Rejected
1706 Words
Morning slowly came up on me but it didn't move me. I had barely slept.
The sunlight slipped through the broken slats of my blinds, landing directly on my face. I groaned, turning over in bed and dragging the thin sheet over my head like it could shield me from reality.
It didn’t.
Nothing could.
My eyes burned the moment I opened them. They were heavy, swollen and Dry in that uncomfortable way that only came after crying too much the night before. I blinked slowly, staring up at the cracked ceiling above me, my thoughts sluggish but painfully present.
I didn’t sleep. Couldn't sleeping actually. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw him.
His face.
His eyes.
That moment.
“I, Kai Blackthorn… reject you.”
My chest tightened instantly.
“s**t…” I muttered under my breath, pressing the heel of my palm against my tummy like I could physically push the feeling away.
It didn’t work.
The pain wasn’t sharp anymore, it wasn’t the same tearing, burning agony from last night but it lingered. A dull, hollow ache that sat right in the center of me, like something had been scooped out and left empty.
I swallowed hard and sat up slowly.
Bad idea.
The room spun slightly, and I winced, dragging a hand over my face. My fingers brushed against my cheeks, and I could almost still feel the tracks of dried tears.
God.
Why did that have to happen to me?
My stomach twisted.
I had been on the floor. Crying. In front of everyone.
Pathetic.
I let out a weak, humorless laugh, pushing myself off the bed and onto my feet. My legs felt heavier than usual as I walked toward the mirror standing at the corner of my room.
I stopped in front of it.
And stared.
For a long moment, I didn’t recognize the girl staring back at me.
My eyes were red and puffy, dark circles sitting stubbornly beneath them. My hair, usually something I took pride in, was a complete mess, tangled and wild like I had fought a wild bear and lost.
I leaned in slightly, squinting at my reflection.
“Wow,” I murmured dryly. “You look like shit.”
Silence answered me.
I exhaled, straightening up as my gaze slowly traveled down my body.
And then I paused.
“I’m still hot though.”
A small, reluctant smirk tugged at my lips.
Because it was true.
Even looking like I had just survived an emotional war, I still looked good. My skin still glowed faintly. My body still held its shape. My lips were still full, even if they were slightly chapped.
I tilted my head slightly, studying myself.
“I’m hot,” I repeated, a little more firmly this time. “Like… really hot.”
My brows furrowed.
“So what the hell is his problem?”
The words slipped out before I could stop them.
And just like that, the smirk disappeared.
My chest tightened again.
Why wouldn’t my mate want me?
The thought came quietly this time.
Not loud. Not angry.
Just… confused.
I stared at myself for a long second before scoffing softly, shaking my head.
“Whatever,” I muttered, turning away from the mirror. “His loss.”
Yeah.
His loss.
I repeated it in my head like a mantra as I walked out of my room and into the small kitchen. The kind of quiet that made your thoughts louder than they needed to be.
I moved on autopilot, grabbing a mug and setting it on the counter before reaching for the coffee jar.
Coffee.
That’s what I needed.
Something strong enough to kick me back into being a functional human being.
As I poured hot water into the mug, the faint aroma of coffee beans filled the air, wrapping around me in something almost comforting.
Almost.
I had just lifted the mug to my lips when a knock came at my for.
I froze.
My brows pulled together slightly as I lowered the cup.
Who the hell is...
They knocked again.
“Coming!” I called out, setting the mug down on the counter before making my way to the door.
I didn’t bother checking who it was. I just pulled it open.
And blinked.
“Sky?”
She stood there looking all dressed and cool, one hand resting casually against the doorframe, the other holding a pair of sunglasses she hadn’t even bothered to wear yet.
“Hey, babe,” she said, smiling like nothing in the world could ever bother her.
I stared at her for a second longer than necessary. She seemed different from the stripper I met st night. More....clothed.
“I—uh…” I cleared my throat, stepping aside. “Come in.”
“Don’t mind if I do.” She slipped past me easily, her presence instantly filling the small space with something brighter... lighter.
I closed the door behind her, still a little surprised.
“I didn’t expect to see you here." I admitted, turning to face her.
