Awww.... I got a little teary-eyes with this moment. Always Writing, T. C. SARAH.
My shoulders shook as I sobbed into his chest. He rubbed my back and sighed.âSure I was mad at you but I could never hate you, even though you were so mean to me.â I pulled back from him and sniffled.âIâm sorry. I shouldnât have taken my frustration out on you. I hated myself after that and was too ashamed to call you and apologise.ââAnd now?â He held me at armâs length so he could see my face.âStill hate myself but I no longer want to be a coward.â Jackâs lips titled up at the side and a small smile formed.âIâm just glad youâre safe. I missed you too you know. So much as happened at work itâs eating me up inside to not be able to tell anybody.ââWell, Iâm here now, if youâll have me.â He pulled me into a hug and I squeezed the life out of him. I had my best friend back and Iâd do whatever it took to make up for it, even it took the rest of my life.âOf course. I need a target now. Just started shooting practice at a range.â I gasped and smacked his arm.âWhat?â He whined, holdin
âThereâs not a lot of info on this company but hereâs what I was able to work with.â I handed a file to my boss.âThatâs fine. You may leave.â My brows furrowed in confusion. That was it? Ryan looked up at me and arched a brow.âIs there anything else, miss Leah?â I shook my head no and then left. Iâd expected him to explain the purpose of auditing several company accounts.Ryan had me checking into companies that had no information asides the one he handed me and I wondered if Marque and Co. was interested in buying them.The company itself was doing well but I hadnât been able to lay my hands on those details.Youâd think the financial details of a bank would be public information, at least to the finance team but it wasnât. Maybe the others had seen it and I hadnât yet.I asked David and heâd told me it was not yet my business.I was packing up for the day, thinking of how I should get in touch with Jack, possibly he could also help me out with Jared when I was called up to Ryanâs o
Ryan didnât act as though he was prying into my life and continued speaking.âWith all due respect sir, I do not feel comfortable with this conversation.â He gazed at me for what seemed like an hour when it was merely seconds.âWhat part?â I was dumbfounded. This man was certainly off his rockersâExcuse me?ââWhat part makes you comfortable?â I frowned at him.âEverything sir.â He bristled at my tone and opened up his system again.âYou may leave.âI left his office feeling more confused than Iâd ever been in my life and quite insulted.***I grabbed a shot glass and downed its content in seconds.âWoah. Slow down.â I gave Jack a death glare. I was still fuming from my encounter with Ryan at the office.âYou seem to be in a good mood.â Jack had been smiling all night and it was starting to piss me off. Not the fact that he was happy but the fact that I couldnât see past his pearly white teeth.âBecka and I made up.â His grin that I didnât could grow wider than what it was, grew again
I woke up, a little disoriented and with a splitting headache. I groaned and rubbed my forehead. The bed beneath me felt too comfortable to be mine and my eyes snapped open.The bright light from outside hit me square in the face and I was almost blinded by it.I knew this place, it was very familiar, way too familiar. Jaredâs place. I was in Jaredâs place. How was I in Jaredâs place?I jumped out of bed and ran out, hoping to catch him, even though I was completely confused as to how I was there in the first place or what had happened the night before.âJâŠâ I couldnât even call his name and it turned out, there was no point. No one was in anyway. I walked back into the guest room. Iâd only been in there, once, when heâd been sick and I made soup for him.My phone rang with the name of the person I wanted to talk to, the only person that could explain what the hell had happened.âHello?ââHow the hell am I at his house?â I seethed into my phone.âNo âIâm sorry for slapping youâ, âthan
âHow have you been?ââHonestly?â Aly nodded, looking concerned.âI donât know, Aly. Thereâs too much and nothing going on at once. I was at Jaredâs place yesterday.â Her eyes widened with shock and hope.âNothing happened. I was drunkâŠâ Whatever hope she might have had was squashed to pulp.âBut you donât drink.â I pressed my fingers into my chin and sighed.âI even threw up in the car. God, I was so embarrassed.â Her nose wrinkled and I almost laughed. I would have if I wasnât absolutely mortified.âHow is he though?â He was also her friend, which meant that heâd see her sometimes and Aarav too. Aarav must have been disappointed in me.âHonestly?â She re-echoed my words.âNot too good Aly. Aarav has tried to get him out of his office and into life but heâd rather drown in paper work and you seem to be doing the same.â The sadness in my chest inflated as I ran my hands through my hair.âAly, next week was supposed to be our wedding.ââI know. Iâm the chief and only bridesmaid.â She ga
It was insane how incredibly perceptive she was. I scratched the back of my neck nervously.âYeah, something did happen.â I used to be tight-lipped about things, especially when I first started with Dr. Anne but I was at my wits end.âTell me what happened.â I recounted the event of a few weeks and she gave no impression of judgment, in fact, the only reason I knew she was listening was the occasional nod at me, urging me to continue.âEverything is so messed up. I just recently made up with my friends, Jared on the other hand, I donât think thereâs hope. Even if there was, I probably donât deserve it.â She took a break from writing and peered at me. My cheeks reddened in embarrassment.âIâm sorry, I know you quit and this just seems like a lot of problem-unloading.â She shook her head at me and waved it off.âItâs okay. So when did this all start?â My gaze wandered and finally settled on a painting, one of Dr. Anne and a man who seemed around her age, they looked happy together.âLeah
