The tribulation
1056 Words
Lexi and Sophia sat at a small table in the cozy cake shop, surrounded by the sweet aroma of freshly baked treats. They had just finished baking a cake and it was time to catch up on the events that happened at their various schools.
Sophia smiled mischievously. "Hey, Lexi? Guess what? Max bought me the cutest necklace today".
Lexi's eyes widened with excitement. "Aww, that's so sweet! What's it look like?"
Sophia pulled out her phone to show Lexi a picture of the necklace. "Isn't it adorable?. I left it at home".
Lexi oohed and ahhed over the necklace. "You're so lucky to have Max. He's always spoiling you."
Sophia grinned. "I know, right? So, what about you? Do you have anyone special in your life?"
Lexi shook her head. "Nah, I'm not ready for that yet. I'm just focusing on school and work."
Sophia nodded understandingly. "That's totally fine. You'll know when the time is right. Take your time ".
Lexi leaned in, a concerned expression on her face. "Hey, Sophia? I need to tell you something. Remember those girls who came to talk to me about Liam?"
Sophia's brow furrowed. "No, you didn't tell me about that. What happened?"
Lexi hesitated before continuing. "They came up to me at school and started threatening me. They were really aggressive, so I just walked away."
Sophia's eyes widened in alarm. "Oh my gosh, Lexi! You need to be careful around those girls. They sound really toxic."
Lexi nodded in agreement. "I know, right? I'm just going to avoid them from now on."
Sophia placed a reassuring hand on Lexi's arm. "Don't worry, Lexi. I've got your back. We'll deal with those girls together."
Lexi's eyes sparkled as she recounted her encounter with the mysterious person she met in the school courtyard.
"I'm telling you, Sophia, he made me feel so at home. He's my friend, I can feel it," Lexi said, her voice filled with excitement.
Sophia's curiosity was piqued. "That's amazing! What's his name?" she asked.
Lexi's face fell, and she looked sheepish. "Ah, I don't know. I forgot to ask."
Sophia's eyes widened in surprise. "You didn't ask for his name? How could you not ask?" she teased.
Lexi laughed. "I know, I know. It was just so surreal. We were talking, and I felt like I'd known him forever. I didn't think to ask for his name. I'm not even sure if he's a student in my school. He doesn't seem very familiar there, but there was something about him. He made me feel seen, you know ".
Sophia shook her head, grinning. "Well, you need to find out who he is. This is getting interesting!".
"He's my new friend, aside Ava".
"What about me?", Sophia rolled her eyes.
"You're not my friend any longer, you're my sister",Lexi laughed. Sophia laughed too.
The two friends chatted for a while longer, enjoying each other's company and discussing everything from school gossip to their favorite TV shows.
Just as Lexi and Sophia were deep in conversation, Lexi's phone suddenly rang, breaking the silence. She apologized to Sophia and answered the call.
"Hello?" Lexi said, her voice cautious.
Sophia watched as Lexi's expression changed from calm to concerned.
"What's wrong?" Sophia mouthed, but Lexi just shook her head and continued listening to the caller.
After a few moments, Lexi's face fell, and she looked like she had been punched in the gut.
"Sophia, I have to go," Lexi said, her voice trembling. "It's my aunt. She's been rushed to the hospital."
Sophia's eyes widened in shock. "Oh no, Lexi! I'm so sorry."
Lexi quickly grabbed her bag and rushed out of the cake shop, leaving Sophia alone to manage the shop.
Lexi's heart sank as she walked into the house and saw her aunt crying. She immediately went to her side and wrapped her arms around her.
"Aunty, I'm so sorry," Lexi whispered, holding her close. The anguish in her aunt's eyes was palpable, and Lexi's heart ached with compassion.
"Oh, Lexi... I thought this time would be different. I thought I'd finally get to hold my baby in my arms", She choked back a sob, her body shaking with grief.
"Aunty, I'm so sorry. I'm here for you, and I'm not going anywhere", She stroked her aunt's hair, trying to offer what little comfort she could,her eyes getting teary. She felt very sorry for her aunt.
"The doctor said it was just one of those things... that sometimes these things happen. But it's hard not to blame myself. I keep thinking about what I could've done differently.....".
Lexi's voice was lower, "Aunty, you can't blame yourself. These things happen, and it's not because of anything you did or didn't do. You're an amazing person, and you would've been an incredible mom".
" I just feel so lost, Lexi. I thought this baby was going to bring me so much joy... and now it's just gone", Her voice trailed off, and she dissolved into tears again.
"I'm here, Aunty. I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere. We'll get through this together, okay?", Lexi held her aunt close, rocking her gently back and forth as she cried.
Later that night,as Lexi lay in bed,her heart ached as she thought about her aunt's miscarriage. She knew how much her aunt and uncle had been wanting to start a family, and this latest loss was devastating.
As she lay in bed, Lexi couldn't help but think about how her uncle must be feeling too. He was always the strong one, but Lexi knew he was hurting just as much as her aunt.
Despite the sadness that filled her heart, Lexi's mind kept drifting to Julian. She remembered the way he smiled at her, the way his eyes sparkled when he talked about his art.
She recalled the day he walked into their cake shop, his face lighting up as he scanned the display case. The way he looked at her, the way his presence made her feel seen and heard.
As Lexi thought about Julian, she felt a sense of comfort wash over her. It was as if her thoughts of him were a gentle hug, reminding her that even in difficult times, there was still beauty and joy.
What was happening to her?,was she falling for him?.
- Writer