Sky shrugged lightly as she walked further into the apartment, her gaze flicking around like she was taking everything in.
“I figured you’d still be miserable,” she said simply. “So I came to check on you.”
I huffed softly, crossing my arms.
“Well, that’s brutally honest.”
“I try.” she grinned.
Despite myself, a small smile tugged at my lips.
I turned back toward the kitchen. “Coffee?”
“Sure.”
I grabbed another mug, pouring her a cup before sliding it across the counter toward her.
She took it, but instead of drinking, she leaned against the counter, watching me carefully.
“So…” she began slowly. “What the hell happened last night?”
I stilled.
There it was.
The question I had been avoiding.
I let out a small snort, picking up my own mug and taking a sip before answering.
“You really want to know?”
Sky raised a brow. “Obviously.”
I exhaled through my nose.
“Apparently,” I started, my tone dry, “the big, bad Alpha Kai Blackthorn is my supposed mate.”
Sky froze.
Her eyes widened.
“Wait...what?”
I nodded once, taking another sip of coffee like I hadn’t just dropped a bomb.
“No way." she breathed.
“Way.”
She stared at me like she was trying to process it.
“You’re serious?”
“I wish I wasn’t.”
A beat of silence passed.
“And?” she pressed. “What happened?”
I laughed.
A short, bitter sound.
“What do you think happened?”
Her expression shifted slightly.
And then I said it.
“He rejected me.”
“Oh, hell no.”
I shrugged, trying to play it off, even though my chest tightened again.
“Yeah. Pretty much.”
“Emery…” she breathed, setting the coffee down on the counter like she had suddenly lost interest in it. “That’s bad. That’s really bad.”
“No kidding.”
“Why would he do that?” she demanded.
I let out a slow breath, staring down into my cup.
“I don’t know.”
And that was the truth.
I didn’t understand it.
Not really.
I lifted my shoulders in a small shrug.
“Maybe he’s just an asshole.”
Sky scoffed. “No, that’s not just ‘asshole’ behavior. That’s next level stupid.”
That earned a small laugh from me.
“Tell me about it.”
She pushed off the counter suddenly.
“Yeah, no. We’re not doing this.”
I frowned. “Doing what?”
“This.” She gestured vaguely at me. “You. Sitting here. Drinking coffee like your life didn’t just fall apart.”
“Hey—”
“You got rejected by your mate,” she cut in. “Coffee is the last thing you should be drinking right now.”
I blinked at her.
“…What?”
Before I could react, she reached forward, snatching the mug right out of my hand.
“Hey!” I protested.
“Nope.” She placed both mugs back on the counter decisively. “Get up. We’re going out.”
I stared at her like she had lost her mind.
“It’s morning.”
“And?”
“I’m tired.”
“And?”
“I’m not in the mood.”
“And I don’t care.”
I groaned, dragging a hand down my face.
“Sky…”
“Nope.” She grabbed my wrist, already pulling me toward my room. “You’re not staying in here to sulk.”
“I’m not sulking!”
“You were literally crying on the floor last night.”
“That was a moment.”
“That was a breakdown.”
I opened my mouth to argue and then closed it.
Because yeah.
Fair.
“Just get dressed,” she insisted, pushing me toward my closet.
I sighed, giving in as I walked over and yanked it open.
“Fine,” I muttered. “But if I die of exhaustion, it’s on you.”
“Noted.”
I didn’t even think about what I was wearing. I just grabbed the first things I saw, a pair of joggers and an oversized hoodie and pulled them on.
Comfort over style.
Definitely.
When I turned back, Sky was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, watching me with an amused expression.
“Well?” I asked, gesturing at myself.
She looked me up and down slowly.
“…Not bad.”
I snorted. “That’s the best you’ve got?”
“You’re lucky I’m being nice.”
I rolled my eyes, grabbing my phone off the bed.
“You’re very persistent, you know that?”
She grinned. “It’s one of my many talents.”
“Mm-hmm.”
I slipped my phone into my pocket and walked past her.
“Let’s go before I change my mind.”
“That’s the spirit.”
We stepped out of the apartment together, the cool morning air hitting my face the moment I locked the door behind us.
I inhaled deeply.
Well, his loss.
- Writer
