_"Losing you as afriend would hurt me more
Because I know I'm the one who let you
Down"
Hannah POV
"Hannah what have you done," I whispered to myself, my mind racing with worries. It had been days since Elodie last spoke to me, and the silence was deafening. Had she discovered everything? Was that why she was ignoring me?
I couldn't shake the feeling that I had made a terrible mistake by hiding everything from her. But at the time, I didn't know what else to do. I had tried to distance myself from Daniel, but somehow, he always seemed to be there, pulling me back in.
Now, I was paying the price. I was losing my best friend, and I felt powerless to stop it. The thought of Elodie's disappointment and hurt cut deep, and I couldn't help but wonder if I had irreparably damaged our friendship.
Elodie was slowly leaving me and there was nothing I could do about it. "She hasn't texted you yet?" Daniel came into the classroom interrupting my thoughts.
"she hasn't also been coming to class also" he added.
"This is all my fault"... I muttered grabbing up my school bag as I turned to leave.
Daniel voice followed me "you shouldn't blame yourself Hannah"
I spun back to face him, my emotions raw. "Easy for you to say, you don't have a friend like Elodie. You don't know what it's like to lose someone who's been by your side since childhood.
Daniel's eyes narrowed, his grip on my hand tightening as he asked, "And what's that supposed to mean?"
I pulled my hand free, leaving his question hanging in the air like a challenge. I didn't have the energy to explain, to justify, or to defend. I just needed to escape, to get away from the guilt and the pain.
I'd been sending texts to Elodie all day, each one met with deafening silence. It was as if she was deliberately ignoring me, leaving me hanging with every unread message.
With a heavy heart, I sent one final text, my fingers trembling as I typed: "Elodie, please, we need to talk. Can you call me, please?"
I stared at the screen, willing her to respond. And then, I saw it - the message ticked, indicating she'd read it.
Seeing the message ticked, "seems like she read it..." I muttered slowly, my voice barely above a whisper. The confirmation only made the silence that followed more excruciating.
As I walked home alone like I've been doing for the past few weeks, I found myself standing in front of Elodie's gate, hesitant to pass by. "Will she be happy to see me?" I wondered, my mind racing with doubts. But I knew better than to intrude on her space, especially when she was still angry with me.
I continued walking, my feet carrying me towards my own home. Hours had passed since I sent that last text, and the silence was deafening. I couldn't help but think, "Seems like she didn't want to talk to me anymore."
A sigh escaped my lips as frustration and sadness washed over me. I felt like I was losing my best friend, and I didn't know how to stop it. The weight of my mistakes bore down on me, making each step feel heavier than the last.
My heart skipped a beat as I stared at the screen, Elodie's text illuminating the darkness: "Come over my place at 7pm...mum isn't around." It seemed like she finally wanted to talk, and I couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions - relief, anxiety, and hope.
I glanced at the clock on the wall, my mind racing with the time constraint. 6pm. I had just one hour to prepare myself, to gather my thoughts and calm my nerves. I took a deep breath, trying to shake off the uncertainty that had been plaguing me for days.
With newfound determination, I began to get ready, my hands moving swiftly as I tried to process what this meeting could mean. Was Elodie willing to forgive me? Or was this just a closure conversation? The questions swirled in my head, but one thing was certain - I had to be there, and I had to be honest.
Elodie POV
"It's been weeks since Hannah started bombarding me with non-stop texts. Every day, every minute, every second - it felt like she was suffocating me.
"Can't she take the hint?, that I didn't want to talk to her" I thought, exasperated, as another message popped up on my screen.
But then I saw an opportunity. I needed answers, and she wanted to know why I'd been dodging her. So I texted her back, my message carefully crafted: "Come over to my place at 7pm. Mum's not around." I left out the part about needing answers, leaving the text with less details.
As the clock ticked closer to 7pm, I felt a sense of anticipation wash over me.
"She'll be here any minute now," I thought to myself, glancing at the time for what felt like the hundredth time. With a sense of resignation, I pushed my textbooks aside, abandoning my attempts at productivity. I headed upstairs to quickly change into something more casual - a blue t-shirt and jean skirt before making my way downstairs to wait for Hannah's arrival.
Just as I was lost in thought, the doorbell rang, followed by the maid's gentle voice,
'Little miss, Hannah is here.' The interruption broke the spell, and I felt a flutter in my chest as I realized the moment of reckoning had finally arrived. I took a deep breath, smoothing out my clothes, and made my way to the front door, wondering what the next few minutes would bring.
As Hannah approached, her arms open wide for a hug, I instinctively retreated, my hands raised in a defensive gesture. 'Elodie...' she whispered, her voice laced with remorse. But I stood firm, my eyes narrowing slightly as she drew nearer
"I'm sorry, Elodie, I didn't mean to..." she began, her words trailing off as she sensed my resistance, her eyes pleading for forgiveness."
