I sat outside the hospital as thunder rolled. October was ending and rain should've been far far away.It only helped darken the already dead atmosphere. I'd always hated the hospital. Only bad memories existed there.I had two years of my life wasted in that space and I didn't even know it. Then I was forced into hospital rest for a couple if weeks before finally leaving.They said it was a miracle I survived but I thought it was a mistake. What happened to me off set so many wrong things in my life.I walked with the need to cover up because of my scars, the hanging feeling that I was solely responsible for what happened to me and a darkness that shrouded my life.A lot of people say they hate themselves but it's never really true. When you hate yourself, you can't bear the thought of you existing. I realised this when I could never bring myself to end it all.Or maybe I just hated myself enough to continue living in that hate.Whatever it was, I used to keep it hidden. It always w
"Damien, have you heard anything yet?" I hurriedly put some things of Jared’s inside a bag and tied my shoelaces. I was doing everything at once, just trying to hurry back to the hospital."Not yet." His place looked really empty. He'd been staying with us, in Aly's apartment, ever since the incident and only went back to his place to pick up his stuff.I sighed as I took one last look at his house and closed the door."Let's go."The drive back to the hospital was very much silent except when my phone chimed. I picked it up from his house and wondered who was texting at such an odd hour.I unlocked my phone and saw whom the text was from. There were countless others and the new one was just a follow up.I scrolled page after page. I knew a text wouldn't do. So, I called instead. It barely rang for three seconds before the call was answered."Oh my God." The breath of relief on the other end of the phone didn't go unnoticed. "Leah?""Jack...""What the hell man?" Was he crying?"Ja
There was no one waiting outside his door. Perfect.I checked around for any nurses or doctors walking around. When I found none, I entered his room.I almost gagged upon entering. The smell of burnt flesh.The doctors had said it was a miracle that he was alive, considering the fact that he was doused jn gasoline. Only his entire left arm was completely burnt and a small part of his face. Miracle? I'd say the universe was offering me an option to end his life in another way.I approached him. He breathing was a little rapid and I could almost see the dips his face, probably from being a pain.At least he could feel. Jared had way too many tubes running through him and he couldn't even express discomfort if he wanted to.I looked at the drip connected to the back of his palm. Doing what was barking at me in my head wouldn't wake Jared but it'd give me a whole lot of satisfaction. I moved closer to the drip, finding the part that connected the bag to tube. It scared me that I could
My heart dropped. “Jer, don’t you…” “You don’t recognise me?” Damien must’ve heard me shout for joy when Jared woke. “Damien?” My brows rose in confusion. “You remember Damien but you don’t remember me?” The doctors had said there could be complications after the surgery and memory loss was not off the list. My stomach churned and bile rose to my throat. I made a little choking sound as I held back my tears. “You don’t remember me…” I was about to call for the doctor when I saw Jared’s lips lift a little. “You fucking monster! How could you?” I was about to hit him and then I remembered he would still be in pain. That didn’t stop him from laughing though. “I fucking hate you.” I wiped my eyes dry. “I’ll go call the doctor.” I nodded at Damien and looked at Jared. While I was pissed at him, he was awake and he actually remembered me. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you cry.” He found my hand and squeezed it. “Don’t ever do that again.” “I promise.” I bent down to kiss him o
“Not now but I have to, at some point.” “Oh…” “Someone needs to take charge of the company now that I’m old enough to do it.” I sat on the bed beside him and faced the floor. “You don’t sound too happy about it.” “It’s not that I’m not happy. I just thought there would be ample time before I had to return as the CEO.” “The CEO.” I muttered, still looking at the floor. I felt like I just got him back and now, he was going to be whisked away from me. “So, you’ll be gone all the time, like Aarav?” My palms pressed into the frame of the bed, holding tightly because I knew I’d fall over if I let myself go. Jared’s fingers touched my face and angled my jaw to him so I was staring directly into his eyes. “Leah, nothing is taking me away from you. I promise you that.” “But being the CEO, you’ll be quite busy and you won’t have a lot of time, even to yourself.” Even to my ears, I sounded whiny and like a petulant child. “You’re not wrong.” He leaned in closer to me. “But we’ll make i
Why was she here? Immediately she saw me, she stopped the conversation she was having with some guy and scowled at me. “Right back at you.” I muttered underneath my breath. “Didn’t think she’d be here. Thought she dropped out or something.” “At least I don’t need my mother begging for me to not actually drop out.” Her mum was no longer here so, I could speak to her anyhow I wanted. She gasped and someone behind me snickered. “How dare you?” “Settle down.” Someone walked in. I’d seen them around the staff area before. He was probably a T.A. By the end of the day, I was the only one left in the hall. Everyone else just had one test to do while I had extra. I walked out of the hall and yawned, feeling very exhausted. I hadn’t slept well in a while because I was studying for a whole lot more than tests. There were assignments and exams were fast approaching. “Hey.” I placed a hand over my chest, stifling the scream that lodged itself in my throat. “Why are you always lurking aro
