The Garden of What Once Was

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO (FLASHBACK)

Both vampires and humans alike have that one person they hold above all others. This person may be their lover, their friend, or even their family. For Casper, it was his sister. The two of them were fraternal twins. Their faces mirrored each other perfectly. From their black hair to their cold blue eyes, everything was the same. People would have not been able to tell them apart if it weren't for the fact that they were different genders. While Casper was born as the boy his parents had always wanted, Amelia was born as the girl his parents never planned for. Though the twins never realized this until they were much older, Amelia was just a side piece to the family. She was forgotten about, left to discover her own way in life. On the other hand, Casper was pampered and treated with the utmost care. He was the golden child, though he was no where near being perfect. Unlike other children, Casper was quiet, constantly keeping to himself. He was completely uninterested in the other kids at his school. The kids eventually realized he was weird, then the other adults began thinking the same thing. Everyone tied the same word to him: odd. The only person who saw Casper's flaws as normal was Amelia. Because of this, Casper found solace in speaking to her. With her, he could talk for hours on end about the latest book he was reading and tell her a joke he overheard his classmate say. All the while, Amelia would silently listen.

Amelia took on the role of the older sibling for Casper, as unlike him, she was outgoing and strong. Everything that Casper wasn't. Despite this, his parents still favored him. They ignored every achievement, every question, and every problem of  Amelia's. The only times that they paid attention to her was when they told her that she could do better. But, when Casper told them he aced a test or completed a new book, praise came flowing from their mouths like water spouting from a broken faucet. Eventually, Amelia saw the dividing line her parents had placed between her and Casper. On one side of the line, stood Casper and her parents, and on the other, she stood, forever detached and isolated. Still, she remained without envy or jealousy toward her brother. All she felt was happiness for him, as at least one of them was loved by their parents.

....

Casper remained oblivious to his parents' favoritism until the day he was signed up to be turned into a vampire by an Elder. While he was surrounded by maids who were busy fixing his shirttails and making sure his tie was perfectly centered, Amelia stood in his doorway. She was wearing overalls with an old white shirt and beat-up Converse. Such attire was most definitely not fit for greeting the Elders.

"Amelia, stop fooling around! This is a big deal. You can't go waltzing into the palace looking like a farmer!" Casper scolded her, unable to walk toward her due to the fact that the maids were holding him in place. "Go change before we have to leave!"

A maid tilted Casper's head toward her as she tried to perfectly comb back Casper's black hair. At that moment, when his eyes were no longer on Amelia, he missed the quick flash of sadness that spread across her face. It flooded into her eyes, making them glisten in the crystal lights lining the room. Her mouth which was curved into a smile at the sight of her brother being fussed over by the maids was now a frown. When Casper turned back to shout at her again, that sad expression disappeared to make way for one of fake annoyance.

"Hey, you're the younger one here! You can't boss me around! I'll wear what I want to wear and those Elders can deal with it. Besides, it's not like those old geezers will have any fashion sense anyway. I bet they are all gonna be decked out in some Victorian-Era attire," She joked to lighten the mood, hoping that Casper wouldn't notice the slight tremble in her vocals.

"You're too stubborn for your own good," Casper sighed, already giving up on trying to make her change since it would be all in vain. "Well, I suppose it doesn't matter. If looking like a farmer makes you happy, then so be it."