Live, Laugh, Love [COMPLETE/PUBLISHED]

Chapter 1

When I see the quote 'Live, Laugh, Love,' I constantly want to burst out laughing. Why would I want to love anyone when they leave? Why would I want to laugh when I'm not happy? Why would I want to live?

Every single day of my life is my own personal hell. I have never met my coworkers at work. I have met my boss once, and that was for my interview. I don't really remember my parents or any of my family. After my parents left, no one ever reached out to find me. I know that I have grandparents somewhere. Maybe an aunt and uncle.

I'm getting off track. I guess in my search to be normal that led me to the office of Rose Harper.

"So, Ophelia, tell me what brings you here today?"

"Well..."

About a week ago...

I submitted another data request for review so I can actually do my job. That is not how I really wanted to spend my day.

Waiting.

I'm just lucky that my boss allows me to work from home. It's for the sake of my mental health. Let me make one thing clear here, I can be around people, but I don't want to be, because then I'm more likely to become attached to them. People leave, it is how my life goes.

Anyways, I open Instagram and I start scrolling through and I notice that I have a message waiting to be accepted. I open it and all it says is 'Hi.' Weird. I look at the username and it is Lockhart_Inc.

Lockhart?

I accept the request, without a second thought, and I reply 'Hi' back.

Another message appears on screen: I think I'm your sister.

Hold on. What?

I reply back with: I don't have any family.

It's the truth. Although, it is possible.

My phone pings with another message: What about your parents? Do you know them?

They left me when I was 10, haven't seen them since. The bigger question that I have for myself is why am I telling this random woman all this stuff.

Wait, how old are you?

I'm 25, I reply with. Still, why am I telling her this?

I'm 14 years old. She's over 10 years younger than me. It's possible that she is my sister.

My parents are Jennifer and Christian Lockhart.

It can't be a coincidence that our parents share the same names.

What is your name? I ask.

Daphne.

Daphne, no offense, but I don't even know if I can trust you. I have never wondered about who my family is or where they are because I don't want to get attached. People around me always leave and I don't want that to happen to me again.

I wouldn't leave you.

You are a minor. If your parents find out, I could get in serious trouble.

Please, let me just meet you. Once and that would be enough.

I don't know.

Please.

Okay, fine. I will let you know when.

Present day...

And that is how I ended up here. She doesn't deserve to meet someone who is a mental mess. To be fair, I'm tired of being petrified of becoming attached to people. I am tired of it.

"...Everything."

"What do you mean by everything?" Rose Harper asks. How do I even answer that? I look at her for help and she becomes my savior.

"How about instead you just tell me about yourself. What is going on in your life and all that?" She asks putting her hands on her lap.

"Um, well, you know my name, Ophelia. I used to go by Lia, but I haven't heard anyone call me that in 15 years. I was raised in foster care since I was 10. My parents decided to stop being parents and left one day. Um, I went to college for business, but I took online classes and rarely left my apartment. I work for Coleman & Co. I don't go into their offices, though. I have no friends. Uh, it turns out I have a sister. She's 14. She messaged me telling me that she is my sister or at least she thinks so. I didn't want to meet her, but she's only 14. She deserves to have someone like an older sister in her life because that is all I wanted in foster care." I stop myself from talking more.

"I'm sorry, I'm rambling," I whisper.

"It's okay, I think we can stop with that for now. Are you comfortable talking about what brought you here now?" She asks calmly. I nod my head and I pull on my sleeves.

"Have you heard of philophobia?" I ask.

"Why don't you tell me about it," she says, writing something down.

"Um, it is the fear of falling in love or becoming emotionally attached to someone. Not like a normal fear, but an 'I'm going to die' type of fear."

"Why do you think that describes you?"

"Because everyone leaves and every time they do it breaks me more and more until there is nothing left. I'm barely hanging on by a thread." Before Rose responds, she glances at the clock and notices that our time is up. This was an hour, wow. It felt like 10 minutes. To be fair, I did just sit and stare at her for a while and then rambled for what seemed like forever. She opens the door for me and I grab my bag and I leave. On my way out, I drop my phone and I bend down to pick up but I bump heads with someone.

"I'm sorry," we both say. I met his chocolate brown eyes. The moment our eyes lock a fire is lit inside of me.

I don't even know him and I have a feeling that he is going to change everything.