You Found Me

Bittersweet

Life often tricks you by serving what you have been starving for, only to cruelly rip it away just as you approach its grasp. 

It leaves you with a bitter feeling, a sense of emptiness that embeds itself deep within. 

And often, anger comes along. 

Rhys had nearly reached that pivotal moment of gaining Liana's trust, on the verge of breaking through to make her truly hear him.

But, as fate would have it, it all crumbled in an instant.

Feeling the sudden shift, he turned to follow her gaze, eager to understand what had disrupted the delicate balance they were about to achieve.

"What's..." Rhys began to ask, his words trailing off as he saw the shadowy figure that had interrupted their moment. 

A cold chill ran down his spine, before an agitated look took over his face.

"Felix? Seriously?" Rhys couldn't hide the surprise and mild frustration in his voice.

Felix, standing a few feet away, met Rhys's gaze with an expression that seemed to carry a mix of guilt and nonchalance. "Do not look at me like that," he retorted defensively.

"You got into an accident and didn't even answer me," he continued, his tone a mix of concern and irritation.

"I called you so many times and why are you dressed like that?" Rhys asked, his eyes scanning Felix from head to toe. 

He couldn't help but notice the mismatched shoes and the stained shirt worn upside down, with a crumpled tag right in front.

"I was in a rush?" the other replied, his tone carrying a mix of nonchalance and defensiveness.

Despite his attempt to brush it off, embarrassment lingered beneath the surface, evident in the subtle eye roll and the avoidance of eye contact. He sucked at expressing his worry. 

He didn't know what to do when Rhys suddenly stopped answering and without a second thought, he ran to find him, his concern overpowering any other rational thought ; which he rarely ever had. 

"and why are you holding an umbrella? Its not even raining?" Rhys questioned, eyeing the seemingly unnecessary accessory.

"I don't know!!" Felix yelled, embodying a chaotic energy that seemed to follow him like a shadow and closed the umbrella. 

"I should be the one interrogating you though" he added, looking at the one in the car who had now closed the door and was in an attempt to lock it. 

Realization dawned upon Rhys and he turned around, opening the gate immediately.

"Felix, you go in," he directed, without sparing the other guy a single glance.

"uh are you sure you'll be okay?" but the little guy received no response. "will he ever stop landing himself in trouble?" he mumbled to himself and walked away, stumbling in his mismatched shoes.

"liana everything's oka- " nothing was okay and his words were met with a sudden disruption. 

A plastic water bottle came hurtling through the air, landing squarely on his face, shattering the moment of calm.

Despite the surprise, anger didn't find its way into his response and he tried calming the troubled one who continued to scurry away, putting distance between herself and Rhys.

"Hey, what's wrong? He won't harm you; he's with me," Rhys attempted to reassure her, but her anxiety heightened, and she sought to escape, making her way to the backseat.