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"Well, well, well, if it isn't Alyssa's favorite frenemy."
He stood in the center of the dimly lit room, surrounded by colorful decorations that screamed "1D" in every corner. He had gone all out to throw this 1D-themed party for Alyssa, with the help of Neil and Skye, hoping to lift her spirits after her devastating loss in the important competition. As he nervously adjusted his hair, he couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and apprehension.
They made a bet that if Alyssa won, he'd throw her a party. He had just found out that she was a big fan of the boyband and teased her for being one of the other million girls drooling over the five boys. She was annoyed at him for fooling around. So even after she lost, he wanted to throw the party, not to embarrass her but to lift her spirits. She was one of the best candidates and only lost by two points. He knew he was going out of his way to organize the party which was not at all needed.
A familiar voice broke through the chatter and Arthur turned to find Aurora making her way towards him. She had just returned home for her summer break. With a twinkle in her eyes, she made her way over to him, causing heads to turn as she strutted through the crowd.
"Ah, the ever-charming Aurora. Are you here to cause trouble or just to torment me?" Arthur raised a playful eye at her.
Aurora chimed, her voice filled with mischievous sarcasm. "Oh, definitely the latter. I'll let Alyssa cause all the trouble."
"I must say, this party is quite an unexpected gesture. Are you trying to impress my sister or just trying to outdo her in some twisted competition?"
Arthur shook his head smiling. "It's neither, Aurora. Alyssa deserved a celebration after everything she put into that competition. Plus, who can resist a 1D-themed extravaganza?"
"You know her so well, don't you?" She asked. He nodded. "But why would you, Arth? Why learn so much about a frenemy?"
Arthur's smile faded slightly as he considered Aurora's question. He had never really pondered why he had taken the time to understand Alyssa's likes, dislikes, and dreams. It had simply become second nature to him, despite their initial dislike for each other.
"Well, Aurora, sometimes frenemies make the most intriguing friends. Besides, it's hard not to notice Alyssa's passion and determination. She's unlike anyone I've ever known."
His eyes looked for her in the crowd, she was dancing with her friends to 1D songs. A smile appeared on his lips. Aurora raised an eyebrow, her eyes flickering with curiosity. "Is that so? And why is that, pray tell?"
Arthur smirked, enjoying their banter. "Because she's fiercely competitive, yet she manages to keep her kindness intact. It's an irresistible combination. She's determined, yet she has a gentle and caring side that she does not keep hidden. And... I found myself drawn to her, Aurora. More than I ever expected."
Aurora's eyes widened, a mixture of surprise and satisfaction evident in her features. "Well, well, well, it seems the feelings are mutual then."
Arthur's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Wait, what? First off, there are no such feelings. And How do you know?"
Aurora smirked, enjoying her role as the mischievous sister. "Yeah, you can keep denying that. Also, I may not understand everything about love, but I've seen the way she talks about you. I've never seen Alyssa so... fond of anyone before."
Arthur's heart skipped a beat, his mind racing to recall any instance where Alyssa might have hinted at her feelings. "But she never explicitly said anything."
Aurora chuckled, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Who needs words when actions speak louder? Trust me, Arthur, sometimes it's the unsaid things that carry the most weight."
He stood there, a mix of emotions swirling within him, confused, not about his feelings but about Alyssa's.
"She has this sparkle in her eyes whenever she mentions your name. I've never seen her talk about any guy the way she talks about you."
"Do not misunderstand that sparkle of annoyance into something else, Aurora. We both know her, she has said a hundred times that she'd kill herself if she ever fell for me."
Arthur's voice trailed off, his mind filled with a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. Could it be possible that Alyssa felt something more for him? Could all those moments of bickering and getting to know each other have evolved into something deeper?
Aurora placed a comforting hand on Arthur's arm, her gaze filled with genuine concern. "Arthur, sometimes people say things to protect themselves. Maybe Alyssa is just afraid to admit her true feelings, even to herself. But deep down, I truly believe she cares about you more than she's willing to admit."
Arthur's thoughts raced as memories of their time together flooded his mind. He recalled the late-night conversations, the shared laughter, and the moments when they let their guard down. Perhaps there had been signs, subtle hints that he had missed because he was too focused on their playful rivalry.
Alyssa appeared from behind Aurora, her presence instantly drawing their attention. She had a drink in her hand as she leaned against her sister's arms, a playful smirk playing on her lips.
"Well, well, what do we have here?" Her voice filled with amusement. "Arthur and Aurora, the dynamic duo. Should I be worried that you two are conspiring against me?"
Arthur's heart skipped a beat, feeling a mix of anticipation and nervousness. He took a moment to compose himself, his gaze meeting Alyssa's playful smirk.
