throwback

Her eyebrows were raised and a fake smile was playing on her lips when I greeted Trisha. I breathed a sigh of relief to see that she was in good condition. In fact, she got a lot better than I remembered her years ago. It looks like Lagma takes good care of her because her beautiful complexion, hair, and expensive clothes cannot be mistaken.

Who would have thought that she was kidnapped? It's like she's just coming back from an out of the country vacation.

She looked at me sharply as I stopped in front of her.

"I see that you look well," I said and looked at her from head to toe.

She reciprocated by also looking over me.

"Why did you just let me out now? Eight years, Femella! You left me for eight years! It's good that you even thought of making a way to save me. I thought I was going to rot inside," she said in an annoyed tone.

I crossed my arms and gave her a bored look.

"You still haven't changed. Try harder, Trisha. Act some more. Come on, you're still lacking in acting! Hug me. Didn't you miss me? Aren't you thankful? Who would believe that you've been neglected by Lagma? That man is so into you so I think and I presumed that he made your life in his cute little prison a paradise. "

Her expression went berserk. "And you're still not changing. You're still the same as before who doesn't care how others feel. You're still insensitive. Just because I'm wearing this and looking like this, I have no right to be hurt for the eight wasted years of my life? "

I was moved by what she said but I did not show it. I have to keep this facade no matter what.

"Who said you were the only one who suffered? Both of us suffered, Trisha. We're just the same so you don't have the right to criticize me. Why did you go with Maverick that night? If you didn't then he could have successfully got me. Not you."

She gasped and tears rolled down her eyes.

"Really, Femella? I'm still really at fault here? Why are you like that?"

"Wow!" I exclaimed. "This is going petty. It's a good thing I'm so kind to beg and blackmail your boyfriend who doesn't remember you to help me to get you out of here because that Lagma has no intention of letting you go."

Her face flushed and the longing immediately registered on her face.

"Maverick? Where is he? Is he with you?"

I tilted my head to where the man was. Trisha's gaze followed me and the look of excitement on her face was evident. She was about to run in Maverick's direction but I suddenly stopped him by the arm.

I stared at Trisha's face for a long time. We are unmistakably similar except for a few striking differences. Her face is innocent while mine is sophisticated. Something she used to envy. She wanted to be me and to look like me. Many say we're like morning and night in difference. I say we're not as different as they said. From then until now, we both loved the same person.

This is what we both have in common.

Right now I'm looking at a total stranger. Our gap was even worse than before because of our distance. I don't see any hint that this is my sister. I feel nothing at all while looking at her face.

I caressed her cheek and gave her a small smile.

"I accept your gratitude if you don't ask. But even if you don't give it to me, I'm still happy you're finally free. Your freedom means my freedom too." I tapped her on the shoulder. "As we go on our separate roads, live your life from now. Go, get your man."

She was stunned by what I said but quickly discarded it and raised her face to me.

"Why didn't you just ask for his help? Why not before? I knew Maverick would make a way to get me if he found out about what happened to me."

I smirked. She really is spitting facts on my face.

"You really want to go there huh. Well, sister, I'm not a saint. I'm just a human being too. Losing you was a good thing for me back then. I just realized that I wanted to be a hero and save the distress princess that needs my saving. "

She stared at me for a few seconds to confirm if I was serious about what I was saying.

"Thank you," she said and ran over to Maverick.

I took a deep breath and looked up. Lagma and I caught sight of each other inside the helicopter. He is wearing his mask again.

I looked at the couple who's hugging each other. Maverick caught my eye so I looked back at Lagma who was looking back and forth between me and the couple.

I grinned at Lagma before finally leaving that place. I can't forgive the human in me for forgiving the guy. I will forever curse him into pieces for ruining us.

Dave immediately pulled the car away as I boarded. I didn't bother to look back anymore.

This is the end of my eight-year suffering. It's time for me to focus on my life even though it seems so impossible for everything to be back to normal. I was seriously wounded in the fight. Just a little push and I'm going to die in pain and misery.

It seems like a huge thorn has been pulled out from my chest. Finally, I finished my mission. But what I didn't prepare for is the growth of another thorn inside me.

It hurts. It hurts so much. It was as if my heart was being squeezed into pieces. It was as if thousands of needles were piercing my heart right now. Seeing them together like they were meant for each other hits different. It reduces me into a mere intermediary, a spectator who has finally delivered the princess to her prince.

I am the wicked twin sister who fell in love with Prince Charming who is destined to marry the princess. In the end, I have my redeeming factor and brought the two to their happy ever after.

I bit my tongue to prevent myself from drying hard but I let the large beads of tears drip down.

I needed them to fall for me to rise from this horrible pain.

I'm happy. I am so happy because I have freed Trisha. I fulfilled my promise to my parents. I wanted to hug her earlier but I restrained myself when I saw the hatred on her face.

I thought it's better this way. Her thinking is the worst in me. She can think all the bad things about me. That mother chose me, that I enjoyed a comfortable life, and that I should have suffered for eight years and not her. Heck, she should add that I slept and fell in love with her boyfriend because that's true as hell.

But she wouldn’t know that despite the fact that I will always be just in her shadow. With the love and attention of our parents and in Maverick’s heart.

"Are you okay?"

I ignored Dave's question and looked outside the moving vehicle. He fell silent and did not speak.

I jolted out of my sadness when Dave suddenly hit the brake causing me to almost crash into the front of the car seat. Someone cut the car in front of us. The owner came out with a dark expression on his face like he knocked out the car window at any moment. I wiped my face first before getting out of the car to face Rowald.

