She looked in his direction, she saw him coming downstairs, his eyes avoiding hers.
"I'm doing this for my future. You all wouldn't understand."
Thea's tears flowed as she realized Ryder's determination to leave. 'You're too abandoning me.' she murmured, her voice shaking with sadness.
The words he spoke felt like a thorn to her heart, piercing deep and causing unbearable pain. Her heart was bleeding, shattered into a million pieces. Heartbroken, she went to the main door and left the house, the sound of her footsteps echoing through the silent hallway.
"Thea... Thea... listen.." Elizabeth called out, but Thea didn't flinch, her feet steadily carrying her forward, away from the pleading voice.
"Ryder, why did you make her cry?" Elizabeth scolded, her voice laced with disappointment and anger. "She's only 15! It's totally acceptable for her to be angry with you, learning that you're leaving so suddenly."
Ryder's grandma sighed."Yes, Ryder, she was ecstatic about today, but your words completely devastated her."
"Let me ask Mr. Jack to go after her and drop her at her home. Ryder, today you have totally disappointed me." She shook her head, her expression a mix of sadness and disapproval.
Ryder began to protest, "But mother—" but she cut him off.
"No, Ryder. Your behavior with her was unacceptable. You will apologize to her today." Ryder was taken aback, realizing his mistake. He was also disappointed in himself, wondering why he had behaved rudely with her.He knew he had hurt her deeply, and the weight of his actions was crushing him.
Thea's feet felt heavy as she walked along the road, her mind reeling with the shock of news of Ryder's departure. The sound of a car pulling over beside her broke the silence, and she turned to see Mr. Jack, his kind face a stark contrast to the pain she felt.
"Miss, please get inside the car. Madam asked me to drop you at your home."
"Uncle Jack, thanks,I can go home by myself.. Have a safe drive."
But Mr. Jack was insistent. "No, miss, Madam has already asked me to drop you off at any cost. Please, get in."
She finally nodded, and Mr. Jack opened the door for her. As she boarded the car, she felt a lump form in her throat. Throughout the journey, both of them kept quiet, the only sound being the hum of the engine. From time to time, Mr. Jack would glance at her through the rear mirror, his eyes filled with sympathy.
Thea kept her gaze fixed outside the window, her eyes blurring with tears. No one could tell what she was thinking, but her heart was screaming with pain and sadness.
Her parents had left her and now Ryder whom
she thought she could count on.. was soon going to abandon her too.
Why hadn't he told her about his decision to study abroad? The fact that he had kept her in the dark made her feel insignificant, and she couldn't shake off the painful question: was she really no one to him?
Tears streamed down her face, hot and relentless. She felt like she was losing everything, everyone, and it was too much to handle.
Why was this happening to her? What had she done to deserve such pain? She felt like she was being ripped apart, her soul torn from her body.
His harsh words and cold demeanor had cut her deeper than she thought possible. She felt like she was nothing to him.The thought was too much to bear, and her tears falling like rain.
"Miss, we have arrived." Mr. Jack informed her.
Her thoughts lingered on Ryder, the ache of his impending departure throbbing like an open wound.
"Yes...uncle," she replied, her voice mechanical and detached, before she hastily wiped away the tears streaming down her face.
"Miss, are you okay?"
But Thea was lost in her thoughts, oblivious to his words .She stepped out of the car, her movements slow and mechanical. A faint, automatic smile crossed her lips, a reflexive response to Mr. Jack's kindness, but her eyes remained dull and lifeless, betraying the depth of her emotional pain.
Mr. Jack's expression softened with compassion as he sensed her distress. With a gentle nod, he bid her farewell.