REBIRTH

LOVE, LUST AND DESPAIR

Mera's sight was blurry. She knew people were around her but had no idea who they were. She could feel her face wet and her camisoles partially soaked
"I think she's conscious" Freya said, noticing Mera's eyelashes jiggling. Oliver ran to her as Mera tried sitting up after regaining full consciousness. She could almost not feel her head. She looked like she had been ill for ages, her face lighter than normal
"I'm thirsty" She complained. Oliver rapidly got her some water. She drank like a horse. Everyone kept staring at her. She had been acting peculiarly since the previous day
"Why are you all gazing at me, I'm not gonna die" She yelled, uncomfortable will all eyes on her. Nyx claimed she was I'll but Mera blamed it on not having breakfast. Breakfast was her favourite meal. Oliver fixed her a plate of oat meal and a glass of warm tea. She ate slowly as her mates tried not to look at her. The day's adventure was belayed without anyone mentioning it.

Nate yawned heavily. He had just woken up. He smiled and looked at the young lady beside him. She was still fast asleep. He kissed her forehead and jumped out of bed. He grabbed his pair of trousers and wore it steadily. He then went to the window, staring at the blue sky. The late morning was unusually cool and windy with high, thin clouds with a little chance of rain. He was still wearing a smile. Nate was an average height, well built handsome guy with green eyeballs. He was a red headed guy. He was the cynosure of most female eyes but hated by his gender. Nate was a big flirt and had no boundaries when it comes to sex. People always considered him to be a sex maniac and could even sleep with his mother. Nate never cared about these words. He felt he was just envied. He once asked Freya out. Freya couldn't resist his sweetness despite being dissuaded by her friends. Mera would always say "He only wants your ass" Freya always ignored her. She and Nate ended up splitting when she found out he couldn't stick to only her. They only had sexual intercourse once before the split.
Suddenly, he heard a voice crying out his name. He could hear steps approaching his room. It was his mother. He had no idea she would be back so early. Quick as flash, he manhandled the young lady from the bed and before she could realize what was going on, she was thrown out from the window. Her clothes followed her. Almost immediately, his mom entered his room. Nate tried to act calm and innocent.
"Hi mum" He said, sweating. " Had no idea you would be back so early"
He wanted to ask her about her journey but the subject seemed so ugly that he had no nerve to go near it. After a lengthy discussion about Nate's sex life, his mom left the room. He sighed with relief. His mom's pep talk seemed to escape his head as he was still wearing the smile he had on earlier. He straightened his bed and walked towards a mirror, admiring himself. He was really sensitive to dirt, attracting more of the feminines to himself. He usually dressed much longer than a normal guy should.
After dressing fully, he headed out to meet his only male friends although, they secretly envied him also. He walked at a constant pace, expecting every eyes to be on him. He was really arrogant. Soon, he noticed Freya. She was clearly not concentrating. Intentionally, he crashed on her. She was about hitting the roof before seeing Nate. She said nothing and tried walking away but Nate pulled her back. He could sense some tension in her.
"It seems you still don't wanna talk to me" He said seductively. Freya couldn't look at his face. She only just began to get over him
"Just let me go, Nate" She said calmly " I need to get some medicine for Mera. She's a bit ill"
Nate decided to walk with her but she initially refused, knowing her friends won't want him around. After so much pressure from him, she reluctantly agreed. She was clearly not over him completely.
Nate did all the talking on their lazy walk back to Oliver's home. Freya was absent mentally. All she did was regular nodding and she would fake a smile when Nate tried to catch her attention. She couldn't clarify if she was happy around him. She was left, sitting on the fence.
Nyx could see them from afar. He looked at them with dark staring eyes. As they appeared very close, Nyx pulled Freya with him, far away from the ears of Nate.
"What's he doing here" He said with a tone of anger
"Relax, he only walked me here. He insisted" Freya replied and tried calming Nyx down. Then, Nate called her. Freya stared at Nyx for a while and he could sense a bit of apologies from her docile face. She then went to Nate.
"Can I come in...... Just to check on her for a while" Nate asked
"I don't think you want to. Oliver's here" Freya answered as her eyeballs wandered about.
"What does that mean"
Freya had a vague sense Nate wanted her back. Whereas, she broke up with him and not vice versa. She looked at his luring eyes as she could almost rue the day they parted ways. She was lost in thoughts before Nate touched her shoulders warmly. It gave her a calming influence.
"Mera's fine. You don't have to bother yourself" She said, almost stuttering as she removed Nate's hand slowly off her shoulders. She began walking away but Nate held her back. He had a pitiful face on. He knew Freya was still frustrated. He had apologized severally but Freya would ruefully ignore him, taking the advice of her friends.
"I'm truly sorry Freya. It was just a mistake" He apologized again. Freya looked back and saw Nyx staring at them with despair. Nyx never liked Nate. The despise rose when he began to see Freya. Nyx then walked back to the house.
"You have to go now" Freya said, facing Nate. He sighed heavily, looking disappointed. Freya didn't know if he was trying to trick her. He was known to be a Casanova and a player. Besides, Nate was a casual person. Freya always wanted a meaningful relationship and she always doubt Nate could ever love anyone, let alone her. Nate left and Freya remained on the spot for a while. She was like a living statue, filed with thoughts. Her head was all over the place. She knew she still had feelings for Nate. She then walked back to the house slowly. As she walked in, every eyes were on her. She knew Nyx would have told them she was with Nate. She dropped the medicine on the table beside Mera and sat away from her mates. Nyx wasn't comfortable. He walked towards her. She wanted some isolation but Nyx needed to speak to her. He tried dissuading Freya from going back to Nyx but she remained silent. He sat close to her and held her hands.
"I think I'm still in love with him" Freya said to him, scared.
Nyx never wanted to hear those words. They shattered his heart. His eyes went pale and was at the brink of tears. He realized he was in love with Freya but was scared of exposing his feelings.
"He doesn't deserve you, Freya" Nyx lamented with disgust. "He loves no one and cares about no one's feelings. He's just a........."
"Why are you sounding so emotional right now" Freya cuts in annoyingly "You all can't continue deciding for me" She added and left the house immediately, provoked. Nyx tried following her but Oliver held him back. His emotions had taken over him. He smacked his fist onto the wall regretfully as he knew he might have lost every hopes with Freya. Oliver calmed him down. He could sense what Nyx had for Freya.
All Mera did was stare. She was lost in her own world. The indistinct incident of the black heart was stuck to her mind. Her head still hurt.