The Goodbye that broke me

Shadows in the dark

Just then, disaster struck. I crashed into him, our bodies colliding in a sudden,

“Sorry about that” I apologised quickly,

"Looks like you're stalking me." He said angrily but he still wore that very cool facial expression.

“Is this the reply I get for my apologies?”

I was unsure if it was a joke or if he was serious right

I picked up My bag and walked away. I booked a cab and headed back home.

As soon as I stopped off the cab, I raced down the path that led to my apartment.

“I just couldn't believe that I could be that stupid today.”

I could have acted more maturely, but no, I just wanted him to notice me by all means.

“That was a lesson, maybe if we met next time, we'll start off with a conversion from a better route.”

Meeting Drake

I checked the time

I was sure Chloe would be prepared for our hangout tonight.

I stood in front of the mirror and stared at the reflection of myself. My lip glowed elegantly and my face lit up with a smile because the dress fitted perfectly and My ass sat so well in the white dress. Suddenly I took a glance again at the clock.

The time seemed to have been working very slowly today. It is exactly 8:00pm

But what I know is that tonight I must attend this exquisite dinner even without a date.

My phone was vibrating on the table. I know it’s Chloe, she's already at my apartment, I am so sure of this. She's always punctual.

I grabbed my bag from the table and gazed at myself for the last time before I stepped out of my apartment to meet Chloe in the car.

The hall was filled with people. The music lit up the dance floor and the energy there was top notch. Everyone was dancing and drinking. I was a little bit nervous.

“The atmosphere is freaky” I whispered to Chloe in a low voice.

“ I am having a strong feeling of unease and I am having a rumbling stomach .” Chloe said.

“I am having this weird feeling that someone's staring at me”. I interrupted her

“Yes… someone is actually staring at me; he's cute though”.

“ I have to check who he is”. Our eyes met and he winked at me seductively.

The attendant passed me a note.

“Can I join you?” the note read.

“Yeah”, I nodded in approval.

She returned the note to him.

He slid into the seat. Chloe left the table.

“You don’t look impressed,” I set down my wine glass.

“Is that a complaint or a compliment?”

“An observation. I’m Drake.”

“Annabelle,nice to meet you, Drake.” He pours the Louis XIII cognac and handed me a glass.

Our conversation shifted easily. He was quick, witty, and infuriatingly comfortable.

Chloe stared at me from time to time, watching how I vibed along easily. When dessert arrived, I realized I haven’t touched half my plate.

“I think I’m getting drunk already”. I said.

“I hate these events, too much performance. And it's too lousy by the way.” Drake Interrupted.

“Then why come, Drake?”

“I was just having a feeling that someone interesting might be here.”

I felt heat rise in the base of my throat. This isn’t part of the plan. But it felt inevitable.

My words slur slightly as I respond to Drake, "I'm dooing ggood, dont worry about me." My eyes glazed over, and I giggled, that the effects of the Louis XIII cognac.

“You’re making assumptions,”

“Only betting on instinct, because I'm usually right.” Drake replied.

Drake's face blurred lightly as I tried to focus on him.

"Dessert's...still...here," I mumbled. I pushed my plate around the table.

I was pressed seriously and needed to use the restroom. I Stood up slowly, I smoothed the fabric of my dress.

“I'm seeing double everything looks like it's duplicated”.

The candelabras, Drake's face, the walls they're all duplicated in my vision. If I took another step, I felt like I'll lose my balance and fall over.

"Aaagh!" Screaming as I tumbled to the ground, my palms scraped against the floor. My leg throbbed in pain as a bruise began to form, it radiated a sharp ache that made me wince. I clutched my leg, I tried hard to massage away the pain, but it only seemed to intensify, a dull throb that pulsed through my entire lower body.

“Let me help you to the restroom,” Drake suggested.

I followed him out of the ballroom, passing the gold-dipped illusions as Drake leads.

The doors open.

“I know we’ve arrived,” I whispered.

He assisted me gently, helped me take off my coat and led me into the toilet to ease myself. I was barely aware of my surroundings, I was drained and disoriented.

Drake helped me out of the restroom.

I could barely walk straight. The floor swayed beneath me like a boat. My coat slipped from my shoulders, and he caught it before guided me out of the rest room.

“I want to go home and sleep,” I murmured. My words didn't sound like mine. They felt thick and heavy, like my head.

He didn’t answer. Or maybe he did and I just didn’t hear.

“Just sit and wait, I'm coming”

My body sinked into the mattress, and everything blurred. My eyes closed.

“I think I’m safe”. I muttered and drifted to sleep.

Time slipped. I don’t know how long I’ve laid there for seconds, minutes. Maybe longer.

Then something changed. I felt pressure. A weight on top of me. At first, I thought I was dreaming. But no. It’s real. It’s him.

My heart raced. My limbs won’t move. They were too heavy, too slow. I tried to speak, but my mouth barely opened.

“No…” I whispered. The word floated into the air like smoke, unnoticed. I tried again. “Stop…”

But he didn't stop.

I was screaming inside, but no sound came out. My body didn’t help me. I’m trapped and all I can do was to feel the weight and the fear.

____

“Wake up”

I heard a voice calling, then I felt someone tapping me gently.

“Wake up, wake up” the voice repeated.

This voice sounded familiar.

“Open your eyes, it's me, it's Chloe”.

I came to full realisation to my self,I was naked under the duvet.

How, when and why, i did not know.

I couldn't have a grapse of what really happened.

“Chloe what are you doing in my room by this time”

“Anna this is not your room, we're still at the venue of the dinner”

“Then what am I doing here, naked.”

“I don't know, if seems you were drunk and Drake or maybe some stranger took advantage of you last night”

“ Get up quickly, get up quickly,”

Chloe sounded like we were in a hurry.

“Get dressed quickly, let's get out of here before it's 6:00 am”.

Cold shivers ran down my spine.

“Are we safe chloe?”

“yea baby girl we are, you just have to be Fast”

“ Was the police after us?”

“ no Anna just believe me, we’re safe”

*****

I arrived my apartment, I noticed that there was something awkward.

“Why was everything looking like chloe had it planned? Like it wasn’t just me,

I remember that I told Drake I needed to ease myself. I remember him helping me to the restroom.

After I left the restroom, I told him I wanted to go home...

I woke up to see my self in a room that I have never seen before.

“My life is messed up, I'm just so useless” I murmured.

I felt like a shadow of myself.

The same feeling I had the day I decided tk pay Liam a surprise visit, when I walked into his house, a bright smile spread across her face, and her eyes sparkled with joy. The gentle breeze carried the sweet scent of blooming flowers, I felt carefree and content, her heart full of happiness and gratitude. I was ready to give it up tonight for our 4 years relationship just to make it work. Every step she took seemed to lift my spirits.

The door was open. Not wide, but cracked enough.

I heard a loud moan and shout like somethi

ng was happening coming from his room. I tiptoed following the direction of the noise. My mind never imagined such a thing.

Ahhhhhh!!!!!!.....