I WANT YOU BACK

HAZEL I stumbled out of my room, I felt a bit lightheaded and nauseous but I chose to ignore it. My heart raced faster and faster as I fought hard the tears that desperately wanted to escape my eyes. “ It was going to be fine,” I comforted myself as I hurried through the hallways which I knew was wrong since this was a hospital after all but I needed to make sure Scarlett was alright. Getting to the operating room, my eyes fell on my family and Scarlett’s fiance who sat outside the operating room - they were yet to notice my presence. A man in a white coat walked out of the operating room and stood before them. My family and Scarlett’s fiance, Zaide scramble towards him. “ I’m afraid I have terrible news. Despite our efforts to save her, we were unable to,” his voice monotone. “ I’m sorry,” he apologized and my mom let out a shrill scream as the news dropped. She cried her hearts out unable to stomach what she had just heard. I stood where I was, unable to move from shock and fear. Tears rolled down my cheeks as my parents cried. “ It was all my fault,” I found myself mumbling as I cried. My entire world went from colorful to black and white in an instant - I felt a sudden rush of dizziness. I clung to the nearest chair, my vision blurring as I trembled and cried. “ No,” I shook my head, refusing to believe what I had just heard. “ This must be a dream or something. Scarlett would never die,” I assured myself. I found myself seated on the floor still trying to process the doctor’s words. Scarlett was the biggest part of my life, someone who I had looked up to and someone who truly valued me. She has always seemed invincible in my eyes so hearing that she was no more felt like an unrealistic dream. “ There’s no way she’d die,” I muttered to myself. She was one of the only people who supported me, cheered me up and protected me. To her, I was her adorable baby sister. A wave of guilt washed over me. It was my fault. I had insisted we sneak out of the house last night to have some fun. If I hadn’t been so selfish, maybe none of this would have happened. My mom finally noticed me and the others eventually saw me as well. I could feel their eyes on me - it was hateful and nearly malicious. I was too afraid to look at any of them. “ You wench!” Mom yelled at me and wanted to charge towards me but dad and Zaide’s personal assistant held her back. “ You have the guts to show your face here after all you’ve done!” She spoke to me like I was a stranger. “ M-mum…” I stuttered her name as I looked up. My eyes met the accusing gaze of my family and Zaide. Their eyes were filled with judgement and blame. “ Don’t you dare call me that,” she warned. “ I wish it had been you. Why couldn’t you both have switched places?!” She cried. The words echoed in my ears and I could feel my heart sink. I thought the same too but hearing my mother tell me right to the face that she wished I was the one dead since her heart couldn’t take this, hurt like a knife wound. I wanted to scream, to lash out but I couldn’t. I’ve never been able to stand up to my parents. Scarlett had always been the center of attention at home and wherever she went. She was gorgeous, well-mannered, lovable, intelligent and excelled at nearly everything then there was me, the definition of an average joe. I worked just as hard as Scarlett but I was never close to perfection from my grades to sports to socializing to having friends to my work life. To people who didn’t know my family or my sister, I was a model worker or student but with the presence of my sister, I was simply a shadow in her light. I never cared though and neither did Scarlett. We were the best sister duo and she adored me just like I adored her and even till the end, she had protected me. “ I’m sorry… I’m really sorry,” I kept apologizing to them. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> A month later I stared at the sight with puffy eyes as Scarlett’s coffin was being lowered into the ground. Everything had felt like a dream until now - this evening felt like a reality check. My parents knelt beside the open grave as the coffin was being lowered, crying. Zaide stood with his personal assistant without any form of emotion on his face. I knew how hard it was for Zaide right now because he had always loved my sister. Once the burial has taken place and everyone placed their flowers on my sister’s grave and gave their condolences to my parents, everyone began to leave. I remained where I was and continued to stare blankly at my sister’s grave. I ordered my nanny not to cover me with an umbrella even though the rain had long began to pour. Maybe I felt the need to punish myself for everything that had happened. “ Ms. Hazel,” an unfamiliar voice approached and I turned my head to see who it was. “ Mr. Zaide is asking for you, so would you mind following me back to the car?” Zaide’s personal assistant asked. “ Even if I had refused, you wouldn’t have let me do as I please, would you?” I asked dryly. “ Sorry,” Timothy apologized. It was an order rather than something that required my opinion. I followed him back to Zaide’s escort of cars. “ Is it alright to get in even though I’m soaking wet?” I asked Timothy who had beckoned to me to get in. “ I think Zaide would be angrier if you wasted his time,” he answered before opening the door for me to get in. I sat down beside Zaide and once the doors were shut, we left the burial site. Throughout the ride, we never made eye contact or said a word to each other. We had never been close even when Scarlett was alive. It was safe to say he didn’t like me or better still, he had no interest in anyone whatsoever other than Scarlett so you could say I was a mere side character to him. His cars, including the one we were in pulled up into his private estate and once we were in, we headed to his study - I followed him behind. This was the first time I had come to his house and now I could finally get Scarlett’s description of the house. Once we got into his study, he ordered everyone else other than Timothy out. “ You must know that I didn’t call you here today to have a chit-chat with you,” he broke the silence. “ Yes,” I responded dryly. “ Let’s get straight to business then,” he snapped his fingers and Timothy placed a document on the desk, in front of me. “ What’s this?” “ It’s a marriage contract that I need you to sign. Once you sign it, you become my spouse,” he picked his words carefully, choosing not to call me wife. “ If you think I’m going to marry my sister’s fiance, then you’re wasting your time. If this is all you had to say to me, then I’ll take my leave,” I bowed my head and turned to leave. “ You don’t leave unless I tell you to,” he said in a low tone. “ Who the hell do you think you are to ruin my wedding, kill my bride and then act haughty about it?” I stopped in my tracks at his words, clenching my fist. “ Your parents especially your mom had wanted me to ruin your life even if it meant sending you to jail because of Scarlett’s death,” he informed me and I trembled. It wasn’t something that my parents couldn’t do but to think they’d actually ask him to do that was scary. “ I didn’t want to tamper with justice so to say that’s why I opted for this. Don’t think I’m marrying you because I want to, I’m marrying you to ensure that you live the remaining days of your life unhappy. You’re going to atone everyday with your life for killing Scarlett,” his gaze pierced through mine and it was obvious how much he hated me.