Strangeness that shouldn't exist

Georgia.I woke up feeling lighter.Not happy. Not carefree. Just… unburdened, like something heavy had loosened its grip on my ribs while I slept.Beside me, Alina stirred.She hummed softly in her sleep, a sound so small and familiar it tugged at something tender in my chest. She turned toward me this time, slow and unguarded, her arm sliding across my waist like it had always known where to rest. Her forehead brushed my shoulder, her breath warm against my collarbone.My heart softened instantly.I wrapped an arm around her without thinking, pulling her closer. The scent of her shampoo filled my lungs, light and floral, the kind of smell that lingered even after the room went quiet.Home.The word came uninvited, quick and instinctive, settling somewhere deep.She sighed, nestling in deeper, her fingers curling lightly into the fabric of my shirt as if anchoring herself there.For a moment, everything felt right.Too right.There was something about the night that refused to settl

why did it feel like I was apologizing for a life I never chose?

Gianna.Monday came faster than I wanted it to.The house already felt different when I woke up. Too quiet. No extra footsteps padding down the hallway. No unfamiliar scent clinging to the air. Alina had left early Sunday morning, her bags gone, the room extra tidy, like she’d erased herself on the way out. If it weren’t for the hoodie she borrowed and forgot to return. I might’ve convinced myself the entire weekend was a stress-induced hallucination.I took my bath longer than usual, letting the water drum against my shoulders while my thoughts spiraled in lazy, unhelpful circles. By the time I got dressed, my fingers felt steady again. Jeans. A halter top. My hair packed half up, half loose. I stared at my reflection longer than necessary. My eyes looked tired, yes, but clearer somehow. Like something heavy had shifted inside me. Lighter. Heavier. Both at once. I didn’t try to name it.Campus was already buzzing when I arrived. Cars sliding into parking spaces, students laughing to

The world can wait

Gianna.By the time Alina had left, I felt a strange mix of relief and exhaustion. The school day had been long, but having Cassie and Rue around afterward helped me breathe again. We all left to grab something to eat, their teasing and laughter filling the air like a gentle distraction. I laughed too, genuinely at first, letting myself get swept into their jokes, the kind that had me clutching my sides, cheeks aching from smiling. For a moment, the weight of Alina’s words, her accusing tone from earlier, faded.But of course, it always came creeping back.Why was she acting so weird all of a sudden? Was it guilt? Jealousy? Or something deeper I didn’t understand yet? My chest tightened just thinking about it. She had always been unpredictable, but this… this felt deliberate. She was probing, testing, trying to unsettle me without even saying it outright. And it worked, just enough to make my thoughts spiral the second my mind went quiet.By the time I got home, a strange sense of

Caught red-handed.

Gianna.A few days later.I was lying on my bed, scrolling mindlessly through my phone, half reading posts, half thinking about nothing in particular, when a notification popped up.Alina.My thumb hovered for a second before I opened it.“Hey, let’s go out today. Watch a movie or something?”My eyes lit up instantly.A whole day with my sister? Just us?That… actually sounded nice. We hadn’t really hung out properly since everything happened. School had been exhausting, emotionally and academically. Maybe this was what we needed. Maybe this was her trying.“Okayyy,” I replied, unable to stop the small smile forming on my lips.I’ll come pick you up. Get ready soon.I practically tossed my phone aside and headed to shower.Why was I excited?Because this felt normal. Like something sisters did. No tension. No weird comments. No subtle digs.Just us.I dressed simply, did the basics, tied my hair back neatly, and headed downstairs once she texted that she was outside.“Gia! Where are y

The bitter truth.

Gianna.The word hit me like a physical shove. My ears rang.“You what?”“You heard me, Gianna.” Her lips curved, not soft, not hesitant. Sharp. “I love Ivan.”I let out a short laugh. It scraped out of my throat, brittle. “You’re lying. Okay, okay you got me. I actually fell for it, Alina.”Her smile didn’t shift.“Of course you’d think this is a joke.” Her head tilted, studying me like I was something under glass. “So what did you think, Gianna? Fate brought us together and I’d just forgive you for leaving me behind? Leaving me to suffer?” Her voice cracked, but her eyes stayed dry. “You left me with that monster.”“I had an accident!”“And I don’t fucking care!” she snapped.The force of it made me flinch.“Mum chose you! He vented his anger on me day and night!” Her chest rose sharply, breath sawing in and out. “And then,” she paused. Her eyes glistened but she refused to let the tears fall, like even her grief obeyed her pride. “He sold me. He sold me so men could use me for plea

I choose you

Gianna.I stayed rooted in that spot for what felt like hours, each word she had thrown at me replaying in my head like a broken recording that refused to stop.What if she was right?The thought didn’t knock politely. It barged in.All of a sudden everything started overlapping in my head. Moments. Glances. Memories. Even back to Roselyn. The way Ivan had spoken about her. The softness in his voice when he explained their past. What if Ivan didn’t even think of me that way? What if everything between us was just happening because of this bond we were forced into?If we’re so similar…If we have the same face…What makes me special?What makes me different?If she had been there first… would he have marked her instead?Would he have looked at her the way he looks at me?Or worse… does he look at her that way too and I’ve just been too blinded to see it?My stomach twisted.He chose Roselyn. He didn’t have to. There was no mark. No destiny. No ancient bond tying him to her throat. He