The Guardians

I let out a long, heavy sigh as I reluctantly closed the book in my hands, the words I'd been reading blurring together as my thoughts drifted. The library had been my sanctuary, my escape from the mess that was my life.

If I could, I'd spend hours, even days here, immersed in the written word, pretending the outside world didn't exist. But reality has a way of forcing itself into your thoughts, no matter how much you try to drown it out. The weight in my chest grew heavier as I thought of home.

Home, where chaos awaited—my parents' constant arguing, their voices always sharp with anger, filled with words that cut deeper than I wanted to admit. They didn't love each other anymore, that much was clear. And all I wanted was to forget it all, to find a place where I could just breathe.

But it wasn't that easy, was it? Life doesn't let you hide for long.

I rubbed my temples, trying to block out the harsh memories of their screaming, of their insults. I didn't need to hear them anymore. I didn't want to. I was tired of it all. But what could I do? Where could I go?

I was snapped out of my self-imposed haze when I realized someone was standing right in front of me. Cullen. He stood there, flipping through the pages of the same book I had been reading, his eyes scanning the pages with a sense of quiet determination. When had he even gotten here? I hadn't noticed him walk in. Had he been watching me?

My heart skipped a beat as I blinked in surprise. Panic surged through me, and I instinctively lifted the book to hide behind it, hoping he hadn't seen my expression shift from one of quiet contemplation to pure shock. I had to get away. I couldn't stay here, not with him so close. My thoughts were already scattered, and now I was just a mess of awkwardness and uncertainty.

I stood up quickly, nearly knocking over the chair in my haste. Without even thinking, I started walking away, the book still clutched to my chest like a shield. I couldn't make eye contact with him. I couldn't do this.

That was Cullen, the president of our school. And, unfortunately, he was also one of my most persistent enemies. I couldn't even remember how it had started.

We had just hated each other since the very first day of high school. Maybe it was the way he looked at me like he could see right through me, or maybe it was the way he made everything seem like a competition, even the simplest of things. There was something about him that made my skin crawl, and I was pretty sure the feeling was mutual.

His presence alone sent a shiver down my spine. He had this power over me, this ability to make my pulse race and my mind freeze, and I hated it. I hated how effortlessly he could get under my skin. He was my kryptonite, and I couldn't even pinpoint why.

I barely even realized I had reached the librarian's desk until I handed her the book. My fingers were trembling slightly, and I forced myself to focus. I needed to leave. The last thing I needed was another confrontation with Cullen.

He was just one of many who found my personality… difficult to deal with. People often called me a bitch. I didn't care much anymore. I had learned that being kind, being gentle, didn't get you anywhere. I'd learned that the hard way. So I built walls around myself. I spoke my mind, and I didn't care if it hurt. My words had become sharper, more biting over the years. It was the only way I knew how to survive.

I stormed out of the library and headed toward the school gate, the cold air hitting my face like a slap, but I didn't care. I had promised myself I wouldn't go home today. I was going to spend my time elsewhere, anywhere but there.

Just as my foot hit the pavement, I felt something hard smack against the back of my head. It was a sharp, stinging contact that made my breath catch. My instincts kicked in, and I immediately turned around, scanning the ground. There it was: a crumpled piece of paper wrapped with something hard.

I groaned under my breath, my irritation flaring up before I even had a chance to process it.

"Oh! I'm sorry, Sil. I didn't see you!" a voice chirped mockingly.

I glanced up, narrowing my eyes, and saw Gail standing with her two lackeys—her so-called "clown" friends. They looked like they had just walked out of some bizarre circus performance, with their garish makeup and exaggerated smiles. But the worst part was that they were always glued to her side like mindless pets, hanging on her every word.

I didn't waste time. I bent down, grabbed the crumpled paper, and straightened up. My fingers curled around it, and I squeezed until it was compact enough to be as hard as a little bullet. Without hesitation, I flicked it with my fingers, the ball hurtling through the air like a missile.

"AWW!" Gail screamed, her hands flying up to her forehead like she'd been hit by a car. The sound of her overreaction was almost too satisfying.

I stifled a laugh. Of course, it would hurt, but not nearly as much as she was making it out to be. I knew her too well. She lived for drama. The shrill, exaggerated sound of her voice echoed in the air as she rubbed her forehead, glaring at me with a venomous look.

"You little—" she started, but I wasn't having any of it.

I raised a finger in front of her face, cutting her off mid-sentence.

"If you've forgotten which club I belong to, it's probably a good idea for you to stay at least five meters away from me," I warned coldly. The edge in my voice made her hesitate, her eyes flickering between me and the thought of what I could do to her if she pushed me any further.

She hesitated, then took a step back, clearly recalling the consequences of crossing me. I almost smirked at the sight. I loved that I still had this power over her.

"Look!" She scoffed, her lips trembling with frustration. "Leave my boyfriend alone or—"

I couldn't hold back the laughter that bubbled up. "Holy heck, it's almost been a year!" I said, cutting her off. "He's all yours, goddammit! I don't recycle garbage."

The words left my mouth before I could stop them, and I could see the stinging effect they had. The flush of defeat across her face was enough to satisfy me. I plastered a smirk on my face, watching as she struggled to find a response. But I didn't have time for her games.

I turned just in time to see him—the one she was so desperate to claim—walking toward us. Levi.

I sneered, unable to hide the disdain that crept up in my chest. "Fence him, chain him for all I care. You, guys, are long dead to me," I hissed, my words sharp like a blade. I didn't need to explain myself to her. She could figure it out.