"Alyssa, conspiring against you? Why, I would never dream of such a thing," Arthur replied, his voice laced with feigned innocence.
Aurora couldn't help but interject, adding fuel to the fire. "Sweetheart, don't worry. Arthur and I were just discussing how much he adores your impeccable dance moves."
Alyssa raised an eyebrow, a mischievous smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Is that right, Arthur? Admiring my dance moves, are we?"
He shrugged. "What can I say? You have a way of captivating everyone around you."
Alyssa's smile widened, her voice dropping to a sultry tone as she walked next to him. "Is that so, Arthur? Well, maybe I should give you a private performance later. Only if you can handle it, of course."
He lowered his voice only for her to hear. "Will you be able to handle yourself around me?" He whispered in her ear. "We both know how wild you get around me."
She was shocked.
Their gazes locked in a silent game of desire and attraction.
"Well, well, it seems our little party has turned into quite the seductive affair," Aurora chuckled. "But remember children, we're in public, so keep it PG-13."
"Whatever happens, will happen privately. Behind closed doors, Am I right, Meave?"
He knew she hated when he called her with that name.
"I -." She was lost in words. They had this banter every other day, but tonight something was different about Arthur. She knew she was going to kill him for planning a party, but when she arrived here, she found out how hard he had worked on everything. Even if she wanted to, she could not hate him for that.
"Ah, don't you take a step back now, Maeve. We could have fun all night." He winked at her.
"Don't flatter yourself, Arthur. One of us might end up having a boner right here and that definitely will not be me." She composed herself and let out a laugh.
"I must say, your imagination never ceases to amaze me. If I get a hard-on tonight, you'll not walk away without having an orgasm, sweetheart."
"Oh-okay, love birds. Might I remind you to use protection?" Aurora declared. Alyssa gave her an eye.
"No need, Aura. I don't think Arthur's dick can handle me."
He raised a brow at her. Leaning into her, he whispered each word with a certain pause to make her go wild. "My fingers are enough, baby." Then he rested a kiss on her ear. She backed her foot, her heart racing fast.
Neil walked to them and taking his best friend's hand to dance, he dragged her away. As she turned, she found Arthur standing there with a playful grin on his lips as he winked at her.
"Oh god, you both are a delight to watch." Aurora let out a laugh.
He shook his head. "Is this your whole idea of her liking me? We clearly will end up beating the shit out of each other."
"Dude, the whole room could feel the tension between you both. I'm sure you guys will end up in each other's bed." She knew she had to show him the truth. "It's about time you two stop fooling around and admit your feelings."
Arthur smirked, "Oh, I have no doubt we'll end up in each other's bed, but not for the reasons you're insinuating, Aurora. It'll be because we'll be too busy arguing and trying to prove each other wrong."
Aurora rolled her eyes playfully. "You two are so stubborn. But mark my words, there's a fine line between love and hate. And I have a feeling that line is becoming blurrier every day."
They crossed a lot many lines after that night. There was no turning back. Arthur was grateful that Aurora was always on their side, rooting for Alyssa and him. He knew Aurora meant the whole world to Alyssa.
After Aurora's death, Alyssa's world came crashing down. He was by her side but did not know how to handle her. How could he ask her to keep it all together? She had just lost her sister, her world. He knew what impact it left on Alyssa. She was never the same after that night.
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The sun was setting over the serene lake, casting a golden glow on the waters that shimmered in the fading light. Landon stood outside the holiday home, his heart heavy with the weight of the truth he was about to share. He took a deep breath, steadying himself, and turned to face Alyssa, who stood beside him, her expression a mix of curiosity and concern.
Taking a deep breath, Landon reached out and gently squeezed Alyssa's hand, offering her a small, reassuring smile. "It's going to be alright, Ally. I'm here with you," he said softly, trying to ease her anxiety. But he knew nothing would work.
Alyssa nodded, but her grip on his hand tightened. "Why are we here, Landon?"
Landon's heart ached as he looked at Alyssa, her vulnerability tearing at his soul. He had to go through this for the second time. He had to tell her the truth to live the tragic truth again.
He could never forget the day of Aurora's funeral. He lost his elder sister three nights before, but that day during the funeral, he knew his little sister was gone too.
They entered the home and were welcomed by silence. She remembered the house. They used to visit the home every month. Aurora loved this house more than where they currently lived.
He took her by the poolside, the one place in the whole house where she never went alone.
"You and I were here on the night of Aura's birthday." He declared. Her heart started beating fast, she realized there was something he was about to confess.
Alyssa stood there, in need of answers. "On her birthday? What happened - was she not here, was she going to join us, was it an accident?" She begged for answers. "What happened that night, Landon?"
