Sincerely Yours,

Chapter-1

Rouslina

The art of silence around me with the low sound of my favourite song's playing in my ears, fills me with pleasure and a happiness I rarely find. I sat there on the warm golden coloured sand that that filled the gaps between my finger's, picking it up, squashing it with my hand- as the early Florida sun brushed it's warm rays on my  shoulders. I felt at peace but ofcourse that would always only last a few minutes.

 When I heard a person walking towards me deciding to disturb my few rare moments of leisure probably for their own selfish need I thought. I could hear them coming towards me until finally they stepped in front of me; their shadow blocking the light and a sudden chill overtook my body. I already knew who it was without opening my eyes. His strong cologne seized my nostrils, the familiar memories rushing back to me. It was definitely him. I froze, the my stomach falling into a pit of regret. 

 I lowered my music, my eyes still glued together, refusing to open them.

 He called my name, my body starting to feel numb mentally preparing myself for heart ache to follow. His voice saying my name giving me the sense to let go and go back to how it was before-before it all began or ended. Saying it once, twice- then after a third final time before giving up and him staring at me for what felt like an eternity before eventually stalking to the direction he appeared from.

My eyes were still shut tightly, trying to suppress the urge of tears escaping but a few managed to betray me dampening my cheek. I couldn't cry now, I had to be stronger than this- but how can I be strong if I feel so weak inside?

Usually at this time, early morning no one appeared at the beach, it would be free of people just the way I liked.That's why I thought of it as my time safe haven; my escape from my own thoughts and reality- yet he appeared. He appeared in my safe place, ruining the idea of peace. He took everything else from me couldn't he let me keep the one thing that I treasured,maybe i was being a bit dramatic but that's how I felt. Why did I have to mention this to him?

Why did I believe that he loved me? How naive could I possibly be?

Do you know the feeling of when you were younger and your favourite toy was stolen? I felt that with a mixture of heartbreak and broken trust. Just the way I thought I'd start my day I thought bitterly.

I felt the familiar tightness in my chest, a wave of grief at the remembrance of what he did. The broken promises echoed through my head, as my temples stared throbbing and my throat grow a large lump. How dare he come here? I couldn't do this, not today, not ever again. 

I opened my eyes and stared at the crystal blue waves going in and a sense of routine rushing over me, the sun moving it's positioning to centre sky-reminding me I still have classes and real life to deal with.

I started searching for my phone, pulling out my earphones, standing up and dusting off my pale blue jeans. I put my hand in my front pocket finding my phone. 9:36 it read, mentally calculating I had around an hour and half before I needed to be in my first lecture.

Reaching my shared apartment with my good friend, Jezie-Carly, a tall and dark Latino majoring in teaching.I wanted to tell her what happened yet sadly she wasn't home.I let out a breath of air rushing to my room and stripping myself of my sand-filled clothes, and hurried to the shower.

I started with de-tangling my tight curls, regretting now my choice of lying in the sand as now everything that came out was the colour of mud. I heavily sighed, but knew I would go back and never learn from my mistakes. 

I finished my shower stepping out, and staring in the low hanging mirror leaning on the dark blue wall. My grey eyes reflected back at me, dark rings surrounding my eyes- maybe it was the lack of sleep or the endless tears.

My dark grey eyes were rare for my dark skin tone and complication. Being from a east African and quarter Asian heritage; I slightly chuckled at the amount times I've been accused of wearing contacts.

Today I felt like making an effort, proving to him his presence didn't affect when I knew deep down that heart pain I felt every time I caught a whiff of his familiar scent was unbearable. I wore a white long fitted body-con with a petite black jacket while slicking my hair in a bun. I and covered my eye bags with light concealer. I grabbed my bag and books for my biomedical science class from my room.

I worked hard to be here- the sweat and tears I put in shall not go to waste just because of one silly heartbreak.

I couldn't afford a car, so I often took the bus or taxi, Probably not that wisest thing as how busy this city gets. Today I was running late so I didn't have choice but to call a taxi to drop me to campus. My apartment was in the middle of Florida- a 35 minute drive from campus and in a middle-class area. 

I personally adored it, because of everything being so close and easy to access even though i despised going outside. 

Ping.

An alert telling me my taxi was outside.I grabbed my stuff, locking the house and went down the elevator. I stepped outside, the familiar scent of grass and street food greeting me.

My taxi journey was uneventful as I fiddled with the hem of my my jacket the entire ride. Reaching the campus with 15 minuted to spare I decided to grab a quick snack and my stomach growled in agreement. 

A wave of nausea swept over me as a looked at the bright mustard yellow and navy blue coloured campus, the different buildings and a few coffee shops decorating the campus sight. 

The familiar buzz off students and a few security guards lurking roamed around the area as I made my way towards the class on the other side of the campus.

I wedged myself in between  a few students as the lecture hall was quite crowded, everyone was animatedly talking to there friends or digging there bags for there supplies ready for the professor to walk in. I belonged the latter category as I didn't have much friends in this class.

I pulled out my book, and i didn't recognise envelope dropped out, a frown painted my face as bend down and picked it up. The white envelope read my name- as i stared at it confused at how it got in my zipped bag.

I opened it and the content of it made my heart stop and my hands clammy with sudden fright.

"No it couldn't be." I whispered in a state of shook and disbelief as my eyes widening as I  scanned the content of the letter.