Without waiting for her to retort, I pivoted on my heel, heading straight toward the gate. My mind was already somewhere else, somewhere far away from the mess that had followed me these past months.

As I walked, I bit my lip to calm the storm inside me. It wasn't the first time I had faced her, and it certainly wouldn't be the last. But something about today felt different. My words felt heavier than usual, and the sting of the past was more alive than I wanted it to be.

I wasn't over it. The wound they left hadn't healed. It was still there, gnawing at me, hunting me, following me wherever I went. I knew I hadn't fully let go. And I didn't know if I ever would. But what did it matter?

The world kept turning, and so did I.

I wrapped my scarf tighter around my neck, thankful for the warmth it provided. I could feel my sinuses starting to flare up—great, just what I needed.

I cursed under my breath, wishing I hadn't left my mask at home. This wasn't a day I could afford to get sick.

I quickly hailed a cab, wanting to get as far away from the school as possible. The driver greeted me with a soft grunt, his voice a little raspy from the cold. He mentioned something about the temperature dropping, and I nodded, rubbing my hands together for warmth.

As the car pulled away from the school, I let my gaze wander to the fogged-up windshield, my fingers tracing absent patterns on the glass. The city around me was alive with activity, but I couldn't seem to shake the feeling of emptiness that had settled deep within me.

I could hear the thrum of life outside, but all I could focus on was the heaviness in my chest. It was as though something inside of me was broken, and no amount of distractions could fix it.

I glanced out the window, and my eyes caught the decorations hanging along the streets. Thousands of heart-shaped balloons floated in the air, their soft golden light glistening in the dull gray of the afternoon. It was the same every year, the same decorations for the mayor's wedding anniversary. I hated them. The bright colors, the lovey-dovey atmosphere—it all felt so… forced.

I had seen those decorations before, years ago, and they had been different then. The memories came flooding back—memories of laughter, of warmth, of a time when I was happy, before everything had fallen apart. I remembered standing beside him, laughing at the stupid way he had almost slipped on the ice.

His cologne had lingered in the air, a comforting presence as he pulled me close for a hug. His voice, so steady and calm, had told me how much he loved me, and I had believed him. I had trusted him with everything I had.

But that was before. Now, I was left with only the ache of what had been lost.

"I miss him," I whispered under my breath, not caring if the driver could hear me. The tears had already started to slip down my face, and I wiped them away hastily. How long had it been since he left? It felt like just yesterday, and yet it felt like a lifetime.

"Ma'am, are you okay?" The driver's voice pulled me back to the present, his tone filled with concern.

I blinked, realizing I had been lost in my thoughts for far too long. I wiped my cheeks, trying to stop the tears, but it felt like they wouldn't stop coming.

I forced myself to breathe, to pull myself together. I glanced at my reflection in the windshield. The person staring back at me was unrecognizable—broken, haunted by memories that I couldn't escape.

Before I could collect my thoughts, the world around me seemed to change. I heard the screeching of tires, a sound so loud and abrupt that it made my heart skip a beat. I turned toward the sound, my breath catching in my throat.

A ten-wheeler truck was speeding toward us, barreling down the road with no intention of stopping. My body went cold, my heart thudding painfully in my chest. My body screamed at me to run, but my legs refused to move. I couldn't move.

I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing myself for the impact, for the crash that would surely end everything.

But then, nothing.

I slowly opened my eyes, unsure if I was alive or if I had already died. The truck was frozen in midair, suspended in time like a moment caught in a dream. My breath caught in my throat. What was happening?

I looked around, my mind spinning, and saw them. Figures—three men, each one more unreal than the last.

The first one was tall, with striking blue hair that shimmered in the dull light. He landed in front of the truck, a confident smirk playing on his lips.

The second man landed beside him, his expression serious, but there was something almost amused in his eyes. The third man was younger, maybe even a little boy, but the way he looked at the others suggested he held some kind of power, some kind of authority.

"Oh! That was close, Tim!" The blue-haired one looked at the frozen truck with a grin, muttered.

"You shouldn't have done that, Frost. Father will kill you if he finds out," the second man chided whom that Frost referred to as Tim.

"Stop it, both of you," the third man interrupted, his voice sharp, as though he were the one in charge. "I thought we agreed to go home before Father notices we're gone."

That Frost grinned again, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "We can't just leave things like this, Fall."

"What can you do?" the second man named Tim, responded. "Use your magic again, and Father will really kill you."

I didn't know what to make of this conversation. Magic? What magic?

That Frost guy turned to that Tim guy, a serious look crossing his face. "Turn back time so no one knows we were here. We can't let anyone know we exist."

"Ugh, I'll get the blame again," Tim groaned. He raised his hand, and before I could even blink, they disappeared, leaving nothing but the stillness of the frozen world behind.

I was left sitting there, my mind reeling. What had just happened? What was I supposed to make of any of this?

The world around me seemed to return to normal, the truck unfreezing but this time, it didn't hit us—the sounds of the city coming back to life like nothing happened.

The driver turned to me, his voice concerned. "Ma'am, are you okay?"

I stared at him blankly. Was I okay? What in the actually heck was that?!

"P-Please, stop the car," I stuttered. I quickly paid him, leaving more money than I should have. "Keep it," I muttered as I stepped out of the cab.

As I walked away, I felt a strange unease settling deep in my gut. Was that a hallucination? Had I taken too much antidepressants—no! It felt to real to be just hallucinations and I always take my meds correctly.

I wasn't sure if I was losing my mind, but one thing was certain: my life had just taken a turn I couldn't understand.

"I-It must have been the meds," I whispered to myself, chuckling. Otherwise, nothing would make sense.