Chapter 8 - They Laughed

Meeting Quince again, Behoeden asked, "Why did you run away?" Quince replied, "I had fake friends."

😔

Now, let's go back in time:

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Quince was with his wife, Charlotte. He felt unsure about his drink.

The thought of running away became his lifeline, a glimmer of hope in the darkness he was trapped in. It was as if he could see a distant light, a place where he could finally be himself, unburdened by the expectations and disappointments that had become his daily companions.

So, he held onto that feeling tightly, nurturing it like a secret ember. It was his way of coping, his way of believing that there was a way out, even when everything seemed bleak. The idea of running away wasn't just a physical escape; it was a way to reclaim his sense of identity and control, to shake off the shackles that were holding him down.

🙏🏼

Quince went to a bar where he met Carly, a girl around his age, as she was 16. She gave him some wine 🍷.

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After having a glass, he passed out. His so-called friends were there and offered to help Carly put him in their car. While they were driving him home, they saw Carly sexually assaulting Quince.

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When Quince woke up, he realized he was being sexually assaulted by Carly and managed to stop her.

His guy friends found this funny and told him the awful truth - what had happened was sexual assault. One of his friends named Jake admitted that Quince had been drugged. There were three friends in total.

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Quince cried a lot. His friends had never been in such a situation before, so they didn't understand and ridiculed him, saying he was being rude to Carly.

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Quince insisted they stop the car, and when they did, he walked back home.

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He went to his room and cried. Charlotte, his wife, was like a mother to him, but things had turned uncomfortable. She came to check on him.

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Quince didn't want her around and yelled at her to leave. So, she did. The next day, his friends tried to tell him that he should feel lucky about what happened, but Quince didn't see it that way. He told them how much it bothered him, and they were confused. They didn't understand his reaction.

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He just cried, and they tried to make him feel better because he was really upset. Quince didn't mean it, but he said something like a curse, wishing bad things would happen to them. But nothing bad happened. After that, he left school and left a letter for his wife while she was asleep, saying he wouldn't come back. Then he left.

Quince had this growing feeling deep inside, like an itch he couldn't scratch. It was like he was living in a cage, surrounded by walls that were closing in on him. The weight of everything, the fake friends, the painful memories, it all pressed down on him like a heavy blanket. He felt suffocated like he needed to break free.

Every day, that urge to escape became stronger. It was like a voice in his head, whispering that there was something better out there, somewhere far from the troubles he was facing. It wasn't just about leaving a place; it was about leaving behind the hurt, the betrayal, and the confusion. He yearned for a fresh start, a chance to breathe again without the weight of the past on his shoulders.

And as that feeling grew, it pushed him closer and closer to the edge, until one day, he found himself standing on the precipice, ready to take that leap of faith and chase after the freedom he so desperately craved.

In his heart, he knew that staying meant enduring more pain, more reminders of what had happened.

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Jumping to the present...

🙏🏼

Quince said, "This place is awful."

TO be continued...