Love Is Second Best — Chapter 38: HE LOVED ME AS I LOVE YOU

"Adrian!" Carmella exclaimed happily. It's as if she couldn't believe what she saw. It's been more than a month since they last dated.

Kara pulled her inside the room and shut the door. The room is a bit private that's why the three of them enjoyed their company together.

"Cous, long time, no see." Kara nudged his shoulders. Adrian's cheek flustered right away because Kara teased her in front of Carmella. He just scratched his head as he shyly gave her a bunch of flowers.

"Thank you,"

"I missed you so much." He sat on the chair beside her bed as he held her hands.

"I..." She hesitated saying the next words because Kara's giggle resounded the whole room.

She cleared her throat after Carmella frowned at her for trying to ruin their 'sweet moments'.

"Guys, it's just me, okay? Calm down. Just imagine that I am not here in this room, alright?" She said as she continued giggling nonstop. Adrian couldn't help but chuckle because of his cousin's being silly.

"How are you?"

"I've been feeling great."

"Well, she's frowning and she's always in a bad mood, but that's before you came."

"Kara..." She mentioned her name with a hint of warning.

"What? I am just saying the truth."

"I am willing to be present here just to lighten your mood."

"Gosh, for the record, you're being the best cousin so far."

"Yeah. I mean it. I want you to get a speedy recovery so that we can go back to our dates." Adrian was a bit surprised when Carmella hugged him tight.

"Thank you so much!" She could hear her best friend cheering from behind them. Carmella thought that from this day forward, she will be the happiest. Having this new life, and most probably the new love of her life if ever.

"My cousin missed you so much. He's been asking me countless times if how are you doing now."

"I am trying to get a lot of rest for me to recover very fast. I want to get well soon so that I can get out of this hospital. I am sick and tired of looking at the white background and four corners of the room."

"I will be here to support you, Carmella." Kara cheered when she noticed the bouquet of flowers he just gave her.

However, everything that happened between the three of them was kept in secret from Elise Hope. This is the only request of Carmella since she felt that Adrian is the only man she has for herself. For her, Adrian is the only person whom she can call her own.

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Days turn to weeks and weeks turn to months. Carmella and Elise Hope talked and restored their friendship. This time, they were even closer because Carmella decided to take the course that Elise Hope wanted to take. The family even requested that they will be in the same class so that Carmella could help Elise Hope in everything.

"Mom, we will be in the same class with Elise Hope."

"Make sure you will take care of your sister. Be responsible and make her happy always." She replied coldly.

That's always the scenario if ever they were alone together.

"Don't you dare tell them about this or you will regret it, Carmella."

"Y-Yes, mom." She looked down as she avoided her gaze. At that moment, she tried to stop her tears but her mother didn't care about what she felt. She only looked at her and said nothing. Her tears are not worth being noticed by her mom. She knew that her mom only loved her turned father Leonard and Elise Hope. She happened to be her half-sister. What an irony.

She glanced at the window in their living room. She could see Hope waving her hand as she smiled at her. She didn't face in her direction, instead, she's waving to where their entrance door was located.

Leonard, their father guided her hand to wave in front to where she is standing right now. She saw her mom standing near her, pinched the back of her arm secretly. It's as if she wanted Carmella to wave at them also.

"Bring the packed lunch to Elise and Leonard."

"M-Mom..."

"Don't you ever dare to call them your sister and father whenever they're not around."

"W-Why mom? Can't I tell them about that since they already treated me as family?" Carmella tried to reason out and her mom chuckled mockingly in front of her.

"Wow. Don't you ever dare to do that. Remember, they only treated you as family because I already have you."

"Mom?" Carmella can't stop her tears from falling. She can't believe that her mom was able to tell her about this one right in front of her face.

"Just follow what I am telling you so that you may live longer with us, on one roof. If only I have a choice, I will choose Elise Hope over you. I will always do it." She said while pointing at her fingers to her forehead.

