𝑆𝐸𝐶𝑅𝐸𝑇𝑆 𝐵𝐸𝑁𝐸𝐴𝑇𝐻 𝑇𝐻𝐸 𝑆𝑈𝑅𝐹𝐴𝐶𝐸

One

**Ken's POV:**

Irritated, I trudged through the bustling hallway on my way to class, my head pounding like a bass drum. The relentless headache was just one of the many symptoms of a year's worth of unresolved emotions and stress. It had been exactly a year since Aaliyah lost the baby. The grief that followed shattered me in ways I never thought possible, dragging me into a spiral of depression and anger I wasn't equipped to handle.

The baby's passing didn't just break my heart—it fractured my relationship with Aaliyah. We broke up shortly after, though I can't say I handled it well. Depression morphed into a destructive eating disorder. Most days, I could barely stomach a meal without getting sick. As a football player, I needed fuel to keep going, but instead, I starved myself, my body wilting under the weight of my grief.

Then came the anger—deep, searing, and uncontrollable. It took root inside me, growing with every thought of what could've been. Losing my child made me bitter, and that bitterness tainted everything, especially the way I treated Aaliyah. I didn't just fail her—I betrayed her.

I cheated. Over and over again.

I never wanted to hurt her, but I did. The regret was a constant ache in my chest, a reminder of the pain I caused the only person who'd ever truly loved me. I'd hear her crying in her sleep when she stayed over, soft, broken sobs that tore through the silence of the night. The first time it happened, I panicked, unsure of what to do. But over time, I became numb to her tears.

Even now, I couldn't explain why I cheated. Maybe it was self-sabotage or my way of lashing out at the world for taking my child. All I knew was that it left scars on both of us, scars that hadn't healed even after we went our separate ways.

"You good?" Chris asked, pulling me out of my thoughts. His sharp gaze locked on my face, making me shift uncomfortably.

"Yeah, just a headache," I replied, tapping my knuckles against the wooden desk.

I was about to say more when the classroom door opened, and she walked in. Aaliyah.

My breath caught. Even after all this time, she still had that effect on me.

She sat at the front of the room, her small frame perched gracefully on the edge of her chair. Her long black hair cascaded over her shoulders, shining under the fluorescent lights. Dressed in blue jeans and a white cardigan, she looked effortlessly beautiful, the gold chain bearing her name resting lightly against her chest.

She was everything I once wanted and everything I knew I couldn't have again. Sweet, kind, and stunningly gorgeous, Aaliyah was the type of girl who could light up the darkest days. She was never negative, even when life threw its worst at her. It was one of the things I loved most about her.

Loved. Present tense. Because I'd never stopped loving her.

As I sat there, pretending to listen to the teacher, my mind drifted back to the past. The memories came flooding in—our late-night walks, whispered dreams of marriage and family, the moment we found out we were going to be parents. I remembered her excitement, the way her eyes lit up when we talked about our future.

But now, those memories felt like a dream. Something distant and unattainable. She wasn't mine anymore, and I had no one to blame but myself.

The guilt was suffocating. I hadn't just hurt her—I'd destroyed her faith in me. And that knowledge weighed on me, making it harder and harder to breathe.

The loudspeaker crackled, snapping me back to reality. My name echoed through the room, announcing that I was needed in the office.

I'd forgotten I told my mom I wasn't feeling well this morning. Apparently, she'd decided to check me out of school.

By the time I slid into the passenger seat of her sleek white BMW, I was drained. She asked how I was feeling, concern lacing her voice, but I could barely muster a response. The drive home blurred by, and before I knew it, I was stepping into the sanctuary of my room.

Kicking off my shoes and peeling off my shirt, I collapsed onto my bed, the tension in my shoulders making it nearly impossible to relax. I grabbed my phone and queued up the rain sounds playlist that always helped me unwind.

But before I let the soothing rhythm of the rain carry me away, I closed my eyes and whispered a quick prayer.

"God, please keep me safe tonight."

Sleep paralysis had haunted me since I was a kid, creeping in during moments of stress. Over the years, prayer became my shield against the nightmares, the only thing keeping the darkness at bay.

The rain sounds filled the room, their gentle cadence wrapping around me like a blanket. For the first time in what felt like days, my body began to relax.

As sleep claimed me, I couldn't help but wonder if Aaliyah ever thought about me the way I thought about her. If she missed me half as much as I missed her.

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A/N
Hey friends , I am sorry that this first chapter is short, the rest won't be as short . Anyways bye guys don't forget to vote 🎀.
( Jesus loves you all)