The beginning of the past
Dear diary
In my previous life, I was once loved by my family. Even though my twin sister ‘Ava’ was the favorite, I was satisfied with it as long as I had them by my side.
Then my sister went missing and that was all for me. The pain of losing my sister still lingered, my parents, once full of love and warmth, became cold and distant. They were consumed by grief and guilt and I was left to pick up the pieces of a shattered family.
I could remember the day my sister went missing like it was yesterday. My mom had wanted me to go get her something at the store but found me in the toilet defecating. Having no choice as she needed it urgently, she sent my twin sister instead and that was the last we heard of her in a long time. The whole community searched for her everywhere, calling out her name, but there was no response. I was left alone, scared, and confused on how she had suddenly vanished.
As the days turned into weeks, and the weeks turned into months, we all began to lose hope. They became withdrawn towards me and I was left to fend for myself. I felt like I was losing not only my sister but also my family.
I tried to fill the void by being the perfect child, by being obedient and quiet, but it didn’t matter. My family’s love and attention were focused on finding my sister, and I was left in the shadows.
As time went on, my mother put the blame on me, not directly but with her actions. Then she came out directly, telling me how she wished I was the one missing instead. She had cried and begged the gods to take me instead and bring back my sister right in my presence while forcing me to pray along with her.
Four years later, part of her prayer was answered as the cops found my sister ‘Ava’. Her abductors were found and arrested. It was a day of joy in my house. My mum had fainted out of joy and my father’s grin did not leave his lips as he stared affectionately at her.
When I caught Ava kissing with my boyfriend and shouted at them, I was slapped by my mom. She told me I was being selfish and should call Ava my hero as she saved me from being abducted. My boyfriend ‘Jack’ had broken up with me to be with my ‘perfect’ beautiful sister saying I wasn’t pretty enough.
My name is Avery Flynn, I have long curly brown hair that cascades down my back like a rich, chocolate waterfall. My bright hazel eyes are fringed with thick lashes that add to their allures. My skin is a smooth, creamy complexion with a subtle golden tinted glow, a testament to my love for the outdoors. My features can be called delicate yet defined, with high cheekbones and a small, button nose. I have a petite athletic build. I could say I look more like my paternal grandmother than my mother, unlike my sister who looks exactly like her with a porcelain doll-like complexion and a curtain of silky blonde hair that falls down her back like a river of gold. Her eyes are a deep, piercing blue. Her features are finely chiseled, with a small, pointed chin and a nose that is slightly upturned, giving her a perpetually cheerful look. She has a slender, elegant build, with a quiet confidence that commands attention.
I know I look very pretty but I don’t think I will ever live out of her shadow.
On our eighteenth birthday party, my sister flocked around with my newest boyfriend, her hands around him while he wrapped his hands around her tiny waist. “What a perfect match they are” I had snickered.
This had been her usual thing since she took Jack from me. When she found out I had another boyfriend, she dumped Jack and snatched him from me. At first, it was painful at how fast she got them to leave me and date her just to prove that she was better than me but then, I started dating them now for fun. Her newest dummy was my ninth boyfriend in the span of two years and I happily passed her this vomit of mine since he’s as dumb as she is. Not to brag but I am the best student in my class and …she’s just the opposite of me.
The party was soon stopped when Ava fell down and lost consciousness. She was rushed to the hospital and was treated on quickly while we waited at the receptionist area. The sorry look on the doctor’s face made me feel uncomfortable as he directed my parents to his office.
I nervously sat down and watched as they walked away, I could hear my heart beating faster than normal at this new situation. I was still in my party clothes and was barefoot.
As I sat there, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease wash over me. The receptionist area, which was once filled with the sound of beeping machines and muted conversations, now seemed eerily quiet. I fidgeted with my fingernails, my eyes fixed on the door that my parents had just walked through with the doctor.
I tried to distract myself by looking around the room, taking in the sterile smell and the faded magazines on the coffee table. But my mind kept wandering back to Ava, wondering what was happening to her and why the doctor’s expression had looked so grave.
No matter how much trouble Ava had caused me, she was still my baby sister.
As the seconds ticked by followed by the minutes, I felt my anxiety grow. I stood up and walked over to the window, staring out into the parking lot. The hospital parking lot was dimly lit as the sun set shone down on it, with only a few cars scattered about. I prefer having her steal my dummies of a boyfriend than experience my mum praying for my sister’s misfortune to be exchanged to mine.
