Sometimes, moving on means accepting that the past will always be a part of who we are.

PENELOPE

The grey eyes, so piercing and enigmatic, were a stark contrast to the chaos of my near fall. His warm hands, wrapped around my waist, sent shivers down my spine. My stomach flipped at our close proximity. He didn't bother to avert his gaze, staring at me intensely. It was then I realized I had bumped into him, causing my loss of balance.

A familiar voice brought us back to reality. I quickly pushed him away and steadied myself.

"Penelope," my sister called. I looked up and saw her staring at me, confused. I gulped nervously and gave her a weak smile. I glanced at Sean, who was looking at me from head to toe, his eyes darkening with anger.

What? Why does he look angry? Doesn't he like my presence here? These thoughts sent a pang of hurt through my chest.

"What are you doing here?" she asked. I opened my mouth to reply, but then I heard Serena's voice.

"How do I look?"

She walked out of the changing room in a beautiful off-shoulder purple gown, looking like an enchantress. She twirled in front of me, and I giggled.

"You look stunning," I said and clapped. She gave me a proud smile, then her eyes fell on the person behind me, and she frowned.

"What are you doing here?" she asked Sean.

"Nothing much, just came here to sell some vegetables. What do you think I must be doing in a shopping mall, my little sister?" Sean replied. His sarcastic remark made me chuckle. As soon as the chuckle left my mouth, his head snapped toward me. I bit my lower lip nervously.

Serena glared at Sean. To change the awkward situation, Sophia opened her mouth. "We just came here for engagement party shopping," she replied, showing her shopping bags.

I glanced at my sister, standing beside Sean, her face lit up with a radiant smile. Together, they looked flawless, like something out of a picture-perfect romance. A perfect couple, effortlessly complementing one another. Despite being twins, the differences between us were stark. We shared the same eye color, but beyond that, we were worlds apart. She stood taller than me, with strikingly sharp features and an hourglass figure that seemed to draw attention wherever she went.

She was perfect in every way. And maybe that’s why, no matter where we went, boys always gravitated toward her. In high school, she was the popular one. Everyone knew her name, and I was often just an afterthought—her sister, the one who trailed behind, barely noticed. It wasn’t that she didn’t love me, because she did. She was kind, never flaunting her beauty in front of me. But despite that, I couldn’t help but feel like I was always standing in her shadow, living in the background of her life.

I never compared myself to her because I used to think that everyone has unique qualities. Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder I’d say, clinging to that hopeful thought.

But that was before it happened. Before that moment shattered the illusion I had built for myself. After the incident, my perspective shifted, harsh and unforgiving. It became painfully clear that the world wasn’t interested in inner beauty. A pretty face and a perfect body—that’s all people cared about. No one looked past the surface. No one really saw me.

And maybe no one ever would.

"Oh shit! I forgot to tell you that we’re hosting an engagement party next week. I’m sorry, sweetheart," Sophie said.

"It's okay," I replied, but the hurt lingered. I felt it should have been Sophie who informed me, not Serena.

"Anyway, now that you’re here, you need to pay for my dress," Serena chimed in happily.

"Why don’t you buy a dress for the party too?" Sophie suggested.

"No, it's fine. I already have many dresses," I replied.

"I’ll go pay," Sean said, heading toward the counter. I gave one last glance at that beautiful dress before walking out of the store with my sister and Serena.

"So, what's your plan for today?" Sophie asked.

"Well, I’ve booked your lovely sister for the whole day, so she’s going to spend the day with me," Serena replied. Sophie chuckled, "Well, that’s great. I’ll head to the office now. You two enjoy your day."

With that, Sean and Sophie walked away, looking perfect together. I watched their retreating figures, feeling a pang of hurt. I truly wanted my sister to be happy, but why couldn’t I find happiness in her joy? Why did I feel so lonely?

"Let’s go," Serena's voice pulled me back to reality.

"So where to now?" I asked as I settled into the car.

"Let’s eat lunch because I’m hungry," she replied.

"So what do you want to have?" I asked.

"Mmmm... let’s have pizza," she suggested.

"Great choice! I’m really craving some pizza," I said, and we both laughed. I pulled out a mask from my bag and put it on.

"What are you doing?" she asked, her eyes fixed on the road.

"I just don’t want any unwanted attention," I said. She shrugged in response.

After devouring a hearty pizza, Serena drove us to the park near our old high school. It felt like we had slipped back in time, sitting beneath the sprawling mango trees like we used to, talking about everything and nothing at all. An hour passed in a blur of laughter and nostalgia, the world around us fading into the golden hues of the setting sun.

By five o’clock, Serena pulled up in front of my house. She waved with a smile, promising we’d do this again soon, before driving off into the fading light.

As I stepped inside, the house greeted me with an unsettling stillness. It was too early for my parents or sister to be home. The silence hung heavy, broken only by the soft creak of the front door closing behind me. I sighed, my footsteps echoing as I climbed the stairs to my room, feeling the weight of being completely, undeniably alone.

The first thing I did was kick off my heels, letting them fall haphazardly to the floor with a satisfying thud. I reached up, tugging at the tight ponytail that had been pulling at my scalp all day, releasing my hair with a deep, relieved breath. My fingers massaged my head, easing the tension that had accumulated as the hours dragged on.

I stripped out of my clothes, tossing them carelessly into the laundry basket, craving the soothing warmth of a shower. As the water hit my skin, I let out a soft sigh, massaging my sore shoulders, the heat easing the knots of exhaustion that had formed. The steam curled around me, enveloping me like a cocoon, washing away the day’s fatigue.

After drying off, I slipped into my favorite linen nightwear, its soft fabric brushing against my skin as I flopped onto my bed. I stretched out, arms behind my head, legs crossed, feeling the weight of my body sink into the mattress. The ache in my muscles began to fade, but my mind, restless and tangled, refused to quiet.

I stared blankly at the ceiling, the familiar sense of unease creeping in. Thoughts of him, of the past, filled the void. It was maddening.

They always say to move on, to let go of the past. As if it’s that simple. Two years had passed, and I thought that by now, his memory would have blurred, softened with time. But it hadn’t. The truth, as bitter as it was, settled over me. No matter how many years passed—two, twenty, or two hundred—I’d never fully erase him. He was embedded too deeply.

I sighed, closing my eyes, accepting the weight of it. He was a part of my past, a chapter I couldn’t rewrite or forget. And maybe, just maybe, that’s where he needed to stay—forever in the past, untouched but not forgotten.