Breaking Her Cold Walls (completed)

Chapter 5

Seven years later

Sandra's POV

It has been seven years since I left home. I have never looked back at the past ever since, and all contact with my family has ceased to exist. Occasionally once every blue moon, I used to send them an E-mail just to update on my life.

But as the days went on, our contact gradually slipped. It's exhilarating how at one point, I used to be the girl that had everything. My parents loved me, I had someone to love, a few best friends and good grades. I was happy. Then, everything happened so fast and I lost everything.

I became a loner and that brings me to today. As a twenty five year old woman now, I am way different from the eighteen year old emotional girl who cried over everything. The years changed me hard as I grew up to be a emotionless but strong headed woman.

I meant my words when I said that I will never love, trust or care for anyone again. The only exception would be the sweet old lady next door, Marianne. She has never asked me why I am the way I am or what happened to me. Neither has she judged me.

She simply acts as a second mom. In the beginning, when I first arrived here, she always smiled at me and greeted me warmly. Even though the rest of the people in this town were put off by my arrogant and rude facade, she still never treated me differently like the others.

Despite my cold attitude, she still offered me the best of her freshly baked pumpkin pies and cheesecakes. Somehow, a year later, her smile gently faded my facade. I was seemingly touched by her warm hospitality and that was how she became my only acquaintance in this town. I made sure to never reveal much of my personality to her, but I went to her when I needed genuine advise or just a human to talk too.

It does get lonely at times when you have spent almost a decade of your youth in isolation. Every birthday, every Thanksgiving, every Christmas to me was just another day that passed by to me. I failed to understand the significance of these days.

Others may say that loneliness is a slow killer, but to me, loneliness is like my second skin. It's comfortable. When you are alone, you don't have to worry or cry over someone betraying you or stabbing you behind the back.

Over the years, I have earned a degree in desiging and I work as a graphic designer now, from home. It's a comfortable job with a fairly good pay. However, I also work in Mariannes' flower shop about two or  three days a work.

Her customers are pretty much accustommed to my unreadable face and the few words that I mutter, and I have certainly grown used to being surrounded by beautiful flowers and nature. It is one of the few times in my life where I allow myself to feel happy and free.

It has got to do with the fact that Marianne's flower shop is situated just beside the huge garden park. I worked in her shop for a few hours usually on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. But I also helped out in the weekends if I was free.

Today was a wednesday and it was time for me to start my shift in her flower shop. I quickly sipped on the last drops of my coffee and hurried to my room. I got dressed in a yellow sundress with clusters of flowers on it and a white cardigan and black flats to match.

After doing my simple makeup, I left my beautiful four bedroom house and drove to the garden park where the shop, as I mentioned, was located it. The weather today was scorching hot, but there is nothing to complain as the illuminating sun made the garden look really beautiful. I parked my car and walked towards the shop. Marianne's face lit up when she saw me.

"Ah, Sandra dear. How are you today lovely?", she greeted me. Her blue eyes twinkling with genuine happiness. I softly nodded at her but I refused to return her smile. She may be a good acquaintance, but it has been years since my lips ever curved up into a smile. It has also been years since I have really felt lively or happy at all. "I'm doing okay. You?", I asked her curtly as I went around the shop and simply rearranged the bouquet of flowers neatly.