Fifteen

E V E L Y N

It had been two weeks since I renewed my relationship with Lucas, and honestly, I couldn't have asked for more. He had been trying and putting in a lot of effort to show me how much he loved me and how much he wanted this to work. He would surprise me with flowers and chocolates, take me out to fancy dinners, and even write me love letters. It was like he was a new man, and it was all thanks to me giving him a second chance.

But deep down, I couldn't help but think that he still had feelings for Alice. What if it was all just a pretence, and he was trying to make me think that he had changed, but in reality, he was still in love with her? I knew it was wrong to think like that, but I couldn't shake off the feeling. I mean, he did cheat on me with her, and it took a lot for me to forgive him.

My thoughts were interrupted by my phone ringing. It was my mom, and she sounded worried. She asked me to meet her at home before the day ended, and I could sense the panic in her voice. I didn't know what was going on, but I knew something was wrong. I quickly got dressed and headed to my car, praying that everything was alright.

As I drove to my mother's house, my mind was racing with all sorts of thoughts. What could have happened? Was someone hurt? Was it something to do with Lucas? I tried calling her back, but her phone was off, which only added to my anxiety.

When I reached her house, I was greeted by my mother's worried face. She looked like she had been crying, and for a moment, I feared the worst. "What's going on, Mom?" I asked, as I stepped inside.

She took a deep breath and looked at me in the eye. "It's your sister Alice," she said, her voice cracking. "She's missing."

I felt like someone had punched me in the gut. Missing? How could Alice be missing? I knew she had been going through a rough patch since the wedding happened, but I never thought she would do something like this. My mind was filled with all sorts of scenarios, but the worst one was that she had hurt herself.

My mother continued to explain that Alice had left a note behind, saying that she was sorry and that she couldn't take it anymore. No one knew where she was, and the police had been notified. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. How could this be happening?

I felt numb for the rest of the day, as we waited for any news on Alice's whereabouts. Lucas tried to comfort me, but I could tell he was worried too. He didn't say much, but I could see the concern in his eyes. It was times like this that I appreciated having him by my side.

As the night wore on, and there was still no news on Alice, I couldn't help but think that everything was connected. Maybe Lucas was right, and we needed to confront Alice about our feelings for each other. Maybe this was a sign that we needed to stop pretending that everything was okay.

But now wasn't the time for that. My sister was missing, and the only thing that mattered was finding her. I prayed that she was safe and that we would find her soon.

As the hours passed, my mind went back to Lucas, and I realized that he had been nothing but supportive throughout the whole ordeal. Maybe it was time to let go of my insecurities and start trusting him again. Maybe he really is giving us a chance, and he was committed to making this work. Maybe, just maybe, we could get through this together.

I looked at him, and our eyes met. For a moment, we just held each other, and I knew that no matter what happened, we would get through it. Together.

As I lay in bed that night, waiting for any news on Alice, I realized that life was unpredictable. You never knew what was going to happen, and sometimes, all you could do was hold on tight and hope for the best. But with Lucas by my side, I knew that I could face anything that life threw at us. We had been through so much already, but we had come out stronger on the other side.

And as I drifted off to sleep, praying for Alice's safe return, I knew that I had everything I needed. Love, support, and hope. And with those three things, I knew that we could overcome anything.

~•~

In the morning...

As I step out of the shower, the steam fills the bathroom, and I feel my skin tingling from the hot water. I wrap a towel around my body and another around my hair as I walk towards my phone lying on the sink. I pick it up and see a message from Alice, my best friend since childhood.

My heart races as I read the message, and I feel a lump forming in my throat. Alice's message says, "I hate you, Evelyn. You stole Lucas away from me, and now you're to blame for my disappearance."

I can feel the tears welling up in my eyes as I read the message over and over again. The words hit me like a ton of bricks. I never meant to hurt Alice, but I did fall in love with Lucas, it was your choice.

I feel guilty, and my mind races with thoughts of what I could have done differently. Maybe I should have been more transparent with Alice about my feelings for Lucas. Maybe I should have backed off and let her have him.

But she had her chance.

I sit down on the edge of the bathtub, still wrapped in my towel, and feel the tears streaming down my face. Alice was right. I am to blame for her disappearance. If I hadn't come between her and Lucas, she wouldn't have left town without a trace.

I feel insecure and wonder if I have any true love left. I feel like I'm the villain in this story, and I don't know how to fix it. I feel like I'm drowning in my own guilt and shame.

I take a deep breath and try to compose myself. I know I need to respond to Alice's message, but I don't know what to say. I type out a message, "I'm sorry, Alice. I never meant to hurt you. Please come back, and we can talk this through."

As I hit send, I feel a weight lifted off my shoulders. I know it won't fix everything, but it's a start.

As I sat alone in the room, I couldn't help but feel the weight of my decision weighing heavily on her mind. I knew what I had to do, but it didn't make it any easier. Lucas had been my crush for years, but I couldn't ignore the fact that he had eyes for Alice. I had imagined the way Alice's eyes had filled with tears when she found out about our alignment.

As I thought about the situation, my heart ached for both Lucas and Alice. I knew that they had both wanted to be together for so long, but our alignment had shattered any chance of that happening. I had tried to talk to Lucas about it, but he had been stubborn and refused to see the error of his ways.

He claims to have not wanted to do anything with Alice, she's his past now.

Now, as I contemplated my next move, I knew that I had to make a sacrifice. I couldn't let Lucas continue to hurt Alice or vice versa, even if it meant losing him. I took a deep breath and made up my mind. I would talk to Alice and tell her that I was willing to sign for a divorce Lucas if it meant that she could be happy.

I knew that it wouldn't be easy, but I was determined to do what was right. As I thought about the conversation I would have with Alice, I raced with nervousness. I didn't know how Alice would react, but I knew that I had to try.

In the end, I knew that sacrificing her love for Lucas was the right thing to do. I couldn't stand to see Alice hurt any longer, and I was willing to do whatever it took to make things right. As I closed her eyes and took a deep breath, I felt a sense of peace wash over me. I knew that i was doing the right thing, even if it meant making a difficult sacrifice.