Midnight Sky | Sam Thomas

Chapter 1: Stacey's Video and Stephanie's Defense

Everything was going fine - until Stacey came home in tears.

Stephanie was working on an English essay on her laptop when her sister, Stacey, suddenly came in - slamming the front door with the tears streaming down her cheeks as she ran into her room.

This immediately caused Stephanie to worry, leaving her document, she ran to her sister's room and gently knocked on the door - hearing the small sobs from inside,

"Stace, do you want to talk about it?"

"No!" Came her sister's answer, "Leave me alone!"

Stephanie decided to abide by her sister's wishes, and opted to talk to her once she'd calm down.

She sat down at the kitchen table, continuing to work on her essay.

She suddenly received a message from her friend:

Isn't this your sister?

Furrowing her brows and her worry increasing, Stephanie clicked on the file that her friend had sent her and a small gasp left her lips as she watched it.

The video featured Stacey lying on the ground, slightly shaking as a crowd gathered around her.

Her heart dropped as she realized what was happening - Stacey's blood sugar dropped, she was having an attack and no one was helping her.

Stephanie immediately abandoned her homework and went towards the door of her sister's room.

She was about to storm into the room and demand the names and addresses of every single person present in the video so she can go give them a piece of their mind.

But, her anger bubbled away when she opened the door and saw Stacey sitting in the corner, her knees pulled up to her chest as she sobbed. Majority of her things were strewn across the room.

Honestly, Stephanie wished that she was the one diagnosed with diabetes - because it broke her heart to see her little sister like this.

Vulnerable. Betrayed. Hurt.

She gently closed the door behind her, kneeling down next to Stacey and pulled her into a hug while she sobbed quietly.

"I hate them." Stacey said in between sobs, "I hate them all. And Lanie - how could she do this to me?"

Stephanie rubbed her back in a comforting manner, "The ones who we trust the most are the ones who stab us behind our backs. Besides, if Lanie was really your best friend - she would've stuck with you in not only the good time, but also the bad ones."

"I hate her!" Stacey sobbed, "She betrayed me!"

"Let it all out." Stephanie encouraged, "I'm here now."

--

Stacey had fallen asleep, probably feeling too emotionally exhausted.

Once Stephanie had tucked her in, she tiptoed out of the door and shut the door gently behind her.

"Is she okay?" Their mum, who had just gotten back from work, asked.

Stephanie nodded, "She fell asleep from all the crying. She really had a tough day."

Her mum took a wine glass from the cupboard and a bottle from the refrigerator and poured herself a glass of red wine.

Stephanie jokingly raised a brow at her mother, suppressing a small smile.

"What?" Her mother asked with an innocent tone and a small smile, "I had a rough day too."

Stephanie laughed, opting for a cup of iced coffee, "I guess we all had one."