THE ROYAL REPLACEMENT

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 2

"I love you, Harris. And the thought of you not being with me kills me in my sleep. Don't you ever leave me again..."

I snorted.

If not being with him kills you in your sleep, then why aren't you dead right now? C'mon, he's not like some sort of Freddy Krueger or something!

Lawrence shot me his signature glare. "I can hear you."

"I can't believe you dragged me all the way to your house just to watch this cheesy romance movie you've been babbling about."

"Shut up, Heffy. This is the best part." I focused my eyes on the television. The male lead pulled the female lead closer to him then he slowly tilted his head ㅡ to give her a kiss.

I couldn't tell what emotions were going out of my face right now. All I knew that the scene alone was very cringey and it gave me the goosebumps.

I looked at Lawrence and he was so immersed with the happenings. Why does a guy who plays drums and listens to heavy metal music so in to romance movies?

"You are so gay." I teased while filming him.

"You just can't appreciate the beauty of films." The movie ended with the marriage of the lead characters. And when the list of the casts was being rolled up, I took the initiative to turn the television off.

"Say, Carty..."

"Hmm?" He responded while dusting off the popcorn bits on the couch.

"You don't kiss a person when you don't love them, right?" He looked at me as if I asked a very obvious question with a very obvious answer.

"A-are you in love, Robyn?" His eyes widened like it was gonna fall off.

"Geez, no!" I rested my back on the arm rest. "Rache's getting married."

I saw the relief in his eyes but they were soon replaced with shock.

"To whom?"

"The Prince of Manchester." Like me, confusion was painted all over his face so I started telling him about last night's dinner and all the important details he needed to know.

"So they're getting married just because of the King's command?" I nodded. "I thought these encounters only happens in dramas."

"I thought so, too." I reached for the fruit kebab he prepared and ate it.

"I mean, why do people like those exist? Why are grandparents so fond of compelling their grandchildren to random people they just met?" I ranted.

"Well, arranged marriage evidently happens in those kind of countries, Heffy. It's very unusual for us, yes. But to them it's a tradition. Maybe to continue on with the family name or to earn such recognition after being wed ㅡ it runs in their blood." I frowned. I didn't he was such a smartass when it comes to these talks.

"It's your sister's wedding. C'mon, Robyn. Why are you so worked up? Got no clothes to wear?" He laughed but immediately stopped as soon as he noticed that I wasn't laughing with him.

"I just think it's weird being married to someone just because someone told you to do it." I moved closer to him and stared at him straight in the eyes. "Do you think it's weird?"

Lawrence pushed my forehead using his finger. "It's not, if they like each other."

"And what if they don't?"

"Then it gets awkward."

"I'm just worried if she'll really be happy with the choices she makes." Lawrence wrapped his arms around my throat and jokingly strangled me.

"Don't stress yourself, Heffy. Rachaela's the older sister and probably is matured enough to make decisions for herself. She knows what she wants right? Then she probably knows what she's doing." He let go of me and put on the frog slippers I gave him last Christmas.

"I'm so glad not to be born in such kind of family."

"Maybe on your next life, you would." I threw the slush toy beside me at his face.

Geez. Maybe he is right. As long as Rachaela's happy, right?

As Lawrence was driving me home, the phone in my pocket suddenly vibrated. I ignored the ringing but it went on. So even if the vehicle was speeding up and the wind was all over my face, I tried my best to reach it out of my pocket ㅡ thinking it would be an important call to ring that many.

Mom's calling?

I put it on loudspeaker because I can't get my phone inside my helmet to hover on my ear.

"Robyn, I need you to go the hospital, right now!"

"What?" I couldn't hear it properly since Lawrence was driving really fast and the wind kept blowing my hair on my face.

"Something happened to Rachaela!" The only clear thing I heard was my sister's name which made me ask Lawrence to pull over on the side of the road.

"What happened?" He asked. I showed him my palm as if saying 'wait a minute'.

"Mom, what about Rachaela?"

"I need you to go the hospital, Robyn. Something happened to your sister!" Hearing my sister's name and the word 'hospital' made my heart pound so loud.

"Start the engine, now!" Before I knew it, Lawrence was driving faster than before like we were about to fly.

I was holding on to his shoulder very tightly. I couldn't calm down knowing that my sister's in a place where people who are hurt are in.

I couldn't imagine what kind of danger Rachaela has gotten in to.

As soon as we've reached the hospital, the only thing my eyes was focused on was the information desk. It immediately recognized the name I was looking for which led me to run like crazy not minding the people I bump into.

Right out of the emergency room, I saw my Dad holding my Mom's hand while they were bursting in tears.

"Mom!" I shouted as if my loud voice would overcome the fear I was feeling right now.  "What happened?"

"Your sister got into an accident and hurt her head badly. She was on her way to an important meeting but then a truck from behind bumped into them and your sister was in the backseat which made the strongest impact on her." Mom's words weren't clear and audible. Her sobs were so loud that I barely understood what she was saying.

"There were lots of blood on your sister's head." Dad interfered which made Mom cry even louder.

From the small window of the ER's door, I saw my sister lying on the bed unconscious.

The view pained me.

Before I knew it, tears were falling from my eyes and down to my cheeks unstoppably. I wasn't used to seeing Rache like this. Not here.

I tried to wipe the liquid flowing from my eyes with the back of my shaking palm but only ended up hurting myself when it bumped into the helmet I realized I was still wearing.

The sight of my sister struggling and my parents in great agony punctured my heart deeply. This wasn't something I couldn't brush off and ignore after some days. My sister's life is in danger.

What if something worse happens? What if she hit her head so hard that it would result to great damage? What if her body could not take it? What if she doesn't wake up?

My knees grew weak which made me fall on the floor. I did not like attention, but the people passing by looking at us while we were grieving for such happening was my last concern at the moment.

My hands were cold and shaking.

But then it felt warm as I looked up.

And saw Lawrence already holding it.