Jared looked at me subtly and I pretended like I hadn’t seen the dazzling lady that had just walked in.I knew we had to leave and asking Jack to stay back for a reason I couldn’t explain to him would seem suspicious.Jack nodded and grabbed my hand, pulling me along with him. I wasn’t sure Jared’s eyes narrowed at the contact because I was too busy staring at the woman. She was so tall, almost as tall as Jack and he was over 5 ft 10.Her face lit up as she saw Jared in the distance and that was the last thing I saw as we brushed past her and left Joe’s.“Do you think that’s his girlfriend?” My face pulled down in a frown.‘It’s his sister.’ I wanted to say but how could I explain how I knew that information? I opted for a shrug.“Well, they look perfect together.” My mouth soured and I felt the itch to look back. While he’s made mention of her as his sort of sister, I couldn’t help but be constantly reminded that they’re not blood related in any way.“I thought she looked old.” I ret
“I’m going with you.” “No, you’re not.” “Yes, I am.” “No, you’re not.” Jared sighed as we bickered like two little kids. “Leah, I don’t want you to go.” “Why not?” I folded my arms, taking on a defensive stance. “Because Matt is a psychopath that is obsessed with you and I don’t think I will be able to take it if he so much as looked at you, which I know he will.” “He attacked me too. I deserve to be there.” I say with a steel resolve. I wasn’t going to back down. I was in a state of dark limbo whenever I slept. I’d been trying to hide it from Jared. I barely slept. Even when I did, it was filled with nightmares that I tried my hardest to avoid. I could only rest, never really sleep and it had started to take a toll on me. I was beginning to forget things too. If I was being honest, Jared and I, we had a lot to talk about. We were just skirting around the issue without considering the toll it had on us. There were more problems than we liked to admit but first and foremost, Ma
Jared and Leah did become friends again but their interests lay somewhere else. They realised they were made for bigger things and they would do that outside the cave they once existed as lovers and even if something were to happen between them, it would take more time than expected for it to happen. Aly, Aarav, Jared, Jack and Leah remained friends but things would change over time. Work, family, life and ambition would force that circle to expand to others too. You may imagine that Leah and Jared ended up together or not. You are the author of that story, a work of fiction is a work of fiction. Author’s Note (I hope this doesn’t come off as offensive): I’ve seen some comments about therapy seeming like a bad thing. Therapy is not weakness, it is an admittance that you need help you may not be able to provide yourself. Mental health issues are not a joke and deserve audience. Some of us have been through traumatic experiences, loss of loved ones, accidents, bullying, harassmen
THIRD PERSON'S POVLeah looked different. There was something about her, like a light that surrounded her and her eyes looked burdenless. Maybe it was the Norway air, but she seemed ... better. Both she and Jared did."Mr Deric?" The secretary had her head cocked to the side, wondering why her guest was awe-struck, standing in the doorway."Sorry." Jared shook his head and walked in. Leah had a smile on her face as she watched him walk in. She recognised that air of confidence that usually surrounded him and couldn't stop watching him.Her attention was called by the men that surrounded her, as she spoke, she seemed to put everyone in a trance. Jared didn't hear a word she said, only observing how comfortable and right at home she felt."I have called this meeting here today because of a different kind of alliance about to be brokered between Norway and the US. Miss Leah Thomas has come as a financial representative of the BridgeStone Foundation, a company spearheaded by the governmen
Jared’s POVLetting Leah go was one of the hardest things I had ever had to do but I did it for her and myself. I was wrong to assume she’d come running back to my arms because I saved her. I smiled wryly to myself.I hadn’t seen her in quite a long while and our paths never crossed again. Aly was beyond pissed that she tried to leave without telling her but she quickly forgave her when she saw her condition. They talked all the time too and that was why I knew what she was up to most of the time.“Do you regret it?” I looked at the lady before me, she was seated behind her desk, peering down at me with curiosity. “What?” I’d zoned out for a minute and didn’t hear her.“Do you regret it? Letting her go.” I inhaled sharply. I’d been coming here for months. When Aarav asked me why I thought I needed a therapist, my reply was ‘who doesn’t?’“Not really. It was her decision but I got to understand much later. It would have been selfish of me to ask her to stay when she needed to go.” I f
