Hearts On The Highrise

Chapter 9 : bound for new horizons

I returned home, my heart still heavy with all the emotions of the day. Every step felt like a ton of bricks, and my thoughts were spinning in my head. I was exhausted.

As I stood at the threshold of my apartment, a wave of exhaustion washed over me, threatening to pull me under. I couldn't shake off the overwhelming exhaustion that engulfed me. Despite the somewhat positive turn of events with Engfa, the rollercoaster of emotions had left me feeling drained and utterly depleted.

From sadness to anger, disappointment to happiness, it was as if every emotion had been amplified tenfold when it came to Engfa. I couldn't wrap my head around why she had such a profound effect on me, why her slightest action or word could send me spiraling into a whirlwind of feelings. It was as if I had been through a tumultuous storm, and now, as the chaos settled, I was left grappling with the aftermath, trying to make sense of it all.

As I walked through the door, I realized I had completely forgotten about Mew. My phone was filled with missed messages and calls from him, but with everything that had happened, I had lost track of time.

Mew was sitting in the armchair, looking worried. When he saw me, he rushed over, his eyes searching for answers.

"Charlotte, where were you?" he asked, his voice tense, his brows furrowed with concern.

I felt too tired to explain anything. All I wanted was to collapse on the couch and forget about the day I had just endured. But Mew deserved explanations.

"I'm sorry, Mew. It was a tough day. I didn't mean to ignore you," I murmured, seeking his eyes with mine.

He seemed to bristle with frustration. "Tough? You call that a tough day? You were out of reach all day, I was worried!"

I could feel my own anger rising. "This isn't the time, Mew. I need some peace right now, okay?"

The words came out harsher than I had intended, but I was on the verge of breaking down. I just wanted some peace, even if it was just for a minute.

As I sank deeper into the cushions, feeling Mew's gaze piercing through me, his frustration palpable in the air. "I've been worried sick, Charlotte. You never go off the grid like this, especially without telling me. I'm always the first to know everything, and suddenly, you're nowhere to be found," he exclaimed, his voice laced with concern and a hint of irritation.

His words only served to fuel my own frustration, and I felt the tension rising within me. "I just need some space right now, Mew. Can't you see that I've had a rough day?" I shot back, my voice strained with exhaustion and exasperation. But Mew was relentless, his worry for me overriding any semblance of calm.

"I get that, Charlotte, but shutting me out like this isn't fair. We're supposed to be in this together," he insisted, his tone pleading as he reached out to touch my arm. But I recoiled, unable to bear the weight of his concern on top of everything else.

"I know, and I'll talk to you about it tomorrow, okay? Just please, give me some space," I pleaded, my voice softening slightly as I retreated to the bedroom, leaving Mew standing in the living room, his worried gaze following me.

As I collapsed onto the bed, the weight of the day crashing down on me, tears welled up in my eyes, cascading down my cheeks in silent streams. I couldn't understand why I had reacted so strongly, why I had pushed Mew away when all I wanted was his comforting embrace.

Everything seemed to be fine now—Engfa had apologized, I wasn't fired, and she even offered to help. So why was I feeling like this? Was it just exhaustion, or was I desperately trying to decipher the tumultuous storm of emotions raging inside me?