Scarlett woke up with a splitting headache. Quite strange, it felt like someone had ripped off her hair which is why she's almost shoving her bushy hair into Vivian's face for inspection.
"Seriously, Scarlett, I'm trying to eat here," the girl complained, shifting her sister's "forest" to the side as she refocuses her eyes on the movie going on.
"You're always eating," but the more shocking fact is that you don't get fat, Scarlett said that part in her head knowing how sensitive Vivian was.
Vivian bargained with her, chewing on the candle bar in her mouth, " Just give me two seconds, no, two minutes! This is the climax where they finally..."
"Vivian!!"
"Jesus! Fine!" She gave in, eyes still partially glued on the scene.
The so-called climax was the part where the couples kiss for the first time under a weird circumstance. Ugh! She wasted her time for that!
"Urm... you're indeed right, there's a bald spot in the middle of your scalp...." Vivian searched for the area as directed by Scarlett, using the torchlight from her phone, "But don't worry, it's so little no one would notice it, moreover, you'd grow it out soon, anyway, "
"Fine," Scarlett grumbled. She would have to take painkillers for the pain though.
"Aren't you going to work today?" Vivian noticed she was not in her work clothes nor rushing out the door before it's even six in the morning.
"Nope, I'm done for the week. The spring fashion show ended days ago - if you had noticed," Scarlett threw herself on the couch with a sigh.
Scarlett was a freelance makeup and hairstylist whose time remained flexible depending on the projects at hand. Though she hasn't won an Emmy for best makeup and hairstyling yet, she was determined to get there one day.
"My assistant can handle the studio, I just want to have some rest," She said, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"No, I can't let you stay like this. You're just going to sink into depression having broken up with your nth potential boyfriend already," Her sister pointed out.
"Vivian, for the nth time already, I'm not going to fall into depression,"
"No, we need to talk over your feelings over a pint of Ice Cream, don't you know it's dangerous to bottle up your emotions," Vivian informed her, already on her feet to go get the Ice Cream.
Great! Her sister was about to get her talking non-stop or maybe she was right, she needed someone to talk her feelings over with right now.
"Alright, here's your spoon," Vivian returned with the largest Ice Cream she could find in the fridge, sitting on the couch cross-legged.
"Now, let's begin," she opened the ice cream, taking a big scoop into her mouth.
"Did you and Jasper kiss?"
Scarlett's brow raised, she knew this trick of hers quite well, "Are we here to talk about my feelings or you prying into my personal life?"
"Both," she said, " And you must answer nonetheless, it's therapeutic,"
"Yes, doctor," she retorted ironically.
"Now, answer the question," Vivian pressed.
After a long protesting silence, Scarlett gave in to her demands, "We did kind of kissed until the tree decided enough was enough,"
Vivian burst into laughter.
"I intentionally put it lightly since it was quite a gruesome occurrence," she shuddered as if reliving that night.
"Did you enjoy it?"
"What?" Scarlett pretended to be ignorant of what she meant - about the kiss with Jasper.
"Don't play games with me Scarlett, you know what I mean"
"I'm so not telling you that!"
"We're sisters, we don't keep secrets from each other, remember?"
Pressured by her nagging, Scarlett blurted out "Fine, it was good,"
"Just good?" Vivian was not satisfied with that answer.
Scarlett pulled out the throw pillow from behind and hit her with it, "What do you even want to hear? At your age, shouldn't you be studying and preparing for exams, huh?"
"Ouch!" Vivian cried out while bringing the Icecream to safety so as not to spill on the couch, "I just finished my exams!"
And just like that, both began a pillow fight which was fun until Vivian knocked Scarlett off the couch with it. She fell on the ground with a thud, face down and unmoving.
"Scarlett?" Vivian became concerned when her sister went as still as the dead, "Alright, stop the pretense already,"
Heartbeat slowly on the rise, Vivian cautiously scrutinized her sister who's eyes were shut close prompting her to place a finger beneath her nose checking for breath yet got none.
"Oh crap!" Vivian was about to go call for help when someone whacked her from behind. It was Scarlett!
"Seriously, that was not funny," Vivian had her hand placed on her chest, she almost had a heart attack.
But Scarlett was busy laughing her heart out. The laughter must have been infectious because Vivian joined too until her sister's laughter turned into weeping.
"Oh no," Vivian took her into her arms. She knew inwardly her sister was not okay contrary to what she claims. Which lady would be alright with this kind of circumstance?
"I hate my life," Scarlett sobbed on her shoulder.
"It's alright, Scarlett. Everything would be fine soon,"
A knock came on the door.
Scarlett pulled away, confusion written on her face while wiping the tears off, "I'm not expecting any visitor, are you?"
"No, I'm not,"
Suddenly, hope rose in her heart. It couldn't be.....
Scarlett stood up to her feet, rushing to answer the door. Lo and behold, Jasper was standing on her doorstep as she imagined.
"Jasper?" She breathed, happy yet hesitant to welcome him. She has to be firm and obstinate in pushing him away.
Vivian was defensive, "What is he doing here? Didn't you tell him to stay away from -"
"I found a cure," He interrupted her.
"What?" Scarlett couldn't believe her ears. Did he just say he found a cure to her curse?
"That is impossible!" Vivian let out.
"Vivian, give us some privacy," Scarlett commanded her sternly.
Though she didn't want to, Vivian still obeyed; however she warned him before leaving, "If anything happens to my sister, I'll haunt you till my last breath," she made her point known and departed
"Here, wear this," He gave the necklace to her immediately.
Though skeptical about the potency of this necklace in solving her problem, she still wore it.
"Now what?" she asked.
"Now this," He lowered his head and kissed her, and all was well.
*******
End of Flashback