"Remember what I told you. Never ever dare forget about it or else you will regret everything."

Carmella nodded as her heart pounded fast and hard. So, it was all a show? She was disappointed how her mother treats her whenever her daddy Leonard and Elise Hope is not around.

She never planned to change her treatment to Elise Hope as well. She would prefer to wear a mask whenever they're around. She's even difficult to be with her sister now that they're living on the same roof this time. Carmella could feel that she owed her sister big time. For the eyes she has given her, for a new-found loving father whom he treated her as her own as well. She took a deep breath as she held her sister's hand while they were sitting close to each other inside the car.

Leonard, their father who is driving their car said nothing. For the first time, Leonard was quieter than usual. I tried looking at Hope and she is smiling meekly as if she has no problem at all.

"Dad? Do you have any music there? Can you play my favorite song, please?" As usual, her sweet voice touched both our hearts. I gripped her hand tightly so that she also did the same.

"Are you okay?" She asked in a worried tone. Wow, she was the one who managed to ask me about it when I was the one who was supposed to be asking that to her. I have a clear vision right now but I feel like having a blurred life.

"I am okay. Don't worry. How about you?"

"Well, I want to hear sounds as much as possible because I am not comfortable being so quiet since everything is a bit darker this time." She said as she chuckled. I saw our father Leonard sniffed a little. He's like trying so hard to stop his tears from falling because of what Elise Hope said.

"Alright sweetheart. I will play your favorite song. Please wait a minute, okay?" Our father Leonard clicked something in front of him. I noticed he is clicking something on the built-in car radio scrolling some songs.

"Why do birds suddenly appear? Every time, you are near? Just like me, they long to be, close to you..." So this is the classic song by The Carpenters. The voice of the singer calms my nerves as well.

As soon as she heard this melody, she sang along with it. I can't stop my tears from falling this time. However, our father Leonard tried to make the volume louder for me not to be obvious. I knew our dad got what I meant. I cried silently looking at Hope's situation right now. She was completely blind and yet her enthusiasm never changed. She's even more confident this time as if not regretting her decision to give her eyes to me.

Father Leonard looked at the rear mirror and our eyes met. I quickly avoided my gaze because I am feeling guilty about everything. For what Elise Hope did and all the things resulted in that decision that she made for herself, considering my life as well.

I am sometimes thinking, I wish I already died than to experience these kinds of things. This sight is all too much to bear. Now that my half sister is completely blind, it's as if I am accountable for her life forever, too. It's as if I owe everything to her and I must do everything to make her happy all her life after she saved mine.

I quietly sighed. I tried not to be obvious for Hope and father to notice it. We arrived in school twenty minutes earlier than the exact time for class. This is to assist Hope to her needs too, as she adjusts to her new environment.

"By the way, why didn't mom accompany us?" Hope asked all of a sudden that Father Leonard and me looked at each other.

"She's a bit busy, dear. She's baking your favorite cookies at home. Also, she wanted to cook food for dinner. That's why she preferred staying inside the house."

"Oh, I see."

Father assisted us until we reached our classroom. When father left, she smiled as she inched closer to me.

"How are you, dear?"

"I'm okay, you silly girl." I also chuckled. She personally requested to not treat her as a blind girl but instead, the way we used to be. She preferred that way. Hope wanted that nobody will prevent her from reaching her dreams despite her condition. I have also learned that Adrian enrolled in the same University where we are right now. That made me feel very happy and ecstatic. I am excited that I will be with him and I will get to have endless dates with him. Although Kara enrolled in a different University because her course is Education, still she often visits us. She also asks about how Hope is.

"I am glad that you're adjusting, dear." Kara complimented. She giggled as a response.

"Thanks Kara. I will never ever forget Kaka. That will always be my favorite tandem for a friendship partner you know."

We did the high five. The three of us. We also promised that nobody could ever ruin this friendship until the rest of our lives.