Heartstrings and Secrets

Through the Pain

The day had been calm, almost tranquil, but the peace shattered as my phone buzzed with an unknown number. I hesitated for a moment, unsure if I should answer. Curiosity got the better of me, and I slid my finger across the screen.

"Hello?" I said cautiously.

A sharp voice rang through the line, one I recognized immediately—Sheryl. My stomach twisted.

"So," she began, her tone dripping with mockery, "I heard Gabriel came to see you the other day."

I froze, gripping the phone tighter. "What’s your point, Sheryl?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

"My point?" she sneered. "He told me everything. You must’ve thought his little visit meant something, didn’t you? Pathetic."

Her words were venomous, each syllable meant to cut deep.

"Let me make this clear—we’re getting married soon. Gabriel’s mine. You were just a mistake he’s fixing."

My chest tightened, the words hitting me like a blow.

"What are you talking about?" I managed to whisper.

Sheryl laughed, a cruel, hollow sound.

"Oh, you didn’t know? His mother wanted you two over with ages ago. You were never good enough for their family, Lila. They want someone with money, someone who fits in. And guess what? That’s me. I just gave them a little push and played my part."

I sat there, stunned. Her words unraveled every memory I’d shared with Gabriel, every moment I thought had been real.

"You... you set this up?" I whispered, the pain in my chest unbearable.

"Of course," she said smugly. "It wasn’t hard. Gabriel’s too soft for his own good. But don’t worry—you’re out of the picture now. Permanently."

I couldn’t respond. My throat felt tight, and tears threatened to spill. Sheryl seemed to revel in the silence, her victory apparent.

"You were never going to be enough," she added with one final jab.

"Better get used to it."

The call ended abruptly, leaving me holding the phone in stunned silence. The weight of her words crushed me, each revelation cutting deeper. Gabriel’s family didn’t like me. His mother orchestrated our breakup. Sheryl had played her role perfectly. And now, they were getting married.

Tears spilled over as I sank onto the couch, clutching a pillow to my chest. The ache in my heart was unbearable, a pain I hadn’t felt in years. I thought Gabriel had been different—that he saw me for who I was. But now, it felt like I was nothing. Worthless. Unwanted.

Exhausted from crying, I eventually drifted into a restless sleep.
---
In my dream, the world was hazy, surreal, but warm. I found myself standing in a meadow bathed in golden light, the air soft and fragrant with flowers. And then I saw him—a man with piercing blue eyes, more vivid than I had ever seen. He looked at me with an intensity that made my heart skip a beat, his gaze filled with understanding and something deeper—affection, longing.

Before I could think, he closed the distance between us, his hand brushing gently against my cheek. It felt like electricity, a spark that lit something deep inside me. Without a word, he leaned in, and our lips met. The kiss was tender, yet passionate, as if he was pouring every emotion he had into it. It was unlike anything I’d ever felt—he made me feel seen, cherished, whole.

When we pulled apart, his eyes searched mine as though he could see all my pain, my doubts, my fears. He whispered softly,

"You’re stronger than this, Lila. You deserve more."

I wanted to say something to ask who he was, but the dream began to fade, his face blurring into the golden light. I reached out to hold onto him, but it was too late.
---
I woke up with a start, tears still wet on my cheeks. The dream lingered in my mind, the feeling of his kiss, his words, his piercing blue eyes. My heart still ached from Sheryl’s cruel call, but in the quiet aftermath of the dream, I felt a strange sense of clarity.

Maybe he was right—the man in my dream, whoever he was. Maybe I was stronger than I thought. And maybe I did deserve more.

The weight of the night lingered on me as I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. Sheryl's words still stung, carving deep wounds in my already fragile heart. Gabriel’s betrayal—or was it manipulation?—felt like a knife twisting in my chest. I wanted to hate him, but all I could feel was a hollow ache.

The dream, however, was different. Those blue eyes. The way he looked at me, kissed me, spoke to me—it wasn’t just a dream. It was like a reminder, a small whisper of hope in a world that had suddenly turned so dark. The words echoed in my mind:

"You’re stronger than this. You deserve more."

I didn’t know who he was or why he’d appeared in my dream, but his presence felt real, comforting. He seemed to know me in a way no one else ever had. For the first time in what felt like ages, a small part of me began to believe him.
---
The next morning, I forced myself to get out of bed, even though I felt like staying buried under the covers forever. My face was puffy from crying, but the sunlight streaming through the window pushed me into motion. I walked to the bathroom and splashed cold water on my face, staring at my reflection in the mirror.

"You’re stronger than this," I whispered to myself, repeating the dream man’s words like a mantra.

After pulling on some comfortable clothes, I decided to keep busy. Sitting still would only give my thoughts more power, and I couldn’t afford that. I grabbed my notebook and headed out to a nearby park. Writing had always been my escape—a way to untangle my emotions and make sense of the chaos.

The crisp air brushed against my face as I sat on a bench beneath a tree, pen in hand. Words began to flow as I poured my heart out onto the pages, venting the pain, the anger, and the confusion. I wrote about Gabriel, about Sheryl, about his family’s rejection, but also about the blue-eyed man in my dream. Who was he? Why had he felt so real?
---
By the time I returned home, the knot in my chest had loosened just a little. Writing had given me clarity, and the crisp air had refreshed my spirit. I opened my fridge, deciding to bake something—it always calmed me. The scent of warm cookies soon filled the air, wrapping me in a comforting hug.

As I waited for the cookies to cool, my phone buzzed. My heart jumped for a moment, thinking it might be Gabriel, but it wasn’t. It was Teagen.

Teagen: "Hey, Lila! I'm just checking in. How are you holding up? Are you okay?"

I smiled softly at her concern. She didn’t know about the call from Sheryl or the dream, but she’d always had a way of sensing when I needed her.

Me: "I’m okay. Just baking cookies. Miss you, though!"

Her reply came almost instantly.
Teagen: "I miss you more! Save some cookies for me. 💕"

Her words lifted my spirits, even just a little. I wasn’t entirely alone, even if Gabriel and his family had abandoned me. Teagen was my constant, my anchor.
---
That night, as I lay in bed, my thoughts drifted back to the dream. I didn’t know what it meant or why it had come to me, but it was the first thing in days that made me feel like I could breathe again. As sleep began to take me, I whispered softly to myself:

"I deserve more."

And for the first time in a long while, I believed it.