What Is Life? Under Edit

Chapter 1: What is Life? (Edited)

Helloooooo 🤪

Third Person

Heaven often asked herself, what's the point of living when a part of me is gone? Am I just supposed to move on, grow up, get a degree, get married, have children, and then die? Would anyone even remember Miracle in a few years?

People often asked, 'Are you okay, Heaven?' But did they really care? Or were they just checking off a box, fulfilling their social obligation to ask? The emptiness of their concern echoed through her mind, a hollow reminder that she was alone in her grief. The world kept spinning, oblivious to the ache within her. And Heaven wondered, what's the purpose of living if we're just forgotten in the end?

Heaven stared at her home, a place she hadn't entered in over a year. Her parents and she had been travelling the world after her twin sister, Miracle, passed away. Now it was time to return to reality, where her sister no longer existed.

Heaven and Miracle were as close as twins could be; Miracle was outspoken, loud, and loved partying, while Heaven was quiet, shy, and preferred to stay home and read a book. Heaven had always wanted to be more like her sister; she looked up to her a lot.

The first couple of weeks after Miracle's passing, Heaven couldn't bring herself to believe she was really gone. How could she? They had spent their whole lives together since day one, and now Miracle was just... dead. So suddenly.

Heaven's parents and she had separated at the airport; they had to work overseas, and Heaven was practically raised by nannies. Her parents only stopped once in a while. You would think that after Miracle died, they would have made an effort to spend more time at home.

Heaven's cousin, Brian, called out to her as she stood outside her house. "Hey, Butterfly! Welcome home!"

Heaven smiled, hugging him. "Hey, Brian! I've missed you so much!"

"I've missed you too, cuz! It's been too long. How was your trip with your parents?" Brian asked, curious.

"It was okay, I guess. We travelled a lot, but it wasn't the same without Miracle. I kept thinking she was going to pop out of nowhere and surprise me," Heaven said, her voice cracking.

Brian nodded understandingly. "I know, me too. I keep thinking I see her in crowds or hear her laughter in the distance. But we have each other now, and we're going to get through this together."

Over the weekend, Brian and Heaven spent their days shopping, watching movies, and trying out new restaurants. Heaven tried calling Alessandro several times, but he didn't pick up. She tried to brush it off, thinking he was busy, but the ignoring stung.

On Sunday, Brian and Heaven lounged around the house, enjoying a lazy day. Heaven was curled up on the couch, scrolling through her phone. Brian sat next to her, flipping through TV channels.

"Hey, Butterfly, what's wrong?" Brian asked, noticing her concerned expression.

"I've been trying to call Alessandro all weekend, but he's not picking up. I thought we had a connection, but I guess I was wrong," Heaven said, feeling a pang of rejection.

Brian put his arm around her shoulders. "Don't worry, cuz. He's probably just busy with work or something. He'll come around when he realises what he's missing."

Heaven sighed, unsure if she believed that. She had felt a strong connection with Alessandro, and his ignoring her was hurting her more than she cared to admit.

Meanwhile, Alessandro was indeed busy, but not in a way that would justify ignoring Heaven's calls. He was at a meeting with his Mafia associates, discussing their latest business ventures. His phone buzzed in his pocket, and he knew it was Heaven calling again. He felt a pang of guilt but ignored the call, focusing on the task at hand. They were discussing their latest scheme, and Alessandro was trying to focus. But his mind kept wandering to Heaven and her persistent calls. He knew he should answer, but he couldn't. Not yet. Not until he had settled some unfinished business.

He walked out of the room, his phone still buzzing in his pocket. He knew he couldn't avoid her forever, but for now, he just wanted to pretend she didn't exist.

Little did he know, his ignoring Heaven would have consequences he couldn't yet imagine.

On Monday morning, Brian picked out Heaven's outfit, and she got ready for school. As they drove to school, Heaven felt anxious. She didn't think she could do this; pretending to be someone she wasn't, someone fake, to fit in with these people. Brian noticed her distress and held her hand. "Hey, no one will ask you anything, Butterfly. I promise. Just ignore them, and let's be the baddest versions of ourselves," he said, kissing her cheek.

Heaven nodded, biting her lips to stop herself from crying. Brian reapplied her makeup, which had been ruined by her tears. As they stepped out of the car, Heaven could feel the stares of the other students. Brian slid his hand around her waist, pulling her close, and they walked to the main office to get her class schedule.

Later that day, in her Bio-Chemistry class, Heaven opened her notebook and started drawing. She loved to draw and found it calming, especially when she was nervous or overwhelmed. Her pencil moved deftly across the page, creating intricate patterns and shapes. She drew a small garden, complete with tiny flowers, leaves, and a winding path. The details were so fine that they looked like they had been drawn with a pen. She added a small bench in the corner, where a tiny figure sat, lost in thought. The figure had a small crown on its head, and Heaven smiled to herself, thinking of her sister, Miracle. She had always been the queen of their little world.

As she drew, Heaven felt her anxiety slowly fade away. She was so engrossed in her art that she didn't even notice the door opening or the teacher Dr. James walking with Mr. De Luca. It wasn't until Brian whispered, "Heaven, get up, you ass, Mr. De Luca and Dr. James are staring at you," that she looked up, startled, and met the gaze of the man she had spent the previous week with - Alessandro De Luca.

Their eyes locked for a few seconds before Alessandro turned and exited the room, leaving Heaven confused and wondering why he was avoiding her.

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