Substitute Bride

Chapter 1

Chapter 1 - The Beginning of Three Fates

 

 

We walked along the pavement of the sidewalk, the sun shining bright against our eyes. The city was crowded as always, people moving in and out of  large crowds. My eyes moved from person to person until they finally landed on Ivan. To me, he stood out the most. He was tall, built and handsome. My eyes had a habit of following him, even with a room packed of hundreds of people, I could always pick him out from the rest. 

We kept walking until we finally reached our destination, the jewelry shop. Like a gentlemen, Ivan opened the door for me and I quickly rushed inside. We were greeted by a shop owner who shook both our hands before pulling out a small turquoise colored box from the display self. Ivan carefully opened it up to reveal a pair of beautiful wedding rings. I gasped, it was perfect. The diamond encrusted ring was beautiful, especially with the vintage detailing on the sides. I smiled up at Ivan and he smiled back.

" So, how do you like it Eliza? Not too shabby right?" Ivan peered down to see my excited expression.

"Oh Ivan, its absolutely beautiful!" I squealed, giving him another beaming smile.

"That's great. Thank you so much for coming with me to pick this up."

"No problem."

Ivan thanked the clerk and the clerk gave me a warm smile before telling me.

"You fiancee is very beautiful, I am very happy to be able to make this ring for her." I blushed, and I looked up to see Ivan red just like me. We said good-bye to the clerk and exited from the shop. We looked at each other awkwardly and the whole trip home was silent. As we walked I noticed Ivan's hands brush against mine. I wanted to hold them and interlock fingers together, but I couldn't.

I didn't so much as dare.

"Do you think Anna will like the rings?" Ivan asked me, suddenly breaking the silence. I stared at him for a long time before replying.

"Of course she will. She is your fiancee after all." these words that came out of my mouth sounded stale and bitter.

"Your right, I guess I should have more confidence in myself. I just cant wait until we get married. Anna will become my wife and my childhood best friend will become my sister-in-law. Isn't that great, the three of us can become a family?"

"Yeah, great..." my voice quivered. A huge lump in my throat reminded me of  the tears threatening to unleash.

That's right, Ivan and my twin sister Anna are getting married.  Not me, but Anna.

The three of us have been friends since we were little, we did everything together. Our houses were really close and we even went to the same schools. During middle school, I began developing feelings for Ivan. Usually, Ivan and I were together more since Anna had gotten popular and made her own set of friends. I tried really hard to make Ivan notice me; I went to all his soccer games, helped him on his homework and played video games with him on the weekends. Everything he did I supported him one hundred percent of the time.  It wasn't until high school that our friendship began to fall. I remember we were having lunch outside and Ivan just flat out told me that he love Anna.

My heart was crushed.

I stared at him, I didn't cry, nor did I yell. Instead I smiled and told him that I was happy for him.

That was the biggest mistake of my life. Not only did Ivan confess his feeling for Anna, but they started dating. Now Anna was the one who went to his soccer games, now Anna was the one who helped him on his homework, now Anna was the one who was together with Ivan. Till this day, I have never said a word to him about my feelings.

Not a word.

As we reached the end of the street, I turned to Ivan and told him good-bye. He just waved and thanked me for accompanying him on the trip. I turned my back towards him and started crossing the road to get to my apartment on the other side. It wasn't until Ivan called my name that I noticed a car coming right at me. I froze like a deer in head lights.

I was going to die. This was it.

Everything was happening so fast and before you know it-

BAM.....

I was laying on the floor, bruises all over my arms. When I got up I noticed broken pieces of glass and metal on the ground. I looked to my side and saw a body sprawled up on the floor. I gasped.

It was not me who got hit my the car, but Ivan.

He was hit by a car trying to protect me. This cannot be happening!

I knelt down next to Ivan. His body was all crippled and blood was splattered everywhere.  His clothes were torn and his eyes were shut. The Ivan I once known was gone, I could barley recognize the person in front of me.

I touched his face. I ran my fingers through his hair, then to his chest. 

"Ivan..." I whispered.

No reply

"Ivan!" this time I screamed it. When I didn't get a response I began to violently shake his body,  screaming his name over and over again. Tears ran through my eyes and all the emotions that I kept bottled up inside unleashed. There I was, in the middle of the road bawling my eyes out while holding Ivan's motionless body.

Next thing I knew, Ivan's body was being transferred in an ambulance and I tagged along. When we reached the hospital, Ivan was quickly taken into emergency surgery and I waited out in the lobby. The next few hours were a blur.

All I could remember from then on was Anna coming in, sobbing. I remember her falling down to her knees and just falling apart. This was the first time I saw her like this. Anna, the girl who was always known for being happy, was broken beyond repair.

I hugged her and cried along. I wrapped her in my arms and cradled her. I told her I was sorry, I just kept repeating it while she dripped tears on my shoulder.

For the first time in our lives we both had something in common, we were crying because the person we loved was dying.

And it was all my fault...