I sank to the floor, pulling it toward me, letting the dust settle on my fingers. Inside were letters—crumpled, faded remnants of my childhood, written by Nathan and Gabriel. Stick figure drawings, silly poems, “get well soon” cards for when I was sick.
And a photograph. The three of us—me, Nathan, and Gabriel—kneeling by a treehouse, dirt smeared on our clothes, grins stretching across our faces.
I remembered that day vividly. The summer I almost got bitten by a dog. I had always feared dogs, and the neighbor’s had broken free. I froze in terror. Nathan and Gabriel jumped in front of me without hesitation. Nathan even got bitten on his arm just to keep me safe.
After that, everything shifted. They became my shadows. My protectors. And somewhere along the way, I had fallen for Nathan, while Gabriel treated me like a sister.
Until Sabrina came and destroyed everything.
I sat on the floor, clutching a friendship bracelet with my name engraved on it. I had been a fool.
My parents had warned me when I begged to adopt Sabrina. “Are you sure about this, Elena? Not everyone wants a sister the way you do. And what if she hurts you? You can’t trust just anyone so easily.”