Rescued: A Nyssara Story

Chapter 29

~~~Revision: (Jan 9, 2022) Changed Nyssa's age from 25 to 24, as it was a mistake.~~~

SARA:
It's been a whole month since she broke up with me and today is Nyssa's Birthday. I was getting better with distracting myself with training, but I realized the date and it made me cry. Only one tear this time, but still.

I twiddle the reddish-brown-stained carved heart in my hands, trying so desperately to just put it away and move on. I just can't.

I wanted to do something special for Nyssa's birthday since she had never celebrated it before. I guess she is going another year without a celebration. I wanted to do something fun. Like stupid girlfriend stuff. She gave me a cupcake for my 21st birthday and I just wanted to do something nice for her 24th like cook her favorite meal or something. There are not many options around here but it still would've been fun.

I haven't even seen her since that day. She knows my whereabouts pretty much all the time so she probably avoids me.

Why do I want her so badly? She is so complex and so broken, yet I am not put off by it all. I saw a glimmer of who she really is behind that tough outer shell, and that glimmer is so beautiful that it's so hard to look away.

I've never felt like this before after a breakup. I was always able to recover because my mom would always be there to remind me that there are other fish in the sea. This time, I can't imagine myself with another fish. With those high school boys, it was so easy. I could go onto the next like it was nothing. As long as I had someone, I didn't care.

I had always had a crush on Oliver for as long as I had known him. The thrill of liking him was so intoxicating. My seeking of that thrill, that intoxication, is the reason he's dead right now. I can't help but think that maybe Nyssa was right to break us off. That intoxication is there with her, but so much stronger than ever before. I can't help but think that it means that she is bad for me, that our separation is a blessing in disguise. Sarab had almost caught us, which could have had deadly consequences.

I'm fairly certain that Nyssa broke us off because of that. I don't think she meant what she said. Or maybe she did...she cut my heart out of her skin. The symbolism of that is almost palpable.

I miss her so much. I miss her silky voice in my ear and her soft skin on mine. I need to stop myself there. I can't get worked up right now.

Suddenly, there's a knock at my door. I stand as the door opens. It's Ra's, so I bow as I'm supposed to.

"Hello, Yellow Bird."

"Ra's," I respond calmly trying not to show that I'm surprised by his visit.

"I am here to inform you that for the next few days, I will be absent from the stronghold on a mission of sorts. You will start your archery training with Nyssa today."

I only understood half of that, but I nod and say, "Yes, Ra's," like I'm supposed to.

He exits my room and closes the door.

What the fuck? All I heard from that was that he's absent and I'm training with Nyssa. Great...

I plop down on my bed and put my face in my pillow. Just kill me.

NYSSA:
The dread flows through my veins like a swift poison. I have to face her today. I persisted my father as much as I could to let me come with him, but he does not trust another to lead the training. I suppose that is a compliment to my skill, but I still feel repulsed by the interaction that is to come.

He was very clear that Sara should be trained privately as she is a faster learner than her peers. The others aren't even ready for archery yet and I'm surprised that my father believes that she is ready for it so soon. I wish not to teach her. I don't want to face her, let alone interact with her.