The Tale Of Hearts

Chapter 98

Hazel's POV

I didn't feel like leaving my room at all. It was the day after we got back from the trip, and I hadn't spoken to him since that night. Not a single word. He hadn't made any attempt to break the silence either. He just lingered in that angry, gloomy mood, casting those intense, intimidating gazes my way whenever he saw me. Each glance sent a chill down my spine, a reminder of the tension that still hung heavily between us. 

Thank God I didn't have to travel alone with him on the way back. When Uncle's car had issues, we all ended up riding together in Hyden's car. Being surrounded by everyone else offered me some relief, making me feel less trapped. But the quiet hostility he radiated in my direction hadn't eased at all, and it left me feeling drained. 

I couldn't even bring myself to go to work today, I just didn't have the energy to face anyone. When Mom asked, I lied, saying I wasn't feeling well. She accepted it without question, but I could tell she was concerned. I sat alone in my room, with heaviness settling over me. The truth was, I didn't know how to process any of this. I still couldn't shake the shock of Bryan's sudden outburst. His words were echoing in my mind, raw and cutting, as if they'd left a wound that hadn't even begun to heal. 

Every time I closed my eyes, I could still feel the anger in his voice and recall the way he gripped my wrist, holding me in place. I hadn't expected it, hadn't seen that side of him before. It was like a storm that had hit out of nowhere, leaving me reeling and unsure of where we stood. Part of me wanted to pretend it hadn't happened, to go back to how things were, but I knew that wasn't possible. I kept replaying the scene, wondering what I could have done differently or what I might have missed in him all theses time. How i didn't see this coming. I wanted answers, explanations, something to make sense of it all, but all I had were the shattered pieces of a trust that once felt unbreakable. 

A deep ache settled in my chest when I realized how afraid I was of losing Bryan, not just only as someone I cared for, but as my one of best friends, the one of person who had always felt like home. The thought of it slipping away, of him becoming a stranger, left a hollow in my heart. I didn't want our connection to be overshadowed by the walls that seemed to be building up between us now. I was terrified that this rift might grow, pulling us further apart until there was nothing left of the easy friendship we once shared. He was the someone who knew me inside out, who could make me laugh even on my worst days, who could bring out my courage when I felt weakest. And now, that safe space felt fragile, as if any wrong step could shatter it completely.

The fear gnawed at me, leaving me restless and conflicted. I wanted to reach out, to say something, anything, that would fix this. But i was feeling afraid, because i didn't want to set him off again, didn't want to be pulled into another whirlwind of hurt. The thought of a life where he wasn't by my side, where our friendship was just a memory, scared me more than I could admit. 

Tears filled my eyes, blurring everything around me as the weight of it all finally settled over me. I tried to blink them away, to swallow down the ache in my chest, but it only grew stronger, until the tears spilled over, warm and unstoppable. A quiet sob escaped my lips, and I pulled my knees up to my chest, curling up on the bed as if I could somehow protect myself from the pain flooding through me.

It was nearly afternoon by the time when I finally stepped out of my room as Martha had come by two or three times already, gently reminding me that Aunt wanted me to join them for lunch. I walked into the sound of Aunt and Mom's laughter filled the air, echoing through the living room. They were huddled together, absolutely glowing with excitement as they flipped through a stack of wedding magazines. They were chattering away, pointing at pictures of elaborate reception halls and intricately designed gowns, discussing colours, flowers, and decorations details that blurred together as they spoke faster and faster, their enthusiasm spilling over. The moment they saw me, their eyes lit up even more, their faces breaking into wide smiles as they exchanged little giggles, looking at me with all the excitement like glee of two kids planning the world's biggest wedding. Seeing them like that, so happy and carefree, tugged at something inside me, but I forced a small smile, trying to keep my own tangled emotions at bay.