Heart to heart

LEAH'S POV

I fled to the sanctuary of my room, locking the door behind me. The dam burst, and I surrendered to tears. The shower's warm embrace beckoned, and I stripped away my clothes, letting the water envelop me like a comforting hug. I sank into the bathtub, wrapping my arms around my knees, and let the tears flow. The water cascaded down, a soothing melody accompanying my sorrow. Memories of the bitter argument with Emily replayed in my mind, the pain and frustration still raw and overwhelming.

"I got out of the shower and quickly reached for my phone to call Fattu, my trusted confidante. But she didn't pick up, and I was left feeling more isolated than ever. I changed into my cozy PJs and collapsed onto my bed, my mind racing with thoughts of what to do next. Fattu was the only one I could turn to, the only one who understood me.

Just then, my phone rang, and I jumped, hoping it was Fattu finally calling back. But it was my dad's voice on the other end, his deep tone a comforting sound. 'Hey kiddo, just a heads up, I'll be running a bit late tonight.' I tried to sound normal, but my voice cracked, betraying my emotions.

'What's wrong, sweetie?' he asked, his concern evident. 'You sound a little off.'

I forced a yawn, trying to play it cool. 'I was just sleeping when you called, that's all.'

'Okay, well, get some rest then,' he said, his skepticism palpable. 'We'll talk when I get home.'

I nodded, even though he couldn't see me. 'Love you, Dad.'

'Love you too, kiddo. See you soon.'

The call ended, and I felt a mix of relief and anxiety. I knew my dad could sense something was wrong, but I wasn't ready to talk about it yet. At least, not until I had Fattu's guidance and support."

"I hesitated, then knocked on Emily's door, hoping she wouldn't respond. To my relief, there was silence. I quickly informed Maria of our breakfast plans for the next day - avocado toast - and then retreated to the safety of my room. My mind was still reeling, and I sent a desperate message to Fattu, 'I really need someone to talk to, call me back when you see this 🥺😭.' As I waited for her response, my exhaustion finally caught up with me, and I drifted off to sleep, my thoughts still tangled in my mind."

...

"I woke up to the sound of my alarm blaring in my ear, a constant reminder that it was Sunday. I'm not one for church, so I usually spend my Sundays lounging around. After a refreshing bath, I slipped into a comfy short dress and settled onto my couch, phone in hand. That's when I saw it - a string of missed calls and messages from Fattu, all asking me to pick up. I couldn't help but laugh at her persistence. I quickly hit facetime and filled her in on all the drama that had gone down. She listened attentively, offering words of encouragement and support. 'You got this, girl! You're strong and capable. Don't let anyone bring you down.' She reminded me that our holiday was just two weeks away and we'd finally get to meet up and forget all our worries. Her motivation was just what I needed to boost my mood. 'You're not alone in this, I'm here for you,' she said. 'We'll get through it together.' Her words stuck with me long after our call ended, a reminder that true friends are hard to find, but they can make all the difference in the world."

As I ended my call with Fattu, exhaustion overwhelmed me, and I mindlessly scrolled through Instagram. That's when I stumbled upon a picture of a handsome boy who looks a couple of years older than me, which momentarily distracted me from my anxiety. I felt those familiar butterflies in my stomach, despite my hesitation, I left a flattering comment on the post, my heart racing with a mix of excitement and nervousness. But my respite was short-lived, as I soon remembered my impending conversation with Emily, who I feared harbored hatred towards me. My heart sank, and my nerves tensed, anticipating the daunting conversation that lay ahead.

"As I stepped out of my room, I pondered what to say to Emily, but Fattu's words of encouragement echoed in my mind. I made my way to her room, knocked on the door, and when she didn't respond, I hesitantly entered, trying to brush off the feeling of invading her privacy. However, she wasn't there, so I hurried downstairs to alert Dad and Maria. But to my surprise, I found Emily sitting at the kitchen table. I approached her and said, 'Hey, good morning, Emily,' attempting to sound cheerful, though it wasn't my usual tone with her. She merely looked up at me, then back at her plate, without uttering a word...

