Broken Strings

C H A P T E R T W E N T Y - S E V E N

"So I'm sorry to my unknown lover
Sorry that I can't believe that anybody ever really
Starts to fall in love with me."

- Sorry x Halsey

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Anisha looked out to the ocean. The blue, salty waves smashed against the ocean. The morning was cool and misty. And quiet.

The beach was fairly empty and the pier wouldn't be open for another two hours.

She liked the calamity, the quietness. It was soothing, it was nice. She let the cool winds surround her.

Anisha let out a small laugh as she rubbed her nose. It was cold, cold by the sea shore. She felt good. She didn't have to worry about anything. She tried not to worry about anything.

She just watched as the waves splattered against the sand.

"Anisha? Hey."

She looked up, smiling as Sebastian sat down next to her.

"I'm sorry I'm late. I fell asleep early last night and I just your text this morning." He gave her a tight smile, worry slowly filling his eyes as he stared at her pale face.

He reached out, letting his hand brush the hair out of her face. He pressed his hand against her warm forehead. He always did this. Every time she would see him, even if it wasn't for a doctor's appointment, he'd always still check everything about her. "Do you still have a fever?"

Anisha quickly looked away. Sebastian already knew the answer to the question. But still, it hurt. Because he was the only one who had truly cared about her.

And she, she had broken his heart.

"Yes, and I've been having bone pains a lot lately. Not to mention, I feel tired all the time. Sometimes, it's hard for me to even stay awake. It's like I can't sleep enough. All I want to do is sleep. But I took painkillers this morning. The night sweats are getting worse, I woke up last night. The pain in my stomach is killing me and I already had two nosebleeds just this morning." She smiled, pathetically. Her eyes were focused the waves, the heavy ocean roared against the sand.

He was watching her. And she was watching the waves.

Sebastian reached out, taking her hand in his. He gave her hand a small squeeze, trying to convince her that she'd be fine, that she'd get better.

"Isn't it funny how fast life just happens?" Anisha bit her lip, looking back at him. She tried to keep her voice light, but the pain hidden in her voice was obvious.

"I mean, it feels like just yesterday, when we were in college and you brought me to the pier for the first time."

She looked at him, only him, his eyes already set on her.

His bright green eyes still held a boyish glint to them. And looking at him, his morning hair, his bright eyes, his sharp face, Anisha knew how easy it would be fall in love with him.

He cared, he always cared. He just had. It was something she had taken for granted.

But broken people, they weren't supposed to fall in love. She wasn't supposed to fall in love. She couldn't fall in love, not now. She didn't want to lead him on. She didn't want to break his heart, again.

So she looked away. She looked out to the ocean.

"We were so young, and foolish." Anisha looked down, picking at her chipped nails. It was one of the reasons she hated wearing nail polish, she'd end up picking on it. Mira had painted her nails for her, a light blue. Anisha had gone along with it, knowing that later she'd end up picking or biting her nails.