"Greg! You know you can change your mind if you don't want to go Harvard." I said as I helped him fold his clothes.
"I just wish I could, but when it comes to Uncle Ray, Mom's decision is final."
Uncle Ray is my father's only brother. Ever since my father passed away, he'd shouldered the responsibility of taking care of us and was so much respected by my Mom. He made decisions for us because according to him, he knows what's best for us.
"I wonder why Dad would leave us for him to make decisions for us. Even as kids, Dad allowed us to make our own choices. I miss him a lot, Greg." I uttered in a hushed undertone, casting my gaze downward.
"I know you're about to cry now, but hey, I'd rather prefer hugs and pecks. Say goodbye to me in the loveliest ways, and not make me cry." he cheered, raising my eyes to meet with his as he wrapped me in his loving embrace.
"Take care of yourself and don't get into trouble, I won't be there." I shrieked.
"Don't worry, Anthony is going with me. He would be there for my troubles." he giggled.
Anthony and Greg were childhood friends. I had harbored resentment towards him at that time because he'd taken my place in my brother's heart. Wherever Greg went, Anthony was sure to be by his side. They were truly inseparable.
This time, they were both going to Harvard for their studies, and I felt less worried.
It was one year already since Henry left for college, and I'd missed him so much. Uncle Ray became more frequent in the house as he started getting me gifts. I began to really like him and our relationship was no longer dwindling.
A few months after, I walked into the house with excellent news about my grades but bummed into Mom in a torrent of tears and grief. Running towards her as I panicked, I held onto her hands, "What's wrong, Mom? Why are you crying?" I asked in a shaky tone, and almost in tears.
"Your brother is dead, Zoe. My only son is gone," she replied, drenched in tears as she continued weeping.
My heart shattered into a million pieces, my world crumbled as tears streamed down my face, each drop carrying the weight of my anguish, expressing the depth of my sorrow at the loss of my only brother.
Indescribable pain engulfed me, representing a fragment of my shattered soul. I remembered our dreams and moments, everything we'd hoped for, our trip to India together, everything vanished.
A few weeks had passed, and I was still not over Greg's demise. Though I acted okay, the thought of him kept lingering in my head. He was reported to be found dead at the school's basketball field. My brother was never a skilled player in basketball, so he settled for Volleyball.
Walking into the house after a long day at school, I overheard Mom and Uncle Ray's argument.
"There's no way my daughter is going to Harvard, no way." she snapped.
"Don't say that, I know you're scared that Zoe might encounter the same fate, but I promise you, I will protect her. I already told you that Greg's killers were apprehended and would be jailed," he said.
"I won't still let my child go to Harvard, and that's final."
"Think about your son, Eva. Do you think this is what he would want?" he asked.
Quietly, I walked past them unnoticed to my room, locked the door, and jumped into bed as tears welled up in my eyes. Within a few seconds, I fell asleep.
"Hey Greg, what are you doing alone up there?" I asked, walking towards him.
"I'm a lonely soul trying to find peace. Hey Zoe, don't let Uncle Ray try to talk you into going to Harvard. I see this time that Mom isn't going to listen to him." he said.
"I know, Greg. I don't know what to do, I'm confused." I replied.
"You don't have to be. I don't know why, but he sent me to Harvard to have me killed."
"Uncle Ray has a hand in your death?" I asked in shock.
"Yes! He used someone very close to me. I don't know why that part of my death is masked. I can't seem to remember anything, except for this pendant. This pendant has two sides, find the other side. Whoever you see it with killed me." he said, as I observed the pendant.
"Wait! Finding the other side of the pendant would mean you going to Harvard, and I don't want you to." he continued.
"I will go to Harvard. I will." I said as I made a hasty exit from his presence.
Waking up from sleep, I realized it was a dream. Goosebumps erupted all over my body, causing me to sweat profusely.
"Mom, I will go to Harvard," I said as I walked into the sitting room.
