Chapter 3
A
I felt a wave of emotions wash over me as I stared at the bracelet on Ava’s wrist. Anger, hurt, and betrayal all swirled together making my eyes blurry with tears. Why did Ava have the bracelet? Why did my grandma give it to her instead of me? I thought back to all the times I had visited my grandma, all the times I had listened to her stories and helped her with her gardening. I had always assumed that the bracelet was mine, that it was going to be a special gift from my grandma to me.
But now, it seemed that Ava had somehow managed to get her hands on it. And not only that, but she was wearing it like it was hers, like she had every right to it. I felt a surge of resentment towards Ava, towards my grandma, and towards the whole situation.
I tried to calm myself down, to remind myself that Ava was lying in a hospital bed, fighting for her life but it was hard to shake off the feeling of hurt and betrayal. I ought to be used to this kind of feeling but it felt like I had been punched in the gut, like all the air had been sucked out of me.
As I sat there, staring at the bracelet, I couldn’t help but think about all the other times Ava had taken things that were mine. She had taken my friends, my parents, my spotlight. And now, it seemed like she had even taken the one thing that had kept me going, the one thing that my grandma had promised me. I had gotten used to her being the favorite as long as I am my granny’s favorite but this means I was never her favorite.
Hot tears rolled down my cheek as I realized that I would never be truly loved with her around. Or should I just disconnect the…
As I sat there, lost in my thoughts, I didn’t notice the doctor standing in the doorway, watching me with a concerned expression. “Are you okay?” he asked, his voice soft and gentle.
I nodded, trying to compose myself. “Yeah, I’m fine,” I lied.
But as I looked at Ava, lying in the bed, the bracelet wrapped around her Snow White skin, I knew that I wasn’t fine. I was far from being fine.
I felt a lump form in my throat as I realized that I would never be truly loved, not as long as Ava was around. My parents, my grandma, everyone seemed to love her more, to prefer her over me. And now, seeing her lying in the hospital bed, I felt a bigger pang of resentment towards her.
Why did she get to have everything? Why did she get to be the favorite, the beloved one? I felt a surge of anger towards myself for thinking my grandma was different from them.
“Are you sure?” The doctor’s voice cut through my thoughts again, and I turned to him, trying to compose myself. “I’m fine,” I repeated, trying to sound convincing.
But the doctor’s expression told me that he didn’t believe me. He looked at me with a kind concerned gaze and I felt a pang of guilt for lying to him. But explaining would sound like jealousy.
“Maybe you should take a break,” he suggested, his voice gentle. “Get some fresh air, clear your head.”
I nodded, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. Maybe getting out of there, getting away from Ava and the hospital, would help me clear my head and process my emotions.
As I stood up, the doctor handed me a box of tissues. “Just in case,” he said, with a kind smile.
18:38 Thu, Jan 1
Chapter 3
I took the tissues, thanking him with a smile before walking out.
35
I took a deep breath and stepped out of the hospital room, leaving Ava and the doctor behind. The cool air of the hospital corridor hit me like a slap in the face, and I felt a sense of relief wash over me.
I walked down the corridor, my feet carrying me out of the building as my mind wandered back to the bracelet. Why had my grandma given it to Ava? Did I do anything wrong for her to give it to her instead of
me?
The bracelet was not an ordinary one as it had been passed down for centuries to the first daughter in every generation. I was the first daughter which means it should be mine. The bracelet had the ability of the owner to recognize it’s true love as it changes color when your soulmate is closer to you which makes it unique.
I thought back to all the times my grandma had promised me the bracelet, all the times she had told me how special it was. I felt a pang of hurt and betrayal, wondering if she had ever truly meant to give it to me.
As I walked, the hospital corridors seemed to blur together. I didn’t notice the nurses and doctors rushing past me, or the sound of beeping machines and muffled conversations. All I could think about was the bracelet, and the hurt it had caused me.
Eventually, I found myself outside the hospital, standing in the cool night air. I took a deep breath, feeling the chill of the night as i drag it in to fill my lungs.
As I stood there, I felt a sense of calm wash over me. Maybe, just maybe, I was better off without the bracelet. Maybe it was time for me to move on, to stop relying on my grandma’s promises and wishing for my family to love me the same way they love her and start making my own way.
“Ava’s awake,” my mom’s voice cut into my thoughts, her voice trembling with emotion. “The doctor says she’s going to be okay only if she has a lung transplant, one of her lungs is damaged. Ava has been smoking.” She cried
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
