Healing Hearts

28 || our leon

Emmalyn ⋆｡°✩

Later that evening, after school finally ended, Elias offered to drop me off at Mateo's house since Mateo had to run somewhere.

Lately, the school days have been gradually returning to a sense of normalcy, even though the haunting memories of those terrible events—the teenagers and kids who lost their lives right before my eyes, the blood splattered everywhere—still linger in my mind.

Those images will never truly fade away.

But lately, i've noticed a shift in my mindset; there's a lot more hope now than before.

It seems like everyone is slowly slipping back into their routines, trying to recapture the rhythm of life before everything spiraled into chaos.

Yet, when i find myself smiling and laughing, i can't help but feel guilt overtake me, knowing that there's many teenagers who will never get to feel any emotion ever again, because that asshole, Noah, took their lives.

At school, students and teachers have stopped talking about what happened, though the walls are still lined with pictures and posters commemorating those who sacrificed their lives for us.

As i wander around Mateo's house, lost in thought, i'm suddenly reminded of my father.

What is he doing now?

Does he feel any regret at all for what he's done? I highly doubt it.

Trying to push these thoughts aside, i start cleaning the kitchen and the bathroom with a cloth, humming a lullaby my mom used to sing to me when i was little, trying to find some peace.

Mateo texted me a few minutes ago to let me know he's on his way home, so i decided to wait for him. I even prepared some ice cream for us and put it back in the freezer with a few frozen fruits on top.

I'm not exactly a master chef, but i'm good enough in the kitchen, considering no one ever really taught me how to
cook—I just had to figure it out on my own because of my dad.

Before long, i heard the front door unlock, followed by Mateo's footsteps as he entered the house.

"Hi!" i called out cheerfully, still facing the counter i was cleaning with the cloth in my hand. I hear him walk closer until he was right behind me.

"Hey," he replied, his voice filled with excitement, making it clear he was smiling.

I turned around to hug him, but before i could wrap my arms around his neck, i gasped, my whole body freezing in place.

There, cradled in his strong arms, was a tiny puppy. As i looked closer, i realized it was the same puppy that had run up to us when we were leaving the cafe the other day.

"Can we keep him?" i exclaimed, clasping my hands together in excitement.

Mateo nodded, and i let out a delighted squeal, taking the little one into my arms. I couldn't stop petting him as he licked my hand and wagged his tail like crazy.

"Where did you find him again?" i asked, turning to Mateo.

He shrugged casually. "I was picking up a few things at the store, and when i came out, he ran up to me again and wouldn't stop following me. I couldn't say no to him," he said with a grin.