My Light Named Violet

Chapter One

My eyes watered, my heart cried out for her, my lungs heaved, my hands were covered in ash.
A heartbeat drummed in my ears, I held my hand to my chest.. It wasn't mine. The drum was beating slower and slower by the minute. The roaring blaze of the fire stung my eyes, causing tears to escape them.
"Nicole, please!" I sobbed, "please come back!"
The heartbeat was getting even slower.. I couldn't let this happen! "Nicole!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, my hands closed into fists. My nails were digging into my palms, but it didn't hurt as much as my heart.
The beat stopped.
A cold shiver ran along my spine, my eyes were filled with tears. "Nicole, no.." I cried, dropping to my knees as I stared at the burning house. I gave a cough which silenced my sobs for a few seconds before they continued on.
I heard the sound of a siren pull up behind me, two firefighters grabbed my arms as I tried my hardest to fight them. "Nicole! Get her out of there! Stop worrying about me!" I screamed, still pulling away from them.
"Sweetie, calm down." One of them, a young woman, demanded. "We're helping you while others get into the house." She said.
"How can you be so calm?" I demanded, "my sister is trapped in that burning fucking building!" I yelled before dropping to my knees again. I just sobbed, my body didn't want to move. Even then, it couldn't.
Two men rushed from my house. The one I'd grown up in.. The one we celebrated our birthdays in.. The home mom lived in.
"There are no survivors," one reported.
My sobs became longer and more painful. I couldn't control them anymore, all I did was hug my sides. Nicole.. please don't leave me...
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.
I gave a grumble, swatting my hand around on my bedside table. My eyes were barely opened, yet they still burned with the familiar feeling of drowsiness.
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.
"Shut up and turn off you retard!" I growled, my voice raising a little too much as I kicked the sheets off myself. My hands itched and pleaded to take the clock and slam it into the wall, the satisfaction of watching the annoying device shatter into a million pieces felt like a perfect way to start off my day. Yet, I heaved a sigh, shut it off, and walked off.
I exited my bedroom, walking down the hall as I glanced at the empty room. The emptiness in my heart only seemed to increase as I shook my head and continued to walk to the bathroom. My hands, I noticed, had closed into fists. I began to lazily do my morning routine. It was simple. Not like some grand, pretty girl's routine. Brush teeth, take shower, get dressed, spray cologne, prepare for hell, eat breakfast, avoid step-mom, descend to hell.
Seeing as I finished step one, I began to undress, staring at myself in the mirror with a deepened frown. The natural hue of my orange hair was revealing again. Orange and black weren't the best colours to go together in a hairstyle. I shrugged it off, if Emma could go a whole month with her brown roots showing I could last a day. I grit my teeth, Emma was one of my main torturers. She was a complete bitch, I don't know why I can't just smack her and do everyone a favour. As I continued to stare at my roots, my brown eyes were quickly welling with tears.
Not long after, they began to trickle down my cheeks as I let out an uncontrollable sob. Why am I crying? Why am I crying? Stop, you're not some big baby! I screamed at myself, wiping the tears away with a sniffle.
I couldn't bear seeing myself in the mirror any longer, so I turned and blasted the hot water on. It came shooting from the shower head, the noise filling up the room and quickly fogging up my mirror.

I wrapped the towel around my waist after drying off, stopping at the foggy mirror as I looked into it. I used to love writing clever notes to my sister with the fog. She'd usually slap me for them, though. I cracked a slight, painful smile before exiting the bathroom and entering the hallway.
My stepmother was walking down the hallway, she looked me up and down with a raised eyebrow and smirk before brushing past me. A cold shiver ran up my spine as I quickly locked myself in my room. I hated her with all my heart. Scowling at myself, I continued getting ready for the absolute torture session known as high school. I rummaged through my clothing drawers, finding a black hoodie and dark jeans to wear. I thought they were good. I placed them on top of my dresser as a painfully familiar voice sounded from behind me.
"Hey, hey!" It said loudly. "Keep that towel on, I don't want to see that!" A bubble of laughter followed the sentence.
Not again.
I turned around, seeing my twin sister lying on my bed. Her orange hair was done up in a perfect high ponytail and her jade green eyes sparkled with her amazing personality that everyone knew.
Tears threatened to escape from my eyes as I stared at her, "Nicki, I'm trying to get ready for school. Not now, please."
"Why're you going to school?" She asked quizzically. "It's Sunday!" She showed me her phone, the date did indeed read Sunday. Sunday, January 14th, 2018. The worst day of my life. The day I regretted most.
I bit my lip harshly, trying my hardest to keep the tears in my eyes. "You say that every time I see you.." I said hoarsely.
A notification popped up on her phone, causing her to quickly pull it away and read the message. Her smile turned into a frown, I'd always been curious why.
"I'll leave you alone now," she mumbled, still looking down at the phone. "Have fun at Sunday school."
A painful look of sadness washed over my face as I rejected the tears that were close to running down my face again. I turned around, slipping on my clothes as I braced myself to head downstairs, grab breakfast, and run before my stepmother could talk to me.
I exited my room, shutting my light off and shutting the door. I jogged down the stairs, looking at my dad who was cooking eggs on the stove.
"Hey kiddo," he said, focusing on the eggs. "Want some? I can make you scrambled eggs? An omelet?"
I shook my head, "do you have my toast ready?" I asked.
He frowned. "It was worth a shot, I guess," he said with a lighthearted chuckle. "On the counter," he added after I gave him an unimpressed stare.
"Thanks," I muttered, grabbing the toast and my backpack before getting the fuck out of there.
A sour voice that sent terrifying images into my head sounded from behind me- a voice that was getting close. "Goodbye, Nicholas. Have fun at school." My stepmother said, brushing her hand from my cheek to my shoulder and down my stomach.
"Yeah, sure." I said, opening the door and quickly squirming away from her grip. My jaw clenched together painfully as I headed to my car and unlocked the door.
I ducked into the driver's seat, slumming my bag into the passenger's seat before I jumped at a yelp.
"What do you think I am?! You're coat-hanger?" The redhead asked.
I stared at her. "Nicki, please not now.." I pleaded. "I just need to get school over with."
"How many times do I have to tell you? It's Sunday!" She exclaimed.
"Sure, can you go ask dad for my coffee? I left it inside," I lied through gritted teeth. I couldn't bear seeing her like this. So happy..
"Gotcha, little brother." She said, opening the car door and walking towards the house. I watched her disappear before opening the door. My head fell forwards to bump into the steering wheel as I began to cry.
Eventually, I pulled myself together and wiped the tears from my eyes. The car began to rev as it turned on, I backed out of the driveway and began driving to literal hell.