Heart Over Heels

Ch 11

The rain had started as a drizzle, a light pattering that danced across the sidewalk. But as the minutes ticked by, it morphed into a downpour, a furious torrent that lashed at me, seeping through every layer, chilling me to the bone. Thunder rumbled overhead, deep and unrelenting, making the world feel smaller, darker. I hunched over, hugging the folder tightly against my chest as though it were the only thing keeping me grounded. It’d been two hours. Lisa wasn’t coming.

I checked my phone again, hoping for any sign that she was on her way, but there was nothing. Only a single text she’d sent, her location pinned somewhere across town, saying she couldn’t make it. The cold realization crept in slowly, like the rainwater seeping into my shoes: I’d been left here on purpose. Another twist, another game, and this time, I’d fallen right into her trap. I clenched my jaw, anger and hurt mixing in my chest as I swiped the rain from my eyes.

Just then, another wave of cramps twisted in my stomach, doubling me over. My body felt heavy, like it was rebelling against me. It was as though all the exhaustion, the ache, and the fever had finally caught up, pressing down on me with each drop of rain. I wanted to scream or cry or… something. But all I could do was shiver, gripping the files in my arms like they were my last lifeline.

Then, out of nowhere, my phone chimed. The screen flashed, cutting through the stormy haze around me. I squinted, my eyes barely focusing. It was Max.

Take the day off.

The message was simple, almost like he knew. My fingers were trembling as I typed back, spilling everything without really thinking—how Lisa had twisted everything again, how I’d been standing here, soaked, alone, feverish, waiting for someone who wasn’t coming. I hit send and let out a breath, feeling that familiar ache mix with a glimmer of relief.

Almost immediately, he replied: Stay right there. I’m coming to get you.

"Thank you max, I'm waiting for you" is all I managed to say.

And just like that, something shifted. A weight lifted. For the first time in hours, I felt like I wasn’t alone. But then, just as quickly, the world started to blur. The cold, the pain—it all hit at once, and I felt my knees buckle. Darkness swirled at the edges of my vision as I sank to the ground, feeling the rain on my face as everything went black.

---

Max’s POV:

The rain hit the windshield in sheets, nearly impossible to see through. But nothing was going to stop me from getting to her. My hands gripped the wheel, knuckles white as I sped through the slick, empty streets, my heart pounding hard in my chest. I could still see her last text flashing across my mind—how Lisa had left her there, alone, sick, in the middle of a storm. A flash of anger burned in me. I knew Lisa could be manipulative, but this? Leaving her out there?

The street was almost deserted, the few people rushing by huddled under umbrellas, blurred in the darkness and rain. Then I saw her. She was slumped against the wall, soaked, barely able to keep herself upright. My heart twisted painfully as I pulled over and killed the engine. I didn’t waste a second before jumping out, not caring that the rain instantly soaked through my clothes.

“Hey, hey, I’ve got you.” My voice cracked as I wrapped my arms around her, feeling how cold and fragile she felt in my grip. Her head lolled against my shoulder, her skin feverish even through the cold rain. “It’s okay. I’m here. You’re safe now.”

She was murmuring something under her breath, barely conscious, her words slurring together. “M-Max… you… you came…”

“I’ll always come,” I whispered, my voice fierce. There was a weight to my words I hadn’t fully realized before this moment. I adjusted my grip, lifting her into my arms, her head nestled against my shoulder as I carried her to the car.