I puffed out my stomach. I hadn't been eating well and I'd grown skinner over the weeks. The event was in a few hours and I was busy getting ready "What do you think?" The lady who'd been beating up my face turned to me, staring at her work. I smiled tightly. Her work was good but I wasn't feeling it, I wasn't feeling anything. My make-up artist turned to the lady bringing out dresses for me to try on, and I realised she'd been talking to her and not me. When I saw the array of dresses, my stomach tightened in knots. I was nervous about the whole thing, I had no idea what kinds of people I'd be meeting or whom. All Ryan had told me was that I'd be going for an event and I'd be speaking in it. Jack and I had practised a day before but I still felt like I hadn't done enough. "Your dress..." I hadn't even noticed that the make up artist was done and had left the room. My head snapped to the lady holding a gorgeous dress, surely it'd look good on me. "Let's get this
My face contorted in anger. Sure Ryan was calling me because Iâd gone missing but I didnât feel like seeing him yet in the moment so, I did the next stupid thing I could think of. I ran back to the toilet and I locked the door behind me, sagging against the door.It was when I turned and I realised what Iâd done, Jared was looking at me with questions in his eyes and my lips parted in surprise. I had somehow managed to pull him along with me to the bathroom.My heartbeat spiked up when I heard my name being called again, Ryan hadnât seen me yet and was still looking for me. I held my breath until his voice faded into a distance.âIâm sorry.â I whispered when I saw that he was still looking at me. I stood away from the door so he could leave, it hadnât even been my intention to drag him along.âI promised not to bump into you, I had no idea you were coming here, Aa - I was told you donât attend functions like this.â I said, making small talk to conquer the awkwardness that had filled th
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. Authorâs Note (I hope this doesnât come off as offensive): Iâve 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
Jaredâs 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 sheâd come running back to my arms because I saved her. I smiled wryly to myself.I hadnât 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.âDo you regret it?â I looked at the lady before me, she was seated behind her desk, peering down at me with curiosity. âWhat?â Iâd zoned out for a minute and didnât hear her.âDo you regret it? Letting her go.â I inhaled sharply. Iâd been coming here for months. When Aarav asked me why I thought I needed a therapist, my reply was âwho doesnât?ââNot 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.â 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.âYou did it.â I exhaled loudly and watched him perch himself on his work chair. He turned to me and rose his brows as if to say âwhat did you want to talk about?â I cleared my throat and rubbed my clammy hands against my gown. Iâd 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.âYeah⊠uhmâŠâ He continued looking at me and I couldnât 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 youâd sink into it and be enveloped in a word of threads and fabrics.âLeah?â I hitched a breath when I heard his voice. No matter how many years Iâd known him, no matter how many times he called me, Iâd always feel the fluttering in my stomach whenever my name l
âI injured my spleen, not my legs. I can walk for myself.â I smacked Jackâs hands away from me. âItâs so you donât try to run away again.â I rolled my eyes at him even though I felt a stabbing pain in my chest.âPretty sure I canât move past this house without falling over.â Iâd been recuperating for the past week and Jack was coming over once in a while to check on me. Letâs just say he is more overbearing than most, and I thought Jared was worse.Speaking of Jared, heâd 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.âHave you seen Jared today?â I asked Jack as I swallowed my pills and washed them down with water.âNope.â 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 wasnât 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?Weâre all guilty of hurting someone, friend, foe, lover⊠not intentionally but we seek forgiveness. Forgiveness isnât just feeling sorry, itâs also a way of cleansing our souls, freeing ourselves from the guilt.Jared never told Leah that he forgave her and she couldnât forgive herself, she couldn't free herself from the guilt.***JAREDâS POV âWhatâs going on?â I asked the doctor whoâd just come out of the operating room Leah had been moved to. 14 hours was the longest time Iâd had to wait for a report from a doctor and the expression on his face wasnât looking
I ran my fingers through my hair, walking to and fro like a sojourner who had lost his compass, Iâd probably lost mine. The ambulance had arrived shortly after but the Leah was already⊠I shook my head. âNo, she canât be.â I couldnât focus on any other thing than the fact that there were many doctors running with Leahâs gurney, one was on top of her, doing chest compressions. The sweat beaded on the doctorâs face told me theyâd been doing it since she was in the ambulance.I was slowly losing my mind and Aarav wasnât here. He was busy trying to sort everything out while I went with Leah. I didnât want to leave her side, if only I could have followed her into the OR.âShe has lost too much blood, especially with the damage to her spleen and hypothermia already seeped inâŠâ I didnât want to know all the negatives, I didnât want to know what was wrong.âCan someone tell me, is she going to be okay?â I yelled at the people who had brought Leah in, who seemed to be conversing with a doctor
JAREDâS POVâWhat are you going to do?â I flipped the documents that Leah had sent. I hadnât had the chance to look at it because I didnât 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 wasnât right with him. What Leah had sent hadnât 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 weâd lose more than just money.âWe should involve the cops.â 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.âWhat the hell is going on?â 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 mustâve 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 couldnât even make out anything with the ridiculous outfit