Paper Doll

Chapter One | Grace

"You have to breathe, Grace. Breathe. You'll get through this. I won't leave you."

           At least there's Percy. He wouldn't leave me like what my twin sister did. If she even left me. She never called. She never left any trace. I didn't know where to find her. She had gone missing for two months now. I wondered if she would ever come back. I knew that our parents' death was traumatizing for her. Hell, it's even traumatizing for me. I'd been the one who had to take all the bullets for her just so she could be happy and have a normal life. But now... where was she? Where had she gone?

         "Grace, are you okay now?" Percy asked, peering down at me.

          He was a blur in my sight. I reached out for his face, touched him on the cheek to feel if he was real. I felt the worry through my fingertips. He was real.

          "I'm okay now," I told him. I sat up slowly. "But Leigh... we still can't find her. It's been two months already." Tears settled in my eyes. I couldn't shed another batch of tears anymore. I felt so weak already. Couldn't she sense that I was in pain? Twins could always feel that, right? When the other one was in pain or in danger or just simply happy? They were connected. How come my sister wasn't feeling that? How come she was still out there somewhere, masking everything like nothing was happening?

          Percy cupped my cheeks, forcing me to stare into his beautiful blue eyes. It was like the color of Leigh's. Only, Percy's were a dark shade of blue. The scar above his left eyebrow was still visible. I wouldn't forget that day he tried to cut my hair. Because of nervousness, I pushed the scissors just in time when separated the pair and it hit him on his left eyebrow.

         "I'm not going to leave you until we find your sister. You understand me?" he said. I nodded. He smiled. "I'll stay the night here if you want," he offered. That same glint in his eyes... I saw that. I saw that before.

         "Please stay," I mumbled.

          He kissed me on the forehead. "I won't leave you. I promise." He pulled me in a hug, rocking both of us back and forth. I felt my eyes became heavier by the minute.

░  ▒ ░

I woke up from a smell of coffee. Dark. Freshly brewed. Just like what Percy always like. I smiled, stretching my arms and legs. I remembered that Percy stayed the night. Where did he sleep?

          I checked my phone and I saw a note beside it.

                    Good morning, Grace. – P.

          Percy knew when to make my mornings a good one. And he had a perfect timing for that.

          I got the note and slipped it on my drawer, making sure that it's neatly folded alongside with the other notes he left me before. He was a sweet guy that's why Leigh and I loved his company. I got out of bed and went downstairs.

         The sound of seventies or eighties music came into my field of hearing. My smile grew bigger. He was such an old soul. For a guy who was only seventeen, it was impressing that he liked classic music.

         He spotted me just below the staircase. "Good morning, Grace. I'm sure you are hungry. So I made you French toast. No need to thank me. I know my skills are worthy of your tummy. You'll feel wonderful after eating them," he told me with a bow.

         I chuckled as we both made our way to the kitchen. The French toasts were almost burned. It still looked edible though...

         "Thank you, P," I said.

          "I'm just going to take the newspaper by the door. Tell me what you think of that when I get back." He kissed me on the top of my head.

           I felt giggly. Was Percy my type of guy? Definitely. I'd known him for two months only but it felt like forever. It's like we're meant to cross our paths. I sighed. Yes, he was new here two months ago, just like the time my sister had gone missing.

          "Hey, look at this." He placed the newspaper on top of the countertop. A picture of Leigh had made it to the missing people page. There were a lot of missing people on it but Leigh's photo was the biggest.

          "Who made that?" I asked, still staring.

          "Oh, this?" He pointed to Leigh's photo. "I wasn't sure who gave that photo. Aren't you the one who did?" I shook my head, not leaving my eyes to Leigh's photo. She was smiling in it. Her blue eyes dazzled with the sunlight

          "No, I don't give that one."

         "Well at least they got a nice photo of her." Then he sighed. I wondered what that sigh meant.

          "Alright," he exclaimed, putting down the newspaper. "I have things to do. I'll be back after lunch. Is there anything you want me to bring?"

          I shook my head. "Just get back here right away."

          "I will." He kissed me on the forehead. For once, I thought he'd kissed me on the lips. "I'll see you." And he was walking out.

           I watched him go. I wondered what would've happened two months ago if he hadn't transferred here.

Here is my Nanowrimo novel 2015. I decided to (finally) start posting this story. This is the first draft so please bear with it. If you like the story, please do leave some comments below and tell me what you think.

Thank you!