"What?" She gasped in utter shock.
"I will go to Harvard Mom, that's what Greg wants."
Tears streaming down her eyes, she gave me a tender hug and planted a soft kiss on my forehead.
"If it's what my son wants, I can't stop you then," she said.
Two weeks later, I was already at Harvard. Anthony had excitedly arrived to pick me up.
"Hey Zoe!" he waved.
"Hey, Anthony! " I called back, hurrying to his embrace.
"Zoe, look at you. You've changed a lot." he giggled.
"Don't say that. How can I when I've been mourning my brother?"
"I miss him, I really do. Here is uninteresting without him, Zoe."
We both surrendered to the moment, reminiscing about Greg.
"That's okay, Anthony. Here is so big, I think I like Harvard.
I sat perplexed on the bed, admiring Anthony's apartment. It was spacious and nicely furnished.
"Do you mind if I stay for a while? My uncle is making preparations for me to get my apartment."
"I don't mind, Zoe. Greg will want this, and you can stay as much as you want."
I'd already spent a week at Anthony's house, and he made me feel so comfortable. I got the love and care that I deserved.
"Do you read novels?" I asked.
"Yes, I do. Check the drawers, you'd find something that'd capture your heart," he said, walking out to the sitting room.
Letting out a smile, I pulled out the drawer, and while rummaging through it to find a novel of my choice, I saw a pendant similar to the one Greg showed me in my dream.
Blazing with fury, I stormed to the sitting room.
"Anthony, did you kill Greg? Did you kill my brother? Answer me now." I screamed.
"Zoe, can you listen to yourself? How can I kill my best friend?" he snapped back.
"Here, that's the pendant. Where's the other side that joins it? How could you, Anthony?"
"That is not enough proof that I killed Greg. Greg was my friend, how could you even think something like that?"
"Aren't you even bothered to know why I'm convinced that you killed Greg despite what you two have been through? You'd better start spewing now."
"I'm sorry Zoe, it was your uncle. He made me do it. He offered to send my Mom to China for her medical treatment because she was diagnosed with a brain tumor. I didn't know what I was thinking, I'm truly sorry." he pleaded, breaking down in tears.
"How could you? Why didn't you tell us about your mom's condition? We would have looked for a solution, but instead, you agreed to kill your best friend. You're a beast in human form, and I'll make you pay dearly for it." I bellowed, walking out.
I'd reached home the next day, hoping to meet with Uncle Ray.
"Mom, has Uncle Ray been here?" I asked.
"Yes, he comes here often," she replied.
"Right! Please, Mom, call him to come over. Do not tell him that I'm around."
A few minutes later, Uncle Ray arrived at the house with a worried expression.
"Hope everything is alright, Eva? And hey, look who we have here. How are you, Zoe? How's school?" He asked, coming closer.
"If you come anywhere closer to me, I will smash your head, Ray!" I said, brimming with outrage.
"Zoe, is your sanity intact? Who are you talking to in that manner?" he fired.
"Tell me, why did you order Anthony to kill my brother?"
"What?" my mom screeched.
"Yes Mom, he ordered Greg to be killed, and Anthony killed him."
"So you've discovered," he said, letting out a thunderous laughter.
"Yes, I killed Greg, and I wanted to kill you too. I needed you two out of my way, so I could be with my Eva. I've been in love with Eva since when we were kids, but your father snatched her from me. It hurt me so badly. I wanted her back, no matter how long it was going to take, and that's why I never wanted to have a family." he continued.
"So you killed my father?" I asked.
"I wish I did, but I didn't. Anthony's Mom did. Just like me, she was in love with your dad, but your father chose your mom over her. She killed him to put an end to the blissful home they'd built." he confessed.
I stood motionless listening to his confessions, as he was moved out by the cops. Anthony had already been arrested and his mom died as the news got to her.
That night, I needed to see my brother again. To tell him it was finally over, but he didn't come. I guess he had found peace.