The drive to the café had been quiet, filled with the comfortable silence that Leon and I had grown accustomed to. It was a peaceful ride, the kind where I could simply enjoy the company without feeling the need to fill the space with words. Yet, underneath that calm exterior, I could sense something different in Leon—a subtle tension that hadn’t been there earlier. He was focused, more so than usual, and it made me wonder what was on his mind.We arrived at the café, a quaint little place tucked away on the outskirts of town. The sign above the door read "Rafael’s Café," and there was a certain charm about it, as if it held years of stories within its walls. As we stepped inside, the scent of freshly brewed coffee and baked goods filled the air, mingling with the quiet chatter of a few patrons.
As soon as Leon left, I headed straight inside and walked through the sterile hallways. Yet, my mind was still on Leon, on the secrets that seemed to be lurking just beneath the surface. But for now, I had to set those thoughts aside. I had to see and check on my cousin, Lena, besides, there was someone else who needed me now, and it was Aunt Lou.As I head inside the recovery room, where Lena had already been transferred since she was already doing good, I found Aunt Lou inside signing some documents that Uncle George would be mailing today for the company back in Anacortes, her expression softening as she raised her head and saw me. Lena was asleep, her breathing steady, and I could see the relief in Aunt Lou’s eyes. It had been a difficult journey, but there were signs that things were finally starting to improve.“How’s she doing?” I asked softly, stepping into the room.Aunt Lou turned to me after staring at Lena for a moment, a smile tugging at her lips. “Better, much better.
The hours stretched on, each minute crawling by as I sat in the cold, sterile waiting area of the hospital. Midnight had long passed, and still, there was no sign of Leon. My uncle George had come by earlier, offering to take me back to his place so I wouldn’t have to wait alone, but I had refused. I couldn’t leave, not without seeing Leon, not without knowing where he was.“I’ll be fine, Uncle George,” I had insisted, trying to sound more confident than I felt. “He said he’d come back soon, and I want to be here when he does.”He had looked at me with concern, his brows knitting together, but eventually, he nodded and left me to wait. Now, as the hours continued to slip away, that confidence was starting to erode, replaced by a gnawing worry that grew stronger with every tick of the clock.I must have dozed off at some point, because the next thing I knew, I was being gently shaken awake. I blinked, disoriented, and looked up to see Letty standing over me, her face a mix of confusion
The rustle of leaves and the distant hum of city life from the park had always been a solace for me. But today, it felt totally different. The weight of everything that had happened—the betrayal, the confusion, and the overwhelming sadness—had finally caught up with me. I sat on the cold bench, my arms wrapped around myself, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to spill over. But it was no use. I could feel my emotions swirling inside me, a tempest that I couldn’t control. Each memory of Leon—his smile, his touch, his laugh—felt like a knife twisting in my heart. How could someone who meant so much to me cause me so much pain? The thought was unbearable, and I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping that when I opened them, this nightmare would be over. But when I heard the faint sound of a car approaching, reality came crashing back. I knew it was Aunt Lou and Uncle George. They must have been worried sick after I disappeared without a word. I didn’t want them to see me like this
The day passed in a blur, with every minute feeling like an eternity. After Leon left, the emptiness in the house seemed to magnify, each quiet moment amplifying the ache in my chest. I hadn’t heard from him since he walked out, and a part of me dreaded the possibility of never hearing from him again. But I had to push those thoughts aside. I had other responsibilities, other things that required my attention.That evening, I found myself at the hospital, helping Aunt Lou keep an eye on Lena in the recovery room. Lena had been through a rough time, and it was the least I could do to be there for her, as well as Aunt Lou. But despite my best efforts to focus on Lena’s well-being, my thoughts kept drifting back to Leon, to the look on his face when I told him to leave. The anger, the hurt, the regret—they all swirled together in a tangled mess that I couldn’t seem to unravel.Aunt Lou must have sensed my unease. As we sat together by Lena’s bedside, she kept glancing at me with a conc
A few days passed, and the emptiness within me grew like a shadow, dark and consuming. Every corner of Aunt Lou’s house seemed to echo with memories of Leon, even though I was the one who ended things. I had expected him to show up, to knock on the door and beg me to take him back, to tell me it was all a mistake. But instead, there was nothing—no calls, no messages, no sign of him at all. It was as if he had vanished from my life as easily as a dream fades in the morning light.Frustration bubbled up inside me, an anger I couldn’t quite place. Why wasn’t he trying to win me back? Did he care so little? The questions spun in my head, growing louder with each passing hour.Finally, the pressure became too much, and I let out a scream, sharp and sudden, piercing the quiet of my room. I hadn’t meant to, but the sound was out before I could stop it. I slumped back on the bed, feeling ridiculous and even more alone than before.There was a knock on my door, and I sat up, startled. I had c
The afternoon sun dipped low in the sky, casting a warm, golden hue over the university campus. The day had been a whirlwind of emotions, a mixture of tension and anticipation that hung thick in the air. As the final debate drew to a close, the auditorium was filled with a tense silence, broken only by the sound of the announcer’s voice.When Letty’s name was declared the winner, the room erupted into applause. I watched as Letty stood there, momentarily stunned, her eyes wide with disbelief. Then, slowly, a radiant smile spread across her face, genuine and filled with a sense of accomplishment. As the crowd began to disperse, Letty made her way over to me, still clutching the small, gleaming medal in her hand. Her eyes shimmered with a mixture of happiness and something deeper—relief, perhaps, or maybe even a sense of validation after everything she’d been through.“Margarette,” Letty said, her voice barely above a whisper as she held out the medal toward me. “I... I won. I still ca
The evening had started with the best of intentions—a celebration to lift Letty’s spirits after her victory at the debate. But when I stood in the dimly lit restaurant, staring across the room at Leon with another woman, all the joy I’d felt moments before drained away, replaced by a gnawing anger that threatened to consume me.And now that I even tried to escape away from it, Leon even tried to stop me.Leon’s eyes locked onto mine, and for a split second, the world seemed to stop. His gaze held a mix of longing and seriousness, and for a moment, my heart wavered. But I quickly shoved those feelings aside, determined not to let him get under my skin.“Margarette, please,” Leon’s voice was low and urgent as he stood up before me, his voice almost frantic. “Can we talk? Just give me a chance to explain.”The woman he was sitting with—the same blonde who had haunted my thoughts since that day in the shower—was walking from behind him and getting her way to approach us with wide, confus