07 – COMPLETELY ALONE

POV: LAUREN

My breathing grew heavy, my body trembling with anger and humiliation. Tears welled up in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall.

“Get out of here!” I shouted through clenched teeth, struggling to stand, my voice overflowing with fury. “Now!”

Arthur shot me one last look of disdain before turning and walking away slowly, leaving behind the weight of his threats.

I stood there for a few moments, staring at the ground as I watched Arthur disappear into the distance. When I finally turned around, my eyes met familiar faces—people I once called friends. But not a single hand was extended to help me. I took a deep breath and got up on my own, brushing the dust off my clothes as whispers and muffled laughter surrounded me.

The same people who had once promised to stand by me no matter what were now whispering and casting judgmental looks.

“Lauren, I heard your father left you… quite a bit of debt,” Claire, an old college friend, remarked in a sweet voice, though the smile on her lips was cruel.

“It must be hard losing everything like that, huh?” another voice chimed in, followed by suppressed laughter spreading through the group.

I swallowed hard, trying to contain the shame burning my face. But I needed help. They were my last hope. I stepped forward, my voice trembling but determined.

“Everyone, I know I shouldn’t be asking this.” I began, feeling their sharp gazes on me. “But could you lend me some money? Just enough to get me through this situation. I promise I’ll pay back every penny.”

The silence that followed was broken by James’s mocking laughter as he threw an arm around Claire’s shoulders, as if he were watching a performance.

“What? Asking us for money?” he said mockingly. “So you can do what your father did? Steal from us and never pay it back? You know what they say—like father, like daughter.”

“What are you saying, James? We grew up together! My father always helped your family during tough times. He even paid for your private school so you could have what you have today!” I said, incredulous, covering my mouth to stifle the sob threatening to escape. “Claire, every weekend you were at my house, enjoying the pool, the food, everything at your disposal. You’re my friends! I’m just asking for a loan, temporary help!”

Claire let out a sarcastic laugh, her eyes glinting with disdain.

“How naive can you be, huh, girl?” she said, her voice dripping with irony. “We never liked you. We only wanted what your father could give us. Our parents forced us to tolerate you!”

James laughed, crossing his arms as he looked at me coldly.

“You’ve always been that spoiled, clueless girl,” he said, pausing, the disdain clear in every word. “A boring crybaby whose only appeal was money. And now you don’t even have that. You’ve turned into a pathetic nobody—not even your husband could stand you!”

Their words hit like knives, but I refused to break. My voice came out loud, filled with pain and indignation, drawing even more eyes around us.

“How can you say this? How can you turn your backs on me when I need you the most? My father is dead, and all you can do is attack me.” I said, stunned.

Claire stepped forward, her venomous smile even crueler.

“Oh, sweetheart, this isn’t an attack. It’s just… a reminder of how quickly things can change,” Claire said in a sickly sweet voice, heavy with contempt, as if she wanted to ensure my wounds cut even deeper.

I held back my tears with all my strength, shame, and anger battling within me, but I promised myself I wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of seeing me fall apart.

“Get out of here, Claire. All of you.” My words were harsh, but my voice trembled, betraying the storm raging inside me.

They laughed again, as if my pain were some kind of joke, before walking away, leaving me alone. The silence that followed was deafening. I felt lost, betrayed, and completely abandoned.

I walked to my father’s grave, my legs heavy with each step, and kneeled before it. Furthermore, I touched the cold stone as sobs finally escaped, tears streaming uncontrollably down my face.

“Oh, Dad, what am I going to do without you?” I murmured, my voice weak and broken. “How can I bring a child into the world when everything we had is falling apart? How will I pay your creditors, take care of Mom, and still protect my baby?”

I clung to the gravestone as if it were my last connection to him, desperately seeking some comfort at that moment.

“Please, Dad, help me. Give me some kind of sign about what I should do,” I pleaded between sobs, my voice rising into a muffled cry, full of pain and despair.

Time seemed to stand still as I stayed there, trapped in my grief. I didn’t know how long I had been kneeling when a soft sound in the distance brought me back to reality. I lifted my head, quickly wiping my eyes, and saw a small boy with light hair running in the background of the cemetery.

Furthermore, I looked around, searching for an adult who might be with him, but there was no one nearby. My heart raced, a mix of curiosity and concern overwhelming me. Who was that boy? And what was he doing there alone?

Uneasy, I followed the little boy, who had stopped near a small lake. He was crying softly, as if trying to hide his pain. From a distance, I saw him clutching something in his hands, and in an abrupt motion, he threw it into the water. His sobs grew louder as he wiped his tears with his arm before shouting in a broken voice:

“No, Mom and Dad, please forgive me!” he cried louder, his voice heavy with despair. “I promise I’ll be good—don’t leave me!”

Suddenly, before I could react, he ran and jumped into the lake.