Dea Shattered

⎈Chapter 21: Claustrophobia

Nene dragged me upstairs and into Sab's room, her fingers grasping my arm tightly. When she finally let go I held my hand to myself, letting the blood return to the parts that she had strangled.

"Did you have to grab me like that?" Nene simply waved my question away and sat on the bed next to Sab.

"That was the boy we met at the party, wasn't it?" Nene tilted her head, a calm demeanor falling over her face.

I scowled. "Yes, I don't see what your problem is. If I stand corrected you told me to get his number, so what's the matter with-" I cut myself off. I didn't need to specify what we were exactly, that could only rile Nene more.

"I meant as a fling," Nene grunted, "not a relationship." I blinked at her blankly. I felt like I needed to defend Kodhe.

"What's the difference, he makes me happy, that's all that should matter." I played the 'happy' card but Nene just grumbled something under her breath.

"I don't think you understand how dangerous this could get." Nene was fuming now, "He could discover you. What happens then huh?" Sab looked down and to the side, she was afraid of how I'd react.

"That won't happen!" I hiss defensively, "I have been careful since day one."

"You can't promise that."

"I just did."

I storm out of the room, tears swelling in my eyes. I refused to let a single tear fall and because of it, my vision blurred more and more.

Nene yells after me, "If he discovers you, you'll have to kill him you know! Do you not get that? Do you really want to be the reason why he has to die?"

I stop once I reach the front door and lean back on the doorway. I can hear Sab and Nene muttering to one another.

"She doesn't know what she is doing." Nene spits out in a hushed whisper

"But- I'm afraid she does..." Sab's voice quivers and I can tell she is fighting back waterworks, "she just doesn't care anymore. I know the feeling."

On that note, I was running out the front door. I ran and ran and ran without a destination in mind. At this point, it was just to feel the pain of struggling to breathe as I sprinted as long as humanly possible. My legs shook and sweat crawled down my skin and onto the pavement.

Am I in love? Is the pain I'm feeling love? Because if so I don't want it anymore.

I don't know how long I was running. I just remember reaching the beach and collapsing into the cool sand.

"Miss? Are you all right?"

The voice drifted away and I just stared up to the sky before the light faded to dark. I finally let one teardrop fall.

**??? hours later**

When I woke up I was still in a vast darkness. I couldn't tell what was a dream and what was reality until I saw the glistening of my silverish tail beneath me. The slow and clouded swoosh and slide of water echoed in my ears. I had been taken in by the shore and pulled to the bottom of the ocean. No wonder 72,550 people drown or nearly drown per year. The ocean is unpredictable, and It was punishing me. I pounded my tail in every direction, not sure which way was up, down, left, or right. The blackness was still and unrevealing and I could feel neglected plastic brushing up against me. Just when I thought it was time I should just give up, I saw the light at the end of the tunnel, a ripple of water proving other life. Very few fish can actually survive down here I told myself. That means if I feel movement, I am going the right way. With that sliver of hope, I continue on. As I swam mindlessly I couldn't pretend I didn't feel a pit in my stomach and a scratchiness in my throat. I felt guilty for whatever reason. Like I was pulling Kodhe into a situation he didn't deserve to be in. I felt like I was trapping him, or maybe myself. I sighed and pushed forward. I was beginning to feel claustrophobic and anxiety grew in me. This situation I was in could easily be any sane person's worst fear. I just had to close my eyes and swim, praying I'd find my way out.

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Published: May 11, 2020, 11:59 PM

Words: 750

Right on time! Haha -RiSaWa