We were so different; I didn’t even understand why I ever thought we were sisters.
“I’m sorry, Anna,” she said in a lower tone of voice. “I’m truly sorry for all these years, really, and the reason why I’m having this talk with you now is because we need to work together in order to be happy.”
“What do you mean?” I said, frowning at her and bringing the plate to my lap.
I totally forgot about the pancakes, so I had to take at least one bite from it as we continued to have the conversation.
Katya checked the surroundings and looked carefully everywhere. She checked her pockets and sighed when she saw that she hadn’t had her phone on her.
“If you want to be happy with Maksen, then you have to play by Dad’s rules. If I want to be happy with Laura, then I have to play by Maksen’s rules. There’s no way in between.”
Did she just come out to me?
“I don’t want to play by anyone’s rules. I want the truth and the chance to live the life that I want.”
“Do you love Maksen?” she whispered, pinning me with her eyes.
I completely froze hearing her words and as soon as I looked her in the eyes, I felt the answer emerging inside of me. I hadn’t been put in the situation to speak my feelings out until then, yet there was Katya easily making me say what my heart felt.
“Y-Yes,” my answer came out more as a trembling whisper.
My heart began beating faster than ever.
The blood was boiling inside my veins and my soul was at peace with my own mind. It felt liberating to admit that I loved him. It felt like my soul had waited for this moment to come so it could truly live life.
I loved him.
I loved Maksen. I truly did, and as it hit me, I felt the tears traveling down my face.
“Then you have to play by his rules for now. Listen to him, do whatever he wants, and we’ll make it through it together,” she mumbled, starting to chew her lower lip. “I just have to figure out how to get you out of here.”
“Out of here? What do you mean, Katya? Tell me directly what you want to say because I don’t have time for any more lies.”
She sighed, pinning me with her eyes and coming a little closer.
“You’ll see exactly what I mean, just not now. Enjoy your breakfast and your day until dad comes back home tomorrow.”
She stood up from the chair, leaving me there speechless and without any chance to ask her further questions. I turned around to look after her, but she ran off from the kitchen.
That was the most confusing conversation I had with her, but also the most true and sincere one. I felt as if she was trying to get closer to me and even be nice to me for the first time in her life.
Was she really going to help me or was she just trying to hide her evil plan by making me believe she’s a good person?
My life started running by me and I’m left behind, trying to figure out how to run the same speed. That’s exactly how I felt.
I took a deep breath to calm myself down, then I took the fork from the table and started enjoying the pancakes. My mind couldn’t concentrate on the entire process of eating.
I was eating my feelings out now that Katya managed to trigger even more questions inside of my mind. I let my gaze fall somewhere in the courtyard, then I rose it up to the sky.
The birds were flying just like I wanted to fly at that moment, but I didn’t have the pair of wings I’ve always dreamt of.
At least, the only good thing that happened was that Lukyan was letting me apply to university which was one of my biggest dreams. After finishing the breakfast, I’ll go back to my room and bury between the pages of the admissions’ books. I was hoping I could do that considering what a mess I was.
I was chewing slowly, savoring the blueberries and the maple syrup until the door behind me opened and I saw Olivia taking a seat in front of me. She looked at Katya’s plate and smiled softly.
“I knew she wouldn’t eat that. She just wanted a reason to talk to you.”
I laughed hearing her words, then I nodded, instantly remembering that Katya hated pancakes since she was a child. Olivia always used to prepare these for me and Maksen, but for Katya, she always cooked something else.