"Finally, you are awake. I have been waiting for you to open your eyes," a soft voice gently breaks through the fog of my mind, gradually clearing the blurriness surrounding me.
As my vision sharpens, I begin to discern the sterile, white ceiling above me, its stark brightness contrasting with the chaotic thoughts swirling in my head. "So, it was all just a dream," I muse, a wave of relief washing over me. "Thank God I don't have to relive that nightmare." The darkness of my recent memories lingers, still haunting the edges of my consciousness. As I struggle to piece together what has just transpired, a torrent of questions floods my mind. Where am I? How did I end up here? "Oh, honey, don't cry," the voice chimes again, and I strain to identify the speaker. My eyes dart around the room, but I cannot recognize the face before me. I fumble in my recollections, trying desperately to make sense of this unfamiliar presence. "You poor girl, let me help you," the tender voice continues. I hear footsteps approaching, and soon, the source of the voice appears before me. A nurse stands there, clad in a crisp uniform that contrasts with the soft warmth of her demeanor. She leans in closer, her hand brushing my cheek with a gentle touch, and I feel the softness of her skin against my tear-streaked face. When she pulls away, her sad smile tugs at something deep within me, and I suddenly realize that I have been crying. Terrifying memories of the horrific events that have unfolded in my life replay in vivid detail, flashing through my mind like a disorienting film. My heart pounds violently in my chest as I begin to search the room, my eyes darting around frantically, seeking both familiarity and answers. "Calm down, miss; you will hurt yourself," the nurse urges softly, holding my trembling body still. I am too weak to fight back, my limbs heavy and unresponsive. After a few moments of restless squirming, I finally surrender, allowing my body to relax, too exhausted to resist. "There we go. Was that so hard?" she asks, her smile unwavering as she releases me. Taking a deep breath, I can feel my senses returning, though they come back slowly, like dawn breaking after a long night. My mouth is parched, the dryness scraping at my throat like coarse sandpaper. My nose, once congested, now feels surprisingly clear, allowing me to detect the sharp and potent scent of antiseptics that hangs thick in the air. My body feels utterly drained, a profound fatigue settling deep within my bones, making it feel almost miraculous that I had the strength to fight back at all. "Where am I?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper, sounding hoarse and weak, like a dying frog croaking for help. But beneath this question lies a depth of confusion and despair that feels even more pressing than my immediate need for answers. "Dear, you are in the hospital," the nurse says, leaving me frozen in shock. I remember driving away from David and his new girlfriend, planning to find a hotel to stay in because there was no way I would let Mia see how messed up this situation was. She would probably go ballistic. "How?" I asked, knowing the only way I could have ended up here was if I was in a car accident. Did I get seriously injured? I don't feel anything, but that could be because the anesthetic is still in my system. Or worse, what if someone else got injured because of me? Thoughts race in my mind, giving me a headache. I try to ask more questions, but I can't seem to form the words; there's a lump in my throat that prevents me from speaking. "You got into a car accident, but you're fine. You seemed to have passed out from stress or overexertion," the nurse says, and her words start to sink in. "Stress" is the right word to describe the situation. The nurse sees that I can't say anything and reaches for a glass, passing it to me. "I understand what you're going through," she continues. "We young women face these challenges all the time. Though I am married, I've had my heart broken quite a few times," she adds, checking my vitals and writing them down in her notes. "Heartbreak?" I say confused , questions hang at the tip of my tongue, and now that my voice feels less constricted, the urge to ask grows stronger. But I stay quiet, knowing that if I talk about him, I might cry. "But honestly, I think the worst thing that relationship drama can cause is turning us girls against each other," she says sadly, looking down at her notepad with a sigh before turning to me and giving me a pitiful glance. "What do you mean?" I ask, wondering if she's talking about her own life experience or mine. If it's hers, then we have a lot in common, and if not, I'll just have to find out how she knows. "When you were brought in, they went through your emergency contact list and called your boyfriend since he was the first name listed," she says, and I can tell how heartbreaking this news is going to be. "He didn't pick up at first, but when he finally did, he sounded annoyed. When we told him what happened, it seemed like the phone was taken away, and then a high-pitched voice started screaming and saying nasty things." "It was horrible," she says, scrunching her nose in disgust. The pain in my chest feels like the empty void in my heart has grown bigger—too big to close. I already knew that no one loves me: not my mother, not my dad, and especially not David. I shouldn't have wasted my time thinking about it when I know it will never happen for me. I am done with love. "Don't feel bad, dear. At least the person who dropped you off was a charming prince, a real guardian angel." "A charming