paisley best.
the daughter of poppy and payton best.
the twin sister of preston best.
the four p's.
what happens when four become two?
•
paisley looked down onto the cracked photo frame and felt the same lump rise in her throat alongside the burning behind her eyelids, she ignored it tracing her finger over the sliced glass wincing lightly when it drew blood.
"why did you leave me?" she whispered as a knock came to her bedroom door and her big brother by two minutes walked in. she had to push back even more tears as she saw how drastically he'd changed in the past month - his eyes were dark, his muscly exterior deteriorated into skin and bone, his lips were cracked and his hair was long and shaggy.
"we're leaving now," he croaked quietly trailing his gaze down to the photograph, his eyes softened and he felt the same burn invading his eyes. he walked over taking a seat on paisleys stripped bed right next to her trembling legs.
she nodded pushing her dark hair out of her face and wiping the lone tear that escaped her eye.
preston's arm came round his sisters shoulder and she sunk into his warmth, "it's gonna be alright pais, we're gonna be alright," he tried reassuring her but it sounded like it was more aimed at himself. paisley nodded knowing it wasn't going to be alright for a very long time.
he took the frame from her hands and turned it over unclipping the glass from the frame and let it drop to the floor as he pulled out the glossy paper.
"we have to be strong for them," he said again turning the photograph to them, "we're the miracle babies remember?" he forced a chuckle at the nickname they were given, "we've got to do this for them."
"i don't know if i can," paisley finally spoke up, her voice raspy and her throat clogged up with a lump and a involuntary whimper escaped her lips.
"you have to," he replied rubbing her shoulder, "you're all i have paisley, you can't leave me as well."
he looked down onto his perfect little sister, her face pale, her eyes circled with blackness from the lack of sleep and heightened crying, her normally sparkling blue eyes reduced to a grey colour. they didn't look like their mums anymore, they looked withdrawn and broken. it made his chest ache.
paisley turned to face preston, her beautiful twin brother, his eyes glistening with tears as they both tried to hold each other's broken parts together. they always believed in the twin power, they could feel internally when the other was hurting or happy - but this pain was unlike anything ever before, doubled over - quadrupled over. they both had to deal with the pain of losing their mother, father and the hurting of their twin.
"nana and gramps need us too," paisley tried motivating herself to be strong, preston nodded agreeing.
"you're my best friend pais, you be strong for me and i'll be strong for you, remember?"
"i remember, i love you preston."
"i love you too baby sis," he enveloped her in a tight embrace kissing her forehead.
"by two minutes," she joked light heartedly as tears shed both of their eyes.
"by two minutes," he laughed choking up.
a new school awaited them.
a new home.
a new life.
and so their journey began.