Starting Over

The motel room smelled faintly of lemon cleaner and something stale, like dust that had settled in the corners for too long. It wasn't much just a bed with a creaky mattress, a nightstand with a chipped lamp, and a tiny bathroom with flickering lights but it was enough.

It was mine.

I dropped my bags by the door and let out a long breath, exhaustion settling deep into my bones. The drive had been long, the weight of my emotions making it feel even longer.

I had done it.

I had left.

I should have felt relieved. Proud, even.

But standing there, in an unfamiliar place with no one by my side, all I felt was the crushing weight of loneliness.

I pressed a hand to my stomach, closing my eyes. "It's just us now," I whispered, trying to find comfort in my own words.

Silence pressed in around me, so thick it felt suffocating.

I shook off the unease creeping in and pulled out my phone. No messages. No missed calls.

Nothing.

Kristoff hadn't noticed I was gone.

Or maybe he had and just didn't care.

A sharp pain twisted in my chest, but I forced myself to ignore it. I had made my choice. There was no turning back now.

I turned my phone on silent and tossed it onto the nightstand, determined not to check it again. I couldn't keep waiting for something that wasn't coming.

A New Routine

The next few days passed in a blur of routine waking up, eating whatever I could stomach, searching for a job.

I needed stability. I needed a plan.

On the third day, I finally found a small café hiring for a part-time position. The owner, a kind woman named Maria, barely asked any questions before offering me the job.

"You look like you need a fresh start," she said, her warm brown eyes filled with understanding.

I did.

And for the first time in a while, it felt like I was taking control of my life again.

The work was simple taking orders, brewing coffee, wiping down tables but it gave me something to focus on. Something to keep my mind from wandering back to the past.

But no matter how much I tried to distract myself, thoughts of Kristoff still lingered.

Did he wake up?

Did he even notice I was gone?

Had he gone back to her?

I hated myself for still caring.

I should have been angry. Furious.

But mostly, I just felt... empty.

I shook the thoughts away and forced myself to focus on the present.

Kristoff was my past.

My future was here, in this new town, in this new life I was trying to build.

Unfinished Business

A week passed before I finally gave in and checked my phone.

Still nothing from Kristoff.

I wasn't sure why I had expected anything different.

But Sophie had texted.

Sophie: Hey, just checking in. Are you okay?

I hesitated before replying.

Me: I'm okay. Just trying to settle in.

Her response was almost immediate.

Sophie: I need to tell you something. Call me when you can.

My heart skipped a beat.

Something about her words sent a ripple of unease through me.

I stared at the screen, my thumb hovering over the call button.

I wasn't sure I was ready to hear whatever she had to say.

But deep down, I knew

Some things couldn't stay buried forever.

The Call

I exhaled sharply before finally pressing the call button. Sophie picked up on the second ring.

"Ariella?" Her voice was laced with concern.

"I'm here," I said, my voice steady despite the knot in my stomach. "What's going on?"

There was a slight pause before she spoke. "It's about Kristoff."

My chest tightened. "What about him?"

"He's awake."

I sucked in a breath.

Of course, he was.

Sophie continued, her voice hesitant. "Ari, he's been asking about you."

A bitter laugh escaped me. "Oh, really? Maybe his girlfriend can fill him in."

Sophie sighed. "That's the thing, Ari... He doesn't know her."

My stomach dropped. "What?"

"She showed up at the hospital right after he collapsed," Sophie explained. "No one knew who she was, but she kept insisting she was his girlfriend. Kristoff… he doesn't remember her at all."

I gripped the edge of the nightstand for support. "You're lying."

"I wish I was."

My mind spun, struggling to piece it all together. "But she said she told me"

"She lied."

The room swayed, my breath coming in short gasps.

This whole time… had I left for nothing?

Had I run away from someone who never actually betrayed me?

My free hand pressed against my stomach as nausea churned inside me.

"I don't understand," I whispered.

Sophie's voice softened. "Ari, I think you need to talk to him."

I squeezed my eyes shut.

Could I?

Could I face him again after everything?

Could I open that door when I had fought so hard to close it?

I didn't know.

But one thing was clear

The past wasn't done with me yet.