02 || Memories Bring Back Us

“So what happened?” Her mom asked the moment she was done drinking from the water bottle.

“He cheated on me, mom.” She burst out into sobbing all of a sudden. Her mother, Maria, handed over a tissue to her. She collected it and used it to clear her nose. Her face had turned tomato red from all the crying and thinking.

“Hey, calm down, okay?” Her mother said, rubbing her back soothingly.

“He said that he loved me, yet he cheated on me. I even wanted to leave my life in London to stay with him. I don't even understand what I did wrong.” She lamented and squeezed her eyes shut as the tears rolled down her cheeks.

“I don't have male friends because he demanded I shouldn't. He told me not to go out at night, and I obeyed him. Mom, please tell me where I went wrong.” She rambled amidst crying.

It wasn't easy to hear what she was saying, but she understood her. She understood what her daughter was going through. She was dealing with her first heartbreak.

It was her forever first break up. Although she had vowed never to give her heart to any guy, Jeremy somehow made her go against it. Now see what he did to her in return.

“Ophelia, all you need is to rest now, okay? Now go upstairs and freshen up. Then you can come downstairs to eat something.” Her mom, Maria, enunciates.

She stood up sluggishly and staggered her way into her room. She opened the door and stared at it for a few seconds before entering. This room held most of her memories with him. Pictures of him hung around like stockings on a Christmas tree. She went towards one and saw her smiling happily, with him giving her a peck.

She looked around and saw another with them holding hands. That day was the day he promised never to leave her. He said he would always love her and never cheat on her.

Ophelia smiled sadly as she remembered that day. Was she so foolish not to realize it? Was she the one forcing the relationship? But he was genuinely in love with her originally, so what went wrong?

She slid down and started crying. She can't stop thinking about it. She thought she was going to be his bride and he, her husband, but guessed that was all a dream. She opened the little bags she had brought.

Lingerie, sexy pants and bras, nighties… she had planned all this. She initially went to Victoria's secret to get all this, but what did she use it for? Nothing. Nothing. She worked hard to impress him, but it was all for nothing.

Jeremy once said that he does not love ladies that wear sneakers all the time, and that’s what she wears mostly, but because he said that, she went shopping and got a few pairs of heels. Although she never felt comfortable in them. But she had to give him the impression that she was a submissive girlfriend—a wife material.

Ophelia had always dreamed of being walked down the aisle to meet him at the altar, With Jeremy putting the ring on her finger and claiming her as his. But all was void. She smiled sadly as she brought out her clothes. She picked up pajamas and a top. She stood up and went into the bathroom.

Standing in front of the mirror and stared at it for seconds, taking in how she looked. Her hair was unkempt, her eye bags had already darkened, and her eyes were already puffy and red.

A lone tear found its way down her face, So she dabbed it off her face and sniffed. She pulled off her clothes and stepped into the cold shower.

The cold shower kept splashing on her body, sending shivers down her spine, yet she did not even show a sign of feeling anything. She was out of the world. She was dumb. She blocked everything and everyone out.

“Ophelia.” Her mother shouted from the kitchen, but she did not get an answer.

She got so worried and hurried to her room. She looked around and saw no one. Then she heard the sound made by the running water. She rushed into the bathroom to see her daughter soaked under the shower.

“Ophelia!!” she shouted at the sight and rushed over to her.

“Do you want to kill yourself?” her mother shouted.

She dragged her out, but her daughter was not replying. She was so worried about her. She took a towel and dried her hair. Maria tapped Ophelia, but her daughter did not react to it.

“Ophelia, I know you can hear me,” Maria said. “You need to calm down, okay?” She added.

When she did not get a reply, she sighed and stood out. “I think you need to be alone. Think about it,” Maria said and went out of the room. She closed the door.

Ophelia kept looking ludicrous. She soon laid down on the bed and stared at nowhere in particular. Tears kept falling down her face, but she was too weak to wipe them off. She needed someone to help her, but who? She hardly associated with anyone except for her friend at her workplace.

*Late in the night*

It was already dark. She could not sleep. “Ophelia, you have not eaten yet.” Her mother called out from outside the door.

“Ophelia, you can't keep on doing this to yourself.” Her mother said worriedly.

She was her only child. She was the only one she ever had. She definitely can't lose her now. Not ever.

“Ophelia, please open this door. I know how hard it is, but you must be strong.” Her mother pleaded with her.

But she was too tired to stand up. All she did was stare at it as if expecting a force to open it. After a while, she could not hear her mom's voice again.

She kept turning from one side of the bed to another as she could not sleep. His face kept on appearing in her dreams. Her thoughts. She felt like dying. She was too fragile for this. She jerked up and screamed suddenly.

“Leave me alone!!” she shouted and gripped her hair. She stood up and went over to where the pictures were hung. She tore them off the strip and scattered them.

“Why can't you just leave me alone?” she wailed.