Princess Charming (gxg)

Part 22

As August started to come to a close, I was really thinking about what I wanted to do with my life. Did I want to try to find another job? Did I want to go back to school?

I was leaning toward school. Considering I now had...a source of income.

In the past couple of weeks I was making money with Hallie. When I would see her- we would post photos together. And they got sexier and sexier each time we posted.

She would send me the money we would make through Venmo- however, we would simply put a heart or a smiley face or words like "coffee" and "sushi" to make it look non-suspicious to anyone else we knew using Venmo.

It was a dirty little secret. But it was providing me income. And I got a certain thrill as Hallie and I would take the photos together. It also seemed to bring us closer- as we would often fuck after we took the photos. It got us riled up.

The last Friday in August, I started thinking about what I should do for Hallie's birthday, which was September 5th. (A/N: That's my birthday in real life haha) I was in the kitchen, eating some cereal and thinking about what I would do. Would she want to go to a bar? She was going to be turning 21, and I knew she had never been to one. Or should I do something special for her otherwise?

"You look lost in thought." Cora said, coming into the kitchen. This was her last Friday off before school started for her.

"I am." I said, "I'm trying to decide what I should do for Hallie's birthday on September 5th."

Cora leaned her elbows on the kitchen counter across from me. "Well...what are the options you have in mind?"

"I was thinking I could take her to a bar because she's turning 21. But I also was considering just doing something nice for her like taking her to dinner and having a night in." I said.

"Why not all three?" Cora suggested, "You two can go somewhere for dinner. Then you can go to a bar after, and then have a night in. What if you got a hotel room?"

Hotel room. That sounds nice.

"That's a great idea, Cora." I said, "I'll plan a night for us. It'll be fun."

"I hope you don't mind me asking...but can you afford it now that you're not working?" Cora said hesitantly, "If you need any help...Felix and I would be happy to."

"I appreciate it a lot." I said, "But I'll be okay. I have some money saved."

That's a lie.

"Okay." Cora said, "I figured I would ask."

She then smiled at me.

"Why are you smiling at me all goofy?" I asked her.

"I'm happy for you, Alina." Cora said, "It's been a long time since I've seen you look...okay with life."

"You know, I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop." I said to Cora, "I always feel like when things are going well- something bad will happen."

"I get that. That's anxiety." Cora said, "But Alina...you've had it rough your whole life. And not to say there won't be other rough times. But you've had it tough from your childhood up until adulthood. You grew up with terrible, abusive parents. Then...you know. Your marriage. Your first year of college was very hard. You deserve to be happy."

I felt myself getting choked up. I couldn't help it.

"You've been through a lot for someone newly 23." Cora said, "And from what you've told me, Hallie has gone through a lot mentally as well."

"She has." I said, "She's very strong."

"She seems like she is." Cora said, "But Alina...you're a warrior. And no matter what life throws at you, you can take it."

Cora then walked around the counter and gave me a hug.

I am not usually a hugger- but I held onto her.

"My parents are so fucking stupid." I said to her, wiping at my eyes.

"Agreed. But how so this time?" Cora looked at me.

"They won't talk to Felix because of the color of your skin. But you are such a lovely person, Cora. They're missing out on knowing you."

"That's on them." Cora said, "They're racists and homophobes. Along with your sister."

Anytime someone mentions Maria, I automatically feel a thousand pound weight on my shoulders.

Because I can't help but miss her.

When I went back up to my bedroom, I couldn't help myself- I went on Facebook and looked up my sister- Maria Koval.

Every so often I will look her up. Even though she probably has no interest in me or my life- she has made that clear- I can't help but wonder what she is up to. If she is okay.

My heart dropped when I saw her new profile picture. She was next to a man who I recognized from some of her other photos. He was tan with dark hair, and taller than her. She was smiling, holding up her hand- and on her ring finger was a diamond.

She was engaged. And I didn't even know to who.

I looked at my older sister. She looked beautiful, as always. She was smiling wide, and her shiny chocolate brown hair was lightly curled. Her brown eyes looked happy.

Does she ever think of me?

When we were younger, she would always talk about getting married one day and having children of her own.

I could only hope that she wouldn't parent them like our parents- but I now seriously doubted that.

As I stared at the photo of my sister, I felt how I always did. A mixture of sadness and pure anger. Sadness because I missed her. Anger because she didn't accept me. She was just like my parents. She was a homophobe and a racist.

Yet I somehow longed for her. I think for the person I wished she was- and not who she actually had turned into.

After staring at her for a moment longer, I closed my laptop and sat on my bed, staring at nothing in particular.

I wished I could be more like Felix. Of course I couldn't know what the thought 100% of the time, but he cut off Maria, his twin sister, like it was absolutely nothing. I did as well, but it still hurt.

Refocus. Think about Hallie's birthday. What are you going to do for her?

I wanted to make sure it was special for her. Like me, I knew that Hallie didn't care about birthdays. She told me that she never really had friends to celebrate it with.

Which made me sad, always.

She was the sweetest person that I had ever met. It was almost as if she didn't have a mean bone in her body.

I always remember what I told myself when I first met her-

She's misunderstood.

Well, maybe I'm a little misunderstood too. That's why we go together so well.

I decided to plan a whole evening for her, as she deserved it. I chose a place that we could go for dinner. We could then go to some gay bars nearby- I figured we would feel the most comfortable there. And then I booked a hotel that that we could stay at for the night.

I knew that she was going to be grateful. I honestly wondered if anyone in her life had done anything for her like this before.

Because it seemed like no one did.

It was like we were two lost, lonely souls.

Who somehow found each other.