Chapter 2 Ch - 2

"You are here to serve me for the whole day, girl," His grunt mingled with that girl's cries of ecstasy.

Autumn was stunned to the other side of the call. Tears filled her eyes once again.

The sound was what it took for her to realize how naive she was to think he would never think of cheating on her. Her heart completely shattered into pieces, hearing Franklin answered, "You can see that I am quite busy, Nic... Cut the call, or hear me enjoying the new girl you left for me last night after the party,"

Her phone slipped from her trembling hand, and the call went disconnected.

He never loved me. Violin was right. She is always right.

If he loved her or respected their relationship, he would have never thought of cheating on her.

She lost her voice after crying so long. She was completely drained, couldn't stop the tears that kept escaping her eyes. Her soundless cries didn't see anyone, not that they have anything to say to console her.

"Otter?" The door of her room slightly pushed open. Autumn wiped her tears, turned around, and saw Violin, standing in a knee-length black dress with her eyes were tearful and red-rimmed.

"Let's go." Violin gave her sister a bitter smile, "It's time to tell dad our final goodbye."

Autumn's lips trembled. She tried not to cry there before her sister, but tears did not stop leaving her eyes. She looked on her feet and nodded her head once.

Violin couldn't see her like that. She walked toward her and pulled her into her embrace. "Don't cry, Otter." She ran her hand on Autumn's curly blonde hair, sobbed out, "You are my strong sister, aren't you?"

Walking on the street full of dead leaves, she looked at the sky, breathed in the beauty of the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness. The hollowness in her heart sees a hope to rise again just like autumn who embraces the change when she is falling to pieces. She'd let go. Isn't this what life truly means?

Death is the truth of life. No one can say when it takes over on one to free your soul from his tainted body.

It seemed strange to Autumn to see those unfamiliar faces kept coming to them. They were talking like they knew each other closely. They even said good things about their late father and the bonding they used to share for so long that they can't believe Mr. Bridger would leave them like that. Why didn't she see them home then? Did he deserve condolence truly?

"Dear, please remember to call me,"

Autumn observed from a distance a woman in her fifties, placing a visiting card in Violin's palm, "Your father has talked to me many times about you. The man is in his forties and owns a firm. He is rich enough to look after you. I know it is not a time, but you should think about it once. You have a sister in school too..."

Autumn's feet took her toward Violin. Before they could know, she took that card from Violin's hand and tore that into pieces. The dustbin wasn't far from them. So, it didn't take time for her to return to Violin.

The woman sneered, "What kind of behavior is this! I didn't know your sister is this - "

Autumn wasn't comfortable making eye contact with anyone. She held Violin's hand, told that woman fixing her gaze at her feet, "Thanks for coming, but now that it is over, you can take your leave, ma'am,"

"Autumn!"

Violin knew her sister was a bit protective of her, but what Autumn did was unexpected even to her.

The woman was enraged. "You - how can you talk to me - "

Autumn didn't let her finish before dragging Violin out of that woman's sight.

"What was that?" Violin faced her sister with her arms crossed. "Didn't I tell you to respect your elders?"

"You will not marry him," Autumn mumbled, looking down to her feet. Her fists clenched behind her that she knew Violin must have seen it.

Violin knew what Autumn meant. Her heart swelled every time Autumn tried to defend her. But that was not the right way to deal with things. She feared her sister may get herself in trouble somehow for her behavior.

"So you don't want me to get settled, Otter?"

Violin meant to tease her sister. She didn't know Autumn would take it seriously.

"If you marry that uncle, then - " Autumn raised her head, gazed directly to Violin, " - you will never see me again," That woman was manipulative. Autumn knew that witch was using her studies as an excuse as she knew well the fight Violin put with their parent, wanting her to go for higher studies.

"Autumn!" Violin's hand raised to land it on Autumn's cheek, but she held herself back. She glared at her tiny sister, warned her, "Don't ever say it again,"

Autumn's throat tightened.

Her eyes burned with tears, but that didn't weaken her. Her inside was burning for the unfairness to them. She raised her chin, said stubbornly, "I won't if you don't think of doing something stupid,"

Violin was more like a mother figure to Autumn. Being the second daughter of the Bridger family, their parents didn't care for her. When Ezra, who was two years younger than Autumn, was born, all of their parents' attention went toward him. For Ezra's educational expenses, the Bridger couple had tried to marry Violin off with whomever they find, but Autumn never let them succeeded in it.

They lashed her out many times for that but Autumn didn't give in to it.

She is my sister, my responsibility. If you don't want to keep her, then I will.

Since then, Autumn decided to work hard so that she can provide for her sister in the future. She never thought that day would come so fast in their life when she wasn't even sixteen. She was not prepared for it.

*

THREE DAYS LATER the funeral, Autumn was getting ready to leave for her school, at the time, her cell rang out broke the silence in her room. She glanced at the screen, saw Franklin's number on the display.

He didn't call after the funeral. He seemed not to bother of her family crisis which was rather heartbreaking for her. He left her cold. She stayed strong still, didn't even tell Violin of Franklin indeed a scumbag.

She would never involve Violin in her problem. She was calm, but that doesn't mean she was mute.

Autumn breathed out a long shaky breath before receiving the call. She pressed that to her ear, heard Franklin from the other side, saying, "Hello, love. It's Franklin. When will you be coming to school today?"

"Within ten minutes," She mumbled softly. It could be the last time they will see each other... Maybe.

"Meet me in the canteen. Don't forget to bring my copies with you,"

It sounded more like an order, yet it wasn't, to her at least. She loved him, trusted him, put her guard down to let him in to heal her broken heart. She was getting used to thinking of herself as someone he loved.

Will you remember me when I am gone?

Coming to the living room with a heavy backpack on her back, she kneeled to her grandma to kiss her palms.

The old lady was in her wheelchair, went silent after returning from her son's burial. Her empty eyes were on Autumn, gazed at the bag she carried with her. "You are leaving for school!" She wanted to ask, but her lips weren't moving. Her granddaughter still nodded, whispered, "For the last time,"

"Otter, I've served your breakfast on the table." Violin's voice came out from the kitchen. She's been doing everything before their mother died after their younger brother. She used to do everything for her family, to their parents it was worth nothing. She was nothing but a burden that they wanted to get rid of.

Since the time they'd gone, their father went paralyzed, and grandma fell sick. She was mourning, but couldn't allow herself to break down as there had no one to look after their family.

Autumn got back on her feet, walked in her way to the kitchen with their grandma.

"Don't leave with an empty stomach. Come here. Hurry up! Or you will be late for school." Violin hurriedly placed a tiffin carrier on the table, moved that to Autumn, saying, "Here... Your lunch,"

"I don't need lunch, Vi." Autumn slowly pushed that back, said softly, "I will have lunch with you," She didn't make eye contact with Violin. She decided for herself that she knew her sister won't appreciate it.