prince?""why didn't you come for me ""I know that with everything that has happened, you wouldn't want to see me.""But I was seriously injured. Isn't that enough to set aside everything that has happened and come see me?" I can't believe,I am still hung up on David,I am so pathetic.I stare out the window in a daze. I have been here for more than 24 hours, just staring into space and wondering if David will walk into the room to ask me how I'm doing instead of the nurse, Denise.Denise is sweet and loving. She makes sure that I am comfortable and tries many ways to distract me from my horrible breakup. I appreciate her efforts a lot; not many people can do what she is doing. I know it is not personal because I am a total stranger to her. I can tell that it is part of her nature, which makes her lovable.I try my best not to look like a product of a bad breakup when she is around so she doesn't get worried. I have heard stories from her about how a girl committed suicide because her boyfrie
"Are you going to tell me now?" I ask Denise as she wheels me to the hospital discharge area, humming 'Sugar' by Maroon 5. "Okay, I will tell you. Your—" "Why are we passing the hospital checkout?" I interrupt, forgetting about what she was about to say. "Well, that's the good news." "What do you mean?" I ask as she pushes me toward the exit, unexpectedly guiding me to my car. It looks like it wasn't hit by another car at all; it seems even better than it was before. "Your prince charming paid your hospital bills and brought your car here," she says with a giant smile. "What do you mean he paid my hospital bills? How could you let him do that? He doesn't even know me!" I say, my voice a mix of disbelief and anger as I glare at her. She bursts into a fit of laughter, her eyes sparkling with delight as she seems to float away into a daydream. "Isn't that just so romantic? He even brought your car here!" she replies, her gaze drifting dreamily towards the ceiling as if envisioning
"That's it. Nothing can get worse than this," I say, rubbing my palms hard across my face in frustration. "What did I do, universe? Huh?" I ask myself, pacing back and forth while Mia bombards me with questions that are giving me migraines. "What did you do, Alex? What does he want with you?" she asks. I collapse onto my desk, wailing. "How am I supposed to know? I've done everything he asked! I worked overtime all of last week so I could take half the day off last Friday, and since today, I haven't done anything wrong," I say, biting my fingers in an attempt to organize my thoughts. "Maybe it has to do with the weekly report." "Have you sent it yet?" Mia asks. I nod frantically, unsure of what else to do. "Of course, I’ve sent the report," I replied, a hint of annoyance creeping into my voice. "You know how he is — he always demands the weekly sales performance reports before we even think about holding the board meeting," Mia said, rolling her eyes at the thought. "I
I stared at Mia in disbelief. "So, you're telling me that you didn't actually know anything? You just assumed something was wrong and decided to freak me out?" I asked, trying to keep my tone light . Mia nodded sheepishly, inching away from me as if she were anticipating my reaction. "I guess so. I just didn’t want you to be caught off guard," she admitted. I sighed, rubbing my temples to ease the tension building within me. "Mia, you’re my best friend, but sometimes your antics drive me crazy. Can’t you just let me deal with my own problems for once?" As my words hung in the air, Mia’s expression fell, hurt evident on her face. "I was just trying to help, Alex. I didn’t mean to stress you out," she replied softly. Feeling guilty, I got up and wrapped her in a hug. "I know, Mia. And I appreciate it. It's just... this thing with Mr. Gregory has me really spooked. I don’t know what he wants, but I have a bad feeling about it." Mia’s expression turned serious as she nodded in suppor
"How could you do this to me?" I yelled, my body trembling with uncontrollable anger.My boyfriend jumped away from the girl he had been holding, rushing to cover himself. Tears welled up in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. I turned to the girl he was with and froze, staring at her for a long time, hoping my eyes were playing tricks on me."You… you’re cheating on me with your sister! That is disgusting!" I scrunched my face in disbelief. I couldn’t believe what I was witnessing—the love of my life, the person with whom I had planned my future, was cheating on me with his sister, of all people."How stupid can you be? I am not his sister!" Anastasia said with a smug smile. She laughed as she snuggled deeper into the bed—the bed I had shared with David for the past two years."What do you mean you’re not his sister? You've been acting like it for the past six years! Someone better start talking before I lose my cool!" I said, pacing back and forth. I was confused, angry, and sl
" this cannot be happening to me "The words pass through my head,when people say things like never do anything in anger cause you will regret it, listen to them because they are always right.The realization that I shouldn't have done what I did while blinded by my anger is so annoying that I feel like hitting my head against a rock a few times before digging a hole for myself and then burying myself in it.I am calm most of the time, that chill slow to anger kind of girl that no one thinks has a malicious bone in her body ,I am that kind of girl. I can't even hurt a fly for crying out loud , so why did today have to be so different. I had a gut feeling that today wasn't going to be good but brushed it off since it was David's birthday and our anniversary so I kept saying today was going to be great ,what could go wrong? I thought my gut was wrong cause beginning of the day was going great .But I was the wrong one; always trust your gut feeling because it will never ever let you do
