House Of Cards

15: Stranded

She smiled at the guy before her as he shared how much he was into gyms and rock climbing. Given his physique, she could tell he wasn't lying but the flexing had become too much to handle. Not that she was a decent date either as half of the time she unconsciously talked about her ex which was more annoying for sure.

After months of building up her courage, she decided to take a leap and meet new people, and this was her very first date. He was a guy she had randomly connected with on Bumble—decent looking and with a great sense of humor.

He was fine in all aspects but no matter how much she tried, she couldn't keep her mind from wandering to that other person she desperately wanted to forget. To cover up her lack of focus, she chatted nonstop, as if there was no end to her words. She rambled on about random things, sometimes even questioning what she was saying.  Over every little thing he said, she laughed and giggled as if it were the most hilarious joke ever told.

Alex seemed like a decent guy on paper, but deep down, she was certain that this date would be the one and only time they'd meet.

"And then I was running with the stick pretending to be Harry Potter" she chortled as she shared one of her funniest childhood memory with the guy.

"..the stick got stuck at a door and I pulled it... and I have no clue how it happened but it ended up inside my mouth, nearly piercing my throat...and" Her talk was interrupted by an abrupt kiss from the guy.

"You talk too much" he whispered and honestly she felt immensely offended. 

The situation began without her consent, and to make matters worse, he insulted her. Despite feeling uncomfortable, she put on a smile and tried to act nonchalant. Perhaps he misread her friendliness as flirting, but she couldn't blame him entirely. When he attempted another kiss, she allowed it, not wanting to shatter his romantic notions. However, a sense of guilt weighed heavily on her heart, preventing her from taking things any further when she, too, was unsure about what she truly wanted from the date.

"It's getting quite late, and I need to catch my bus," she politely mentioned. The guy seemed baffled, as he had assumed she would go back with him. Nonetheless, he offered to drop her off at the bus stop, but she politely declined the offer.

The moment they bid their bye, she rush towards the bus with tears blurring her vision. It had been four months since the incident and yet when another guy touched her, she felt repulsed. She couldn't bring herself to think about anyone else. Someone else touched and burned her. 

As she climbed into the bus, she sat on the seat alone, her shoulder trembling with each heavying sob. She clutched her chest as if physically trying to hold the broken pieces of their heart together, but the pain is too intense to contain.

It made her understand how little affection Taehyung had for her to jump into another woman's bed after spending a week entangled in her arms. It made her realize how little she meant for him to so easily accept and enjoy another woman in his arms.

Her tears flow freely, a river of anguish streaming down her face, dripping onto her trembling hands. Her mind was so jumbled that her stop was missed and when the bus halted, she got out in an area unrecognizable almost close to midnight. 

Under the dim glow of streetlights, the night was draped in a somber atmosphere. The deserted payment stretched ahead.

Shoulders hunched and trembling with each sob that escaped her lips, she looked around completely lost and confused like a child.  When she truly realized this is how exactly she felt without him. The emotions come in waves, crashing over her with a force that threatens to drown them entirely. Stranded, alone, helpless, she crouched down in the payment, hugging her knees tightly to her chest, seeking comfort and shelter from the emotional storm that rages inside.

In this moment of raw vulnerability, she felt utterly alone, as if the entire world had turned its back on her. In the distance, the hum of city life continued, oblivious to the catastrophe unfolding in her heart. The stars above, so far and unreachable, offered no comfort either.

Slowly, she straightened her back, wiping away the tears with the back of her hand. Though the pain still lingered, she would eventually find the strength to mend their broken heart, one piece at a time.

With a sniffle, she decided to call the one person who came to her mind. She dialed the number, and it took a while before he finally answered the call.

"Bro, are you okay?" Jimin's soft voice echoed from the other side as she broke down in tears, explaining how she felt lost once more. He patiently listened to her ranting and then calmed her down, reassuring her that she would find her way again.

As they talked, she gradually made her way toward her home, comforted by the reassuring voice of her long-term friend. She found solace in someone she never thought she would confide in.