ACCIDENTAL ALPHA

CHAPTER 2/ GHOST OF MEMORIES

Ava woke up with a start, her heart racing and her sheets drenched in sweat.

She rubbed her eyes, trying to shake off the vivid images of the accident that still haunted her.

It had been a week since the crash, but the memories lingered, refusing to fade away.

she lies back down on her bed facing the celling trying to get some sleep.

the noise of laughter and whispers coming from the other side of the room wouldn't let her even close her eye for just a minute.

she turns her head, her gaze drifting to the corner of the room where the noise was coming from.

just as she had expected,

her roommate, Ruby sat there with another female student sitting on her lap as her eyes gleamed with a passionate spark.

Ava tossed her cover and got our of bed, her irritation growing with every step.

She shuffled to the kitchen hoping to make herself coffee to start her day.

As she walked into the kitchen, her eyes scanning the room until they landed on a beautiful, ornate frame sitting on the counter.

The frame was old-fashioned, with intricate carvings and delicate patterns etched into its surface. And inside the frame, a photo of herself smiled back at her, a photo taken on a happy day, a day she had forgotten.

Her heart skipped a beat as she recognized the frame. It was the one Ethan had given her on their first anniversary, the one she had treasured and kept hidden away, afraid to confront the memories it held.

The photo showed a younger Ava, laughing and carefree, her eyes shining with happiness. She remembered the day it was taken, the way Ethan had made her feel like the only person in the world.

Ava's fingers trembled as she reached out to touch the frame, the memories flooding back like a tidal wave. She remembered the way Ethan's eyes had crinkled at the corners as he smiled, the way his voice had whispered sweet nothings in her ear, the way his hands had held hers with a gentle warmth.

The frame seemed to glow with a soft, nostalgic light, as if the memories themselves were alive. Ava's eyes stung with unshed tears as she stood there, frozen in time, the frame a poignant reminder of what she had lost.

Ava's tears slowly subsided, leaving behind a hollow ache in her chest. She remained on the floor, the frame still clutched in her hands, her eyes fixed on the photo. She thought of Ethan, and the memories came flooding back, bittersweet and painful.

She knew that the grief would never truly leave her, that she would always carry it with her. But in this moment, she felt the added weight of regret and guilt. She had been the one to persuade Ethan to go out that night, to convince him to take the risk, he had never wanted to sneak out of campus that night but she had been too eager to go out.

And now, he was gone, and she was left with the crushing knowledge that it was all her fault.

The tears began to fall again, slower this time, but no less painful. Ava mourned not just the loss of Ethan, but the loss of their future together, the life they would never have. She mourned her own recklessness, her own stubbornness, which had led to this tragedy.

As she cried, she felt the silence of the empty apartment around her, the absence of her friends, who were usually there to offer comfort. But this time, she was alone, facing the consequences of her own actions.