Yours Truly ❁ n.k.h

• chapter thirteen •

The ache in my skull reverberated through my whole body as my head lulled itself into a new stream of consciousness. Everything felt so heavy. It was like each of my limbs had a weight attached to it.

Even as my eyes scanned each direction, nothing changed. I was surrounded by nothing but darkness.

"Hello?" I tried to yell, but any sound I made was muffled. "Hello?"

Why couldn't I talk? Why couldn't I hear myself?

I went to go touch my mouth when a set of restraints pulled me back. I tugged at my wrists. A material similar to rope seemed to be binding them. Panic began to settle in my skin. I started to try and kick my feet just to realize that they were restrained too.

What the fuck? Why am I tied up? Where am I?

"Please!" I mouthed, wriggling against the ropes that were bounding me. "Someone help me!"

A fresh set of tears appeared behind my eyelids. I tried to jolt around again hoping maybe all of my movement would loosen one of the ties holding me back.

However, all of my movements nullified the minute my ears zeroed in on one sound.

Footsteps.

It sounded like they were coming towards me, and whoever it was would be face to face whenever they reached me.

A chill crept down my spine to accompany the sweat that was beginning to accumulate on my forehead. Fuck! Why can't I move or talk or do anything?!

I shut my eyes in anguish. Maybe if I just pretend it isn't here, it'll go away.

My stomach lurched with each oncoming footstep. It felt like the person's presence was a magnet to my body. I pressed just a bit closer to the edge of my seat with each commanding noise.

Then suddenly, I heard a click.

I counted to three, and eased open my eyes. In front of me was the woman of my dreams, and between us, a lightbulb with a cord hanging from it.

The light from the bulb illuminated not only her face, but mine. And even though she didn't look happy to see me, I couldn't help the way my heart danced at the thought of being near hers.

"Hi," I tried to say, but my voice was still lost in the ethers.

Even in looking right at my lips, she wasn't quick to acknowledge my words. She just kept staring. Her eyes roamed over different parts of my face before settling on my eyes.

"I can't believe I ever loved you."

I blinked twice, taken aback by her words. In the same fashion, Dinah leaned back as if stung by her own words. Her lips were in a thin line, but her eyes were low. She looked down at me from where she stood. She seemed to think a little longer on her words before throwing caution to the wind.

"I wanted so badly to believe you when you said it'd be you and me forever. That I was all you ever wanted, the love of your life. But you were right from the beginning. You didn't deserve me."

I shook my head in disbelief, fighting hard to steady the breaths that were escaping me. The air around me felt so thin.

"Word to the wise, Mani? When someone tells you who you are in the beginning, believe them. It's the only time they'll ever really tell you the truth."