Tangled In Time

Beneath The Surface

The staircase loomed ahead as I stormed towards it, my anger masking the tears welling in my eyes. As I reached the top, his voice called my name, but I refused to look back. Ignoring his plea, I broke into a run, tears streaming down my face. With each step, his voice faded, drowned out by the pounding of my heart and the echoes of my footsteps. Reaching the top, I wiped away the tears with the back of my hand, determined to keep moving forward, away from the pain. This hurt more than it should. My heart felt like it was going to rip through my chest, and I shouldn't feel this way for someone I had known merely days.

In the living room doorway, Charlotte appeared, a small, knowing smile gracing her lips as our eyes met. Her silent observation added another layer of complexity to the tumultuous scene. Without a word, I rushed past her to the front door. I heard Blake's voice echo one last time before I left the house, running down the front steps toward the forest.

The branches clawed at my face as I ran through the dense forest, their rough touch adding to the tumult of my emotions. Each step I took seemed to echo the pounding of my heart, matching the rhythm of my racing thoughts. The trees felt like they were closing in, their looming presence suffocating as I pushed deeper into the woods. My breaths came in ragged gasps as tears streamed down my face, hot and unrelenting.

I suddenly stopped, leaning against the trunk of a large oak tree, my palm pressed against its rough bark. My lungs burned as I caught my breath, and my tears blurred the greens and browns of the forest around me. I dipped my head, wiping my face with trembling hands. The forest was quiet, save for the rustling leaves and the sound of my heartbeat pounding in my ears.

As I stood amidst the serene beauty of the forest, the contrast between its stillness and my inner turmoil felt almost unbearable. How would I face Blake again? Or Charlotte, for that matter? Embarrassment burned in my chest, intertwining with the sting of his words. I hated how much this hurt.

The quietness of the cottage was welcoming as I burst through the door. The familiar scent of aged wood and faint smoke embraced me like a sanctuary, though the feeling was fleeting. The worn sofa beckoned, and I threw myself onto it with a huff of frustration. My upset shifted to annoyance and anger. Clenching my fists, I released some of the pent-up rage with a series of punches on a nearby cushion until a loud sob broke from my lips.

The tears streamed down my face, fresh ones following the tracks of those that had already fallen. The weight of everything that had transpired crashed over me, leaving me gasping for breath and only able to hiccup small gulps. Was this what it felt like for your heart to be broken?

The weight of his icy tone and the abrupt shift in our relationship bore heavily on me. Confusion, frustration, and a deep hurt settled in my chest. The moments we had shared, the connection we had formed, now felt as if it were crumbling before my eyes.

I wiped my nose with the back of my hand, but then decided to get up and go to the small bathroom. My face felt dirty with tears and stung from all of the crying. When I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror, my reflection stared back, hollow and red-eyed. The flickering candle on the sink cast a soft glow over the room, illuminating the worn tiles and peeling wallpaper, adding to the melancholy atmosphere.

I ran the cold tap and splashed my face with water, letting the coolness soothe the sting of my skin. The sensation provided a brief moment of relief, though the ache in my chest lingered. I rubbed under my eyes gently, trying to erase the evidence of my outburst.

My fingers ran through my hair as I stared at my reflection, my bottom lip trembling. The face looking back at me seemed different, fractured by emotions I couldn't contain. I pressed my palms against the edge of the sink, staring at the flickering candlelight, willing it to steady—as if its flame could anchor me.