Chapter 6
“You don’t deserve to be loved. No one ever has, or ever will,” Darrel sneered, his face twisted with disgust. “Other people’s kindness, all the good they try to show you- you just trample it. No wonder your own parents didn’t want you when you were a kid!”
His words pierced straight through me, each one a carefully aimed dagger hitting the most vulnerable part of my heart. Darrel knew exactly where to strike, the words that would hurt the most. His gaze burned with pure
hatred, as if I were the worst enemy he‘ d ever had.
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ever had.
Without giving me a chance to process, to respond, or even to catch my breath, he spun around and slammed the car door. The
engine roared as he stomped on the gas, leaving me standing there, stunned, as he sped away.
I was frozen in place, trying to make sense of what had just happened, but the stinging burn on my cheek wouldn’t let me escape it. I touched my face, the pain a cruel reminder of how the one person I’d trusted for years had struck me, both with his words and his
hand.
The sky was lightening, the last of the stars fading as dawn approached. There would be no stars tonight, no chance to sit under their silent glow. That ache in my heart grew
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heavier, filling with every hurtful moment, every betrayal I’d let slide, every ounce of love I’d wasted on him.
I couldn’t hold it in anymore. I crouched down on the ground, holding my head and the tears came pouring out. It was as if every sorrow, every disappointment and all the years of love I’d offered had been ripped from me in that single, brutal moment. I cried for the Fionna I had been, for the dreams I’d let wither, for the stars I‘ d I’d
wished upon all these years. I cried until there was nothing left, until I felt as hollow as the dawn sky above me.
When I finally stood, my decision was clear. I couldn’t stay here another day. I didn‘ t want to breathe the same air, walk the same streets, or sleep in the same bed where I had
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once imagined a life with him. I decided to change my ticket, booking the earliest flight that would take me far away from here.
At the airport, just before boarding, I sent Darrel a final text message: [Goodbye]
That single word held all the finality, all the closure that I needed. Seven years, ended with a whisper. I watched as his calls flooded my phone, his name flashing over and over, but I just stared, unbothered, detached. My heart felt strangely calm as I turned off my phone, severing any last thread of
connection.
As I sat waiting for the plane to take off, memories flooded back, washing over me like waves. It was strange–seven years and we had fallen together so naturally, as if we were perfectly cut puzzle pieces. as if we could
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finish each other’s thoughts without saying a word. That was how it had all begun. And somewhere along the way, he must have convinced himself that I would never leave, no matter what he did.
But I wasn‘ t his possession, some pet he could hurt and expect to remain loyal. I had my own thoughts, my own feelings, my own worth. I refused to let anyone, even him, dictate the rest of my life. I wanted to be free of his shadow.
As I began to block his numbers, his emails, his messages, I stumbled upon an old social media account we had created together years ago. The profile photo was of us, two smiling faces and the background was a beach where we’d once spent hours together, laughing and dreaming of a future. My finger hovered
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ILA
uuu
recurge your
ago. The profile photo was of us, two smiling faces and the background was a beach where we’d once spent hours together, laughing and dreaming of a future. My finger hovered over the delete button, trembling as I pressed it. And just like that, the last remnant of our shared past was gone.
The flight was long and though I wanted to feel the thrill of freedom, my heart felt strangely empty. The years we’d spent together kept replaying in my mind, every memory as vivid as if it were happening again. I had escaped him, but I still had to escape the part of me that had once loved him so deeply.
When the plane finally landed, I felt the
emotions I’d been holding back rush to the surface overwhelming me as I walked
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nim so deeply.
When the plane finally landed, I felt the emotions I’d been holding back rush to the surface, overwhelming me as I walked through the terminal. And then, there she was–my mom, waiting with a warm smile, her eyes misty with happiness as she reached
out to me.
“Fionna,” she said, holding my hands
tightly, her voice filled with relief. “I can hardly believe it–you‘ re finally here! I’ve been waiting for you all morning. I thought… I was afraid you‘ d change your mind
again.”
I felt my heart break a little as I looked at her, realizing how much she had worried about me, how many times she’d wanted me to
come back and start fresh by her side. “I’m
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here now, Mom,” I said softly, squeezing her hands. “I’m not going anywhere.”
She pulled me close, wrapping me in a hug that was warm and familiar, as if I were a little girl again. “It’s so good to have you home,” she whispered. “And don’t worry. I’ve found someone perfect for you. You‘ 11 see–he’ll make you happy, he‘ ll give you the life you deserve. And if he’s not good enough, you’ll always have me to rely on.”
For years, she had asked me to come back, to leave everything behind and find a new start with her. But each time, the memory of him, of Darrel, had held me back. I’d convinced myself that I was right to stay, to endure, to hope. Now, all those excuses felt as fragile as ash in my hands.
I took a deep breath, feeling a calm I hadn‘ t
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known in a long time. “I trust you, Mom,” I said with a faint smile. “Whoever you‘ ve chosen, I know it‘ ll be okay. I’m ready to start over, to live a life where I’ll finally be… happy.”
For the first time, I felt the faint spark of hope growing within me. I wasn’t the same
person I had been. The girl who had believed in promises, in unbreakable bonds, in forever -that girl was gone. But the woman standing here was stronger, wiser and ready to take on whatever came next.
