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Sacrifices. What is the definition of a sacrifice? Sacrificing something is the act of giving up something valued for the sake of something else seen as more important or worthy.
And if Alec had to sacrifice his morals to give his sister a better life, he'd do it in a heartbeat.
Do you believe in fate? Do you believe that the stars have something planned for every single person in this world?
Alec didn't believe so until he got this job. He wasn't one to typically believe in fate, never believed that everything happened for a reason.
Because what could possibly be the reason for his parents to basically leave him and his sister to survive by themselves?
Every single night, he cursed at the stars for making him go through such a horrible fate. Why was he the one who had to have such neglectful parents? Why was he the one who had to be the main provider for his family when that was his parents jobs?
He never understood why fate was so cruel to him.
Complaining wouldn't do though. Tears of guilt, regret, and pain wouldn't undo everything and automatically give him a better life.
So he would just have to make do with what the stars had aligned for him.
1 - time
“Alec, please don't make this any harder for us and just babysit your sister.”
The redhead frowned at that, upset that his parents once again made him cancel his plans of hanging out with his friends.
It was unfair, they always did this. It's like they don't want him to be happy! Because of them, he always missed out on his friends plans. It hurts that the only way he'd know how the plans went was by listening to them talk about how fun their weekend was hanging out during recess.
He decided to just shut up and nod in agreement. Arguing wouldn't do him any good after all. He could get grounded if he went against their will and that'd just make it even harder to hang out with his friends.
So here he was, on a Friday night, taking care of his 7 year old sister instead of having fun with his friends.
It was okay though, he didn't mind taking care of his sister. Alec loved Aly and she absolutely adored him, so it was easy for most of the time. She never gave him a hard time, seeing as she didn't like seeing her older brother upset.
It was then that Alec realized that he'd do absolutely anything for his younger sister. He loved her too much, and if it meant that he had to sacrifice his time for his sister, then he didn't mind.
2 - money
Alec had been silent when his sister was trying to reason with their parents. He was one to never argue with his parents, seeing it pointless since to them, they were always right so he didn't bother to speak up as much as he wanted to.
He wishes his sister would soon realize that there was no winning with them. But that doesn't mean that he didn't admire her determination to still try.
“Please Ma and Pa, I really want to take dance lessons!” She begged, tears brimming her eyes. “I promise it'll be worth it! Dancing is my passion, it will be worth your money!”
But their parents wouldn't budge. “Dancing is silly, you won't get anywhere with it.” Their father says. And of course, their mother agreed. “Your father is right, Aly. Dancing as a hobby is okay, but as a career? It won't do your future any good.”
“But—!”
“No buts, Aly. We said no and our decision is final. We're not going to pay for your lessons.”
And with that, the two parents leave the living room to go somewhere. The siblings didn't even bother to ask nor do they even have the curiosity to know at this point.
As soon as they were out the door, Aly sat down on the couch beside her brother, huffing before she started to sob. It was unfair. How come they were willing to pay for her to take piano lessons but refuse to let her take lessons for something she actually likes?
And for the first time since Aly's discussion with her parents started, Alec finally spoke up.
“Here.” He says, placing a wallet filled with cash on her hand. “I don't know if this is enough, but it'll probably cover most of your sessions this year.” Aly was surprised. Where on earth did her brother get that much money?
“If it isn't enough, try asking if you can pay monthly so that I'll have enough time to earn money for the rest of the year.” Alec tells her before standing up. Or at least, he tried to.
His sister stops him, grabbing his arm to prevent him from walking away. “Alec─ this is too much!” She says, trying to put the wallet back into his hands. He refuses though, pushing it back to her.
He sighs. “Aly, if you're really passionate about dancing then don't let Ma and Pa stop you from that.” The redhead smiled at his sister. “It's okay, I want to do this. I want to pay for your dance lessons.”
The girl couldn't help but break into sobs again, hugging her brother tightly. “Thank you so much, Alec. You're genuinely the best and I really do love you.”
Alec chuckled at his sister, hugging her back. “I love you too, Aly.” He says before breaking the hug. Wiping his sister's tears away, he tells her, “Now stop crying before I start crying too. I have a reputation to hold after all.”
The siblings burst into laughter.
Seeing his sister cry hurt Alec so much. He didn't like seeing her upset, especially when their parents were the reason for it. Just because they were able to prevent Alec from finding his passion doesn't mean he'd allow them to do that to Aly too.
It didn't matter how much money Alec had to spend and earn. If it was for his sister, he'd sacrifice all of it.
3 - morals
It was summer. Summer before freshman year when Alec's mother left. And it didn't help that his dad lost his job and was just drinking his problems away.
Alec was worried and angry. He was stressed, he didn't know what to do. Bills were racking up and their stock of food was running out. The boy didn't know how they could afford to restock, seeing as his father had wasted every single penny from his last salary on alcohol.
He didn't know how he could continue paying for Aly's dance lessons too but he definitely didn't want to stop her lessons. He couldn't, it'd hurt him to stop his sister from his passion.
So when someone he knew from school came up to him on his way home to give him a job offer that paid so much, he couldn't refuse.
Even if the person in question was the one behind the murders at his last school and potentially his new school.
It didn't matter what the job was anymore. He's been in and out of so many jobs that barely paid well and they were barely getting by because of all their financial problems. He couldn't have him and his sister out there dying on the streets.
