Sister's Sacrifice

Chapter 3

Ella arrived at the house.

The door creaked open before she could knock.

Anita was already there.

Waiting.

Watching.

“Did you have fun with Mamacita?” she asked casually… but her eyes searched Ella’s face too carefully. “Oops—why am I even asking? You always do.”

Ella forced a laugh. “Yes, big sis. We had so much fun. Honestly… aside from family, the greatest thing anyone can have is a good friend.”

Anita tilted her head slowly.

“Hm. Words of wisdom.”

But she didn’t smile.

Not really.

Ella walked into her room and shut the door quietly.

Silence swallowed her.

Then—

her expression changed.

Completely.

Her eyes darkened with determination.

He likes that part of me… right?

Then I’ll give him more.

She grabbed her phone.

Her fingers hesitated… then moved faster.

“I’ll learn everything,” she whispered. “Everything he wants.”

Her breathing quickened as the thought took hold.

“I’ll be perfect for him.”

“Ella! Help me zip my dress!”

No response.

“Ella!”

Still nothing.

Anita stepped closer, frowning.

Her sister stood there… staring into nothing.

Like she wasn’t even in the room.

A chill ran down Anita’s spine.

“Ella, what’s wrong with you?” she asked, voice tightening. “I’ve been calling you. You didn’t hear me. Talk to me—what’s going on?”

Ella blinked.

As if waking up from somewhere far away.

“Nothing’s wrong,” she said quickly. Too quickly.

“You’re overthinking.”

She stepped forward, forcing a smile.

“You want me to zip your dress, right?”

Her hands worked the zipper smoothly.

“Done,” she said.

Then softer—

“Don’t worry about me. I’m fine.”

But something in her voice…

wasn’t.

Anita walked away slowly.

Her chest felt tight.

Something is wrong.

Something is very wrong.

“My sister worries too much,” Ella muttered to herself once she was alone again.

She sat on her bed, staring at her hands.

“I’m just a girl trying to impress someone she loves.”

Her lips curved into a faint smile.

“I’ll start tomorrow.”

A pause.

“Or maybe… today.”

Morning came too quickly.

Birds cried into the pale sky.

The world woke up—

but something about the day felt… heavier.

Like a warning no one could hear.

Ella returned later that day with a small bag clutched tightly in her hand.

“I’m going to Mamacita’s place!” she called out.

Anita stepped into the hallway immediately.

“Again?”

Their eyes met.

A long, uneasy silence passed between them.

“Be careful,” Anita said finally.

Ella smiled.

Too brightly.

“I always am.”

At Josh’s house.

The door opened.

This time—

he smiled.

A real one.

And that alone made Ella’s heart race.

“I got things,” she said excitedly, dropping the bag.

“Things you’ll like.”

Josh’s eyes flickered with interest.

“Show me.”

Hours passed.

Laughter.

Whispers.

Hard f***s.

Moments that blurred together.

And for the first time—

Josh didn’t push her away.

He stayed.

He looked at her differently.

Or at least…

that’s what she believed.

I’ve won, Ella thought.

I finally have him.

So she gave more.

More energy.

More effort.

More of herself.

Until there was almost nothing left.

“Let’s take a break,” Josh said eventually.

Thirty minutes.

That’s all.

Ella nodded, breathless.

“I’ll be back.”

She slipped into another room.

Locked the door.

Her hands moved quickly as she pulled out her phone again.

“I need to get better,” she whispered.

“Even better.”

The screen lit up.

Images flashed.

Movements.

Expectations.

Standards she felt she had to meet.

Her chest tightened—

but she didn’t stop.

The door creaked open behind her.

She froze.

Josh.

Standing there.

Watching.

“How long have you been doing this?” he asked quietly.

Ella’s heart pounded.

“I just wanted to—”

He stepped closer.

Too close.

“You’re trying too hard,” he murmured.

But his expression said something else entirely.

Something darker.

Something hungry.

The tension snapped.

And everything spiraled.

Time lost meaning.

Minutes melted into hours.

Six became eight.

Eight became something else entirely.

The room grew hotter.

Heavier.

Harder to breathe.

And then—

silence.

Ella lay still.

Too still.

Staring at the ceiling.

Her body felt… wrong.

Heavy.

Distant.

“Josh…” she whispered weakly.

No response.

She turned her head slowly.

“Josh?”

He wasn’t looking at her.

He was staring at her bag.

The one she brought.

The one filled with everything she thought would make him stay.

He picked it up.

Opened it.

His expression changed.

Confusion.

Then—

shock.

“Ella…” he said slowly.

“What exactly did you take?”

Her heart skipped.

“What do you mean?”

Josh held something up.

A small bottle.

Half empty.

“I didn’t touch this,” he said.

“Did you… take all of this?”

Ella’s breath hitched.

Her vision blurred slightly.

“I… I just wanted it to work faster…”

The room tilted.

Her chest tightened suddenly—

sharp.

Painful.

I'm weak.

I have to go home.

Bye..bye.