The Time I Wrote a Message in a Bottle

Chapter 3: The Day It All came Crashing Down

I should've stopped.

That's the first thought that keeps replaying in my head.

Over and over.

I should've stopped..............

That Afternoon, the couple are paired up for a project.

"It's wrong."

Andy exhales slowly. "Cass..."

"The layout is off," I continue, pointing at the board. "If we present it like that, it won't flow properly."

"It's a simple project," he says, trying to stay calm. "We just have to explain it, not make it perfect."

"But it should be perfect," I insist. "We're being graded on this."

"We're being graded on content, not how pretty your notes look."

I flinch slightly.

"They're not just 'pretty notes,' Andy. They're organized-"

"And stressful," he cuts in.

Silence.

The classroom is empty except for us now. Everyone else already left.

Rain taps softly against the windows.

I cross my arms. "If you'd just listen to me-"

"I have been listening to you!" he snaps. "All week! It's always your way, Cass. Every little thing has to be exactly how you want it!"

"That's because I actually care!"

His expression hardens.

"You think I don't care?"

"That's not what I said-"

"It sure sounds like it."

My chest tightens.

"Andy, I'm just trying to make this better for us-"

"By controlling everything?"

"I'm not controlling-"

"You are!"

His voice echoes in the empty room.

The rain gets louder.

My hands tremble slightly.

"I just don't want us to mess this up," I whisper.

"It's a school project, Cass," he says, frustrated. "It's not the end of the world."

"You don't understand!" I blurt out.

"Then explain it to me!"

And that's when it happens.

That one moment.

The one I can never take back.

"If you just tried harder for once, maybe things wouldn't feel like they're falling apart all the time!"

The silence that follows is deafening.

I freeze.

My own words echo in my head.

Andy doesn't say anything.

He just... looks at me.

Hurt.

Really hurt.

"...What?" he says quietly.

"I-I didn't mean-"

"You think I don't try?"

"No, that's not-"

"You think I'm the reason things fall apart?"

"Andy, please-"

He laughs.

But there's no humor in it.

"Wow."

My chest feels like it's caving in.

"I didn't mean it like that," I say quickly, stepping closer. "I was just frustrated, I didn't-"

"Yeah," he cuts in. "You always are."

"That's not fair-"

"No, what's not fair is how you treat me like I'm never enough unless I fit into your version of perfect."

His words hit harder than anything.

"I don't-"

"You do, Cass."

The rain pounds harder against the windows.

He grabs his bag.

"I need some air."

"Andy, wait-"

But he's already walking out.

"Andy!"

The door slams shut behind him.

The Rain

I stand there.

Frozen.

Staring at the door.

My heart pounding.

My hands shaking.

I messed up.

I messed up...

I messed up........

That Night

The rain doesn't stop.

Neither does the silence.

I sit by my window, clutching a bottle in my hands.

My fingers tremble as I write:

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything I said. Please come back. Let's fix this."

I send it across the line.

The bottle slides into Andy's room.

I wait.

Minutes pass.

Nothing.

I write another.

"Andy, please. I didn't mean it. I was just stressed. Please talk to me."

Send.

Wait.

Nothing.

My chest tightens.

I grab another piece of paper.

"I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry."

Send.

Wait.

Still nothing.

Meanwhile...

Andy walks through the rain, soaked, breathing uneven.

Her words echo in his head.

"If you just tried harder..."

He clenches his fists.

"...I do try," he mutters to himself.

His gaze drifts to a small shop still open despite the storm.

He hesitates.

Then steps inside.

He looks around the store, and picks up some chocolates, and other presents.

Simple.

Not perfect.

But something he picked himself.

He goes to the register where an elderly man scans his stuff.

"This for your girlfriend?" The cashier asked.

"Yea, we had quite a fight, and maybe this could cheer her up" Andy said softly.

The Cashier laughs "Young love, well I hope you two can make up." The Cashier packed up Andy's presents, and Andy leaves.

He walks in the rain holding the presents, and he looks at them.

"...She'll probably fix it," he mutters, half-smiling.

He steps off the curb-

Headlights.

A horn..

Too loud...

Too fast....

Impact..........

Everything goes white.

A Few hours later.

My phone rings.

I don't answer at first.

I'm too busy staring at the unmoving string.

Waiting.

Hoping.

Praying.

It rings again.

And again.

And again.

Finally, I pick it up.

"...Hello?"

Silence.

Then-

"Cassandra?"

My breath catches.

"...Mrs. Gardner?"

Her voice is shaking.

"There's been an accident."

My world stops.

Hospital

I don't remember how I got there.

I just remember running.

Breathing.

Crying.

Breaking.

"Andy-where is he?!"

A nurse tries to calm me down.

"Okay, sweetie i need you to calm down. Who are you looking for?" The Nurse said softly trying to calm her down

"A-Andy Gardner, I need to see him!"

The Nurse keeps being patient, "Okay uhm, what is your connection to him?"

"I-Im his girlfriend!"

They finally let me in.

And there he is.

Lying in a hospital bed.

Still.

Too still.

Machines beeping softly around him.

"...No," I whisper.

My legs give out as I stumble toward him.

"No, no, no, no..."

I grab his hand.

Cold.

Too cold.

"I'm sorry," I choke out. "Andy, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it. I didn't mean anything I said. Please... please wake up."

Tears fall onto his hand.

"I'll stop. I'll stop trying to fix everything. I'll stop being like that. Just... come back. Please."

Days Pass.....

I don't leave.

I stay by his side.

Every day.

Every night.

Kaylee brings me food I barely touch.

She sits beside me sometimes, quiet.

"You need to rest, Cass," she says gently.

"I can't," I whisper. "What if he wakes up and I'm not here?"

Kaylee doesn't argue.

She just holds my hand.

Guilt

I stare at Andy.

At the bandages.

At the machines.

At the silence.

"This is my fault," I whisper one night.

Kaylee shakes her head. "Cass-"

"If I didn't say those things... he wouldn't have left."

"That's not how it works-"

"It is," I insist, tears falling again. "I pushed him away. I made him go out there."

My voice breaks.

"I broke him."

Then a few nights after.

Beep.

Beep.

Beep-

The sound changes.

I freeze.

"...Andy?"

His fingers twitch.

My heart stops.

"Andy?!"

His eyes slowly open.

For a second, everything feels like it's healing.

Like everything is going to be okay.

I laugh through my tears, grabbing his hand.

"You're awake-you're finally awake! Andy, I'm so sorry, I-"

I lean closer, holding him carefully, smiling through tears.

"I missed you so much. I was so scared, I thought I lost you, I-"

"...Who are you?"

Everything shatters.

I freeze.

My smile fades.

"...What?"

TO BE CONTINUED.........