Just as I turned to go, I heard something. Some strange noises. I didn’t fully enter the balcony earlier, I was at the doorway.

Curious, I slowly moved inside and looked to my right.

I froze.

My heart stopped in my chest, breath hitched in my throat. My hands shook at my sides as I took in the sight before me.

His hands were wrapped around her waist and hers were around his neck; one hand tugged at his black hair as their mouth worked on each other in a passionate kiss. Not even an inch of space was left between them.

Their every moan and groan hit my heart like a thousand stabs of knives, shattering it into millions of pieces.

My feet stumbled back, and tears fell from my eyes.

His hands roamed over her body as he pulled her closer.

My heart squeezed so hard I had to clutch my chest. A sob threatened to escape my lips.

Slapping a hand over my mouth, I ran away.

I didn’t stop until I was inside my room. Closing the door behind me, I let out an agonized sob. Tears blinded my vision with my hand over my heart. It pained physically.

I felt my insides breaking, falling into irreparable pieces.

Several knocks landed on my door, and my best friends’ concerned voices reached my ears. But I couldn’t speak, I couldn’t move. All I could do was lie on the floor in the darkness of my room and cry my heart out.

The visions of them tangled around each other flashed across my mind again and again.

He didn’t know, but she did. Her betrayal just intensified the pain more. Betrayal of others could be tolerated, but betrayal of loved ones?

How could she do this to me? How?

I stayed on the cold floor for the entire night, cradling my heart, mourning the loss of my love.

The love my own sister took away from me.

ONE: BACK IN THE CITY

I glanced at my wrist.

Nine-thirty.

“Ma’am, please turn off your cell phone. The plane is about to take off,” the flight attendant said in her angelic voice.

“Yeah, just a minute.” I threw her an apologetic look.

Nodding, she walked away.

“Mom, I need to hang up now. The crew already warned me for the second time.”

“All right, all right! I will let you go now. You’re coming to me in some hours, anyway. We will be waiting outside the airport when you’ll land.” Excitement dripped from her voice. A sudden homesickness filled my mind. It’s been two years since I met them.

“And keep that boy at arm’s length,” Dad spoke in the background.

Shaking my head, I let out a chuckle. “I will see you at the airport.”

“Love you, honey!”

“Love you too!”