the replacement project :: c.h.

nine » monsters and tears

a/n- kind of an intense chapter, but real ideas/issues are addressed in this chapter as well. keep in mind, these are some things people dealing with the same issues as Cara (not trying to spoil) really go through. i think they deserve a lot more respect than they're given, to be honest.

this is kind of a different chapter, it's more so about feelings (hopefully that'll make sense later on in the chapter). although this entire story really is kind of an emotional journey there really won't be any chapters like this one, so if this was kind of a downer-chapter for you then don't worry about it too much ahaha.

alright, i hope you guys enjoy this one.

stay happy,

xbri

-

[ cara ]

"Wake up, skank."

A hand slapped across my right cheek, dragging me right out of my sleep and upright in my bed, breathing hard. I blinked once or twice, rubbing my eyes and placing my hand to my red, stinging cheek. I looked up at the girl in front of me, my heart stopping for a moment. "Elena?"

She rolled her eyes slightly, hands folded across her chest. My lips parted and for a second I'd expected myself to scream, or burst into tears or show some sort of emotion, but I didn't. No words came out of my mouth, not even a breath escaped me. "T-This isn't real. It can't be, I'm-"

Elena squinted at me, and scoffed. This is real. I'm here, okay, I'm standing in front of you, this is happening. This is real.."

I shook my head, sliding off of my bed and walking across the hallway and towards the stairs leading to the kitchen- I needed some ice water. "This is not real. You're missing, we don't know where you are. I'm dreaming, and when I wake up you'll be gone."

The sound of footsteps padding behind me let me know that all my sister was doing was following me down the stairs- my heart started to pick up. Why the hell was she intimidating me? "Wow. You sound like you want me gone, to be honest. You'd probably be happy if I really left forever, wouldn't you?"

"You're not real." I repeated to myself, over and over. Everything about this just seemed wrong, that was how i was able to tell that this couldn't have been real, that this had to be a dream. There was a feeling in my stomach, in my gut. This didn't feel like actuality.

Elena laughed, as if she were trying to lighten the mood and the tension in the room, yet all the sound did was make my palms start to sweat. She sounded angry. And I was for lack of a better word, scared shitless. "Would you or would you not be happy if I were to say, disappear forever?"

I breathed deeply, in and out, as I swung open one of the kitchen cabinets to grab a glass cup for my water. The best, and only thing i could do as of now was go along with the dream, until I woke up. "I don't know what you're trying to say. We're trying to find you. Dad's so insistent on finding you. Everyone is insanely worried about you, Elena, everyone's trying to find you."

"I doubt you were worried." She sauntered up to me, face inches away from mine as I faced the refrigerator, where the water filter was slowly filling my glass. I kept my focus on the water that was slowly beginning to fill to the brim, focusing on trying not to wince. Wake up, Cara, wake up. "I mean, wouldn't it be nice? Having Calum all to yourself? You'd like that, right? You'd like to be Elena Morales for the rest of your life instead of Cara."

My jaw fell open and slack as the glass cup slipped from my hands and crashed against the floor. I winced at the sound, and slowly backed away from the expanding puddle o water on the tiles and the shards of glass dangerously near to my bare feet. I looked up at Elena in shock, seeing that her face was completely void. She looked absolutely emotionless. And it was then that I knew that I was dreaming, that none of this was real- this wasn't my sister I was talking to.