For the sake of his sister not suffering from their financial problems, he would throw away his morals.
4 - sanity
Alec was going crazy with this job.
Guilt was keeping him awake. It was eating him alive and he didn't know how much longer he could keep doing this.
It wasn't even about money anymore. He didn't care. He had saved up enough money from past jobs Yume had given him. With the additional $5,000 that Funneh had sacrificed for him, it should've been enough for them at least until the two finish college to get a job.
His mom was back too after his dad left them, and had been getting jobs that helped with paying the bills.
He didn't need the job, but he continued to do so. Because his family and the girl he liked were on the line. Mainly his sister, of course.
He was going crazy, insane even. But it didn't matter. He was going to toughen up and push all of this aside. All for Aly.
It's always been for Aly.
Losing his sanity at this point was necessary. It was okay. Because in the end, his sister would be safe and that's all that mattered.
5 - freedom
Aly wasn't sure what time it was. She never got to check. But it was probably past midnight. Past midnight when her dark room changed between red and blue. Past midnight when sirens could be heard outside.
As soon as she heard the sirens, she jumped out of her bed to check it out. It had seemed like her mother was woken up by the noise too, seeing as they met in the hallway on their way to the door that was surprisingly open.
Maybe Alec got curious too? That's what she decided. And she wishes she was right about it.
Nothing could've prepared her seeing her brother handcuffed by the police.
“What the hell─” She shouts, getting the men's attention. Despite how heavy her body was because she was still tired, she ran to her brother. “What's happening, let my brother go!” Aly demanded, tears streaming down her face.
The sight of his sister crying broke Alec. It always broke him. Especially when it was his parents who were the reason for it. And since then, he swore to himself to never be the reason Aly cries.
And tonight was the night that that promise was broken.
He couldn't look her in the eye as she begged for an explanation, begging for his release. He didn't deserve this. He didn't deserve his sister who had loved him so much.
Because of him, his little sister ── the sister he had always treasured was crying. She was broken, voice raw from screaming in agony.
And he was a coward. He was weak. He's not the older brother Aly deserved. He was a monster who was deep into his sins to the point of no return.
It's for the best, Alec thinks. At least she could have a better life without a murderer's accomplice holding her back.
He decided to turn himself in and rat out Yume along with the rest of her crew when he found out that there had been a money reward from one of the latest victim's family.
Some might say he was stupid for that. Even the police he spoke to over the phone questioned him turning himself in. But Alec doesn't care. He got the police to agree to give the reward money to his sister.
As he entered the car, he was finally able to look at his family that he was leaving. It broke him to see Aly sob into their mother's embrace.
Alec would make do with it if Aly decided to start hating him after this. He would be okay if he never got to see his little sister again.
If he was asked if he would trade his freedom again in exchange for Aly having a better life, he would say that he'd do it in a heartbeat.
+1 - life
It had been a year since the incident. A year since he was arrested. And it had been a quiet year.
He's thankful the police were kind enough to put him in a different facility from Yume and the rest. It was mercy in a way. And the police knew he'd probably end up dead if he was put in the same place as Yume.
Apart from a few visits from his mother and a few friends (mainly Kyran and surprisingly Evan), the first year of his stay was quiet.
When with his mother, he didn't bother to ask about Aly. He shut down his mom and would change the topic if she even brought her up.
And it wasn't because he hated her. He could never hate his baby sister.
But he was scared. He was still scared. He didn't care about what others thought of him. As much as it did hurt in some way, he didn't care their opinions on him were. Not even Funneh's. Because for the most part, it was probably true. He is a horrible man who helped someone get away with many murders at school.
But his sister? He couldn't bear to know how she felt about him. It would hurt him too much. He knew that she was probably disappointed in him. That she hated him and probably never wanted anything to do with him.
So imagine his surprise when he got called in the visiting area, only to find his younger sister.
She didn't look much different from last time. Obviously because it's only been a year, but she still looked like the same girl he had grown up with.
Alec couldn't look her in the eye. He was ashamed. He didn't feel like he deserved to see her. He became the person he despised ── a person who had hurt Aly.
“Alec─ please... Look at me.”
Aly says, voice full of pain. Her voice broke him. He knows she was already crying and he didn't know if he could even bear to look at her.
But he did. And as soon as their ruby eyes had met, she jumped at her brother, pulling her into a tight hug, which had surprised him.
“Alec... why would you do that? Why would you get a job that ruined your life?” She had asked in between her sobs. He pats her shoulder, giving her comfort in some way.
Alec tears up at the question. “Because..” he paused, breaking the hug as he looked at his little sister. “Aly... If I hadn't taken the job, we would've ended up in the streets. You would've had to stop continuing your passion and I didn't want that.” He says with a sigh.
“We would've both eventually starved and lost our home with how dad was acting, and I couldn't have that happen.” The redhead explained. “I'd much rather have my life ruined because of that job instead of having both of our lives ruined because I did nothing.”
Maybe in another life, Alec wouldn't have had to work jobs at such a young age. In another universe, he didn't have to work for Yume.
But this is what the stars had aligned for him. And if he was given the chance to go back in time, he'd do this all over again if it meant his sister could live a comfortable life.
Because at least his sister got a chance at living her life. Even if it was in exchange for his.
Since the beginning, Aly had always been first to him.