Not Really Mine

XXVI

My heart felt as if it has stopped. The raw shock and emotion crashed into me with every little ounce it got, knocking all of the alcohol out of of me, leading me back to sobriety.

My own sister sat there crossed leg staring back at me with the same almond eyes as mine. The sister that I haven't seen in years, the one I needed, my parents need. There was always a gap in my heart due to her absence, and her being there, I front of me, almost shockingly didn't fill a sliver of it.

"Azalea," Vincent took a step to obscure my vision of my sibling. My eyes snapped up to him with a fiery anger that was enough for him to step out of my way.

Adeline tilted her head, indifferent to the fact her own blood was in front of her that she hadn't seen in years due to her own faults.

"Azalea." Her eyes roamed up my body, looking over at what she missed.  "Still the same since the last time I saw you." Adeline's voice held innocence, her sweet accent was like a soothing melody to people's ears, but she was far from that. "A exact copy of me." Her heated gaze shifted over to my boyfriend who shot her a heated glare. Anger riled up inside of me as my jaw ticked.

"So that all you have to say, not 'I'm sorry for abandoning my family," I raised my pointer finger. "For not calling," then my middle. "For Basically just dropping of the map, leaving my younger sister for the harsh country called America to bite her in the ass." Lastly my ring finger, leaving three up. I left my pointer up and jabbed it towards her. "I was worried, Adeline."

"Lea, you wouldn't understand-"

"Try me." I challenged. I pulled out the seat Vincent was previously sitting and sat down, waiting for her excuse. She sighed, lightly twirling her finger around the shirt she wore.

"I felt- suffocated, by everyone." She explained. My eyes narrowed listening. "I needed to find myself, on my own away from everyone."

"You mean just your family." I corrected leaning into the seat. "Because I know you and Liam had a thing." I jutted my thumb back at the lurking man behind me. "You even abounded him too, after he refused to go public." Her eyes lifted up to Vincent, something swirling around in them.

"Yeah I've seen you two on the screen, is it real?" She questioned tapping the table.

"Yes." I bluntly stated lifting up my left hand. A soft chuckle left her lips. A smile was present on her face.

"Sometimes a ring doesn't prove that, Lea. You see, Liam and I , the passion we shared, the love. It can't be recreated, why do you think he likes you? You look exactly like me, even after I left he still couldn't move on." She said the words so gently, but they were so harsh.

The hole that was in my heart, waiting to be filled by her, tore more. Which created a bigger, darker one.

"No I'm different than you, Addy." I whispered. The lowness of my voice still tracked to her over the loud music as she said.

"Are you though?" My eye twitched with distraught and anger. "Lea, I'm sorry to say this, but the only reason I'm back is-" I was screaming in my mind, begging for her not to say what I knew she was going to say.

"Liam." I pushed the chair back aggressively, not being able to sit there anymore.

"Az-" Vincent's hand wrapped around my forearm.

"Please Vince, let me go I-I need to a little time to calm myself before I explode." I spoke softly, not wanting to look at the man grasping my arm. After a hesitant second he let go, letting me run up the spiraling stairs where the party was less obnoxious.

I took deep breaths, trying to catch my breath as tears start to brim my eyes. The hallway was dark, so I hoped no one could see me when I slid down the wall having a breakdown. I sobbed hard into my hands, tasting the salty tears as they reached my lips.

I knew Vince wouldn't. Even though all the signs pointed towards Adeline being right, the marriage, the- third wheeling, as lame as the name might've sounded. I couldn't believe her, my heart wouldn't let it. Especially since she was gone for most of my adult life, the trust I had in her during childhood, was long gone. If our feeling weren't real, would he have told me about his previous relationship with my sister?

My head was mess, trying to piece together what I've heard and what I already knew. I raked my hand through my hair trying to make up of the situation. My ears perked up when I head foot steps walk down the hallway until they stopped near me.

"Azalea?" My head bobbed to the silhouette of a man. The darkness impaired my vision, causing the man to be unrecognizable.

"I'm sorry," I sniffed, wiping my tears off of my cheeks. "But I can't see who you are." I chuckled humorlessly at myself.

"Come one, let's get you cleaned up." He bent down hoisting my up to my feet. He then led me to a room with lights already on making me squint trying to adjust. I heard the door closed and I turned around to see Mr. Waters, sober.

"Sit down on the bed I'll bring you some tissue." I obeyed and watched him walk to the bathroom retrieving a box of tissues.

"Thank you Mr. Waters." I thanked him then grabbed a couple, wiping around my eyes.

"Please call me Daniel." He shot me a warm smile before coming to sit next to me. I turned my head to him and looked at him confused.

"The last time I saw you, you were on the table shirtless and drunk." I said as I balled the tissue in my hand before going to throw it away.

"Yeah, well I like to put on a show for my guests, frat boy style." I let out a small giggle as he cheered me up. I looked up at him with a small smile then down to my lap. I let out a deep sigh.

Daniel's hand began to rub circles around my back as he inched closer. I didn't know what to make up of Daniel. Was he a partier with no limits? Or was he a business man trying to please his clients. He was mischievous though, the glint that was always in his eyes proved it.

"Hey look, I'm sorry about you and Liam. You must be upset finding out about him and your sister, but I need to tell you something, I-." He said counting his hand motions.

"I already knew." I countered, shifting my gaze to him. His head was straight forward, but turned sharply to me.

"You knew?" He asked, baffled.

"Liam told me." I explained sitting up straight. "He told me before we even got together, and I mean like together together." My explanation went further with hand motions for together. His faces showed shock and a smidge of hurt, which I didn't understand. "Sorry, what were you about to tell me?" I asked scanning over his face. His eyes seemed focus on my hands, but then lifted up to me.

"Nothing, just that I hope you and Liam figure it out." He patter my back before standing up. I knew that's not what he wanted to say, but I didn't want to pry. "Okay, so are you ready for round two with your sister?" Daniel lifted his hand for me to take. I gave him a short nod before reaching out to take his and getting up off the bed.

I really wasn't ready to face my sister. What came out that pretty little mouth of hers was unpredictable, but I had to, I needed to.

Daniel and I exited out of the room and over the balcony, leading to the staircase. I spotted Vince looking heated as I watched him noticeably yell at me sister. Adeline stood there almost bored as she stared at Vince blankly.

We caught her attention as she looked up to us. My eyes turned into skits as I went down the stairs to go talk to her. I felt Daniel's pretense behind me as I finally pushed my way through the crowd to her and Vince.

She smiled warmly at me, but her eyes were looking at someone else. My head went to Daniel, the persons she was staring at and saw he was doing the same. A noticed a silent message went between the two after Daniel glared at her. I turned back around to her attention back at me.

"He's really stubborn, like I remember. It's okay, ma belle," she placed her small hand on my shoulder. "I'm not going anywhere anymore." Adeline let her hand slide off before heading towards the crowd.

"I love you."