ʀᴇᴡʀɪᴛᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴛᴀʀꜱ

11

We arrived at a secluded area that felt like it was straight out of a dream. As nightfall approached, Michael stopped the car and gestured for me to follow him. We walked for about fifteen minutes through a dense forest, the path barely visible under the dim light of the stars.

When we finally broke through the trees, I gasped. Before us lay the most stunning waterfall I had ever seen. The water cascaded down in shimmering sheets, illuminated by the soft glow of fireflies and surrounded by a riot of colorful flowers. Above us, the sky was a canvas of twinkling stars. It looked like a scene from a fantasy novel.

"This is my favorite place," Michael said, his hands casually stuffed into his pockets. He watched me with a gentle smile as I took in the beauty around us.

"It's incredible," I whispered, still in awe. "I've never seen anything like it."

We found a spot near the edge of the water and sat down. The sound of the waterfall was soothing, and the cool breeze carried the scent of blooming flowers. For a while, we simply enjoyed the peacefulness, letting the beauty of the place sink in.

Michael broke the silence. "Do you ever think about what you really want out of life?" he asked, his voice soft and thoughtful.

"All the time," I admitted. "I want to find my place, you know? Somewhere I truly belong. And maybe... someone to share it with."

His eyes softened, and for a moment, we sat in silence, the night air heavy with unspoken words.

"Emily," he said quietly, leaning closer. "I’ve always admired your strength and your kindness. You're one of the most amazing people I know."

My heart raced as he spoke, his words hitting me with a force I didn't expect. We were so close now, our faces inches apart. The world around us seemed to fade, leaving just the two of us in this magical place.

"Tell me about you?" I asked, admiring this beautiful place.

He chuckled. "What about me? Well, ask me anything you want to know." He smiled softly down at me.

"Um... I don't know. What about your family?"

As soon as I finished the sentence, I regretted it.

"My family? Well, both my parents are dead, and my brother lives in Perth."

"I'm so sorry about your parents, I had no idea." I placed my hand over his to offer some comfort.

"That's all in the past, it's fine," he said, giving me a sad smile.

That was the thing about Michael; he knew how to lie, how to hide, and I was the opposite.

"Do you think I've changed?" I chuckled. "I know it's a silly question, but I feel like I haven't."

He laughed. "You've become more confident, independent, and a beautiful lady, so yeah, you have changed." He said while checking some messages on his phone.

He was the most honest person I had ever met, and he did the bare minimum. Now I knew I was in trouble.

I had no idea I was staring at the man in front of me, smiling. His voice jolted me out of that zone.

"You know your phone's been ringing for the past few seconds?" he said, laughing at me.

I blinked, embarrassed. "Oh, I didn't even notice."

I pulled out my phone and saw Olivia's name flashing on the screen. "It's Olivia," I said, answering the call.

"Emily," Olivia's voice came through, trembling and heavy with tears. "Emily, you need to come to the hospital. It's Alex... he's in the hospital."

"What? What happened?" I asked, my heart racing.

"Please, just come to the hospital near Kingsway. Hurry," she pleaded, her voice breaking.

"We're on our way," I said, ending the call and turning to Michael. "We need to go. Alex is in the hospital."

Michael's face tightened with concern, and he immediately stood up. "Let's go."

We quickly made our way back to the car, the serene beauty of the waterfall now a distant memory. As Michael drove, I couldn't help but feel a sense of dread settling in my stomach. The night had taken a sudden, dark turn, and all I could think about was getting to Olivia and Alex as quickly as possible.

The drive to the hospital felt like an eternity. Michael reached over and squeezed my hand, his touch grounding me in the moment.

"We'll be there soon," he said, his voice steady and reassuring.

I nodded, trying to focus on his words and not the growing fear in my chest. We arrived at the hospital, and I spotted Olivia pacing outside the entrance, tears streaming down her face.

"Olivia!" I called out as I ran to her.

She turned, and seeing me, she broke down completely. "Emily, I don't know what to do. They won't tell me anything."

I pulled her into a hug, trying to calm her. "It's okay, we're here now. We'll find out what's going on."

Michael joined us, his presence a comforting anchor. Together, we made our way inside, bracing ourselves for whatever news awaited us.