Intoxicating

Lady Killer

Leia's POV

I sat on my bed, staring at the wall, eyes still raw from hours of crying. Timothée had left hours ago, after his speech at the window, but his words kept replaying in my head, echoing in this hollow, heavy way. My heart felt torn between anger and longing, each thought just twisting the knife deeper.

A knock on the door snapped me out of it, and my aunt stepped in, balancing a small tray. She had that worried look on her face, the one she always got when she saw me like this.

"Honey, I brought you some food," she said softly, setting it down on the edge of my bed. "I know you probably don't feel like it, but you need to eat something. You're going to make yourself sick."

I looked down at the plate, my stomach churning. Just the thought of trying to eat right now made me feel worse. I shook my head slowly. "I can't," I whispered, barely able to get the words out.

Her face softened, and she reached out, squeezing my shoulder gently. "I know you're hurting, Leia," she said. "But starving yourself won't make it go away."

I swallowed, feeling a fresh wave of tears sting my eyes. "I don't know what to do," I admitted, voice breaking. "Everything just feels... like it's falling apart, and I don't know how to stop it."

She sighed, brushing a stray tear from my cheek. "Sometimes, the only thing you can do is take it one step at a time, even when it hurts," she said quietly. "You're stronger than you think, Leia. I know it feels impossible now, but this will pass. You'll find your way."

I nodded weakly, not sure if I believed her, but grateful that she was here.

My aunt lingered for a moment longer, looking at me with concern. "Sweetheart, what's really going on? You seem so... broken."

A sob escaped me, and I couldn't hold it back any longer. "It's... it's the rumors," I said, my voice trembling. "They're true." I choked on the words, tears spilling faster.

Her face softened with sympathy but also with curiosity. She took a breath. "What are they saying?"

I hesitated, feeling a hot flush of shame spread across my cheeks. "They're saying... that Timothée and I... that we had sex in the auditorium," I managed to say between sobs, my voice barely a whisper. My aunt's eyes widened, and for a moment, she looked as though she didn't know what to say.

But then, her expression softened again, and she reached over, pulling me into a hug. "Oh, honey," she murmured, rubbing my back as I cried harder. "I'm not here to judge you. I just hate seeing you go through this."

"It's just... so much," I cried, burying my face against her shoulder. "Everyone knows, everyone's talking, and... I don't even know who I am to them anymore."

She held me tighter, letting me cry. But she eventually pulled back. My aunt gave me a long look, taking in everything I'd just admitted. After a pause, she cleared her throat gently. "Well... were you at least being careful?"

I nodded, wiping my eyes. "Yeah," I said, feeling a bit awkward but somehow relieved to just get it out. "I've been on the pill since I was... nine," I murmured, my voice trailing off, embarrassed to admit something so personal.

She raised her eyebrows slightly but nodded, understanding. "Okay, good," she said softly. "I just worry, you know? You're still so young, and things get complicated."

I let out a shaky breath, my heart still pounding. "I know," I whispered. "I'm just so overwhelmed, and now everyone thinks they know everything about me. I didn't ask for any of this."

She placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. "You're not alone in this, honey. I'm here, and I'll help you however you need." She brushed my hair back from my face, her expression gentle. "Take it one step at a time. I know it feels like everything is crashing down, but you're stronger than you think."