The Marriage Gamble

Sofia’s pov The loud chatter and laughter filled the Garcia house like a crazy orchestra, each sound making the excitement even bigger. From my quiet place in the living room, I felt like a forgotten statue, watching as my family moved around with all their focus on my identical twin, Lucia. She was right in the middle, a shining star easily getting all the attention while I stayed a shadow in the corner. “Can you help with the centerpieces, Sofia?” My mom, Maria, shouted over the noise, her gaze quickly moving past me to Lucia—the one everyone looked up to. I let out a soft sigh, feeling a weight in my chest. I knew this feeling of being ignored too well it felt like an invisible cloak wrapped around me. “Sure, Mama,” I said softly, but my heart felt empty. Today was all about Lucia and her fiancé, Leonardo—the charming rich guy that everyone loved. What about me? I was just the simple, delicate other half, never worthy of the bright attention that was all on her. “Check out the colors! Do you think they’re too bright for the wedding?” Lucia said excitedly while pointing at the bright fabrics on the chairs. “Not at all, dear! You’re going to look amazing!” Maria replied with a big smile, her eyes shining with pride. Jealousy hit me hard it hurt to see everyone admire Lucia like she was a queen, while I felt ignored. The attention I wanted seemed far away, like a dream I couldn’t quite touch. Feeling sad, I curled up in my corner, my finger running along the edge of a magazine left abandoned on the floor. The pages showed happy smiles, weddings, and love stories, but I only felt deep sadness. Lucia and Leonardo were truly great together, and everyone could see it. Meanwhile, I was stuck in the background while a fairytale played out around me. “Lucia!” My dad, Nicholas, shouted as he rushed into the room, making my chest hurt more. “Come here! We need you for a second!” His excitement made Lucia leave, moving smoothly into the busy scene. “Are you coming, Sofia?” Lucia looked back for a moment, her voice firm but fading fast as her focus shifted to many other tasks. “Of course, I wouldn’t want to trouble you, right?” I quietly said to myself, my voice almost a whisper. I shut my eyes tightly, trying to stop the tears from coming. Why did it have to be this way? Time faded into a mix of laughter and noise, the sounds around me echoing like a faraway memory as I sat on the edge of the chaos. Now and then, a wave of energy spread through the room when someone said the guests were arriving, but each moment of excitement made me feel more alone. “Tomorrow's the big day!” one of my aunts said nearby, her hands moving with excitement. “Lucia will be the prettiest bride! I can hardly wait!” While they kept celebrating Lucia, I stayed in the background, quietly hoping for my moment to shine. I couldn't help but look up, imagining for a moment someone saying something nice about me. The idea crossed my mind, but before I could enjoy it, my heart dropped, crushing the hope. “Are you daydreaming again?” A voice pulled me back to reality. It was uncle Esteban, wearing his usual smirk. “You really should live in the moment, Sofia.” I gave a small smile and lightly nudged him with my elbow, even though his words hurt a bit. “I was just enjoying the event. We don’t see royal weddings often, do we?” Esteban laughed. “Hey, keep wishing. You’re still young maybe you'll find a nice prince for yourself one day!” A good-looking prince? The thought tightened my chest like a clamp. I had stopped believing in fairytales long ago. If only I could feel like I really mattered, even just once. As I took in the wild energy around me, watching Lucia enjoy the moment, I couldn’t help but sigh. The heaviness of my thoughts hit me unexpectedly. “Why do I even care?” I whispered, wishing someone could feel the pain behind my words. “Did you say something, Sofia?” Mom suddenly interrupted, pulling me out of my thoughts, but I instinctively looked back at Lucia. “Nothing much, Mama,” I said quietly, and I really meant it, that was how I felt—unimportant. As the crowd buzzed with energy, a loud voice sliced through the chatter. “Hey! Hey! Leonardo’s car is here!” The room buzzed with new energy. Mom and dad jumped into action, their voices quickly mixing together, telling everyone what to do. “Okay, everyone! We need it all just right! We can’t let him notice anything wrong!” “Lucia!” Dad shouted as he ran to her. “You have to go in! It’s bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding!” Lucia's eyes got wide, and she ran to the stairs, calling out, “I'll be back soon!” I sat still amid all the chaos. What Would happen if a bride see her groom today? Soon enough, He walked through the door, smoothly moving past the chaos. Leonardo Guzman. Time seemed too slow for me. Here he was, the man featured on shiny magazine covers and news shows, and yet he felt real, hard to miss. His sharp blue eyes looked around the room, lacking the friendly smile I often saw. Instead, his expression was all serious. “Okay,” he said, sounding calm but quiet, “Mr. and Mrs. Garcia, thanks for letting me in.” “Leonardo! Great to see you!” Dad said, moving closer with a big smile. “What brings you here, my friend?” Leonardo looked around the room, carefully taking it all in, and then focused back on dad. “I brought back a package I bought for Lucia but forgot to give her before everything got so hectic.” “Oh, don’t stress about it! Just give it to me!” dad said, waving his hand. Leonardo nodded and handed over the small package, but when he turned his head, The room fell silent as his bright blue eyes met mine. For a moment, it felt like it was just us in the world. Many unspoken words filled the stare, making me feel breathless yet strangely cold. “You're the twin, aren’t you?” he asked, looking at me with both interest and careful attention. “Sofia, my daughter,” Mom replied calmly, but I could tell her voice sounded stiff, purposely avoiding the tension that had just arisen. “Good to meet you.” His eyes showed a moment of interest, but it vanished quickly. “I hope tomorrow goes well.” Just like that, he left, leaving behind the busy wedding planning. I felt like a soft voice lost in a loud storm. Feeling sad, I got up and walked to Lucia’s room. The atmosphere felt heavy with worry as I softly knocked on the door. “Lucia? Is it okay if I come in?” “What do you want, Sofia?” she shouted from inside. “I just wanted to say congratulations.” My voice shook, excitement and fear mixing inside me. “Congratulations? For what? That you still have to watch me from the sidelines?” Lucia replied sharply. I winced at the sharpness in Lucia's voice. “I—” “Just go back to your corner and leave me alone!” She shouted interrupting me in the middle of my words. I felt crushed when she said that. Tears filled my eyes as I quickly walked back to my room. Once I closed the door, I broke down. I cried, my sobs getting louder with every breath I tried to hold back. Why did it have to be this way? Why couldn’t I feel happy for her without being pushed away? Then the usual voices in my head started their harsh song. “Sofia, you’re just weak,” my father’s words kept hitting me hard, reminding me of all the times they said I was fragile, a burden for them. “You will never be successful.” “What’s the matter with you?” my mom would say, shaking her head sadly. “Why can’t you be more like Lucia?” I tightened my fists, remembering how much those words had hurt me. Tears fell easily a wave of anger and pain rushed through me. “I’m not weak!” I shouted at the empty room, my voice cracking with my feelings. “I’m not!” But nobody could hear me, and even if they did, they wouldn't pay attention. They never did. Lucia would always be the favorite, the perfect one who could do no wrong. Time passed slowly until I finally fell into a restless sleep, feeling the familiar loneliness. The next morning, light came through my curtains, but it didn't warm my heart. A loud knock startled me awake. “Sofia! Wake up!” My dad shouted, sounding worried. “We can't find Lucia!” My heart raced, and my stomach tightened with worry. “What do you mean you can’t find her?” I got out of bed, feeling scared all over. In the hallway, Mom was walking back and forth, looking worried. “It’s morning and The wedding is tomorrow!”