The sun is warm against my skin as we walk down the familiar road, the faint scent of dry pavement and the distant aroma of roasted banana from a street vendor filling the air. The wonderful evening to mark the end of secondary school.
A grin spreads across my face as I watch my sister scrutinize her report card for what feels like the hundredth time, Her brows are furrowed in disbelief, and I'm certain I know what's racing through her mind. How did I manage to score two marks higher than her in mathematics? And how did I win the award for best student in mathematics?
My sister has always been the top student in our class, exceling in every subject. "You fool, just admit it, I won" I tease, nudging her shoulder playfully.
She doesn't even spare me a glance, still obsessing over the paper as if the numbers might change. I roll my eyes, chuckling. "Does it even matter? You're the best graduating student. What's two marks in math compared to that?"
She groans, hugging her report card to her chest
"You wouldn't understand "
I roll my eyes. "I don't understand why you're pouting over a math score. Tobi's face when you won Best Graduating Student was an award on its own," I say with a laugh. "I still can't believe you consider him a rival when you're miles ahead of him."
She finally looks up, a small smirk tugging at her lips. "He is my rival. And he's not that bad—"
"Oh, please. If he studied any harder, he'd start seeing further maths in his dreams" I scoff.
Mia sighs, shaking her head. "I just wanted a perfect streak. That math award should've been mine."
"Chill, it's over now. You still got the big title" I remind her, nudging her playfully.
"Yea, I guess"
I shake my head. I honestly don't understand her obsession with graduating with the highest CGPA
Me? My goal has always been simple pass, move forward and be done with school, I really don't care about being the best. I never have.
"Come on, it's not that deep," I say, nudging her again, this time playfully shoving her to the side. "At least it's over."
She's mid eye roll when—
A sharp blast of a horn. The screech of tires.
Time slows.
A car. Too close. Too fast.
My lungs seize as instinct takes over, my body lurching backward. The tips of my sandals scrape the pavement as I stumble to safety.
But my sister
She doesn't move fast enough
It is too late
One moment, my sister was there warm, real, sulking over mathematics another moment, she was yanked of her feet, flung through the air like a ragged doll
For a split second, she seems weightless, suspended against the burning orange sky. Her eyes widen, lips parted in a silent gasp then she comes crashing down like a wrecking ball
The sickening thud echoes through the street.
The world halts.
She's on the hard pavement. Motionless
My heart pounds against my ribs
Too fast.
Red. Too much red
Spreading pool of crimson blood engulfs her
I'm suffocating, I can't breathe.
My lips tremble
"Mia" i scream, scrambling towards her, gripping her hands tightly
Her lips part, her voice barely audible, barely more than a breath. "Maya…" My name, fragile and broken, like a prayer slipping through her lips.
Her hold on me weakens
Her chest rises. falls. then stills.
A cold hush settles over the world.
She's gone.
And just like that, my world is no longer whole.