"Am I even here right now or is this just a dream" I think silently to myself I did not expect the day to end up like this, believe me, I had many expectations on how the day would end, like us ending the day with us going to a romantic dinner, going to see a movie, and making out in the back of the theatre like teenagers, maybe we would just make dinner and cuddle on our couch with a mug of hot chocolate in hand or us even ending the day in our bedroom making love. The last scenario was my favorite because, after four years, I felt that I was finally ready to give up that part of myself. I feel like a failure because our relationship was nearly ruined by my fear and insecurities that always stopped me from going further which led to problems. Every time I forced myself to think that I was ready I would always take the initiative, would kiss him, he has never really asked if I was ready when I did that, maybe he thought I felt ready when I kissed him, or maybe he was always just bl
**Flashback** *13 Years Ago* "Why did you leave me? " I whisper silently; tears fall down my face as I stare ahead in a daze. The broken picture frame lies on the floor, with pieces of glass reflecting light at sharp angles. It reminds me of my father, who is now gone. He was kind and always put others first. I remember his laughter and warm hugs. He could make any room feel bright with just a smile. Now, that warmth is replaced by a deep emptiness. My dad is no longer here, and I struggle with mixed feelings, including some anger for him leaving me. Tears flow down my cheeks, each drop heavy with memories and sadness. It feels like just yesterday that I asked my dad to take me to our favorite ice cream shop, the one with bright lights and the smell of fresh waffle cones. I can still picture the excitement I felt when choosing the biggest sundae, piled high with rich chocolate and vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, and colorful sprinkles. After our ice cream, we would curl up on
I stared at Mia in disbelief. "So, you're telling me that you didn't actually know anything? You just assumed something was wrong and decided to freak me out?" I asked, trying to keep my tone light . Mia nodded sheepishly, inching away from me as if she were anticipating my reaction. "I guess so. I just didn’t want you to be caught off guard," she admitted. I sighed, rubbing my temples to ease the tension building within me. "Mia, you’re my best friend, but sometimes your antics drive me crazy. Can’t you just let me deal with my own problems for once?" As my words hung in the air, Mia’s expression fell, hurt evident on her face. "I was just trying to help, Alex. I didn’t mean to stress you out," she replied softly. Feeling guilty, I got up and wrapped her in a hug. "I know, Mia. And I appreciate it. It's just... this thing with Mr. Gregory has me really spooked. I don’t know what he wants, but I have a bad feeling about it." Mia’s expression turned serious as she nodded in suppor
"That's it. Nothing can get worse than this," I say, rubbing my palms hard across my face in frustration. "What did I do, universe? Huh?" I ask myself, pacing back and forth while Mia bombards me with questions that are giving me migraines. "What did you do, Alex? What does he want with you?" she asks. I collapse onto my desk, wailing. "How am I supposed to know? I've done everything he asked! I worked overtime all of last week so I could take half the day off last Friday, and since today, I haven't done anything wrong," I say, biting my fingers in an attempt to organize my thoughts. "Maybe it has to do with the weekly report." "Have you sent it yet?" Mia asks. I nod frantically, unsure of what else to do. "Of course, I’ve sent the report," I replied, a hint of annoyance creeping into my voice. "You know how he is — he always demands the weekly sales performance reports before we even think about holding the board meeting," Mia said, rolling her eyes at the thought. "I
"Are you going to tell me now?" I ask Denise as she wheels me to the hospital discharge area, humming 'Sugar' by Maroon 5. "Okay, I will tell you. Your—" "Why are we passing the hospital checkout?" I interrupt, forgetting about what she was about to say. "Well, that's the good news." "What do you mean?" I ask as she pushes me toward the exit, unexpectedly guiding me to my car. It looks like it wasn't hit by another car at all; it seems even better than it was before. "Your prince charming paid your hospital bills and brought your car here," she says with a giant smile. "What do you mean he paid my hospital bills? How could you let him do that? He doesn't even know me!" I say, my voice a mix of disbelief and anger as I glare at her. She bursts into a fit of laughter, her eyes sparkling with delight as she seems to float away into a daydream. "Isn't that just so romantic? He even brought your car here!" she replies, her gaze drifting dreamily towards the ceiling as if envisioning
