Chapter Two: My Sister Remembers Too

I couldn't concentrate on a single word the teacher said.

My eyes kept drifting toward the girl sitting three rows ahead of me.

My twin sister.

In our first life, we had shared almost everything. We had shared a bedroom, birthday parties, family photographs, and the same face that often confused people who didn't know us well.

But we had never shared the same desires.

She wanted admiration. I wanted to be loved.

She wanted an exciting life. I wanted a peaceful one.

And somehow, we had both ended up envying each other.

I used to believe she had everything I didn't. She was confident, beautiful, and fearless about asking for what she wanted. Even when we were younger, she could convince our parents to buy her things I wouldn't have dared to request.

She had always been good at getting attention.

I was different. I worked hard, followed the rules, and tried to make everyone proud of me.

Then we grew older, and our differences became more painful.

I fell in love with Alexander Hayes, the charming boy everyone admired. He was wealthy, handsome, and so affectionate in public that people often told me how lucky I was.

My sister fell in love with Ethan Blackwood, the wealthy basketball star who intimidated almost everyone around him.

Ethan was nothing like Alexander.

He was blunt, stubborn, and difficult to please. He rarely smiled for photographs, and he had little patience for people who wasted his time. My sister complained constantly about his coldness and the way he criticized her whenever she avoided responsibility.

She believed Alexander would have treated her better.

And because she saw Alexander treating me like a princess in front of other people, she thought I was living the life she deserved.

She never saw what happened when we were alone.

She never saw Alexander's expression change when I disagreed with him. She never heard the accusations he made when another man spoke to me, or the way he could turn a simple disagreement into a reason to punish me with silence.

She didn't know how often I cried myself to sleep.

I had never told her everything. I was ashamed to admit that the relationship everyone admired was slowly destroying me.

Now we had both returned to the past.

And my sister had already announced her intentions.

This time, I'm going to get the life I deserve.

I knew what that meant.

She wanted Alexander.

A bitter laugh almost escaped me.

In our first life, she had envied my relationship. Now she had the opportunity to pursue the man she believed would make her happy.

I should have felt relieved. If she wanted Alexander, she could have him.

But another part of me felt afraid.

Not because I still loved him.

I didn't.

I was afraid because I knew how easily Alexander could make someone believe they were special.

My sister might discover the truth eventually, but I couldn't assume that knowing the future would protect her from every mistake.

The bell rang, interrupting my thoughts.

Students immediately began packing their books and talking about lunch.

I hurriedly gathered my things, hoping to leave before either of them approached me.

Unfortunately, my sister was faster.

She appeared beside my desk, leaning against it with her arms folded.

“Come with me,” she said.

“Where?”

“Somewhere we can talk.”

“I have somewhere to be.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Since when do you have somewhere important to be?”

I looked at her carefully.

Even now, she thought she knew everything about me.

In our first life, I had allowed that assumption to continue. I had kept quiet whenever she dismissed my feelings, convinced that avoiding arguments was the same as keeping peace.

I wasn't going to make that mistake again.

“Since I decided my time matters,” I replied.

Her expression changed.

For a moment, she looked genuinely surprised. Then she laughed, though there was no real amusement in it.

“Fine. I'll make this quick.”

She glanced around to ensure nobody was listening before lowering her voice.

“You remember everything, don't you?”

I didn't answer immediately.

She leaned closer. “The accident. Our relationships. Everything that happened before we died.”

My throat tightened.

“Yes.”

Her eyes widened slightly, and then she looked away, almost as though she were relieved to have confirmation.

“I thought so.”

“What do you want from me?”

She stared at me.

“Alexander.”

The answer came so quickly that I almost laughed.

“What about him?”

“I want you to stop getting in my way.”

I blinked.

“Getting in your way? I haven't even spoken to him.”

“You know what I mean.” Her voice became sharper. “You had him in our previous life. You got to experience what it was like to be loved by someone like him. This time, I want my chance.”

I stared at her in disbelief.

“You think I was happy?”

“Everyone could see how he treated you.”

“Everyone saw what he wanted them to see.”

She shook her head impatiently.

“Don't start pretending your relationship was terrible just because you don't want me to have him.”

For several seconds, I couldn't speak.

Even after death, even after returning to the beginning, she still couldn't imagine that my life had been anything other than what she saw from the outside.

“Listen to me,” I said quietly. “You don't know Alexander the way you think you do.”

“And you do?”

“Yes.”

The word came out more firmly than I expected.

I leaned closer.

“If you want to pursue him, that's your decision. I won't stop you. But don't come crying to me later and say I never warned you.”

Her face hardened.

“I don't need your warning. I know what I want.”

“No,” I whispered. “You know what you think you want.”

She stepped back as if I had slapped her.

For a moment, I thought she might say something else. Instead, she gave me a cold smile.

“Then stay away from him. Don't suddenly change your mind when you see us together.”

“I won't.”

“Promise me.”

I picked up my bag.

“I don't make promises to satisfy your jealousy.”