Chapter 1: My Fairy Tale Disaster

Today I’ll finally say it. I’ll tell the love of my life, who happens to be my best friend, how I truly feel about him. He has always been there for me, always understood me, and always helped me. My best friend, my soul mate. I can still remember the first day we met.
I was five and my parents were excited. They were going on and on about our new neighbours. Truthfully, I don’t give a damn. So what if we have new neighbours? Do they really matter so much until the point where my mom had to bake a cake while my dad had to prance around the house like a fairy and clean everything? I never got a baked cake for my birthday. Not even once. And my father, he’d never clean the house even if his life depended on it.
Then they dressed me up in a frilly dress that probably made me look like an idiot. It was pink, pink! I looked best in blue, even the blind knew that, and they just had to make me wear the damned pink. And the reason was that it would match my sister’s dress. Ah my sister, the doll, the apple of my parents’ eye. Not that I can blame them, cause I love her just as much. Though I’d rather they show some sort of affection to me. After all, I’m their daughter too. She gets her home-baked cake every birthday while none for me. She always gets what she wanted, hook or by crook. On the other hand, I’ve never gotten what I wanted, even if I beg like a dog.
Anyway, we went over to our neighbours’ house and rang the bell. A plump woman giving off a very strong impression of motherly love greeted us. She ushered us in while my mom handed her the cake ad introduced us, “This is my husband, Wales and I’m Sally. These are my daughters, Rosie and Lacey. We’re your new neighbours.”
She smiled, “Hello, nice to meet you. I’m Caitlin. Hi Rosie, hi Lacey.”
I replied briskly, “Hi, Mrs Caitlin,” while Lacey put in a lot of energy in her reply, “Hi Mrs Caitlin, nice to meet you!”
We walked into the living room where a tall man with a nice smile that made me feel at home. Then she said, “Dear, these are our neighbours: Wales, Sally, Rosie and Lacey. This is my husband, George.”
Then a young boy with blonde hair and dead grey eyes walked by. Mrs Caitlin sighed, not that anyone other than me realised the exasperation in her voice except me, “That is my eldest son, Terence. Terence, these are our new neighbours. Meet Rosie and Lacey.”
He just nodded and walked off. His dead expression never changed once. Maybe he is a zombie or a vampire. Mrs Caitlin, meanwhile, sighed very loudly, “Sorry, he is not exactly sociable.”
Then another boy with auburn hair like mine and striking blue eyes came running. He threw himself at Mrs Caitlin, “Mommy!”
Mrs Caitlin finally smiled and relaxed, “This is my youngest son, Alex. Alex, meet our new neighbours. These are Rosie and Lacey.”
He looked at everyone and finally said, “Hi Rose.”
I blushed. I’ve never been singled out before. Everyone always singled out Lacey. And no one has ever given me a nickname before. I’m so happy, “Nice to meet you Alex. I’m Rosie, not Rose.”
He looked surprised, “Sorry, but I can’t call you Rosie. Rose suits you, cause you’re as pretty as a rose.”
I blushed beetroot red while Lacey eyed us both angrily, jealous for the first time. Since then, Alex and I have been the inseparable pair and my only crush since then.
I’ll finally tell him today. It’s graduation, a memorable day so I figured that it’d be best to tell him today.
My thoughts were distracted by the sound of someone knocking on the door. I said come in and was surprised to see my sister, Lacey, being very nervous.
I asked her, “What’s up?”
She looked even more nervous, “Don’t tell anyone, okay? I… I love Alex a lot… a lot more than anyone else. You’re close to him so would you help me? Would you help your sister?”
I could barely digest her words. She loved him? Then what about me? What about my fairy tale ending? What about my happy ending, my hopes and dreams for the future? Everything I ever wanted will be lost forever. But she was my beloved sister, my only sister. The sister I loved so much. Maybe, jut maybe, my parents might truly love me if I sacrifice my love. But my life will be ruined for eternity. Alex was the one guy I've ever thought of before. But if I could not even do this, society would probably call me a selfish girl who does not love her sister, which is not true. I was arguing with myself internally but since she was waiting for an answer,
I said softly, “I’ll talk to him.”
As she pranced away happily, I allowed a single tear to roll down and allowed myself to feel a bit of the heart-wrenching pain before planting a fake smile on my lips as I’ve done a lot the past few years. I hope I can fool Alex. He’s the hardest one to fool cause he knows me best. And I estimate that I'll get over this…in a few years.