"I sat beside Emily on the kitchen stool and said, 'We need to talk, Emily.' She turned to face me, her voice rising as she asked, 'About what?' I replied with a questioning look, but she didn't respond. I took a deep breath and said, 'Emily, I love you.' Her eyes softened, and tears welled up, but she remained silent. I continued, 'Yes, Emily, I love you, and as your elder and only sister, it's my responsibility to ensure everything is okay. I have to be protective of you, especially with Mom not here. I'm responsible for everything now.' Tears began to flow from my eyes as I spoke, and Emily's face crumpled. 'I miss her too, Leah,' she whispered, and then she wrapped me in a warm embrace, holding me as we both let our tears flow."

"In that instant, Emily and I reconciled, and our hearts were lighter. Our disagreement was forgotten, and we reverted to our usual selves, surrounded by the warmth and love we shared as sisters. The tension dissipated, and our bond was stronger than ever. We had weathered a brief storm, but our connection remained unshakeable."

"I suddenly remembered Dad and rushed to the sitting room to greet him. I gave him a hug, and he kissed me, asking, 'Why are you so happy, sweetie?' I laughed and replied, 'You make me happy!' i was being cheesy ,I asked if he had eaten, and he said yes, so I turned to leave, but he called out, 'Want to talk about something, Leah?' I hesitated for a moment, but then returned to sit with him and shared everything that had happened with Emily - the kiss, the party, and our reconciliation. He listened understandingly and offered to talk to Emily, but I asked him to wait until she had processed everything herself."

"Feeling elated after making amends with Emily, I decided to stick to my routine and go for my Sunday walk. I changed into my sweatpants and matching top, grabbed the leash, and headed out with my dog,trump. As we strolled along, I least expected to run into the last person I wanted to see - Jake. I thought to myself, 'Why does fate always seem to bring me face-to-face with this dude?'"

"I attempted to ignore him and keep walking, but Jake called out, 'Hey Leah!' I reluctantly replied, 'Hi Jake,' my tone laced with confusion. I tried to keep moving, hoping to avoid a conversation, but he persisted. 'How are you?' he asked, and I mumbled a half-hearted 'I'm good, I guess' while continuing to walk away. But Jake quickened his pace to keep up with me, asking, 'Leah, are you trying to get away from me? What happened?' His questions caught me off guard, and I felt a lump form in my throat."

"'What do you want, Jake?' I asked, my voice rising in frustration, almost shouting. 'Calm down, what are you angry about?' he replied, taking a step back as I approached him, my fury evident. 'You don't know what I'm angry about, huh?' I spat, my words laced with venom. Jake's expression changed, and he said with a smirk, 'You look cute when you're angry, you know.' His comment only fueled my irritation, and I continued to fume, my anger boiling over."

"I tried to turn around and walk away, but Jake caught me by the waist and pulled me close, our bodies almost touching. I could feel my heart racing, and I'm sure he could hear it too. I'd never been this close to a boy before, and my cheeks flushed with embarrassment. He gently tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, and I felt a flutter in my chest. But I quickly snapped out of it, realizing what he was doing. I pushed him away, trying to compose myself, and exclaimed, 'What the hell are you doing, Jake?' My voice was laced with annoyance and a hint of nervousness

What was that i just saw ,Jake said with a flirtatious smile evident on his face . Jake, what are you talking about?" I asked, trying to play it cool while adjusting my shirt. He smirked, "I knew I'd get a reaction out of you." I felt my heart race as he said, "I want you, Leah." No boy had ever been so straightforward with me before, and I couldn't help but feel a flutter in my chest. But I tried to brush it off, saying, "Leave me alone, Jake. Simone would kill me if she knew I was even talking to you." I put my headphones back on and started to walk away, trying to distance myself from the awkwardness.