He looked into Alyssa's eyes, filled with desperation and confusion, and knew he had to find the strength to share the heartbreaking truth. There had to be no secrets. There was nothing to hide anymore.
"It wasn't an accident, Ally."
Landon's voice trembled as he uttered those words, the weight of their meaning hanging heavy in the air. Alyssa's eyes widened with a mixture of shock and disbelief, her voice barely a whisper as she struggled to comprehend the truth.
"What - What do you mean?" She was lost in words. "No, please don't say, No, Landon - She would never -"
"Aurora... Aurora took her own life, Alyssa. She... she drowned herself that night."
Alyssa gasped, a hand instinctively flying to her mouth as tears streamed down her face. The world around her seemed to blur as she tried to process the unimaginable. Her legs felt weak, and she sank to her knees, the weight of the truth threatening to crush her.
"No... no, it can't be true," she choked out, her voice quivering with disbelief. "She would never. You know her, Landon. She was the strongest of us three. She would never. You're lying." Her eyes were fixed on the empty pool.
He took out the death certificate. He knew Alyssa had to see it by herself. He wasn't going to hide anything anymore, even if it brought death to his sister. He had been through this once, he wasn't going to let Alyssa suffer alone this time.
Alyssa's trembling hands reached out to take the certificate, her eyes fixated on the words that confirmed the unthinkable. She read the details, her voice trembling with each syllable. "Cause of death: Drowning. "
"It's real, Alyssa," Landon whispered, his voice choked with emotion. "I wish it wasn't true, but we have to face it. Aurora was in so much pain that night, and we didn't even know. We couldn't save her."
"She could never drown, she knew how to swim. This is a lie." She wasn't ready to believe it.
"I understand it's hard to accept, Alyssa. Believe me, I didn't want to believe it either," Landon whispered. "But she was right there -" He pointed at the pool. "She slit her wrist, Ally. So that she could drown. The water -" He took a pause, he could not go through the pain again. Tears rolled down his eyes. "The water turned red. She was right in the middle of the pool."
Her hand flew to her mouth, stifling a gasp of horror. Her eyes locked onto Landon's, searching for any signs of deception, but all she found was raw anguish and truth in his gaze.
"No... no, Landon," she whispered, her voice choked with pain. "You said we were here, so why did we not see her? What did she do?"
"She said she needed some time alone. She wasn't feeling well that day and that was why we brought her here. It was her 21st birthday, Ally. It had to be special." He shut his eyes. Every image from that night played fresh in his mind and his heart ached more than he could ever handle. "She fooled us. Locked us inside while she was out here, in the dark. We both were so busy watching a movie that we did not even bother to go to her."
She felt a pain in her chest. She could only imagine the night and everything that happened. Aurora must've needed them.
"Did she plan it all?" She asked. Where else would've she gotten any object to slit her wrist?
"The investigation said so. The police believed that she had it in her mind to end her life that night. They found an extra blade in her purse."
Landon's voice wavered as he continued, his words heavy with the weight of guilt. "We were so close, Alyssa. We should have known. We should have been there for her, but we failed her."
Alyssa's tears fell freely now, her heart shattered into a million pieces. She couldn't comprehend how her sister had reached such a dark place without them noticing. Aurora was always there for her siblings, at every moment of life. So why did she not reach out once for help? What bothered her? What made her take that step?
"We were oblivious to her pain, Ally. We had no idea what she was going through. She must have hidden it so well. The very morning of her birthday, she looked so cheerful like she was ready to conquer the world. Two days before her birthday, she said she was going to plan a holiday to Bali again with us." Landon stated. "If she had it all planned, why did she plan a future with us?"
"How did we not see her pain?" Alyssa's voice trembled with a mixture of grief, remorse, and anger.
"She left no note behind." He declared. "We don't know why she ended her life. The police took every angle in mind, asked all the questions, investigated everything - but failed to find anything."
"Is that why they closed the investigation?" She asked.
"It's almost two years now. They had no suspect, we had nobody to blame." He declared. "And we were afraid if it continued - you'd find out about her death through someone else."
Her eyes held up on him. "You should've told me, Lan. I've been kept in the dark for all these months. I thought she just... left us. I thought she abandoned us. I blamed her, Landon. I blamed her for not being there when I needed her. But she was already gone." Her voice cracked with a mixture of sorrow and regret.
Landon held Alyssa tightly, his tears mingling with hers. "I'm so sorry, Alyssa. I couldn't bear to break your heart again. Dad did not want to lose his only remaining daughter again. We lost you twice, Ally. You were never the same after Aura's death. For six months, you walked around like a corpse. You stopped going out with your friends, you didn't talk to me and dad. You even stopped seeing Arthur." He declared. "I wanted to protect you, but I see now that we have only caused you more pain. We were all lost without her, and it tore us apart in different ways."