Chapter 2: Farewell

Graduation went smoothly other than the fatt that Alex recognised the fake smile. But no one else realised something was wrong, so I'll only have to face Alex. After the graduation ceremony, Alex approached me, “Hey, is something wrong? You're using the fake smile again."
I turned around since he can tell whether I'm lying or telling he truth just be looking me in the eye, "No...it's just that I'm going to miss this place. The place full of our childhood memories."
He nodded his head in understanding. Then he asked, " Hey, ummm I have something to tell you so will you hear me out?"
I simply said, "Sure."
We had a forest that was accessible from our school and one of the forest clearings was our base. That was where we were headed. When we reached, I leaned against a tree and said, "You wanted to tell me..." He looked at me nervously and said, “I’ve been meaning to tell you this for a while. I love you Rose, I love you.”
I gasped and covered my mouth and turned away. I can’t control the tears anymore. They were overflowing. I love him. I love him! I love you, I wanted to say, I love you! But I can’t. I can’t. It hurts Alex, it hurts! Now that I knew how he felt, it's harder to control myself.
He was surprised by my reaction. I closed my eyes and did the one thing that came to my mind. I turned around, grabbed him and pressed my lips against his. He was shocked but he kissed me back. I knew this was my final chance with him, so I’d better use this opportunity well. I then pulled away from him and cried. Cried in such a way I’ve never before.
I’ve never felt this way before. This much pain, this much loss. I said one thing that I promised to, “Lacey loves you. You should try dating her,” before whispering out my final word to him, “Farewell.”
I ran home and wrote a letter addressed to Alex:
Dear Alex,
I love you! I love you! I’m sorry, sorry and sorry. Lacey loves you so I sacrificed my love for her. I love you and only you. I’m very sorry for hurting you.
But thank you. Thank you for making me the happiest girl in the world when you singled me out when we were five. Thank you for being my best friend and my sole companion for these past eleven years. Thank you for giving me these great memories with you.
I’ll always love you no matter where you are. You are my only partner. You have no replacement, just as Kaname from Vampire Knight said. “No one can be a replacement for another. That’s what make parting so difficult.” I understand the meaning of his words now.
I loved you in the past, I love you now, and I’ll love you for the years to come. I love you, for all eternity.

Yours sincerely,
Rosie,
Your dearest Rose

I contemplated giving the letter to him but decided against it. He'd be mad at Lacey and that was not my objective.I left it in my drawer, packed some of my clothes and other belongings into bags and caught the next flight to New York without informing anyone to fulfil my dream of being a writer and ease the pain and suffering.

Chapter 3: Why don't You Just Kill me?

A few years later…
“Wake up Rosie. No matter how much you drink, the pain won’t go away. You need to move on,” said Sylvie, my best friend and roommate in New York.
“Howwwww?” I slurred. I was badly drunk. Today is the fifth anniversary of Alex’s and my break up. Not that there was anything between us. I was upset and sad. The pain I felt has not decreased, just increased about ten times.
She sighed and sat beside me. She knew everything about me and understood me well. But she was not as good as Alex though. No one can rival Alex. This is all the bad news. The good news is…my debut novel will be out in a week! There was going to be a party to celebrate and I’ve invited my parents over for it.
Then my mobile started ringing. I grabbed it and managed to say a decent hello. It was my mom. We talked about not important things first before she said this, “Rosie, don’t be mad but we can’t attend the debut novel party.”
I practically screamed, “What? Why?”
She said happily, “Your sister is getting married to Alex. The wedding is in two months! We’re planning it.”
I was trembling and at the verge of crying. Why don't they give me a bottle of poison in the mail, or strangle me one of these days? Killing me with words isn't very motherly. Sylvie was worried now. I somehow pushed on, “But it’s two months away.”
She simply said, “She wants us there. A wedding is more important that a party after all.”
I just said, “Thank you for helping me finally come to terms with this. I’ll return after the party.”
“Come to----” I cut the line. This is the first time I really wanted them to be there and they’ve let me down. Again.
I sank to the floor and cried. More than I did when I broke up with Alex. I don’t have a chance with him anymore. No more chances. My life truly sucks. My parents don't care about me, the conversation that conversed minutes ago was the prove that they don't love me. The love of my life is marrying my sister. Why don't they just spear me with a knife, it'll hurt a lot less.
Sylvie put a hand on my shoulder. I just hugged her tight and cried. The dam has broken loose and won’t stop until it’s emptied.
But my sacrifice was worth it. She’s going to get her happy ending. Fantastic. Just wonderful. I’m going to finally have to move on like I should have ages ago.
The final goodbye…for eternity. I’m going to say it. After so long. I wonder how he looks like now, five years later. I accepted one thing though, even if I’m with someone else, I’ll only think of him. So, it appears I’ll end up as a nun.
I’m totally pure and all…except for drinking and sharing the painful kiss with Alex. But I do need a way to release all the stress and agony. Drinking makes me forgt. Wonderful, isn’t it?

