The Story of Thia

Goodbyes

Joshua's POV

Thia walks in and quietly sits in the chair beside my bed. I attempt to mutter out, "hi—Thia, I---" She interrupts my weak efforts, "Josh, we're done." She begins to cry, but the look in her eyes doesn't convey fear, like the usual glance of someone saying goodbye to someone they loved. The look in her eyes: pity. I never knew how much I hurt her...so much that she'd lose all love for me. She made a concerted effort to continue loving me after what I did, continue loving me after the accident. I knew I didn't deserve her... "Josh, I'm so sorry to leave you like this, I feel so responsible for affecting your life like I did. I just can't stay anymore...no matter how much you get better, physically or emotionally, the hurt will always remain. On paper, you and I seemed like we should work, but it just didn't work between us." Hearing those words made it feel like my world was falling apart. I am so sad that she'd just give up on us, I tried so hard to fix what I did to us. I was so much better than what I was. All of my efforts were futile. All I could think was who would love me now? She was my one shot at real love. Sophia likes to pretend that she ever wanted me, but her type only comes in one form—jocks, not a guy who's still in physical rehabilitation.

Landon's POV

Thia comes out the door the same way she went in. She's so calm and I still don't know what's going on. She didn't say a word to me on the drive here about what she wanted to talk to Josh for. "Alright, let's head home," she says as she hops in. When we get back, she picks the option of watching a movie and not talking. When the movie ends we go back to our separate rooms. She's acting strange...calm, very calm. She's different though. It's like she's more herself. That innocence and kindness she has about her has been heightened. Her effect on me...even stronger than it was before. Her quietness increased, which kind of scares me. That's what we do, people like her and I. When something happens, when we get sad, when we need to make it through a rough patch in life, we revert inward.

Thia's POV

I wake up the next morning trying to process everything...Josh and I are no longer together. It was my choice, but it scares me. He was my safety blanket, the first guy I had ever dated, the only one I thought I would ever date. I tiptoe out of my room and peer inside Walt and Heather's room. They're out, like usual on Saturday, getting brunch. Walt and Heather were so cute, never wasting a free day when they could be using it to spend quality time with one another. It made it convenient for me to do what I've been craving for months. I quietly make my way into Landon's room, attempting not to wake him. Then I see a sight I wasn't expecting. His bed was made and he was nowhere to be found. I plop onto his bed in defeat and realize that I am all alone, just like I was afraid of, but I knew I made the right choice. I've been alone before and I'll do it again just like the last time, I was just kind of hoping for someone to lean on, to cuddle when I'm navigating what it's like to not have a confidant to turn to at all times.