Lost spark

4!

Kai's feet pounded against the pavement, his vision blurred by the tears streaming down his face. He couldn't believe he had let his guard down, had allowed himself to be so vulnerable in front of Asher.

"Damn it!" he cursed under his breath, his chest heaving with each labored breath. He had thought he could handle it, that he could finally confront the past and find some semblance of closure. But the moment he had seen Asher, the facade he had so carefully constructed had come crashing down around him.

Kai had trusted Asher, had given him his heart completely. And Asher had betrayed that trust, had chosen stability and security over their love. The memory of that fateful night still haunted Kai, the pain of Asher's abandonment a constant ache in his chest.

As he ran, the images of their final moments together flashed through his mind - Asher's anguished expression, the way his voice had wavered as he tried to explain his decision. Kai had begged him to stay, to fight for them, but Asher had been steadfast in his choice.

"I should have known better," Kai growled, his fingers clenching into fists at his sides. He had been a fool to think that Asher's feelings for him had been as deep and unwavering as his own. Clearly, Asher's priorities had always lain elsewhere, and Kai had been nothing more than a convenient distraction.

The realization only fueled his anguish, the bitterness and betrayal he had buried for so long now clawing its way to the surface. Kai had worked so hard to rebuild his life, to find purpose and meaning in his art once more. And yet, with a single encounter, Asher had managed to unravel everything he had painstakingly put back together.

Kai's lungs burned, the effort of his frantic sprint combining with the emotional turmoil coursing through him. He just needed to get home, to escape the suffocating weight of Asher's presence, the constant reminder of the love he had lost.

As the familiar buildings came into view, Kai pushed himself harder, his legs driving him forward with a desperate determination. He couldn't let Asher back in, couldn't risk being shattered all over again.

With a final burst of speed, Kai reached his apartment, fumbling with his keys as he stumbled inside. The moment the door closed behind him, the full force of his emotions finally overwhelmed him, and Kai collapsed to the floor, the sobs wracking his body as the tears flowed freely.

Kai curled up on the floor, his fingers tangling painfully in his hair as the sobs continued to wrack his body. The anguish and betrayal he felt towards Asher was a living, breathing thing, a corrosive force that threatened to consume him from the inside out.

With a strangled cry, he clawed at his arms, the sharp nails leaving angry red marks on his skin. The physical pain was a desperate attempt to distract himself from the emotional agony that threatened to drown him completely.

"Why?" Kai cried out, his voice hoarse and broken. "Why did you do this to me, Asher? Why did you have to come back and rip open all these wounds?"

The questions echoed through the empty apartment, unanswered and mocking. Kai had poured his heart and soul into their relationship, every moment of their time together precious and irreplaceable. And Asher had just walked away when the going got tough, choosing security and stability over the love they had built.

Kai's chest heaved with each agonized sob, the betrayal he felt towards Asher a palpable, suffocating thing. He had trusted him, had given him his heart completely, only to have it shattered into a million pieces.

"I hate you," Kai choked out, the words tinged with bitterness and heartbreak. "I hate you for doing this to me. For making me love you, and then just... leaving."

The admission only served to fuel his anguish, the realization that despite everything, he still loved Asher with every fiber of his being. It was a cruel, inescapable truth that cut him to the core.

Kai's movements grew sluggish, the emotional turmoil draining him of all his energy. His nails dug deeper into his arms, the stinging pain a temporary, desperate distraction from the torment that consumed him.

Exhaustion began to seep into his limbs, the tears slowing to a trickle as his body finally succumbed to the overwhelming need for rest. With a final, shuddering breath, Kai curled in on himself, his eyes fluttering shut.

The last vestiges of consciousness slipped away, leaving him adrift in a sea of restless dreams and the lingering specters of his past. For now, the reprieve of sleep provided a temporary escape from the relentless anguish that had consumed him. But Kai knew that when he woke, the harsh reality of his situation would still be waiting, a constant reminder of the love he had lost and the scars that refused to heal.

-----

~The next day~
~Leilas perspective~

The next morning, Leila hurried through the bustling halls of the art college, her eyes scanning the crowd for any sign of Kai. But as the minutes ticked by, her growing unease only intensified.

"Where is he?" she muttered to herself, her brow furrowed in worry. Kai was usually one of the first students to arrive, his passion for his work driving him to spend countless hours in the studios.

As the class began and Kai's usual seat remained empty, Leila felt a familiar pang of concern. She knew Kai had been struggling, his emotions raw and unpredictable ever since his unexpected encounter with Asher. But she had hoped he would at least show up, even if he wasn't in the best state of mind.

Leila chewed her lip anxiously, her gaze darting around the room. She was the only one who truly knew the depths of Kai's pain, the way he had painstakingly rebuilt his life after Asher's departure. And now, with Asher's sudden reappearance, Kai was unraveling all over again.

Reaching into her pocket, Leila pulled out her phone, her fingers trembling as she scrolled through her contacts. There was only one person she could think of who might be able to help, even if the mere thought of reaching out to him made her stomach twist with unease.

Taking a deep breath, Leila pressed the call button, her heart pounding in her chest as she waited for the line to connect. She had to do this, for Kai's sake. No matter how much she disliked Asher, she couldn't stand by and watch her best friend spiral into the abyss.

"Hello?" Asher's voice, once so familiar and comforting to Kai, now sent a shiver down Leila's spine.

"Asher, it's... it's Leila." She swallowed hard, steeling herself for the conversation ahead. "I need your help. It's Kai."