His eyes narrowed in anger. He sighed and put his hands on his side ready to confront me.

"You're still a coward until now. Why didn't you fight for him? I thought time has toughened you?"

"Indeed. But so does it let me see the other side. Sometimes, it's better to keep it to myself."

I leaned on the car to balance myself.

"It's never right, Femella. You're twisting everything. Who are you to decide on Maverick?"

"Really? It really came from you, Rowald? I know you're just helping me so you can use me to convince Maverick to take the position in the group. Obviously you failed and now Lagma has the leadership. You lost so I can't understand why you're still convincing me now. Let's stop this. Do your part. Be with him all the time. I better go. "

I opened the car door.

"I'm not what he needs now."

I tightened my grip on the door. "I do not care."

"Running again?"

"No, not anymore," I whispered. "This time I'm here to stay ... away from them."

I got in the car and ordered Dave to get me out of here.

We arrived at Vida’s pad feeling the exhaustion from everything.

I immediately hugged Vida and cried on her shoulder. She patted me in the back and helped me into the living room. We sat on the sofa while she wiped away my tears. Dave was in the doorway and just staring at us.

"You want to talk?" She asked amidst my silence.

I shook my head. "No. I want to be alone."

It sure took a long time before she answered me.

"Sure. I'll take care of something at La Vida, too."

She stood up and led Dave out. When the door closed, my tears flowed again. I could no longer hold my voice and like a child, I hugged my arm to myself. I lay down on the sofa while the tears went on.

I closed my eyes and let my memories of the past pass for the last time before I finally closed this chapter of my life.

Flashback

Water was dripping from my whole body down to the floor as I entered the medium -sized room that Trisha and I shared. I came from the stream to swim again. Since mom and dad allowed me to stay here in Sta. Barbara in the care of Letty, it has become my habit to go to the stream every day to take a bath.

When I first saw the river, I was fascinated by its beauty. Our Olympic size swimming pool in the mansion has no match to its natural and stunning view. It's like a place straight out from a jungle story. It was literally inside the forest that was included in the property they bought for Trisha. The water comes from a waterfall situated just a few meters from the stream. Here I found another sanctuary of mine. One is in Monte Vega, the place where our family, the Alcantara clan, reigns. We also have a hiding place there in the forest together with my cousins.

I frowned when I saw Trisha rummaging through the suitcases in my bed. I didn't have the time yet to transfer them into the closet.

"What are you doing?"

She looked at me with her widened eyes and then went back to being guarded when she saw me.

"You want to borrow my clothes? Do you like my style? Sure, just choose there. I don't like your clothes. So unfashionable. I know mom's been sending you your allowance so why the hell are you buying those freaking horrible shirts and jeans?"

I reached for the towel hanging on the rack and dried my hair.

"Do you really have to insult me? You can say it in a nice way. Look at what you did on the floor. I just finished cleaning it," she spurted and went back to the suitcase again.

I got some clothes and went to the bathroom to get dressed. When I came out, Trisha was already in front of the mirror and trying out my mini black dress. I sat up in bed and picked up my skincare pouch.

"Where are you going? Is there like a party in a small town like this?"

I plugged the hair blower into the socket and started to dry the hair.

"I have a date with my boyfriend," she replied and turned around to look at herself in the mirror.

I stopped what I was doing and paid attention to her.

"Boyfriend? Hello? We're still fifteen for Pete's sake, Trisha. We can't have a relationship yet. The clan forbids it, don't you know that? We're too young for that!"

She stared at me from its reflection.

"Maybe you forgot that I'm not part of your family. I'm not part of Alcantara. I carry Nanang's last name," she said, referring to Manay Letty. "I mean, I'm out of those trivial rules. If you still feel sorry for me, we can exchange lives."

"You know that's impossible. Who is he? How old is he? Maybe he's a pedophile."

She took off his clothes and then measured my Valentino purple dress which I bought from Europe from my recent trip.

"He's nineteen."

"Nineteen?!" I exclaimed. "And he's dating a minor?!!"

"Can you stop?" Her face was irritated when she turned to me. "The age gap isn't a big deal, okay? Besides, he doesn't know. He thought I was 18. It's not obvious that I'm still 15."

She's right. With our height and body proportions, no one will suspect us for being minors.

"Wow. And here I am thinking this is a place for conservative mindsets."

She ignored me and resumed modeling in the mirror.

After Trisha left, I got bored so I decided to go to the main plaza of the town. This is only the third time I will be going to center town. The first was during the village festival and the second was to accompany Manay Letty to the market. In all those events, I took extreme caution. I always wore a hoodie and sweatpants. As much as possible, I need to disguise myself. Even though the percentage of people knowing about Trisha being my twin is vague, still I won't take the risk. It was the rule my parents gave me.

I circled around the place with my hoodie on my head. The place is too peaceful to the point of being boring. No clubs, no entertainment hubs and no big malls. Typical place in the province so my parents thought it would be safe to leave me here.

I passed the area market to go to the few eateries available in the area. It is close to a community college that is inside a compound. I heard from Manay that it's an all boys school set up by an organization.

I was looking for something to eat when I saw Trisha's familiar bulk inside a restaurant. I stopped and looked at the person she was talking to. I leaned over to a part of the glass wall to see the man.

The guy is a manifestation of my ideal man physically. He's manly, very very manly. He's tall, dark-haired and with a face straight out from a magazine. He is practically crowding the space. He smiled and his jaws became more defined. Golden skin on top of lean, not so bulky muscles. Perfect nose, red lips, thick brows and a pair of playboy eyes just like most men of the Asturias.