I waited for him to clear his bed and offer me a seat before I sat. I shook my head internally. How did it get to this? I asked myself.‘You did it.’ I exhaled loudly and watched him perch himself on his work chair. He turned to me and rose his brows as if to say ‘what did you want to talk about?’ I cleared my throat and rubbed my clammy hands against my gown. I’d resorted to wearing gowns due to the fact that it was less constricting than most and easier to pull off, I just had to undo the zip and let the dress fall to my legs.“Yeah… uhm…” He continued looking at me and I couldn’t bear it anymore, so I found interest in the bedsheet. It was a fine looking colour, regal and plush looking. It felt so soft to touch, almost like you’d sink into it and be enveloped in a word of threads and fabrics.“Leah?” I hitched a breath when I heard his voice. No matter how many years I’d known him, no matter how many times he called me, I’d always feel the fluttering in my stomach whenever my name l
“I injured my spleen, not my legs. I can walk for myself.” I smacked Jack’s hands away from me. “It’s so you don’t try to run away again.” I rolled my eyes at him even though I felt a stabbing pain in my chest.“Pretty sure I can’t move past this house without falling over.” I’d been recuperating for the past week and Jack was coming over once in a while to check on me. Let’s just say he is more overbearing than most, and I thought Jared was worse.Speaking of Jared, he’d been avoiding me. The only reason I was sure he was even around the house was the fact that food and my pills were always made available. The pills I took made me drowsy for most of the day, so I spent most of it sleeping.“Have you seen Jared today?” I asked Jack as I swallowed my pills and washed them down with water.“Nope.” Jack said and turned the T.V on. If I was being honest, I feared speaking to him. No doubt, my accident had changed the dynamics of our relationship and I wasn’t sure if it had become worse o
Most of the time, situations arise, things happen and we are inclined to judge of the situation. It is easier that way because, sometimes, it makes us feel better about ourselves.When the tides turn and we become recipients of judgment, we understand the situation better. It takes a human to realise his mistake, but it takes a humble human to admit it. How many times have we judged a situation wrongly and admitted our error?We’re all guilty of hurting someone, friend, foe, lover… not intentionally but we seek forgiveness. Forgiveness isn’t just feeling sorry, it’s also a way of cleansing our souls, freeing ourselves from the guilt.Jared never told Leah that he forgave her and she couldn’t forgive herself, she couldn't free herself from the guilt.***JARED’S POV “What’s going on?” I asked the doctor who’d just come out of the operating room Leah had been moved to. 14 hours was the longest time I’d had to wait for a report from a doctor and the expression on his face wasn’t looking
I ran my fingers through my hair, walking to and fro like a sojourner who had lost his compass, I’d probably lost mine. The ambulance had arrived shortly after but the Leah was already… I shook my head. ‘No, she can’t be.’ I couldn’t focus on any other thing than the fact that there were many doctors running with Leah’s gurney, one was on top of her, doing chest compressions. The sweat beaded on the doctor’s face told me they’d been doing it since she was in the ambulance.I was slowly losing my mind and Aarav wasn’t here. He was busy trying to sort everything out while I went with Leah. I didn’t want to leave her side, if only I could have followed her into the OR.“She has lost too much blood, especially with the damage to her spleen and hypothermia already seeped in…” I didn’t want to know all the negatives, I didn’t want to know what was wrong.“Can someone tell me, is she going to be okay?” I yelled at the people who had brought Leah in, who seemed to be conversing with a doctor
JARED’S POV“What are you going to do?” I flipped the documents that Leah had sent. I hadn’t had the chance to look at it because I didn’t want to, not initially. Anything involving her work place kind of pissed me off but when I finally did, I could stop the fear that ran through my bones that Leah could be in danger because of it and I needed to act fast.I looked up at Aarav whose facial expression mirrored mine. He too was very conflicted and while he trusted Leah, it would be a big move to change banks, disastrous if it was the wrong move. We had been using Marque and Co. for so long and the previous leadership had proved capable of handling our assets.This new guy, this Ryan Fisher, from the moment I first saw him, I knew something wasn’t right with him. What Leah had sent hadn’t pointed to him as the culprit but with just enough evidence to let us know that something shady was going on and we needed to act fast or we’d lose more than just money.“We should involve the cops.” I
I felt a kick to my head and I groaned, my head feeling like it was split open. I blinked my eyes to get accustomed to the light before trying to sit up, something I found difficult and almost impossible to do.I tried to move my body and realised I was bound hand and feet. This slowly entered my consciousness and my drug-induced haze cleared up, I was face to face with a horrid looking mask and I scrambled backwards, bumping into something that felt horribly cold to my skin, metal.The person in front of me moved back, giving me room to at least breathe.“What the hell is going on?” I looked around to see not one, like I had imagined, but four people, armed with guns. My heart started to beat faster than normal at gauging my situation and my throat felt dry. It was dark outside and I realised I must’ve been asleep for hours.I was going to miss my flight, if I even made it out alive in the first place. No one replied me and I couldn’t even make out anything with the ridiculous outfit