By Chance | Book One |

Chapter Fifty Eight

River

Six years ago

December twenty seventh

Ivy knocked on my half open door as I turned off my tv. "Riv? Can you make me your hot chocolate?"

"Now?"

"Please! You weren't doing anything anyway. And you're hanging out with me soon anyway."

"I suppose. Who else?"

"Just me! I got everything out."

I grabbed my sweater and slipped it on as I followed her down to the kitchen where she had everything out like she had said.

I grabbed her cup and started it as she got on the chair. "I wanna go play in the new treehouse."

I lifted my head and noticed the sun starting to go down. "Maybe we can go out after."

It had stopped raining and snowing earlier. Though there would be some ice now.

Her face lit up just before I slid the drink over to her. "I'll ask mom and dad."

Instead of staying, she followed me with her mug wrapped between her hands. Ivy and I were never far apart. It was hard to split us up, we did nearly everything together.

"Where are they?" She asked.

"Nursery?" I assumed as we trailed down the hall, taking a right.

We found the white door to the baby pink and white nursery opened and my father putting together the crib while my mom rubbed her baby bump.

She said she was five months, and our baby sister would be here in three to four months.
We were excited, especially Ivy. She had always wanted a little sister.

"Daddy!" Ivy put her mug on the floor near the door and ran to our father.

He set down whatever he had been doing and wrapped his arms around her before offering an arm to me.

I went over to them, joining their hug.

"What are you two up to?"

"Can we play outside in the new treehouse? Please?" I asked.

Our parents exchanged glances before my mom nodded. "Get your brother or wait for us to play outside."

We nodded and started getting on our snow stuff as we waited for Ryder. As two excited eleven year olds, we could hardly wait. So when Ryder took too long, we decided to go outside and wait for him.

And then we decided to go play in the treehouse and wait for him.

I helped Ivy up the slippery, icy stairs before following after her.

She sat on the red couch that was against the wall in the treehouse.

"I can't wait for our birthday." Ivy grinned. "We're going to be twelve, River. We're that much closer to high school."

I sat on the carpet and nodded. "Em said you guys are going to try out for cheer together."

"We are. I'm excited."

Ivy would make a good cheerleader in the future, she was kind and considerate. She would treat the whole treat fair and work as hard as she could to benefit them.

"You'll make it, I know it."

"You're going to be a football star."

Football camp started this summer, meaning her and I would be away from each other for two weeks. We didn't do much without each other. We had the same friends and similar interests, we were always together.

"I just saw Ryder's lights turn off." She nodded to the window. "Should we go back in?"

"Maybe." I nodded. "Careful on the stairs, hold my hand."

She opened the door and she carefully took a step before grabbing my hand.

"Hold to my hand, Iv."

She gripped it as the back door of the house slid open. She took another step down the stairs, but her foot slipped and she let go of my hand to try to break her fall.

I tried my very best to grab her hold back, to hold on to it tighter. But I couldn't even stop her in time.

She slipped, causing the back of her head to smash against the hard railing before she fell forward, her head hitting the ice.

I tried to catch her, to not let her fall or slip as she screamed in terror until the first hit.

My parents rushed down and I hardly remembered anything. I sat on the ground, holding Ivy to me as my parents tried to pry her from my arms.

My whole world shattered because I wanted to go play outside. My heart felt crushed, and unrepairable.

Everything was fuzzy, unreal. My face was stacked with tears that never seemed to end.

That night I lost both of my sisters. Only their empty rooms were left. One with memories that would freeze, one we never got to fill.