𝘾𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙢𝙚 || 𝙏𝙖𝙚𝙝𝙮𝙪𝙣𝙜

Prologue

I couldn't believe it – my very best friend lay lifeless in my cousin's lap. It was as if the whole world had shattered right before my eyes. I was frozen in place, my heart heavy, and my eyes fixated on the chilling sight of blood. Amidst the chaos, the desperate cries of people echoed around me, and the echoes of the blast continued to ring in my ears. Was this really the end for her? Was this how loved ones, those you hold dear and admire, depart from your life so abruptly? My tears flowed uncontrollably.

In that fragile moment, a figure caught my attention from the corner of my eye. Slowly, almost imperceptibly, it shifted from lying on its back to a sitting position. The atmosphere stood still, no one daring to move, no one noticing her efforts to rise. My brow furrowed as my blurred gaze remained fixed on her. With a hesitant pause, she turned, and my breath caught in my throat. My heart raced, its beats pounding like a drum. Her face was smeared with blood and dirt, but what truly captivated me were her striking, sorrowful ocean-blue eyes. Initially, I questioned my senses, doubting if this vision was real. Yet, her gaze met mine, and I found myself breathless, the world around us fading away. Her eyes held a mixture of confusion and vulnerability.

For a fleeting moment, a sharp pang pierced my chest, a sensation of something tightening within me. Then, before my eyes, her expression transformed. The uncertainty dissolved, replaced by a storm of fury and fear. She moved with purpose, rushing to the side of my fallen cousin. I followed her every step, witnessing her stumble but press on relentlessly. She sat beside him, her lips moving in an urgent conversation. The rest of us held back, unsure and apprehensive, unable to match her courage. Despite the danger and the pain she undoubtedly felt, she stood firm, unyielding like an unbreakable wall of ice. Fear seemed alien to her, replaced by an unshakable determination. There she stood, resolutely protecting the injured girl.

The sound of my own heartbeat thundered in my ears, a symphony of racing emotions threatening to consume me. It was as if her magnetic presence had entrapped my very being. In that instant, it was as if my heart had slipped from my control. And then, a realization dawned upon me – this remarkable, fierce figure was the sister of my best friend, and in that intense moment, she seized possession of my heart.