Elona’s POV
I was curled up in bed, tears streaming down my face. I didn’t even bother to change into my pajamas last night. It was still storming today. My father came home late last night, so before that, I had dragged myself up to my bedroom. I managed to sleep, but it is like I have this pit of hurt in my stomach that won’t go away, and it makes me feel nauseous.
Tristan is going to have a baby and, of course, he would choose his unborn baby over me. He chose that woman over me. That hurts a lot. I grabbed my pillow, burying my face into it. I let out the loudest scream that I could, and I just sobbed all over again. Why does this have to hurt so badly? He was my first love, my crush, my first in everything.
What also hurt me was when he threw the lies I had said back in my face, as if he really didn’t move on when I told him the truth. He made me believe that he was okay with it. Every word that he said to me, professing his love to me and wanting to marry me one day, was now all down the drain and I can never get that back. He chose his life forever and that does not include me. That hurts me even more.
I reached for my phone, there were texts from Cris.
Cris: I’m back home and my father looks like crap… Alcohol, as you know. But there is an exciting reason for that.
Cris: Hellooo? Anyone home?
Cris: I guess you’re sleeping.
Cris: So, my father is in a bad mood, but I will be coming over in a few minutes. I have something to share with you.
That was sent a few minutes ago. I scrolled through mine and Tristan’s text conversation thread before our break-up happened. He loved me, but now that is not the case anymore.
Crane: I love you.
Crane: You are beautiful.
Crane: I cannot wait to wake up next to you one day when you are Mrs Crane.
Crane: I’m never leaving your side.
Crane: You drive me crazy.
Crane: You are my fresh start. You keep me alive, you are the brightest light in my world that was once gray.
Crane: I will take care of you. You don’t need to go through this condition alone. I will be a hands-on boyfriend. This won’t scare me away. I love you so much.
Fresh tears ran down my cheeks as I read those old texts. Then there was pounding on the front door. I placed my phone on the bed and I mustered up the strength to sit up. Wiping the tears away with the back of my hands before I dragged myself out of bed.
I looked at myself in the mirror, my eyes were all puffy from crying so much that they even gave me a headache. I sucked in a deep breath as I walked out of the bedroom. I felt hollow inside. My father must’ve left early for work. I went down the stairs and opened the front door.
“I was just about to text you again,” Cris was on her phone, and then she looked up at me. Her brows furrowed. “What is wrong?” she stepped closer and then my lips trembled, I just couldn’t keep my sobs under control, and then, as I let it out, she wrapped her arms around me, holding me in the doorway. I held onto her for dear life because she was part of Tristan, the closest connection that I have to him.
“Hey, I’m here… Shhhh,” she comforted me, rubbing my back gently. I tried to stop, but slowly I managed, as I pulled away. She cupped the sides of my face, “Everything is okay,” but I shook my head.
“It’s not.”
“Okay. I am all ears, okay? Let me close the door,” she let go of me to close the door.
I moved further into the lounge, but I stood, I just couldn’t sit down. Cris remained standing too. She was worried. “I’m sorry that you have to see me this way,” I said, wiping my tears away with the back of my hands.
“I swear you and my father are going through the motions today. If it helps, I’m going to be a big sister. My father just told me the news. I never thought that he would be with Maggie again, he despised her. But I guess things changed.” I didn’t want to hear that. It was crushing my heart even more. “I guess that didn’t help.”
I sucked in a breath, “Your father and I were secretly dating, and we planned on telling you and my father when we graduated. We kept on lying to you both and everyone else. I love him, and now I’m broken because he chose her.” my voice broke.
Cris just looked at me as if she was thinking about all the times that Tristan and I were together. “So, I was right about his jacket, the wallpapers, you both spending so much time together, and also the fact that you both didn’t want kids… I mean with your endometriosis… he was always around you at Dakota Agency to protect you and being your guardian. All the time, I thought that I was crazy and that it was nothing, that he chose you over me as his daughter. I felt jealous that he couldn’t even do that for me. But it all makes sense now,” she said as she held my gaze.
“I’m sorry that we lied.” I was more worried about her reaction right now. It was scaring me.
“I finally get to be a big sister, and I believe that my father is doing that thing with Maggie. I-I need time,” she said as tears welled up in her eyes.
“I love him.”
“It’s an infatuation-”
“He loved me too,” I interrupted.
“I saw the way that you made him come to life, but let him be with someone that can give us a family. You probably can never give us that,” That crushed my heart.
“But I’m like family, Cris,” a tear streamed down my face.
“I need time,” she said, and then she stormed out of the front door.
I fell to my knees on the floor, burying my face in my hands as I sobbed. Nothing can take this pain away. I lost my best friend too. I know I have lost her. I don’t think that she would ever want to face me again. I cannot breathe, my heart is already in pieces, so how much more can it break?
I lost the two people in my life that I love so much, and I don’t know what will make this any better. I don’t think that I can’t go through this. I can’t. I just want this heartache to stop, but when will it end? Clearly, Cris is on Maggie’s side because she will be a big sister, with her being on Maggie’s side is everything that just crushed me even further, and I don’t think that I can get back up. I don’t ever think that I can get past this.