Without You

Chapter 14

The trees outside our house transformed into a fiery red, mirroring the hue of my newly blooming heart. Two couple of days had passed since my return to college, and in this short span, my friendship with Sheldon had blossomed. We attended literature class together, and he assumed the role of my personal tutor, assisting me with the intricacies of literary analysis. Our days were consumed by discussions on writing, and I couldn't help but acknowledge Sheldon's genius in literature.

It was twelve-thirty in the afternoon, and finally, the long literary drama of the two students ended, as they were trying to portray their play to Mrs. Stanley and of course the whole class. As we traversed the corridor, engaged in spirited discourse about our respective creations, a sudden interruption jolted our idyllic exchange. Before I stood Alex, a specter from my past, the architect of heartache. The wound he had inflicted on my heart, which had been gradually healing in the company of Sheldon, started to bleed anew. Flashbacks of the traumatic events played in my mind as Alex addressed me with a chilling voice.

His voice, cold and calculated, infiltrated the air as he attempted to spin a web of deception, "Hey, hey love, I have heard everything that happened here in my absence, believe me, they are fake, Nancy tried to manipulate you to get me.........they are fake, Emily, believe me. Yes, the video wasn't fake, but she blackmailed me......." The echoes of his words reverberated painfully in my ears, dredging up memories I had struggled to bury.

"Enough!" I erupted, my voice slicing through his feeble justifications, "Enough, I don't want to hear out your fucking excuse. I have trusted you when no one believed in you, but look at you, you didn't bother to value my belief, my trust, my love for you. Now it's finally over, go and get your Nancy back. I just hate you, and I don't want to see your fucking face anymore, just stay away from me, forever."

The corridor bore witness to this dramatic exchange, an audience of curious onlookers observing the turmoil. Sheldon lingered in the background, affording me the space to confront my past. Before Alex could say anything, I pushed him away from my side and headed towards the downstairs. As I descended the staircase, the echoes of Alex's veiled threats against Sheldon lingered, "I'll see you later," hinting at an impending storm.

As I descended the staircase to the bustling cafeteria below, a subtle tremor rippled through my entire body. An air of trepidation surrounded me as I sought out the person who held the elusive power to mend the fractures of my soul—Jessica. There she was, seated at a table, engrossed in animated conversation with her newfound companions: Olivia, Iris, and Jordan.

Since the time I began spending my lunch hours with Sheldon, delving into discussions about the intricacies of writing, Jessica had adeptly integrated herself into the circle of my senior friends. Today, however, my heart carried a weight that only she could comprehend.

However, before I could reach her, Jessica abruptly abandoned her companions and hastened towards me, as I was standing in the middle of the cafeteria ground all of a sudden.

"Hey, Emm!! What happened? Aren't you feeling well?" Her voice, a soothing melody, accompanied by the gentle patting of her hand against my cheeks as if sensing an impending faintness that seized me in the blink of an eye.

At that moment, her words reverberated through the air, and my vision, once clear, began to blur until it succumbed to the encompassing darkness that swallowed my consciousness.

As my eyes slowly fluttered open, the concerned faces of my friends and other people on the cafeteria formed a circle around me, their expressions a mix of relief and worry. Among them, Jessica knelt beside me, gently rubbing my hands in an attempt to coax back my consciousness. A voice from the gathered crowd broke the hushed tension, declaring, "She has awakened. Thank God," before dispersing, leaving me with Jessica.