Spine of Steel

Chapter Two

Very dramatic and emotional chapter ahead. I know it's only the second chapter but it's important. Credits to @AlizaAhsan for the beautiful cover. You're a wonderful friend in person and through a screen. Go follow her! Onto the chapter.                                                                                                                                                                                     ________________________________________________________________________________

2. Memories

"Alexander!" I giggle as my twin brother tackles me to the ground and begins to tickle me.

***

I laugh as my brother chases me around the backyard, a mischievous grin on his face.

***

I watch as Alexander, my twin brother, my other half, leaves me on the floor and walks out the door with a duffel bag in his hand. Sobs break out of me and I choke on my words, tears falling uncontrollably down my face.

"Please... Don't go..."

***

Memories rush back to me, one after the other. I don't realize that tears are streaming down my face until one reaches my chin and falls onto my top. I look into those green eyes that I once found solace in and now I look into them with rage. I walk toward him, every step holding a different memory. His eyes hold an emotion of sadness and something else that I can't quite comprehend. Then again, I can't really comprehend anything right now. Once I'm in front of him, I swing my arm and my fist makes contact with his face. That's gonna hurt. For both of us. He staggers back, cupping his bloody nose and looks at me with guilt in his eyes. Tears keep streaming down my face as I try to say something.

"You... you left me. Alone. I- Why?" I choke on my words, uncontrollable sobs breaking out of me.

"Lexi-"

"Don't you dare call me that!" I roar. "I waited for 10 years, hoping you would come back. You left me with an alcoholic, abusive, asshole of a father! Left me, taking the only bit of happiness I had left with you!" I scream, feeling the whole room shake with my voice. Footsteps are heard and a mahogany brown haired girl with similar violet eyes as Theodore comes barging in.

"What did you do?" Her voice is a sharp whisper, loud enough for everyone to hear. I don't even realize that I'm trembling on the ground until she comes beside me and hauls me to my feet. She wraps an arm around my waist and leads me to the door. Alexander reaches out for me but I flinch away from his touch, making a look of sadness appear on his oh so similar face. I don't pay any attention to where she's taking me but as long as it's far away from him, I won't complain.

She continuously whispers soothing things in my ear, making my nerves relax. Once I finally compose myself, I notice that we are in a small cabin. I hear the rushing of water outside. Are we next to a lake?

"When did we get here?" I ask her while she walks around the wondrous room. Pine wood shelves, a king size bed, pine wood side tables and dimly lit lights surround us. It's where I would love to go to think.

"A few minutes ago. It took a while to get here though considering we had to take a few stops here and there." She explains and I instantly feel guilty. I don't even know her and she's already helping me.

"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to put you through this." I say, looking down at my hands and begin to play with my nightingale bracelet. Alexander and I had it since we were born. "Where are we, anyway?"

"Don't apologize. I wanted to help you. I could've left you there but I didn't, now did I? We are in a little cabin along a small river." Not a lake but I was close. "Theodore, my brother, whom you've met," Wasn't the best first impression. "Alexander and I know about this place. You don't need to worry about him coming here, though. He won't know that I took you here." She says before putting her hand out. "I haven't introduced myself. I'm Skylar, but you can call me Sky." I instantly take her hand. Knowing that there will be someone here for me makes me feel better than before.

"Alexandra. Everyone calls me Lexi." I give her a warm smile and she returns it. 

"What happened back there?" She asks in a soft whisper. I remember everything that happened in the previous hours. I can't believe I let everyone see me in my most vulnerable state. I'm gonna have to fix that. Soon. 

"Um..." I start but she cuts me off.

"You don't have to if you don't want-" This time, I cut her off.

"No, I want to. I have to let it all out at some point." I give her a small smile before beginning. "Alexander is my twin brother. You may already know that. Ten years ago, something happened. I was only 9 at the time so I didn't know what he was doing. When it happened, I realized he was running away." I take a deep breath before continuing. "I went up to his room one night and found him packing his things. He said he was going away fo a while and that he didn't know when he would come back. He wouldn't tell me where. Wouldn't even let me come with him. I begged him not to leave me with our father but I guess he was determined to go. He was the one thing that kept me sane. And he walked out on me like I meant nothing to him and without so much as a glance back." I stop there, not wanting to talk about the years of abuse and pain that I went through.

I look back up into Skylar's eyes and find tears in the corners of them. I touch my face for a sign of tears but luckily, there are none. She wraps her arms around me and pulls me into a hug. I respond back by wrapping my arms around her. We stay like that for a while in a comfortable silence until she pulls away.

"You ready to go back and show them who's boss?" She asks, earning a small laugh from me. I nod my head.

"You are going to walk in there like the strong woman you are, alright? No on can or will be allowed to hurt you. I will be there by your side, okay?" I nod as she braces her hands on my shoulders. I get up at the same time as her and she holds my hand, walking towards the door. She opens it and we make our way out.

It takes us a good hour to get to the mansion. Yes, mansion. Since I'm wearing the wrong clothes for a walk out, we had to stop a few times to get some leaves or twigs out of my good for nothing slippers.

When we are finally there, we step onto the front porch and Skylar puts one hand on the door knob. She looks at me expectantly and I nod my head. She opens the door and with all the confidence I can muster up, we walk in.

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I hope you guys liked this chapter. I hope it wasn't too short or too dramatic for a second chapter. Leave a comment telling me your thoughts and any questions and I will be sure to try and answer them. 

Have a nice day!

Sincerely, KnightQueenTheAuthor.