Bound By The Moon: The Eternal Bond - Chapter 11: Chapter 11

Lily's POV
I shoved the last of my belongings into my bag, barely able to see through the tears clouding my vision. The room, once my safe haven, now felt suffocating, a constant reminder of everything I had lost. My fingers trembled as I zipped the bag shut, the sound echoing in the silence of the house.
This was it. The end of this chapter of my life. I was leaving, not because I was weak, but because I refused to be invisible any longer. This house, this family—they would never see me for who I was. Because of her. Julia.
She didn’t just steal my spotlight. She stole my entire world.
I remember the day she arrived, her eyes red and swollen from crying, clutching a tattered suitcase like it was her lifeline. My father had brought her home after her parents died in that tragic accident. He said it was the right thing to do, that we were her only family now. I didn’t mind. At first, I was excited. I thought I was gaining a sister, someone to share secrets and dreams with, someone who would understand me in a way no one else could.
For a while, it was perfect. We played together, laughed together, and stayed up late whispering about silly things. I showed her my favorite hiding spots in the garden, taught her how to climb the old oak tree in the backyard, and even let her borrow my favorite books. I was so happy to have someone by my side.
But then, everything changed.
People started noticing her. Her bright smile, her quick wit, her ability to make everyone feel special. At school, the teachers couldn’t stop praising her. “Julia this,” “Julia that.” She got perfect grades, won every competition, and became the center of attention wherever she went. I tried to keep up, to work harder, to prove that I was just as good. But no matter what I did, it was never enough.
I faded into the background, a shadow in her light.
At home, it was even worse. My father, who once doted on me, began to look at her with pride. He called her his “brilliant little girl” and praised her accomplishments at the dinner table while I sat there, silent, invisible. Even the neighbors would gush about how lucky we were to have someone as wonderful as Julia in our family.
I began to hate her. Not just for what she had, but for what she took from me.
I was shocked to learn that she was our Luna. That library reopening ceremony brought nothing but a nightmare. I stood in the crowd, unable to believe the words being spoken. Julia, our queen? How could anyone expect me to bow to her? The thought was unbearable. I clenched my fists so hard that my nails dug into my palms.
How can she be my queen? I wouldn’t agree to that. I, Lily, am above Julia. One day, I’ll make her lick my shoes and beg for forgiveness.
At least my mom didn’t like her. She had her reasons, though I never fully understood them. Still, I appreciated the way she used to order Julia around and burden her with chores. It was the only time I ever saw Julia stumble, the only moments when she looked anything less than perfect. Watching her scrub floors or run errands under my mom’s watchful eye gave me a twisted sense of satisfaction.
But even that wasn’t enough.
I threw my bag over my shoulder and took one last look around the room. It felt so empty now, stripped of the warmth and comfort it once held. But I didn’t feel sadness. Only anger. And determination.
I’m not running away. No, this is something else entirely. I’m leaving to become something greater. To prove to myself—and to everyone else—that I’m more than just Julia’s shadow.
One day, I’ll come back to this town, but not as the broken girl they knew. I’ll return as someone powerful, someone respected. Someone they’ll all regret underestimating.
I can already picture it. The whispers of awe and admiration, the stunned expressions on their faces when they see what I’ve become. Julia will look at me, and for the first time, she’ll feel the sting of being overshadowed. She’ll know what it feels like to be invisible.
I’ll make sure of it.
But first, I need to figure out where to go. The world outside this town is vast and full of opportunities and danger but I’m determined to seize them. Maybe I’ll start in the city, where no one knows me, where I can reinvent myself without the weight of my past dragging me down. I’ll work hard, learn everything I can, and climb my way to the top.
The thought of it sends a thrill through me. For the first time in years, I feel a spark of hope, a glimmer of possibility. I can be more than this. I will be more than this.
I make my way to the front door, pausing only to glance at the family portrait hanging in the hallway. Julia’s smile is front and center, her arm wrapped around my father’s shoulders. My own face is barely visible, tucked away in the corner, almost like an afterthought.
I reach up and pull the picture off the wall. It slips from my hands and crashes to the floor, the glass shattering into a thousand pieces.
It feels fitting, somehow.
With one last look at the wreckage, I step outside and close the door behind me. The night air is cool against my skin, carrying with it the promise of a new beginning.
I don’t know what lies ahead, but I do know one thing: I’m not coming back until I’ve made them all see me. Until I’ve made them all remember me.
And Julia? She’ll regret ever taking what was mine.
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