A few days passed. Draco had just finished writing another chapter of his story about Lila, the princess who wanted to be free. He wondered if anyone would ever read his words, or if they would just stay hidden in his notebook. He felt a pang of loneliness and wished he had someone to share his stories with.
His thoughts turned to his phone (may it rest in peace, he thought) and how carelessly he had lost both it, and the chance to make a friend. He was angry at Amira for breaking his phone, but also for being so different from him. She was popular, friendly, and knew the whole school like the back of her hand. He was lonely, tired, and new. He didn’t think they had anything in common, and he didn’t want her pity.
He decided to go for a walk, hoping to clear his mind. He put on his jacket and headed outside. The sun was setting, and the sky was painted with orange and purple hues. He walked along the sidewalk, passing by shops and cafes. He saw people laughing and talking, enjoying their lives. He felt like an outsider, a stranger in his own city.
He turned a corner and saw a bookstore. He loved books, especially fantasy and adventure stories. He decided to go inside and browse the shelves. Maybe he would find something new to read, something that would take him away from his boring reality.
He entered the bookstore and was greeted by the smell of paper and ink. He walked past the bestsellers and the magazines, looking for the fiction section. He found it at the back of the store, near a window that overlooked the street. He scanned the titles, looking for something that caught his eye.
He saw a book with a dark blue cover and silver letters. It was called “The Lost Prince”. It was written by Amira’s mother. He picked it up and read the blurb on the back:
When Prince Daniel disappears from the palace, everyone thinks he has been kidnapped by rebels. But he has a secret: he is not really a prince, but a spy sent by the enemy kingdom to infiltrate the royal family. Now he must decide where his loyalty lies: with his mission or with his heart.
Draco felt a surge of curiosity. He opened the book and read the first page:
Daniel ran through the forest, dodging branches and roots. He could hear the sound of horses behind him, getting closer every second. He knew he had to reach the river before they caught him. He had a message to deliver, a message that could change the course of the war.
Draco was hooked. He wanted to know more about Daniel and his message. He decided to buy the book and take it home with him. He walked to the cashier and handed over his platinum card, which had his name and the logo of his father’s company, Winters Technologies, on it. He didn’t care about the price of the book. He had more money than he could ever spend, thanks to his dad’s success as the CEO of one of the most innovative and influential tech companies in the world. And yet something was missing…
He left the bookstore and headed back home. He was looking forward to reading his new book and forgetting about everything else for a while.
He didn’t notice that someone was watching him at the bookstore. Someone was following him back home. It was Amira.
She wanted to talk to him, to apologize again and to try to be his friend. She felt bad for breaking his phone, but she also felt something else: a strange connection with him. She couldn’t explain it, but she felt like she knew him somehow, like he was a part of her. She wondered if he felt it too, or if he just thought she was a clumsy and annoying girl. She couldn’t take a hint.
She had noticed him before, in school and in the library. She had seen him writing in his journal, always with a serious expression on his face. She wondered what he was writing about, what he was thinking about. She wanted to know more about him, about his stories and his dreams.
She followed him at a distance, keeping an eye on him as he walked through the streets. She saw him stop at a traffic light and cross the road when it turned green.
She waited for her turn to cross as well.
But she didn’t see the car that came speeding from the opposite direction.
She didn’t hear the screech of tires or the honk of horns.
She didn’t feel the impact or the pain.
She only saw Draco’s face as he turned around and saw her lying on the ground.
She only heard him scream her name as he ran towards her.
She only felt his hand as he held hers and begged her to stay with him.
She only whispered one word before she closed her eyes: “Sorry.”
Draco felt a surge of panic as he saw Amira’s blood staining the pavement. He didn’t care about the sirens, the crowd, or the police. He only cared about her. He held her hand tightly and prayed that she would be okay. He felt tears streaming down his face as he whispered her name over and over.
The ambulance arrived and the paramedics rushed to them. They lifted Amira onto a stretcher and put an oxygen mask on her face. They checked her pulse and blood pressure and hooked her up to a monitor. Draco tried to follow them, but one of them stopped him. “Sorry, kid, you can’t come with us. You have to stay here and talk to the police.”
“But she’s my friend! I have to go with her! Please, let me go!”
“I’m sorry, but you have to wait here. We’ll take good care of her, don’t worry.”
Draco felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned and saw a police officer looking at him. “Hey, son, I know this is hard, but we need to ask you some questions. What’s your name?”
He explained everything to the officer, who looked at him in curiosity and sympathy, listening to the whole story, as far as he knew. “I see…” she said, taking mental notes. “And, do you know anything about her family?”
“Well… her mother is a famous author. Angelina Wylde. She wrote this book.” he said, handing her the book.
“The Lost Prince…” the officer mumbled to herself, looking at the book’s cover. She nodded, thinking, he had good tastes.