"why didn't you come for me ""I know that with everything that has happened, you wouldn't want to see me.""But I was seriously injured. Isn't that enough to set aside everything that has happened and come see me?" I can't believe,I am still hung up on David,I am so pathetic.I stare out the window in a daze. I have been here for more than 24 hours, just staring into space and wondering if David will walk into the room to ask me how I'm doing instead of the nurse, Denise.Denise is sweet and loving. She makes sure that I am comfortable and tries many ways to distract me from my horrible breakup. I appreciate her efforts a lot; not many people can do what she is doing. I know it is not personal because I am a total stranger to her. I can tell that it is part of her nature, which makes her lovable.I try my best not to look like a product of a bad breakup when she is around so she doesn't get worried. I have heard stories from her about how a girl committed suicide because her boyfrie
"Finally, you are awake. I have been waiting for you to open your eyes," a soft voice gently breaks through the fog of my mind, gradually clearing the blurriness surrounding me.As my vision sharpens, I begin to discern the sterile, white ceiling above me, its stark brightness contrasting with the chaotic thoughts swirling in my head."So, it was all just a dream," I muse, a wave of relief washing over me. "Thank God I don't have to relive that nightmare." The darkness of my recent memories lingers, still haunting the edges of my consciousness.As I struggle to piece together what has just transpired, a torrent of questions floods my mind. Where am I? How did I end up here?"Oh, honey, don't cry," the voice chimes again, and I strain to identify the speaker. My eyes dart around the room, but I cannot recognize the face before me. I fumble in my recollections, trying desperately to make sense of this unfamiliar presence."You poor girl, let me help you," the tender voice continues. I h
**Flashback** *13 Years Ago* "Why did you leave me? " I whisper silently; tears fall down my face as I stare ahead in a daze. The broken picture frame lies on the floor, with pieces of glass reflecting light at sharp angles. It reminds me of my father, who is now gone. He was kind and always put others first. I remember his laughter and warm hugs. He could make any room feel bright with just a smile. Now, that warmth is replaced by a deep emptiness. My dad is no longer here, and I struggle with mixed feelings, including some anger for him leaving me. Tears flow down my cheeks, each drop heavy with memories and sadness. It feels like just yesterday that I asked my dad to take me to our favorite ice cream shop, the one with bright lights and the smell of fresh waffle cones. I can still picture the excitement I felt when choosing the biggest sundae, piled high with rich chocolate and vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, and colorful sprinkles. After our ice cream, we would curl up on
"Am I even here right now or is this just a dream" I think silently to myself I did not expect the day to end up like this, believe me, I had many expectations on how the day would end, like us ending the day with us going to a romantic dinner, going to see a movie, and making out in the back of the theatre like teenagers, maybe we would just make dinner and cuddle on our couch with a mug of hot chocolate in hand or us even ending the day in our bedroom making love. The last scenario was my favorite because, after four years, I felt that I was finally ready to give up that part of myself. I feel like a failure because our relationship was nearly ruined by my fear and insecurities that always stopped me from going further which led to problems. Every time I forced myself to think that I was ready I would always take the initiative, would kiss him, he has never really asked if I was ready when I did that, maybe he thought I felt ready when I kissed him, or maybe he was always just bl
" this cannot be happening to me "The words pass through my head,when people say things like never do anything in anger cause you will regret it, listen to them because they are always right.The realization that I shouldn't have done what I did while blinded by my anger is so annoying that I feel like hitting my head against a rock a few times before digging a hole for myself and then burying myself in it.I am calm most of the time, that chill slow to anger kind of girl that no one thinks has a malicious bone in her body ,I am that kind of girl. I can't even hurt a fly for crying out loud , so why did today have to be so different. I had a gut feeling that today wasn't going to be good but brushed it off since it was David's birthday and our anniversary so I kept saying today was going to be great ,what could go wrong? I thought my gut was wrong cause beginning of the day was going great .But I was the wrong one; always trust your gut feeling because it will never ever let you do
"How could you do this to me?" I yelled, my body trembling with uncontrollable anger.My boyfriend jumped away from the girl he had been holding, rushing to cover himself. Tears welled up in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. I turned to the girl he was with and froze, staring at her for a long time, hoping my eyes were playing tricks on me."You… you’re cheating on me with your sister! That is disgusting!" I scrunched my face in disbelief. I couldn’t believe what I was witnessing—the love of my life, the person with whom I had planned my future, was cheating on me with his sister, of all people."How stupid can you be? I am not his sister!" Anastasia said with a smug smile. She laughed as she snuggled deeper into the bed—the bed I had shared with David for the past two years."What do you mean you’re not his sister? You've been acting like it for the past six years! Someone better start talking before I lose my cool!" I said, pacing back and forth. I was confused, angry, and sl