Falling for the Goddess

Always So Broken

After her brief farewell to Aunt Alice, Sara Hart stepped outside, each step agonizingly slow from the pain. Taken aback, Alice Miller watched her go but couldn't understand what had happened. She noticed Sara Hart's unusual walk and wondered if things hadn't gone quite as expected last night. But she hadn't seen Adrian Blake, and it was too late by the time she tried to call Sara Hart back. Sara Hart had already disappeared, leaving Alice Miller with a nagging sense of worry. Without hesitation, she picked up the phone to call the old lady.

***

When Ethan Brown's flashy sports car pulled beside her, Sara Hart had been preparing to walk out of the villa neighborhood. Surprised to see her in such a chaotic state, he raised an eyebrow.

"Every time I run into you, you look like a wreck," he said.

She glanced at him, still somewhat surprised, and asked, "You live around here?"

"Yep." He didn't miss her bloodshot eyes and pale face. With a teasing smile, he asked, "Did you cross paths with something unlucky? I know a therapist. Need an introduction?"

"Thanks, but no." Her voice was hoarse, barely more than a whisper.

Ethan Brown noticed her strained tone and frowned. "Better if you don't talk."

He slowed down his car to a near crawl, driving almost at a walking pace. After a while, he pulled over and stepped out, leaving her wondering what he was up to. Moments later, he returned with a towel and a cold bottle of water. He opened it, poured some onto the towel, and handed it to her with a playful look. "Here, cool down. Anyone who sees you like this would think I mistreated you."

Surprised at the coldness, Sara Hart took the towel and whispered a thank you.

"You owe me twice now," he reminded her, his tone lighthearted.

"I remember." The icy towel on her eyes soothed her swelling, calming her mind and body.

Ethan Brown, apparently unfazed by the curious glances his car attracted, kept refilling the towel with cold water, using the entire bottle before finally tossing it and the empty bottle into a nearby trash can.

The cold compress did help, and feeling more at ease, she thanked him again.

Ethan Brown's smile turned mischievous. "You'd better think carefully about how you'll repay me."

"Alright."

When the car reached the campus gates, Ethan Brown glanced at the laptop in her hands. "With how you look, you're still heading to school? Talk about dedication."

Sara Hart didn't elaborate, merely unbuckling her seatbelt and saying, "Thank you for today. Let me know if you ever need anything."

Leaning back against his seat, Ethan Brown replied lightly, "I'll be sure to think of something."

"Goodbye." She stepped out and waved, watching as he sped away, the blue Koenigsegg disappearing around a corner. Gathering her things, she slowly walked toward her small apartment, hoping for much-needed solitude.

Around the corner, a girl who had been watching took out her phone and snapped a photo of Sara Hart as she exited Ethan Brown's car. As Sara Hart continued toward her apartment, the girl followed her quietly.

Sara Hart stopped at a pharmacy at the foot of her apartment building. Behind the counter, a middle-aged woman in a white coat noticed Sara Hart's pale face and red, swollen eyes. When Sara Hart brought a pack of emergency contraceptives to the counter, the woman couldn't help but ask, "Are you alright, dear?"

Sara forced a smile and nodded. "Thank you. I'm okay."

The woman scanned the item, glancing at her with concern. "Don't take this often. It's hard on the body."

Sara nodded again. "I understand. Thank you." She paid and left the store.

As she walked away, the girl who followed her entered the pharmacy.

"What did that girl just buy?" she asked, glancing in the direction Sara Hart had left.

The woman behind the counter looked at her, a bit suspicious. "Why do you ask?"

"Oh, she's my friend," the girl said, tossing her hair. "She's been acting odd lately, so I'm worried about her."

The woman hesitated before replying, "She bought some emergency contraceptives. You'd better check on her - she didn't look too good."

The girl's eyes flickered with intrigue at this information.

---

When Sara finally returned to her apartment, it felt as if everything around her was coated in dust from her weeks-long absence. Opening a window to let in some air, she fetched a glass of water, took the pill, and went to lie down.

Although she hadn't slept all night, sleep wouldn't come. After sending a message to her professor requesting a day off, she sank back into the bed, feeling a hollow emptiness take root.

She had always known that her feelings for Adrian Blake might be one-sided. She had told herself she was ready for that. But when he had looked at her with such cold disdain, assuming she had deceived him, it hurt more than she could bear. Her heart felt as if it had been clenched in a merciless fist, unable to draw a full breath.

She thought that after their time together, he might have trusted her a little more. Instead, he had immediately assumed the worst of her, not even allowing her a chance to explain. She had wanted to be close to him, to build some kind of connection, but now, she couldn't shake the hurt from his words, his lack of faith.

Turning onto her side, she wrapped the blankets tightly around herself, yet she couldn't stop shivering. She had gone to him because her feelings were real. After all, she thought she'd always regret it if she didn't try. But maybe she was wrong. Maybe she had misjudged everything.

In her half-asleep haze, memories drifted into a strange mix of old nightmares and cold reality. She saw the dingy high school bathroom, the pouring rain, and an unending sense of helplessness. Then, in her dreams, his familiar face shifted between the gentle boy from high school and the dark-eyed man from last night.

When she awoke, she was drenched in a cold sweat, her head heavy. She wanted nothing more than to close her eyes again, to drift back into unconsciousness, but she knew she couldn't let herself fall apart. Her grandmother's words echoed in her mind:

"Late-late, remember to take good care of yourself. Stay happy... you're a wonderful girl, so promise you'll be good to yourself..."

Wiping her eyes, she sat up, fighting the despair clawed at her. She ordered some food, hearing her grandmother's voice scolding her gently in her mind - whatever happened, she couldn't let herself starve.

When the food arrived, she forced herself to sit at the table, taking one bite after another, but the meal tasted like ash. Each mouthful was just something to chew, something to swallow, a mere task to complete.