Maybe, There is a Happy Ending

Chapter Twenty-Two

Veronica's POV:

Death. We all expect it to happen at some point, but you never feel prepared when it suddenly comes to you. No matter your age or station in your life, coping with death will always be difficult, especially the death of someone so close to you. Like my twin sister, Alilah.

Whoever said that loss gets easier with time was a liar. On that one day, every single year that passes, it still feels like a stabbing pain to the heart. I mean, I have been without my twin sister for seven years today, and it still hurts like she passed away yesterday.

It has been seven years since she was pronounced as 'dead'. Seven years since I last saw her beautiful, identical smile and heard her soothing voice, although the last time I heard her, we were belting out the lyrics to Justin Bieber's song. Damn, I miss her like crazy.

I decided to visit her today, since I haven't done so for two years. It's not that I never wanted to, it's just the New York Cemetery is a weird place.

It's weird how a place can be over crowded with people, so crowded you have to weave through the place to get to your destination. But at the same time, you feel alone. Correction, you are alone.

With a bouquet of pink flowers in my right hand and a poster of the old Justin Bieber in the other hand, I walk through rows and rows of grave stones. I keep walking, not daring to look at any of the strangers' graves, until I eventually reach where my sister is laid.

I kneel in front of the grave, reaching forward and wiping off the thin layer of dust off the silver, marble stone. I then read the sign, the sign I hate reading.

'Alilah (Lila) June Carter

Daughter to Keith and Rose Carter

Twin sister to Veronica May Carter

Fifteenth March 1999 – Twenty-Seventh August 2009'

My hand lingers on Alilah's name, tears brimming my eyes and making my sight blurry. My parents loved the idea of their twins' name having some sort of a connection. Instead of connecting our first names together though, they did our middle names.

May and June. Two months of the year.

"Alilah, my twin." I whisper, the tears slowly falling down my face. The pain was all the same from the last time I was sitting in this spot. I place the flowers beside her tomb and lie the poster right above where her head is, but six feet under.

"I am sorry I haven't seen you for two years, life has been pretty hectic. But today, I will get you updated on everything. Although my life has been hectic, it is not the same without you. I miss you, so much. Mum and Dad do too, they have definitely showed me that." I scoff at the mention of my so-called parents.

I never mentioned anything about Mum and Dad to Lila. Firstly, because anyone nearby could possibly hear me. Secondly, I never had the guts to do so. But today is different. Everyone on this side of New York has possibly heard about my parents, so, it won't be new news to any person nearby.

"Our parents are not the same loving parents, anymore, Lila. When you left us, they started to get abusive towards me. There has been so many nights where I have spent in the hospital, and every time, myself and Mum would lie about what happened. I also started getting bullied at school because of my bruises and shit that was on my body. No one ever bothered to come and have a conversation with me, asking if I was okay."

More tears fall harder as I reminisce my life in high school. All my friends turned into bullies. Those who didn't bully me, gave me pity looks and it sure as hell annoyed me. Teachers never really knew, they just stayed focused on teaching us in classes. I never had a break from not being bullied, both at home and at school.