Invisible String.

1. The shattered illusions of love

Anna's POV;

I didn't understand why it had to happen that way, without any warning, without any closure. But the truth is I ignored every warning, I knew it somewhere deep down that Samuel was going to leave me, I was just not ready to accept it yet because I gave my everything and it still didn't work out. I felt like it was me alone, trying to stay in the relationship. It had me questioning if all of it was a lie? Was there ever love between us or was it just pretence? I was just processing it all.

Weeks passed before I found the courage to reach out. I called Sherin, after what felt like an eternity.

"I broke up with Sam," I confessed.

"Finally!" she exclaimed, her sigh one of unmistakable relief.

"Seriously? You're happy this happened? I'm heartbroken," I said, incredulous.

Sherin didn't hold back. "I saw this coming, Anna. And don't act like you didn't. You were so blind to the signs. Remember last April, when you were leaving town..."

I winced at the memory. "Please don't remind me. It's embarrassing."

But Sherin pressed on. "I will remind you. You came to me in tears, but the moment Samuel showed up at the restaurant by chance, you forgot everything. He'd been cold to you for days, but one word and you went back to him, acting like nothing had ever happened."

"Alright, alright, stop," I said, feeling the sting of shame. "I already feel stupid."

Sherin wasn't done. "You should. You kept running back to him, ignoring his toxic behavior. We all warned you-Davis warned you. But you shut us out for a guy who didn't even have the decency to confront you properly and end things. You don't even know what kind of person he really is, or what's happened since you left school..."

A chill crept into my voice. "Wait... What's happened?"

"I won't tell you," she replied. "But if you care, check up on your friends. On Davis."

My heart raced. "Is he okay? Is Amelia okay?"

"They're fine," she answered, but her tone was loaded with unspoken things. "A lot has happened. Amelia broke up with Sandy."

"What? And Davis?"

"That's something you'll have to ask him yourself," Sherin said before abruptly hanging up. Her final words to me were to take care.

I was left feeling worse than before. The guilt washed over me, heavier now. I had cut off my friends, all for someone like Samuel. Worse, I had pushed away Davis, who had always been there for me. Samuel's jealousy had poisoned everything, making me believe that Davis was out to destroy our relationship, when all he'd ever tried to do was protect me.

Desperate to make amends, I reached out to Davis. But his phone was unavailable. I couldn't even find him on socials. I chose to reach out to Amelia instead. At first, a wave of shame washed over me-reaching out after all this time felt almost like a betrayal in itself. But when she answered, the warmth in her voice eased some of my guilt. She told me about her breakup with Sandy, how it had been a mutual decision. They simply weren't good for each other, she said, and somehow, they both knew it. It was strange to hear her speak of it with such clarity, and yet, it felt like we had fallen right back into our old rhythm, like no time had passed.

As we talked, the conversation drifted to Davis. I hesitated but eventually asked.

"Have you heard from Davis?"

Amelia's voice softened. "No, not since school ended. We haven't been in touch."

Her response left a knot of unease. I couldn't let it go, so I pressed further, my curiosity now tinged with anxiety. "But do you know what happened? Sherin said a lot has changed since I left. Is everything alright with him?"

There was a pause, and for a moment, I could hear the hesitation in her breath. "I don't know how much you want to hear, but... it wasn't easy for Davis after you left. There were rumors, yes, but some of it wasn't just talk. Things got really bad between him and Samuel."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

Amelia sighed deeply. "Samuel actually confronted Davis, accusing him of trying to ruin your relationship. He cornered him at school one day, right in front of everyone. Davis didn't fight back, though. He could've easily defended himself, but I think he knew how much you cared about Samuel. He didn't want to make things worse for you, so he just took it. He stayed quiet."

My heart twisted painfully. "I never knew that..."

"There's more," she continued, her voice grave. "After that, the guys in class turned on him too. They sided with Samuel, probably to keep the peace or out of some misguided loyalty. But it wasn't just words-they started picking fights with Davis, bullying him over silly reasons. He got into a lot of trouble, more than anyone should have to handle alone. He was always walking around with bruises. After you left, it just got worse."

I felt my throat tighten, guilt overwhelming me. "And I wasn't there for him..."

Amelia's voice softened. "You didn't know, Anna. We all tried to warn you about Samuel, but we never thought it would escalate like this. Davis didn't tell anyone what was happening because he didn't want to drag you into it. I think, in his own way, he was trying to protect you..."

"Is he okay now?" I asked, concerning.

"I don't know," Amelia replied quietly. "He's not been the same since. He left social media, stopped talking to most of us. I think even Nysha broke up with him.. That bitch I tell you, she's been cheating on him and he's ever so forgiving, he tries to mend things to keep her, but she creates mess every time."

Her words lingered long after our conversation ended, the weight of what I'd ignored pressing down on me. I couldn't shake the thought of Davis suffering in silence, while I was too wrapped up in Samuel to notice any of my friends. Now, all I wanted was to find him, to somehow make things right-if it wasn't already too late.