Chapter 4: Don't touch me!

The party passed. I was excited about it…until I realised I was unwanted after all. The only person who truly wanted me was Sylvie. I don’t find the point of living when you’re living for one person alone. I caught a flight back to help with the wedding. I am Lacey's sister after all.. I brought Sylvie with me for moral support. I needed at least one person who understands me to be there, don’t I?
I walked up the pathway that leads up to my house. Sylvie loved the house but she knew my feelings. I had a childhood filled with no fatherly or motherly love. This house harbours all those memories. The memories sort of haunt me so it isn’t exactly my favourite place on earth.
The first person to greet me was Lacey. She hugged me and I hugged her back and whispered, “Congratulations.”
Then my mom came. She approached me for a hug but I put my hand between us, “Don’t touch me.”
She was shocked but I continued, “Lacey, why not you hang out somewhere else? There are some words I need to exchange with my parents in private.”
She gave me a gleeful smile and an ecstatic okay before vanishing off somewhere. I told Sylvie to stay with me. I needed some sort of support.
Then I begun, “Mom, dad, don’t touch me or approach me while I’m here. After all, you don’t even love me. Don’t act please. It’s disgusting.”
They looked closed to tears but I pushed on, “Why didn’t you abort me since I was an unwanted child? You could have killed me physically rather than put me through this much emotional distress. Did you even love me for a second? Do you know, the book I wrote became a number one hit across the globe? Do you know how many people loved it? Do you know why I even wrote it in the first place? I just wanted you to be proud of me…even for a second. I wanted to be loved. But no! You smeared it across my face that you’ll never love me. Thank you. Thank you very much. I’m truly honoured to be your daughter.”
That was when my father spoke up, “That was because you’re not really our daughter, Rosie. We don't have to love you.”
Blood drained from my eyes an I leaned on Sylvie as I whispered, “What?”
My mother said, sarcasm poisoning every word, “You, our daughter, not even in your dreams! Our maid gave birth to you on her death bed. She named you “Rosie” before she fell into her deep slumber. We took you in with pity so don’t you dare speak to us in this manner young lady! You should be thankful that we provided you shelter, food and clothing for all these years!"
After living for twenty-one years, I don’t even know who I am anymore. I just said, “I’m here for Lacey’s wedding only. I’ll leave after that and just take it as we’ve never met after that.”
Then I marched back to my room, pulling Sylvie along. The moment I closed the door, I started crying all over again for new reasons. I dried up soon enough and since I still had something to do, I said, “Sylvie, I have one final thing to do. Come with me.”
I opened the drawer with the letter. It was still there. I grabbed a shovel that was always in my room because I liked to bury things. Alex and I used to bury unwanted stuff under the ground. Both of us walked to Alex’s and my secret base. Sylvie loved it! I'll admit, our clearing was one of the most beautiful ones around. She did not know that until I whispered it to her. This piece of information excited her even more. But when she heard about the memories harboured in this place, she did not see the beauty of it anymore. Then I looked at the letter once more before tearing it to pieces. I picked up the shovel and dug a hole. I dropped the pieces into the hole and covered it up.
Sylvie asked, “What was that?”
I said, “The letter that explained my feelings to Alex. I felt that it was appropriate for it to be buried where we met almost every day and broke up.” Then I smiled and said, “I’ve physically buried my feelings. Aren’t I strong?”
My smile disappeared and I plastered the fake smile on my face again. She smiled sadly and I took her hand and we walked back home with me recalling our childhood memories and the happiness I held back then.
That was when I finally saw Alex. He was standing at the porch and laughing happily with Lacey. I smiled. He finally realised I was there. I walked up to him, shook his hand and said congratulations before walking up to my room, dragging Sylvie along. Maybe he did not know, but My handshake wasn’t congratulating him, it was saying the final and eternal goodbye.

