Breaking the Grid

Interview

Blair's POV

I woke up to the sound of raindrops tapping against my window, the rhythmic patter somehow both soothing and maddening. I rubbed my eyes and tried to sit up, but my head felt heavy, and my throat was on fire. I groaned softly, pulling the covers tighter around me. The memory of running in the rain still lingered, and now, days later, I could feel the effects creeping up on me. My nose felt stuffy, and every swallow sent a jolt of pain through my throat.

The sunlight struggled to penetrate the gray clouds outside, casting a muted glow across my room. I sighed, rolling over to grab my phone, hoping that maybe, just maybe, some message would bring a smile to my face. But as I scrolled through my notifications, a wave of sadness washed over me. It had been a while since I'd seen Kyra, and I missed her.

I stumbled across a photo from a few weeks back, a picture Kyra had posted of us during our last date. We were laughing, arms draped over each other's shoulders, standing outside a small café where we had shared pastries and hot chocolate. The warm golden light of the setting sun surrounded us, making the moment feel like a dream. I could almost hear her laughter echoing in my mind, bright and infectious.

I clicked on the photo to enlarge it, drinking in every detail. Kyra wore that black Arsenal hoodie, her hair slightly tousled by the breeze, and I could see the glint of mischief in her eyes. I had my hair pulled back in a messy bun, and I remembered how comfortable I felt with her, like I could be my true self without pretense. It felt like a lifetime ago, a moment captured in time that now felt painfully out of reach.

I swiped through the comments beneath the picture, all sweet messages from friends and fans alike, but it was the private messages that caught my attention. I opened our conversation on Instagram and felt a pang of longing as I read through our exchanges. There were late-night talks filled with jokes and shared memes, the warmth of her words wrapping around me like a favorite blanket. I paused at one particular message from her, a simple but heartfelt "I miss you, Blair. Let's hang out soon."

I stared at the screen, my heart heavy with a mix of emotions. It had been too long since I'd seen her, and I was starting to realize just how much I craved her company.
Then, without thinking, my thumb brushed against one of Kyra's messages, accidentally liking it. My heart dropped a little as I quickly tried to unlike it, but I knew she would still get that notification. Great, now she'll think I'm creeping. I bit my lip, my face warming slightly. The thought of her glancing at her phone, seeing my accidental "like" pop up, filled me with both embarrassment and excitement.

Instead, I found myself scrolling through our old photos again, this time stopping at a candid shot of us taken at the park. In it, we were sprawled on the grass, snacks scattered around us, both of us laughing uncontrollably at some joke only we understood. My stomach tightened at the memory; I wished I could feel that carefree joy again.

I put the phone down, letting out a frustrated sigh. Why did it feel so difficult to reach out? I had too much on my plate right now, and the last thing I wanted was to burden Kyra with my problems, especially when I felt like I was barely holding myself together. But as I lay there, the ache in my throat reminding me of my physical state, the longing for connection was overwhelming.

I buried my head in the pillows, trying to suppress the wave of emotions that crashed over me. I wanted to be strong, to show the world that I could handle everything thrown my way. But in moments like these, alone in my room, it was hard to keep up the façade. I felt the familiar pang of loneliness, the weight of my obligations and the pressure from my dad gnawing at the edges of my sanity.

But underneath it all, the memory of Kyra's laughter and our shared moments lingered like a beacon, reminding me of the joy I was missing and the connection I desperately craved. I knew I needed to reach out, but first, I needed to shake off this cold that had settled in my bones and make it through the day.