Her mind was filled with memories of Aurora, the times they shared, and the moments they would never have again. The guilt gnawed at her, intertwining with her grief. How many times would Aurora have come to her to talk about her feelings, her emotions. But she remembered nothing now.
"Did she ever come to me? To us?" Alyssa's voice trembled with a mix of anguish and self-blame. "We were her family, her support system. Why did she have to bear it all alone?"
"I wish I had the answers, Alyssa. I wish I could tell you why she didn't reach out to us, why she felt she had to bear it all alone. Maybe she was afraid of burdening us with her pain. Maybe she felt like we wouldn't understand. Or maybe... maybe she just couldn't find the strength to ask for help."
"She was the strongest of us three, we both know it. It must've been something, bad."
"Ally, listen to me - the cops found nothing. Even if there was anything, we will never know now. It's all gone with her."
Her eyes narrowed. "How can you say that, Lan? She is our sister. Do you not want to know what happened with her, to her? Why did she - she -" Alyssa broke down again.
"We tried everything. Two years Ally, two fucking years. But nothing. Dad, me, and you - we three had nothing left but to search for the truth and we failed."
They sat in each other's arms as Landon gave her the space to take it all in. He knew everything was going to be hard, but there were no more secrets, at least not his. He never wanted to keep the truth about Aurora from Alyssa, but she had just woken up, forgetting her life from the last four years. How could he bring that tragedy upon her?
"Wait - but that night, when I asked to talk to Aura, you -" She pulled back when the realization hit her. That night when she was trapped in the pool room and saw blood in Aurora's body, it was never a hallucination, it was all true. Whatever she saw that night, it had already happened in real life. She wasn't imagining it.
"Nina. We had Nina talk to you. We had no other choice. All those emails you received, the postcards - they were all sent by Nina."
She rested her head on his chest. "I'm so sorry, Landon. You had to go through all this. If you'd told me earlier, I would have been there for you. Why did you go through this alone?"
"She used to say - it's Miles and Maeve against the world. So how could I ever bring any harm your way? She's gone, Ally and that's our truth now. I can never lose you." He rested a kiss on her forehead. "After her death, we thought we'd lose you too. You were not yourself, everyone thought if you were - "
"Suicidal, right." She hissed. "I get that now. Everyone's been blaming me, I don't remember anything Lan, but you have to believe me - I'd never attempt Suicide."
"Did she not say the same thing? She loathed people who committed suicide, but in the end - she chose the same path." He whispered. He did not want to blame Aurora, but after she left, he was angered at her, for choosing that path.
"Is that why Arthur -?"
Landon nodded. "When we heard about your accident, people in town started gossiping, making theories that you tried to end your life and that led to the death of Hope as well. They started blaming you, of course, people had their reasons to believe that. Hope's family was not ready to believe that it was an accident. They blamed you because she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. But when you woke up and the world got to know that you lost your memory, that was when they started sympathizing with you. Before that, you were another Aurora for the town. Her younger sister, going on the same path as the elder one."
She shut her eyes. It all made sense now. She never believed she had in herself to commit suicide, but now, she couldn't decide if it was true. What if it was? What if the theories made were true? Did she really try to end her life as well which led to the death of Hope?
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Hi guys,
I hope you all are doing well and good.
It's been more than a year since I last updated. Tbh, I forgot about the book but remembered it every day. I just didn't have the energy to write. A lot has happened in a year. I was mostly sick and invested all my time in reading, instead of writing. But I'm back - with this new chapter that discloses a lot. I was supposed to post this chapter along with the last one but forgot.
Anyway, also - I have a book coming out soon, like a real book, a real deal on Amazon. It is a poetry book with around 100+ poems. I'm super excited and nervous, like more nervous - because of course, the first book and I suck at poetry. It was never my genre, but I don't remember when I started writing poems and compiled more than 100 poems. So, People living in India - you can soon buy the book from Amazon.
I'll update the next chapter very soon. I've kept this one shorter than all of my other chapters - because I had no energy in me to drag it longer. Aurora's death secret is out, Arthur had a dream about Aurora. So it will be abundant.
Also, I'm planning to write a new book - I'm working on it. Let's see if I can give my time to it. I'll tell more about the new book in the next chapter, until then, stay tuned. If you have theories as to why Aurora ended her life, let me know. Also, please, please never take the cruel step of ending your life, don't even think about it.
If you need someone to talk to, I'm here. ❤️
Take care guys,
Love you all.
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