Sunday morning was a quiet one. The house was unusually still, and I felt a strange sense of unease. Sarah had been acting differently since Friday, her usual warmth replaced by a distant coldness. I had thought confronting the bullies for her would bring us closer, but something had shifted, and I couldn't quite understand why.
I decided to confront her, hoping to clear the air. I found her in the kitchen, absently scrolling through her phone.
"Hey, Sarah," I began, trying to keep my tone light. "Can we talk?"
She looked up, her expression unreadable. "What is it, Alex?"
I hesitated, unsure of how to start. "You've been acting differently. I thought things would be better after I stood up to those bullies for you, but it feels like you're avoiding me."
Sarah sighed, putting her phone down. "Alex, you don't get it, do you? What you did... it made things worse."
I felt a jolt of confusion. "What do you mean? I thought I was helping."
"Helping?" she echoed, her voice tinged with frustration. "You just made me a bigger target. Now they're saying I can't handle my own problems and need my big brother to fight my battles for me. Do you know how humiliating that is?"
My stomach dropped. "Sarah, I... I didn't know. I just wanted to protect you."
She shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes. "You don't understand, Alex. You never do. You made everything about you, like you're the hero of some story. But this is my life, and now it's even harder because of you."
Her words cut deep, each one a dagger of guilt and shame. "I'm sorry," I whispered, feeling the weight of my mistake.
Sarah's expression hardened. "Sorry isn't enough. I need you to stay out of my life. You think you're helping, but you're just making things worse."
I wanted to protest, to explain my intentions, but the look in her eyes stopped me. This wasn't just about the bullies; it was about everything. My constant need for validation, my inability to understand others' perspectives—it all came crashing down on me.
"Okay," I said softly, my voice trembling. "I'll stay out of your way."
Sarah turned away, her shoulders shaking with silent sobs. I left the kitchen, feeling the full weight of her rejection. The house felt colder, emptier, and I retreated to my room, the one place that still felt like a sanctuary.
Lying on my bed, I stared at the ceiling, my mind a whirlwind of regret and self-loathing. I'd lost the one person who had always been there for me, the one person I thought I was protecting. Now, she wanted nothing to do with me, and it was all my fault.
The day passed in a blur of misery. I couldn't shake the image of Sarah's tearful face, her words echoing in my mind. I'd thought I was doing the right thing, but I'd only succeeded in pushing her away. My attempts to be the hero had backfired spectacularly, leaving me more isolated than ever.
As night fell, I found myself drawn to the cave. It was the only place where I felt any semblance of peace, where I could escape the crushing weight of my failures. The journey there was familiar, but this time it felt different—more somber, more desperate.
Inside the cave, I sat by the fountain, the cool water a stark contrast to the turmoil inside me. I didn't speak this time; there were no words to capture the depth of my despair. The silence was comforting, a temporary reprieve from the chaos of my thoughts.
Hours passed, and I finally made my way back home, the darkness of the night reflecting the emptiness I felt. The house was quiet, everyone asleep, and I slipped into my room, the place that had become my refuge.
Lying in bed, I stared at the ceiling, the events of the day replaying in my mind. I'd lost Sarah, driven her away with my misguided attempts to help. The realization was a heavy burden, one that threatened to crush me.
As I drifted into a fitful sleep, one thought remained clear: I had to find a way to make things right, to mend the rift I'd created. But for now, I was left to grapple with the harsh reality of my actions, the last heartbreak that had shattered the fragile confidence I'd built.
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Author's note
Did Sarah do the right thing?
Yes/No
But just to let you guys know the moment is about to come.
Let's see what happens in the next chapter
Sayonara