought of not being able to see both Vincenzo and Andrea again made my nose stung with tears choked up in my throat.

"Andrea, my twin is back. I can introduce the both of you someday as you've asked before." 

"Really? Good for you, Avy! I bet you're really happy! Come over with her when you're free! I'm so bored at home. All right, Avy. I've got to go, my annoying brother is pestering me for his phone. Good night!"

"Good night, Andrea." Her voice left the call and Vincenzo's voice took over,"Avery?"

"Vince." I don't know what came over me but I called him that. 

"Do you remember that time when we secretly sneaked out of the house and went stargazing at a hill that night?"

"Hmm, of course. We got scolded badly when we got back. It's too memorable to forget about it. Do you....want to visit there again?" He asked softly through the line. I could hear my heart thumping softly but quickly with the phone pressed close to my ear.

"Now? It's too late."

"Nothing's too late as long as you want, Avery. I will be there in a minute. Wait for me." He hung up the call and I stared at the blank screen for a good three seconds before I realised what happened. Was he really going to come?

A few minutes later, he called and said,"Come down. I'm here." I looked out of my window and he was really standing there, leaning beside his car. I immediately grabbed my coat and slowly dashed out of the room, hoping not to wake Bea up with all the noise. 

We got into the car and he drove us to the very same hill which we used to stargaze at when we were young. Sitting on the grass patch, Vince sat right beside me, with little space left between us. 

"It looks the same." I smiled slightly as my eyes took in the beautiful stars in the sky. 

"There are brighter stars now, making it look more beautiful than before." He pointed to the bright stars which were shining brightly in the dark sky. We then laid down on the soft grass patch with one of our arm propped behind our heads. 

"Thank you, Vince." I whispered, glancing over at him only to realise that he already had his attention on me. 

"What for?" He asked softly.

"For making things more bearable." I smiled sadly, knowing that all good things will come to an end. His fingers reached out to my face and wiped away tears that I didn't know which flowed down my cheeks. Leaning forward, he pressed his lips on my forehead. He smiled widely,"Then I can't thank you more than enough for appearing in my life."

For once, I felt loved. And it was something that I craved for, for years. It's so unfair that when I finally managed to get it, it was going to be snatched away once again. Do I not deserve to be happy at least once? 

Holding my hand gently, he whispered,"Promise me Avery, that you will stop keeping emotions to yourself. Express it to me, and we will share those emotions together." His words painfully tugged at the hamstring of my heart. I don't want to hurt him. I can't hurt him. 

Tears flowed uncontrollably down my cheeks and he pulled me into a tight embrace. My hands wrapped around him tightly, hoping that I will never let go. Hoping that time will stop moving and we will forever be like that. Hoping that the good thing that happened in my life will not end so fast. 

His hands ran down my hair slowly as he silently listened to my sobbing without a single complain. I don't want to leave him behind. There are so many things that we have yet to do and so many things that I have yet to tell him. 

I have yet to tell him,"I like you."

triple update! okay and that's it for the day because my brain juice is all used up <3 hope that you have enjoyed the 3 chapters that were uploaded for today!

Happy reading! -5/9/2022