HER

Part 1

My sister, the precious gem left of my family, just died of cancer.

I think that sentence is enough to explain why I was standing at the cliff battling what angered God so much that he took away the only family l had left.

The wind brushed the tips of my hair to my face as I stood on a mass of rock that rose to seventy feet tall like a wall. Standing with the maple and pine trees all around me at the age of 18 alone doesn't seem so comforting.

The name is Cassy Lavern, sister of Tria Lavern, daughter of Don and Kate Lavern. I drew my blue jacket closer as another gush of air enveloped me into a hug.

I've grown up with people leaving me, and I was okay with that. But Tria, she was the exception. Tria was the last person to leave me in this hell hole. She promised to me in this place, in the Carraga cliff where we used to hang out, away from responsibilities and adulthood, that we would grow old painting, living the life we wanted and seeing each other happy and content with a family of our own.

I thought for once prayer makes a miracle but here, my eyes watered as her burial lay silent in the white marble tomb. It was her last wish. I would build her a simple and delicate gravestone that imprinted her name by an ocean.

I squeezed glumly the Calla lilies and Daisies she loved so much. It defined her. Innocence. Purity. I bought it at Patty's flower shop. They opened at seven and closes at six. Just in time after school time is over, around five-thirty I went by in and asked for a bouquet for her.

"As I told you before, I won't wear anything black and white." I smiled at myself, looking down at the headstone.

I drastically remember when she was in the hospital. She made me promise not to wear white whenever I visit her tomb. I recalled she even hated it because it reminded her of her death and honestly she didn't want me to cry for her. As well as black, she too emphasized that it created this scenario of death, or reaper waiting for her to die.

I wore a green and blue sketcher dress that reached mid-thigh and paired it with sky blue rubber shoes. I laughed at myself as I looked over to the tombstone, "I might look funny to you now but I guess this is what you meant by getting out from my comfort zone."

Tria always told me to be my person. To embrace the inner me and find the peace she wanted me to have when she was gone. Crying by her deathbed, it was difficult for me to accept the things she left me with. Knowing I'm alone now, lost and out of the direction.

I hope wherever she is, she too finds her way.

She was a passionate artist, created intrinsic canvases, and remarkable abstracts. We were a team, we both wanted to have them displayed in a museum when we grew older and attracted tourists with our creation but she broke the promise she made. Not a day goes by, I reminisced her.

"Jump." A voice behind me muttered.

I turned around and saw a guy in a leather jacket with a gray top inside paired with black jeans. He was standing with his motorcycle parked beside him. He leaned and folded his arms. I blinked twice thinking I must had gone insane but when it happened and the guy was still there, I was sure I was caught trying to kill myself. "Excuse me?"

"Jump. Isn't that what you are aiming for?" He rose his eyebrows and gestured to my heels almost at the edge part of the cliff. A move of a muscle then I'll fall. Fall so low, there is no chance to come back up. Of course, I would have done it before but I was... hesitant. I looked back and took a deep breath. I closed my eyes and exhaled.

This is it.

This is where I die.

I'm coming, Tria.

I broke a sigh and took a sharp inhale.

I couldn't do it.

I shook my head, took a step back, and parted my lips about to say something but he beat me to it.

"You couldn't. Huh?" He pressed his other hand on the side of his face, causing him to tilt a little to my direction as if he has done it multiple times. Bluntly watching, staring at my movement, he continued speaking, " If it was Tria, she would have done it a million times and still couldn't get enough of the ocean. "

My brow furrowed. He talks as if he knew Tria. Way before then I do. Yes, she was self-driven, ambitious but not wild, she doesn't do those things without my consent. We are most likely twins. Whatever one did, the other did the same. And I never found her wanting to leap off a cliff. At least from what I thought. I turned over my shoulder and my eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "How did you know her?"

He shrugged, his eyes darted from the gravestone to the ocean. His helmet clinked on the arm of the bike. "I don't. I just passed by and saw her name."

She died a week ago. A week of mourning. Any stranger would find it weird that a tombstone had been buried beside the beautiful scenery of the Hacava Beach with tall pine and maple trees.

I wasn't a suicidal person. Surprisingly, I have never been one before. The idea of jumping off the cliff, slitting wrists, or hanging ropes all over my neck never fancied me. Even pills, the silent keeper of all deaths never charmed me. But when my lovely sister was gone, all it took me was a walk from our beach house and a bouquet to escape life. I've lost my family already, even if I died, no one would care.

"You come here often?" I took several steps backward and left the flowers on top of the cement.

"I may not know her but I think she was a wonderful sister." The guy drew closer to the lampost. I came here late afternoon and the sky is the shade of pink, orange, and red-orange right now, spanning past the horizon hiding in the mountains. He paused for a while and added, "And a mother."

Tria Lavern

(1999-2020)

Loving mother and a sister

Meters away, I could hardly identify his face but when he got closer, his face shone in the light. He was handsome with green eyes, long well-sculpted nose, and a tin line of gorgeous lips. He stared right through me then looked at my rubber shoes. "Nice shoes."

I looked down, my eyes traveling down to where my sky blue rubber shoes. I didn't buy it, I painted it. Technically, the white shoes were Tria's old shoes, and she gave them to me since she could no longer wear them. It looked good with my dress. Suddenly, my thought flew over her and her gorgeous smile. I hope someday, I will be able to move on and accept the fact of her absence. I uneasily shuffled in my footing, "Thanks."

I looked up, my eyes were fixed on such a beautiful person. My heart went hay-wired, pounding back with great force as he momentarily stopped half a meter from me. His hair was disheveled, dropping down to his eyes. His eyes were brown, almost like olive palm orbs. I couldn't say anything with his gaze looking right at me.

All of my senses stirred downward to the pot, ears perked too soon and I bit my lip. "um, can I help you?"

His lip curled up a little at my failed attempt to look cool, I must look nervous as hell. "It'll be night soon. Shall I give you a ride?"

"umm." My eyes scanned at his jet black motorbike and then to his piercing emerald eyes, second-guessing whether this stranger is someone I could trust.At that moment, I didn't know he was someone much more than a stranger.

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This is my second book. :) Pls tell me if there are any grammatical errors and such. I'll be willing to hear some suggestive commentaries and criticisms. I hope you have a good day!