A SUMMER ROMANCE

5

Annie's POV

I woke up in the evening, feeling heavy headed, hating myself for revealing Stephanie that she is my step sister. I had cried through the night, while sleeping, making me puffy eyed with runny red nose. I looked a mess, I am a MESS. My red hair were plastered on my scalp, thanks to the broken air conditioner.

I made a lemonade for myself and sat in the backyard while waiting for Stephanie to return. I even made myself get up and make her favorite lasagna. It was almost mid night and there was still no sign of Stephanie. I couldn't keep my eyes open anymore, plus I had a job to report to tomorrow, so I went to sleep.

I woke up later than my usual time and left straight to work. I was on a zombie mode, the stress and sadness were evident on my face, even my boss gave me time off, and didn't assign any clients. I was absent minded the whole day. I had no clue. "What if she never comes back?" This question kept circling around my mind, with no answer. I had never felt so helpless, even through the worst of times. I had Stephanie to give me strength, to give me confidence, to find answers. Now she was not there in my life. She had married a disgusting, filthy man and I can do nothing about it. 

After closing the Salon, I went back home to find Stephanie standing outside the gate. She had the keys, why didn't she let herself in as usual. 

"Hey", I said parking.

"Hi", she replied stiffly. 

I knew something was off. I had a sudden wave of nausea, thinking she had come to pick her stuff.

"Why did't you let yourself in?" I asked, opening the door, trying to smile as cheerfully as I could manage.

"Well, I didn't want to get into someone's "PRIVATE PROPERTY"", she replied rolling her eyes.

I knew she is not coming back and it's too late to even try.

"Well, come in".

She went straight to her room. I was waiting downstairs, I reheated the food I had prepared yesterday night. Hoping she would join me for dinner and we could just talk and reach a solution.

I heard the footsteps and a suitcase been dragged.

My heart was racing, I really was not prepared, though I knew it was coming.

She had packed her stuff and she had her favorite album of our pictures in her hand. She had made the album in her craft class and stuck all our photos in a beautiful flowing way, with side notes for each picture. It was her favorite. 

She threw the album at my feet, "It's fake, fake memories, fake relations. You are fake. You are not my real sister, you are my STEP SISTER. Step anything, mom, dad SISTER, are cruel and evil. That's what you are. Good riddance. Hope to never see you again. Don't ever contact me. We are done. You are no more my family, you are nothing." Saying she stormed out of the house.

I just stood there, shook to the core. My heart broke into million pieces. The only thing real in my life, left, calling me fake. I loved her so much. She was my world, strength, everything. I was left all alone. The only aim, goal, I had in life was to see her succeed in life. I had nothing more to look forward to. Why should I get up in the morning? I woke up to provide for Stephanie, to see her off to school. I went to work, so that I could save for her college, for her life. Why should I earn now?

Broken and lost, I went to bed.

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After-note:

It's the heartbreak that makes or breaks a person. Whenever you are pushed down, it's up to you to get up or just stay down. The world never knows what happened. It will never experience the pain. They will either laugh at your face or behind you, call you names, point all your blind spots and how they saw it coming, while you were oblivious to everything, trying to live your fairy-tale. If you just stay there and let yourself fade away, they will move on the next about break person. But if you stand back, you might or might not gain their respect. But you will be stronger and happier. The scars are what makes you, "YOU". Never let anyone shame you for having scars or making terrible life altering mistakes. If you hadn't made those mistakes you wouldn't be YOU.