The Lost Sister ✓ [COMPLETED]

Ch. 4 *A Blank Canvas*

LUNA

I sped away down 5th Ave, before hitting the bumpy, dirt road that the construction workers seemed to have forgotten about.

After five minutes, I turn right and climb a little hill, only to find a two story high white house with a green yard in the front.
Our new home.

I pull up to the garage and get off my bike, running towards the door and storming inside.
Instantly, I'm hit with a shocked, depressed feeling.

This house is unfamiliar.
There are no memories attached. It's a blank canvas.
The walls are white, colorless. No pictures, no child handprints or flowers painted on.
There's nothing.

Slowly, I shut the door behind me. I stare at everything, in a pained confusion.
I take quiet steps down the hallway, reaching the end to be hit with more white walls and some old furniture in the corners that the previous owners did not want to take.

I take a sit on a chair, hands on my knees and my head hanging low.
During the trip over, I thought it would be easy for me to get used to a new house.
But being here now...staring at it all, I don't know if I will ever get used to it.

I hear muffled arguing through the walls, so I stand up and press my ear against the wall.

"How could you just send her off without knowing anything about this area?! How could you be so stupid Jonathan?!"

"Luna is not a little kid anymore Maria! She needs to experience things and act like a teenager."

"What would happen if someone kidnapped her?! If someone shot her dead in the streets all because you wanted her to be a teenager! I won't lose another child, Jonathan!"
She breaks down into sobs, and it's silent between the both of them.

My eyes widen.

"We won't lose Luna," Dad says after a moment of silence, "I promise you."

I back up away from the wall, bringing a hand up to my chest.
Suddenly, a door opens and Dad steps out. His eyes widen when he sees me.
"Luna," he shuts the door, "how was the boardwalk?"

"It was okay," I answer softly before my eyes fall onto the necklace I got for Mom. "I um, bought this." I hold it out for Dad to see, and he smiles brightly. "It's beautiful," he says before turning away. "Well, what do you think of the new place?"

I don't answer.

He sighs under his breath. "I know how hard it's been, for you and your Mom both. But we need to think of this move as a new beginning for our family. New memories. With just a little paint, and some new furniture, we'll get this place nice and comfortable."

"Mhm," I nod, forcing a small smile to show Dad that I'm fine.
We say to others, but mostly to ourselves, that we're fine.
When really, the ones who say they're fine are probably screaming within themselves all the things that aren't right in there life...

Dad approaches me and gives me a loving hug. "I've been thinking..." He whispers, "maybe we should make a little memorial, for your sister. We should plant her favorite flowers in the garden, and call it Star's Garden."

I sniffle, tears streaming down my face. "Her favorite flower were Sweet Peas," I reply.
"Sweet Peas it is," he lets me go, ruffling my hair. He's trying to stay strong, but I can see the pain in his face. "We'll get those next time we go to town."

I nod, bringing a sleeve to my eyes.
Dad tells me to go check out my new room, and that dinner tonight will be takeout Chinese food.
So, I bring my bags up to my room.

All the walls are white, and there's a small bed in the corner. They must've put my bed in while I was at the boardwalk.
I set my bags down, unzipping one of them and pulling out a picture frame.

A family photo...of all four of us.
Mom and Dad are smiling brightly, Mom's arms wrapped around Dad's waist.
I'm a knee high little kid, eyes squeezed shut because I'm smiling so wide.
Beside me, is a curly dark haired girl with a small smile while her hand rests on my shoulder.

I put it on my nightstand, and I lay down on the bed.

I shut my eyes, replaying old memories in my head...

*Memory flashback*

I walk through the wet soil barefoot, giggling as it tickles my toes.
Star is ahead of me, picking blue and purple flowers that just sprouted within the week.
I run up to her side, tugging at her shirt.
She looks at me.
I point at my head. "I'm a a fairy princess!"
"Oh?" She smiles a little, her eyes falling on the flowers she just picked before she glances at me again.
She sits, and motions for me to sit as well.
"Well, it's a known fact that every fairy princess needs a tiara of flowers." She begins to weave together the stems of the flowers, and I watch and wait eagerly.
Ten minutes pass by, and she's finished.
"Okay," she gently places it on my head. "There, now your a real fairy princess."
I giggle extremely loud, jumping off the rock and spinning around, pretending that I have a magical wand, and that whatever I touch will turn into something beautiful.
Star watches me, and laughs a little, before she too gets up and plays with me.

*End of memory flashback*

I open my eyes and inhale sharply.
To be honest, I don't know what would've been worse.
Star disappearing, not knowing how or why.
Or, Star running away, because she hated her life and didn't love her family enough to stay?

Both have a painful sting.
But being just a little girl, watching the sister you've looked up to, respected, loved, and who was your best friend, just pack her things and run down the driveway that easily...as if her family didn't matter to her anymore?

I sigh, curling into a ball.
That's a different kind of pain.
One that I would never wish on anyone...