The officer looked at Draco with a mix of pity and curiosity. She wondered what had brought these two kids together, and what fate had in store for them. She decided to call Amira’s mother and inform her about the accident. She took out her phone and searched for her contact information. She found her website, which had a biography, a list of books, and a contact form. She filled out the form and sent a message, hoping to get a reply soon.
|•|•|•|
Meanwhile, Draco was sitting on a bench near her room’s entrance, waiting for any news about Amira. He felt numb and confused. He didn’t understand why he cared so much about her, why he felt like he had lost something precious. Even though he was still angry because she broke his phone, and barely knew her, yet he felt a bond with her that he couldn’t explain. He looked at the book he had bought, “The Lost Prince”. He wondered if Amira had read it, if she liked it, if she had anything in common with the characters. He opened the book and started reading, hoping to distract himself from his worries.
He was soon immersed in the story, following Daniel’s adventures and dilemmas. He admired his courage, his intelligence, his loyalty. He felt sorry for his loneliness, his secrets, his doubts. He related to him more than he expected. He wondered if Amira felt the same way, if she saw something of herself in Daniel or in any other character. He wished he could talk to her about the book, about their thoughts and feelings, about anything.
He didn’t notice that someone was watching him from a distance. It was Angelina Wylde, Amira’s mother. She had received the message from the officer and rushed to the hospital as soon as she could. She was worried sick about her daughter, but she also wanted to see the boy who had been with her when the accident happened. She wanted to thank him for being there for her, for trying to save her life. She wanted to know more about him, about his relationship with Amira, about his interest in her book.
She approached him slowly and gently tapped his shoulder. He looked up and saw a woman with blonde hair and green eyes, wearing a black coat and a scarf. She smiled at him warmly and said, “Hello, Draco. I’m Angelina, Amira’s mother.”
He stared at her with curiosity and confusion. She looked familiar somehow, but… how? He had never met her before, never seen her face on any book cover, but it felt like he knew her from somewhere. And how did she know his name?
He felt a strange sensation in his chest, a fluttering of his heart. He noticed that she had the same green eyes as him, the same shape of her nose, the same curve of her lips. He wondered if it was a coincidence, or something more.
She saw the questions in his eyes, and felt a surge of emotion. She wanted to hug him, to tell him everything, to explain the truth. But she knew it was not the right time, not the right place. She had to be careful, to be gentle, to be patient.
For a long while, they said nothing, until a man’s footsteps shattered the silence. They looked up and saw him walk into the waiting room. He had a tall and strong build, with brown hair and blue eyes. He was dressed in a suit and a tie, and held a briefcase. He gave off the impression of a prosperous businessman, but also of a fierce hunter. Yet, those who knew him well would vouch for his devotion and kindness.
He was Draco’s father.
He spotted them sitting together and his face contorted into a scowl. He marched towards them with an enraged pace and said, “What are you doing here? No– what are you doing with my son?”
Angelina rose up quickly, wanting to protect herself, but just faced Ashton for the first time, eye-to-eye, after eight years. She had mastered her anger long ago. She took a deep breath, and narrated the whole story to him. He listened, in astonishment and disbelief.
“You know each other, Dad?” Draco asked.
They glanced at each other, then at him.
They didn’t know how to answer him. They didn’t know how to explain the secret that they had kept for so long. The secret that linked them all together. The secret that was hidden in Angelina’s book.
The secret that Draco and Amira were twins.
Angelina said, a bead of sweat trickling down her forehead, “We were business partners…” She nudged Ashton, clenching her teeth. “Weren’t we?”
“Yeah…”
“How can you be an inventor and she’s an author? That doesn’t add up…” he said. “You’re acting sus…”
Angelina and Ashton looked at each other, then back at Draco. They knew they had been caught.
“Okay, fine…” Angelina said. “I’m… I’m your mother.”
Draco was stunned. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “You’re… my mother?”
Angelina and Ashton nodded. “Yes,” they said together.
Draco was silent for a long time, trying to process this information. He never expected that his mother was alive. He never imagined that he and Amira were twins.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” he finally asked.
“We were afraid,” Angelina said. “We couldn’t raise four children, with our busy lives. And I couldn’t bear to give any of you up. We didn’t want you to be disappointed in us.”
“Disappointed?” Draco asked. “Why would I be disappointed?”
“Because we’re not perfect,” Ashton said. “We made mistakes.”
“What kind of mistakes?” Draco asked.
“We… we got divorced,” Angelina said. “And I raised Amira and her little brother Oliver, while you and Ashlyn stayed with your dad.”
Draco was silent again. He couldn’t imagine how his parents felt without each other. He felt a wave of sadness wash over him.
“I’m so sorry,” he said.
“We are too,” Angelina said. “But we’re so glad that we finally get to see you both.”
Draco hugged his parents tightly. He was still in shock, but he was also starting to feel a sense of peace. He finally knew where he came from, and he finally knew who he was.
He also finally knew that he had a twin sister. He couldn’t wait to meet her, and break the news to her.
ns 172.70.175.172da2
and then Add to home screen.