She Stole My life

Chapter 4: Dreams Shattered

Amal’s POV

(4 years later)

“Amal! Get up, you will be late for your high school graduation.”

I groaned and covered my face with my pillow, blocking out her voice, but of course, Mummy was not going to stop shouting.

“Amal!!”

“Heish,” I screamed into my pillow as I pulled the bedsheet over my entire body, covering myself completely.

Just then, I heard my door open, and my heart skipped a beat as I wondered if Mummy had finally come to drag me out of bed herself.

I pretended to still be asleep, but then I felt the mattress dip beside me and a gentle hand move up and down my back.

Without needing to hear his voice, I already knew who it was.

“Wakey, wakey, my super valedictorian. Remember, you have to be there before everyone else, hmm?”

The calm voice of my daddy always had a way of melting away my annoyance.

I pulled the sheet down and smiled brightly at him.

“Good morning, Daddy.”

“Good morning, my little angel. I hope you had a wonderful night’s rest.”

“Of course I did, which is why I don’t want to wake up.”

My thoughts drifted as I remembered the dream about Jason, or Jordan, according to his butler's note.

“Amal, quickly get up before Crystal arrives.”

His voice pulled me back from my thoughts, and he urged me to get up before turning and leaving the room.

I stood up with a smile, remembering the way we hugged each other in my dream. My cheeks warmed slightly before I ran into the bathroom to prepare.

I went through my usual routine, which included performing for my imaginary audience in the bathroom as I sang and danced to random beats only I knew.

Soon, I stepped out and sat before my mirror. Just as I picked up my dryer to dry my hair, a memory of Jordan drying my hair flashed through my mind.

“I miss you so much, Jordan. I wonder if you have regained your sight or if you have forgotten me.”

I whispered to myself as I continued drying my hair.

After dressing up for the occasion, I sat down and brought out my diary from my bookshelf. Then I wrote to Jordan, as I always did, pretending he was sitting right beside me listening.

“Dear Jordan, I finally fulfilled my promise to you and graduated as the best student in my class with high distinctions. I became the valedictorian of my set. I know you will be proud of me, right?”

I drew a small smiley face beside the words before taking out the short note his butler gave me, the one containing his family’s information.

I was still staring at it, reminiscing about our past, when my door suddenly flung open.

“Where is that notorious latecomer of mine who calls herself my best friend?” Crystal sing-sang as she strolled in like she owned the room

I looked up and pretended to have a serious expression, but I couldn't hold it for long before laughing. Soon, she joined me and fell on top of me.

“Wait a minute. Don’t tell me you are thinking about your childhood sweetheart again.”

I looked down shyly as she turned her attention to my diary.

She was the only person allowed to touch it. She was like my twin sister, and there was nothing about me that she didn’t know.

She was the one who bought it for me after Jordan left and told me to write down every precious memory we shared, reliving them as if he was still here with me. She believed it would help me cope with missing him.

And it did.

I never forgot to write to him every day, pretending he was there listening with that same smile on his face.

She closed my diary and pulled me into a tight hug, gently patting my back.

“Don’t worry, you will see him soon. We are done with high school, and you will be travelling to the city to claim your scholarship. Who knows? You might even stay with him while studying.”

I blushed and hid my face against her neck while chuckling.

“Get out of that room, kids,” Mummy shouted.

“Mum, we are already eighteen. We are not kids anymore,” I replied.

We took one final look at ourselves in the mirror.

Of course, we checked our butts and did some jiggles and wiggles here and there.

Crystal wouldn't stop complimenting my hourglass figure, my curves, and my fully rounded backside, yeah, that's what my mummy gave me.

We rushed out of the room, only to see Mummy walking toward us with a serious expression, and we immediately ran away laughing.

“Are you skipping breakfast again?”

“Mummy, we are already late. Bye! See you and Daddy at school.”

🥀🥀🥀

At the school, I heard my name being called as I was invited onto the stage to give my speech.

I stood up while the students cheered and chanted my name.

“Beauty! Beauty!”

After winning the school beauty queen nomination without any competition, I had become used to the attention, but standing before the entire auditorium still made me nervous.

I felt like the ground should open up and swallow me.

Speaking in front of a crowd has always been my biggest challenge.

I stood before the students and took a deep breath. Just then, Jordan’s words from the day I prepared for my first presentation came rushing back to me.

“Just imagine it is me standing before you while you are presenting.”

Slowly, my nerves settled.

The silence in the auditorium told me it was time to begin, and I delivered my speech better than I ever thought I could.

When I received my award alongside my parents, I looked at the picture we took together and whispered quietly,

“I made it, Jordan.”

The rest of the ceremony continued, and after taking several pictures with Crystal and my classmates, we headed to the dinner spot reserved by both our families to celebrate our graduation together.

And just like that, my high school graduation became a memory.

🥀🥀🥀

The day before I was supposed to travel to the city, I had already packed all my important documents, belongings, and everything else I needed for my trip.

That night felt different.

It was the first time I would be leaving home without my parents.

We stayed awake for hours, talking, laughing, and teasing each other until exhaustion finally caught up with us.

Lying on my bed, I listened to the gentle sound of the waves from the beach nearby. It felt as though the ocean itself was bidding me farewell.

Eventually, I fell asleep, waiting for tomorrow.

The next morning, I woke up before everyone else, even though I was never the earliest person to rise.

My heart was filled with excitement as I prepared, and soon, I stepped out of my room dragging my suitcase behind me.

Mummy was already awake, moving around the kitchen while preparing breakfast and packing food for my journey since I would be taking the first bus to the city.

Soon, we left together for the park.

After buying my ticket, I waited until the bus arrived.

My parents took turns kissing me goodbye.

We cried together as we held each other for a little longer than usual.

Just as I placed one foot inside the bus, a deafening bang erupted behind me.

I turned around, and my eyes landed on my parents lying on the ground in a pool of their own blood. My chest tightened so hard that it became difficult to breathe.