Chapter 5:Unkept Promises

"Liv! Come look at this!"Young me calls out to Liv.

"That's such a pretty flower, Kourane. It goes with your eyes."She makes her way to me. Her long blond hair, very different from mine and Kiro's dark hair, swings as she walks. It shines so beautifully.

"Really?"

She nods and plucks it. She places it in my hair and smiles brightly. "Beautiful."

I laugh and hug her. "Thank you, Livy!"

"You're welcome, Kourane."

"Liv? You'll always be by my side, right?"I ask her, smiling big.

She caresses my face in her hands and places a gently kiss on my forehead. "Of course, darling."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

If only she knew how wrong she was. That life had other plans.

I gasp loudly as I wake up. My face feels wet and I touch it.

My eyes widen as I realize I'm crying.

I wipe my face and sigh.

"Stupid."I mutter and put on some slippers. I open the doors of my room and make my way downstairs.

"Shouldn't you be asleep, Miss?"one of the butlers asks me.

"I can't sleep. I'm going to get some water."

"I could've just brought it to you, Miss."

"No, that's alright. I can get it myself."I wave a hand, dismissing him.

He makes a small bow and leaves.

I finish climbing the stairs.

"Can't sleep either?"Kiro asks. He's sitting at the table with a cup of wine in his hand.

Kiro is still technically underage, but that doesn't stop him.

"Mother doesn't like it when you drink."I say, sitting across from him at the table.

"I need this right now."he says and looks down at the red drink in his cup. He takes the bottle and offers me some.

I shake my head and sigh. "It's in three days."

He nods, but doesn't answer. It's silent and dark and unbearable.

In three days it'll be the anniversary of Liv's death day.

I slam a fist on the table, causing Kiro's cup to almost fall over. "She promised me she'd always be with me."

I loosen my fist and look at the ground. My hair covers my face so Kiro can't see the tears streaming.

"It wasn't your fault, Kourane. Stop blaming yourself." Kiro says. Even though he can't see my face, he knows I'm crying. He is my brother after all.

"I should've known the man was there. I should have called for help or stayed and helped her fight."

"You were six. You couldn't do anything."

"I ran away! And didn't even look back to see if she was ok. I ran like a coward. And becuase of that. Liv is-"

"That's enough, Kourane!"My mother's sharp voice cuts me off.

We both turn to look at her. She's wearing a long blue robe and has her blond hair down. She rarely has her hair down. Even when she sleeps. She braids it.

We all stay silent for a minute. A minute that feels like eternity.

"Olivia wouldn't want you to blame yourself."She says.

"But you agree, don't you, Mother?"I say, smiling harshly and bitterly. "You blamed me for her death."

"And that was a mistake. I was grieving."She says.

"So that makes it ok?"

"No. It doesn't."

Silence. Again. Agonizing, painful silence.

"You were a child. It wasn't your fault."my mother says, but she doesn't make eye contact with me.

"You say that, but your face says otherwise."

"I don't want to hear another word come from your mouth, Kourane."she turns around. "Go to sleep. Both of you."

She walks out of the kitchen and Kiro falls to the chair. He pours another cup of wine and gulps it down in a second.

"Tch."I scoff, blowing hair from my face.

"I-...uh"a voice comes from the stairs.

Me and Kiro turn to look at Liam coming out of the shadows.

"Oh for the love of...is everyone in this bloody house awake?!"I throw up my hands and scowl.

"Seems like it."Kiro says, tipsy.

"I heard you guys...arguing and came to check."Liam says, fiddling with his fingers.

His usually neatly done curls are all over the place. Some are so long they fall in front of his eyes.

"Thank you, Liam. We're fine."I say, snatching the wine bottle from Kiro.

"Hey!"he whines.

"You're getting drunk, idiot. I don't want you throwing up like last time."

"Whatever."

I look at the bottle. A minute ago it didn't look so tempting. Now, it's like it's calling out to me.

I take a large gulp.

"Kourane! I knew you just wanted to get some!"Kiro says.

"No. But I really needed it."

Liam stares at us. Confused and shocked. "Um..should you guys be drinking that?"

"It's fine. Mother didn't say anything."Kiro shrugs.

"I don't usually drink this, but on this particular crappy night, it'll pass."I put the cap on the bottle and take it to the kitchen.

"Why were you guys arguing?"Liam asks.

I freeze and clench the bottle in my hand. "It's uhh...it's nothing."

"Why not tell him, Kourane? It's not like It's a big secret. He's gonna find out anyway."

"Because I don't want to talk about it."

"What's going on? You guys need to explain please."Liam says again.

"In three days it'll be the day our sister died ten years ago."Kiro says.

"Tch."I scoff. Why would he say it when I just said I didn't want to talk about it?

"I...Um..."Liam stutters.

I feel my vision blur as tears form in my eyes. I set the bottle down and wipe them. Why am I crying? It happened ten years ago. I need to get over it. Holding onto the past doesn't do well.

"I-I didn't know. I'm s-sorry."Liam says, walking back into the shadow he was in.

"Well now you know."I mumble, trying my best to keep my voice steady.

"Kourane, It's ok. You can cry. We won't blame you. You were the closest to Liv out of all of us."Kiro says.

"No I can't, Kiro. I have to stay strong and kill that octopus or no one else will. What happened to Liv was a long time ago. It's high time I get over it."I turn around to face him and swallow my tears.

"Kourane..."

I set the bottle down and rush past Liam, ignoring my brother and heading to my room.

I shut the doors when I get there and the tears I was trying so hard to hold back fall.

"Stop it, Kourane..."I whisper to myself. "Stop crying."

Even though I really want to stop, I can't.

It's a lie when people tell you that the pain of losing someone gets better. That it heals. It doesn't. The pain of losing someone you cared about will always be there. The big hole you're left with. That nobody, but that one person that you lost, could fill it. And it comes back to haunt you. Coming back to you at the worst times possible.

Like a lion, watching its prey. Waiting for the right. When its off guard and doesn't suspect a thing. That's when it pounces.And it attacks viciously.

That's what it feels like to lose someone.