Chapter 5: Surprise, Surprise

Weeks passed and I blocked out Alex as much as possible. Lacey knew something was wrong but she never said anything in her excitement for her wedding. Sylvie and me happen to be flower girls to give her moral support.
Soon, it was time for the damn wedding-correction: lovely wedding. She was in a beautiful gown designed by herself. The pain I felt while watching cannot be explained. It was just too painful for words. I felt so much pain that I wanted to commit suicide. I was contemplating how to commit suicide while the priest mumbled something that felt like nonsense to me.
Finally, the moment came. The priest asked Lacey, “Do you, Lacey Wales, take Alex Miller as your husband?” She happily replied, “Yes!”
Then the priest asked Alex, “Do you, Alex Miller, take Lacey Wales as your wife?”
The word that is going to kill me. I turned my head away. I couldn’t watch him killing me. I loved him too much to hate him. What the letter said was true, I can love no man other than Alex.
That was when I heard what he said. He said no. No…no…yes! The happiness I felt at that time was magical. He said no! But then…I felt sad for Lacey and I watched her happy expression fall to horror mixed with sadness. Her heart has been broken. Her parents were devastated. Alex then spoke up, “This letter was written to me by the woman I truly love. It goes:
Dear Alex,
I love you! I love you! I’m sorry, sorry and sorry. Lacey loves you so I sacrificed my love for her. I love you and only you. I’m very sorry for hurting you,
But thank you. Thank you for making me the happiest girl in the world when you singled me out when we were five. Thank you for being my best friend and my sole companion for these past eleven years. Thank you for giving me these great memories with you.
I’ll always love you no matter where you are. You are my only partner. You have no replacement, just as Kaname from Vampire Knight said. “No one can be a replacement for another. That’s what make parting so difficult.” I understand the meaning of his words now.
I loved you in the past, I love you now, and I’ll love you for the years to come. I love you, for all eternity.

Yours sincerely…Rosie, Your dearest Rose.”
Now everyone stared at me. Especially my adopted parents, who were eying me angrily. I just stared at him and said, “But…but I tore it up.”
He smiled and replied, “Stupid Rose. I was there while you were consumed by grief. I wanted to hide away in the secret base where I could remember you best. I saw you and Sylvie walking there in front of me, so I followed you and I saw you bury the letter and was curious so I dug it out.”
Then I said, “But you got back before us.”
He sighed, “Of course! At the speed you were walking, even a snail would have beaten you!”
A smilecrept up my face as I said, "You stalker! I can tell the police you know!" Two grins joined mine-Sylvie's and Alex's. Tears were rolling down my cheeks. I couldn’t control them. Then he said, “I’ll ask you again. Answer me with your true feelings and don’t lie for worthless idiots who you’ve wasted part of your life for. I love you, Rosie, will you marry me?”
Without thinking, I ran into his arms and buried my face in his shoulder. To me, only both of us were in the room. He embraced me just as tightly as I held him. We stood there for what seemed like hours.
Then he asked me, “So the answer to my question?”
I smiled cheekily at him, “You already know the answer.”
He smiled and kissed me softly. It was a kiss to tell me how much he loved me. Then the priest smiled and said, “I pronounce you husband and wife.”
I was shocked but happy. More happy than I’ve ever been in my whole life. Sylvie was the first to engulf me with a bear hug after Alex let me go, “So you got your fairy tale ending after all!”
I smiled and grinned happily for the first time, “Yeah, I sure did.”
Lacey was weeping miserably. I felt sorry for her. Then she walked up to me. The first thing she did was slap me. I was so shocked that I did not notice the pain.
She said, “Why didn’t you tell me five years ago? I could’ve handled it! You’ve always sacrificed your happiness for me! And you!” she said, turning to Alex, “You could have told me your true feelings. I would have understood. You did not have to pretend. But congratulations, both of you!”
That was totally unexpected. For her to cingratulate us...it was heart-warming.II was happy and relieved. She was not mad. Her parents had already left angrily. I don’t care about them. Not anymore.
Alex and I finally got to talk in private after a few hours. I asked, “Are you willing to come to New York with me?”
He hugged me close and said, “Of course! I don’t want to be separated from you even for a second ever again!”
I had a lot of explaining to do to him about me. After all, he has to know about my parents. But I’ll tell him later. I’ll enjoy the present first. After all, I have five years worth of kisses to return to him.

Epilogue

My adopted parents' relationship with me went down the drain but my father and mother in-laws are my parents to me. Lacey is still like my sister and she still contacts us once in a while to check up on us.

My books have sold well, most of them bing bestsellers while Alex is New York's most wanted doctor, which is totally unbelievable.

And we have two children, Aria and Annabelle. Understanding the pain when one sibling gets more attention than the other, we give the children equal love and affection and strictness at the same time.

As for Terence, who we hardly mentioned cause he was studying in America at that time, is also a writer now and loves his nieces so much that he moved to New York. The power of nieces! Sylvie helps Alex and I take care of our children when we're too busy. She is a gift of q friend that I'll always treasure.

This is Rosie signing off, goodbye and I hoped you enjoyed it!

Impressum

Tag der Veröffentlichung: 18.11.2011

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