"There's nothing to be sorry about,' I said, my voice neutral, betraying none of the turmoil that churned inside me. The words felt like a lie, but I needed to keep up the facade, to pretend that everything was fine, that her constant texting and showing up unannounced hadn't rattled me. I raised an eyebrow, a silent question, as if to say,
"So, what do you want?" but Hannah just looked at me, her eyes searching, as mine stared at her also.
Hannah's eyes locked onto mine, her gaze piercing as if searching for a glimmer of truth. Then, her voice cracked as she spoke, the words tumbling out in a desperate plea.
"You hate me, don't you, Elodie? Answer me!" She grasped my arm, her fingers tightening as she shook me, her eyes welling up with tears.
"shout at me, hit me, but don't ignore me!' she begged, her voice breaking as she dissolved into sobs, her body trembling with emotion. The raw pain in her eyes was unbearable, and for a moment, my resolve wavered.
"'Why did you lie to me, Hannah?" I demanded, my voice rising in anger. "You were dating him, weren't you?" I said, my words spilling out in a rush as she looked at me suprised....
"I heard your conversation in the classroom, I know you planned everything!, why did you?"I shouted, my finger jabbing at her as if punctuating each word. The betrayal, pain and hurt boiled over again, and I couldn't contain it anymore. Hannah's tears faltered, and she took a step back, her eyes wide with fear, as if she realized too late that I had discovered her secret."
"Elodie, forgive me... I never meant to hurt you," Hannah pleaded, her voice trembling with remorse.
But my expression remained unforgiving. "You're sorry? You're sorry?" I repeated, my voice rising in anger. "You've shattered my trust, Hannah. Don't insult me with your empty apologies."
"You never meant to hurt me? But u did. You did Hannah"
But hannah's grip on my arm tightened. "I was going to tell you, I swear. I just needed time to find the right moment... please trust me"
My eyes flashed with fury. "Don't you dare ask me to trust you now, Hannah. You've had countless moments to confess, and you chose to lie instead."
Hannah's face crumpled, but my heart remained resolute. "Your words mean nothing to me now, Hannah. You've broken me... you should leave"
"Leave, Hannah," I said, my voice cold and detached, my eyes fixed on hers as they held no emotions.
But instead of backing down, Hannah's face contorted in anguish as she shouted my name taking me by surprise.
"Elodie, how can you say that? Are you really going to blame me for this?" she exclaimed, her voice rising in desperation.
"I tried to explain, to tell you about everything,I really tried, but I just couldn't ," Hannah continued, her words tumbling out in a rush. "I never wanted to hurt you, Elodie. I just couldn't bear the thought of losing you as my best friend."
But I was beyond consolation. "Save it, Hannah," I spat, tears streaming down my face. "You've made your choice, and now you have to live with it. You've lost me, Hannah. Forever."
With a surge of adrenaline, I pointed towards the door. "Get out! Get out of my sight, Hannah! I never want to see your face again!"
Hannah's face crumpled, and for a moment, I saw the friend I once knew, the one I thought I could trust. But the pain and betrayal were too fresh, and I hardened my heart.
"Elodie, please..." Hannah begged, taking a step forward as she tried to approach me.
But I stood firm, my arm outstretched, pointing towards the door. "No, Hannah. You need to leave. Now."
With a sob, Hannah turned and stumbled out of the room, leaving me shattered and alone. I collapsed onto the couch, surrounded by the memories of our friendship, now tainted by her betrayal.
As the tears flowed, I knew I had to confront the truth. Our friendship was over. And I would never be the same again.
But as I wept, I heard the sound of the front door closing, and I knew Hannah was really gone. And with her, a part of me was gone too.
"Was I too quick to judge her?" I wondered, my mind racing with doubts. "Was I wrong to blame her for this betrayal?"
I thought back to our friendship, to the laughter and secrets we shared. Had I misread her completely? Had she really tried to warn me, to explain, as she claimed?
But then I remembered the pain, the shock, the feeling of being punched in the gut when I discovered they were together. Could I really forgive her for that?
"Maybe I should have listened," I thought, my heart heavy with regret. "Maybe I should have given her a chance to explain."
But it was too late now. The damage was done. Our friendship was in tatters, and I was left to pick up the pieces of my shattered heart.
I sprang up from the couch, my emotions boiling over, and rushed into the kitchen, grasping the first object my desperate hands could find - a sharp, gleaming knife. The cool metal felt strangely comforting in my palm as I stood there, trying to catch my breath.
For a moment, I just held it, my mind racing with thoughts of what I could do, of how I could make the pain stop. But then reality set in, and I realized what I was holding. I wasn't capable of hurting anyone, least of all myself. I was just lost, alone, and searching for a way to release the anguish.
With a shaking hand, I placed the knife back in its block, and slumped against the counter, letting the tears flow once more. I needed to find a healthier way to cope with this heartache, to find a way to heal and move forward. But for now, I just let myself feel the pain.