𝐷𝑒𝑓𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 ✔️

#46

Aesira.

There I stood, staring at my reflection in disgust. The long white dress hugged my body tightly, too tight. My face looked drained, dark puffy bags covered my under eyes and my lips were pale and chapped. I hated myself more than I have ever before. I was nowhere near attractive in this state. Why would Jace even stare twice my way?

My tangled hair was getting suffocated by a stretched-out elastic that struggled to keep every annoying tangled strand in. Seeing myself in this state made me want to cry.

Athena sat down looking up at me. She shared the same features as me. All life in her face was drained. There was not a single emotion she held. It broke me more to see that.

"Do you like it?" I said brushing it down. My voice cracked. I hated every moment of this but wanted her to know I wasn't affected. I didn't need her worrying about me even more. She shook her head.

"Not one bit," she said in disgust. She directed her to stare at the dress I wore and rolled her eyes. All the niceness she had before left. Athena was cold. She barely spoke and when she did it would be something rude directed to one of the many men that came into our small room.

My hand slowly ran across my empty chest. I wished that I had kept my necklace. No one was coming for us. Damon was gone, and so was that necklace. Athena still had her ring. Occasionally she would slide it along her fingers when she was anxious. Other than that she wouldn't show any bit of nervousness.

The door creaked open, a sound I grew to hate. Behind me, in the reflection, I saw Jace slowly step into the room with a satisfied smile. I looked away from his face before I did something I regretted.

"And why aren't you wearing your dress?" his arms crossed firmly around his chest. Athena slowly turned her head towards him as if it was double the weight.

"Because I don't want to," she said annoyed. I prayed that she wouldn't say something that she would get punished for. The punishments got worse as the days went by. They enjoyed every moment of torture they threw our way.

"You and Aesira just switched personalities didn't you" he laughed and took a step towards her skinny body. She tensed and looked away. "Would you like me to put it on for you?"

"No need, I'll help her," I said walking towards the both of them. Jace looked at me and narrowed his eyes. I took in a shaky breath and walked in between them.

He only nodded and stalked out of the room. My mind went to the horrible things I knew he might have planned for later today. I looked at Athena and sighed. "Can you please just try it on?" I whispered.

"This is bullshit, we didn't do anything to deserve this! We have to do all this for what? Just so Dad can get his stupid money! It's his fault he's broke not ours! He wasted the money after mom died! He gambled his life away! He chose to rape us! We were innocent kids! And now we have to wear these stupid dresses and you have to get married? Make it make sense. And now you're just gonna go along with it?" She stood up fuming. Athena had exploded.

"You think I want to be in this situation? -that I want to get married to a psychopath who killed the person I love?" I took a step closer to her in anger. I could see her start to tremble. "I'm doing this so we live... the only way we can get out of this alive is if we play by their rules. Win at their own game" my voice lowered.

"Well maybe I don't wanna make it out of here, have you ever thought about that?" My heart shattered. Tears started to fall but anger still laced her voice.

A part of me was glad she still had her emotions intact but the other part hated the idea of her giving up.

"Athena..." I whispered and took a step towards her. She raised her hands and took a step back.