As the confrontation between Cedric and Sarah came to a head, the others in the room looked on in shock. Charlotte, in particular, was visibly shaken, as she was asked by Sarah to leave the room. She looked at Sarah, her face downcast, and said, "but Sarah!" ...
Her eyes welled up with tears as she gazed at Sarah again, her face crumpling in distress. "But Sarah! How can you?" she exclaimed, her voice trembling. She clutched her head in her hands, as if trying to process the shock, and then turned and fled the room, sobs echoing behind her.
Peter rushed after her, his footsteps soft on the floor. He caught up to her and gently placed a hand on her shoulder, his touch a comforting gesture. "Hey, don't go," he said softly. "You need to stick around for Sarah's sake. She's your friend, and she needs you now more than ever." His words were laced with empathy, and his gentle tapping on her shoulder was a soothing balm to her frazzled emotions.
"By the way, do you mind if we take a walk?" Peter asked, and the two of them left the room, leaving Sarah, Chris, and me behind. We were clueless about their destination, but I suspected Peter was trying to calm Charlotte down and offer her some comfort. A few minutes later, they returned with steaming cups of coffee for each of us - except Sarah, who was still feeling unwell.
Thirty minutes later, the doctor arrived, and Sarah was discharged. We drove her home in her car, with me behind the wheel. The ride was marked by an awkward silence, as if each of us was tiptoeing around the elephant in the room. We were all hesitant to speak, fearing that our words might inadvertently hurt Sarah again. So we drove on, enveloped in an uncomfortable stillness.
As we walked Sarah to the girls' hostel, a surprising transformation took place. Sarah, once distraught, was now chatting amiably with Charlotte, as if the earlier confrontation had never occurred.
But our pleasant stroll was short-lived. As we turned a corner, we encountered a pair of guys who snickered and mocked me. "Hey, Mr. Poor Boy!" they jeered. "We heard you used to rock those baggy, balloon jeans until Sarah took you under her wing. But now that you've blown it, you'll be back to your old self, sporting those faded, baggy jeans." Their laughter cut deep, stinging my pride.
Chris, who was walking behind me, couldn't contain himself. He burst into uncontrollable laughter, clearly entertained by the guys' teasing. Still chuckling, he rushed up to me and grasped my hand. "Hey, man, no hard feelings!" he exclaimed, his eyes still shining with amusement. "It was just funny how they just put it out there. I'm sorry, man."
As we bid Sarah farewell outside the girls' hostel, our paths diverged, and we went our separate ways. That night, I was consumed by regret, haunted by the realization that my actions had jeopardized the relationships I cherished most. I had allowed my love for both women to cloud my judgment, and now I risked losing them both - a devastating prospect that filled my heart with anguish.
I paced back and forth in my room, the creaking floorboards echoing my restless thoughts. The scene that had shattered Sarah's heart replayed in my mind like a broken record, each painful moment etched in my memory. Exhausted by the weight of my regret, I collapsed onto my desk. My energy was depleted, drained by the unwise choices I had made.
Time seemed to have stopped, and I found myself fidgeting, changing my sitting position every few minutes. My mind restless with worries: Would Sarah still love me? What would happen between Charlotte and me? The uncertainty was suffocating.
Just as I was lost in thought, my phone jolted me back to reality, its shrill ring piercing the silence. I hastily grabbed my phone from the bed, my heart racing as I saw Sarah's name flashing on the screen. I hesitated, my finger hovering over the answer button. The phone rang again, and with a deep breath, I summoned the courage to pick up.
"Hey Sarah, how are you feeling, my cherry blossom?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. My breath caught in my throat, and I felt a suffocating tightness in my chest. "I am really sorry for how I treated you, I mean you are the only person who have loved me, and cherished me, and now look what I have just done to you. I am so sorry." As I spoke, my voice cracked, and I struggled to hold back tears. I paused, taking a deep breath to compose myself, but the words still trembled on my lips.
"Oh, don't worry about that, Cedric," Sarah said softly. "I was worried about you, that's why I called. I didn't expect an apology; I just wanted to talk. Here's what I was thinking: maybe it's best if we go back to being friends, without any romantic expectations. What do you think? Can we try that?"
I felt a pang in my chest as I processed her words. "Sarah, I...I think you're breaking up with me," I stammered, trying to hold back my emotions. "I guess I deserve it. Thank you for wanting to remain friends, though. It means a lot to me. But I have to admit, it's going to be tough for me to adjust to. It'll be different, and a little awkward, but I'll try."
"Nice, seems like we've agreed," Sarah said, her voice a mix of sadness and resolve. "Sleep well, my lovely friend and ex-boyfriend." The line went dead, leaving me stunned.
I collapsed onto my bed, reeling from the news. I had loved Sarah deeply, and now my indecisiveness had cost me the love of my life. The weight of my regret was crushing.
A few minutes later, my phone rang again. This time, it was Charlotte. "Hey, I tried to call you a few minutes ago, but it seemed like you were on another call," she said, concern etched in her voice. "How are you holding up?"
I took a deep breath, trying to compose myself. "So, so," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper.
"Well, Cedric, I couldn't sleep," Charlotte said, her voice filled with emotion. "I was thinking about you, and I wanted you to know that despite what happened today, I love you. If Sarah breaks up with you, it's her loss, because I'm here for you, and I mean it."
Before I could respond, the line went dead. I was left staring blankly into space, my mind reeling with conflicting emotions. Sarah had just broken up with me, and now Charlotte had declared her love for me. I felt torn, unsure of what to do next.