Chapter 13: Moving On

Ella tried to move on, but the pain sat heavy in her chest. Ella's sleepless nights left her with dark circles under her eyes. She went through the motions of life, working her shifts at the restaurant, helping in the bakery, and pretending to be okay. But deep down, she wasn't.

Her once bright eyes now carried a dullness, her skin grew pale, and her usual appetite disappeared. Her parents noticed the change, growing increasingly worried as she started losing weight.

At work, she was quieter than usual. One afternoon, while taking an order, her co-worker nudged her and whispered, "Hey, you okay? You've been looking really tired lately."

Ella forced a smile, but she didn't answer. How could she explain that her heart was still aching? That even though she knew Drevin had hurt her, she couldn't stop hoping he would realize his mistake and come back?

But fate had a cruel way of shattering her hope.

It happened on a slow afternoon at work. Ella was wiping down a table when she heard a familiar voice-one that sent a sharp pain through her chest.

She turned instinctively, her heart stopping at the sight before her.

Drevin.

But he wasn't alone.

This time, he was with another girl-not the one she had caught him with. A completely different one. He had his arm around her waist, laughing at something she said, looking more carefree than Ella had seen him in months.

Ella's breath hitched. She waited, just for a second, hoping-Maybe he'd see me,Maybe he'd acknowledge me.

But he didn't,It was as if she didn't exist.

Drevin walked right past her without a glance, like she was invisible.

Ella felt the air leave her lungs, her hands trembling as she gripped the cloth in her hands. She wanted to run, to hide, but she was stuck in place, watching him disappear from her world completely.

That was the moment she knew-Drevin was gone.

At work, she often drifted into deep thought, forgetting orders, mixing up meals, and making mistakes that caused frustration among customers and staff alike. The manager had warned her several times, but she couldn't snap out of it.

One afternoon, as she was serving drinks, she absentmindedly tripped over a chair and spilled an entire tray of beverages on a customer. Gasps echoed through the restaurant, and the manager rushed over, looking both furious and exhausted.

"Ella, step into my office now," he ordered, trying to stay calm.

She wiped her hands nervously on her apron and followed him, her heart pounding.

"Ella, I understand that you've been going through a tough time, but this is the third major complaint in a week. You've been zoning out, making customers wait too long, and today, you spilled drinks on a guest."

"I'm so sorry, sir. It won't happen again, I promise," she said, her voice shaking.

He sighed, rubbing his temples. "Ella, I like you. You're hardworking, but I can't run a business like this. I have other staff quitting because they have to clean up after your mistakes. I'm really sorry, but we have to let you go."

Ella's eyes widened. "Please... I need this job."

"I know," he said, softer this time. "But you need to take care of yourself first. I hope things get better for you."

Tears welled up in her eyes as she grabbed her bag and walked out of the restaurant, feeling completely lost. How could things get any worse? She had lost Drevin, and now she had lost her job.

She wandered the streets in a daze, not knowing where to go or what to do. When she finally arrived home, her mother took one look at her and knew something was wrong.

"Baby, what happened?" her mom asked, gently touching her shoulder.

Ella swallowed hard, trying to keep the tears in, but they came rushing down like a flood. "I got fired, Mom... I-I wasn't focused. I kept making mistakes."

Her mom pulled her into a tight embrace. "Oh, Ella... you've been carrying so much alone. You don't have to, okay? We're here for you."

That night, she sat at the kitchen table, staring blankly at the cup of tea her mother had placed before her. Her father noticed the dark circles under her eyes, the way her hands toyed with the edge of her sweater instead of eating dinner.

He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Ella, talk to us."

She swallowed hard, tears brimming in her eyes. For so long, she had kept it to herself, pretending to be fine, pretending that it didn't matter. But now, the dam broke.

"It was Drevin, Dad," she whispered. "I... I loved him."

Her mother gasped softly,realizing for the first time what had been troubling her daughter. eyes widening in realization. "You were dating him?"

Ella nodded, biting her trembling lip. "I thought... maybe he'd come back. But I saw him today-with someone else."

Her father sighed deeply, rubbing his temples. "You've been going through this alone?"

Ella wiped her tears. "I didn't want to tell anyone. I thought it wouldn't hurt this bad."

Her mother pulled her into a tight embrace. "Oh, sweetheart. No one deserves to be treated like that."

Her father's voice was firm but gentle. "Ella, listen to me. A man who doesn't value you isn't worth your time."

That night, she picked up her phone, hesitating before opening the group chat with Ava and Ryan. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard before she finally typed:

Ella: "I saw him again the otherday. With another girl. A different one."

A few seconds passed before the screen lit up.

Ava: "Are you kidding me? That bastard!"

Ryan: "He's officially trash. Ella, don't waste another tear on him."

Ava: "I swear, I'll fly back home just to slap him again."

Ryan: "You should've thrown a drink in his face. No, actually, I should've done it for you."

She later told Ava and Ryan about losing her job.

Ava: Wait... what?? They fired you?? Because of that jerk??

Ryan: That's messed up. Ella, you should've told us earlier. We would've done something!

Ella: I didn't want to bother you guys... I thought I could handle it.

Ava: Girl, you don't have to handle everything alone.

Ella let out a soft laugh-her first real one in days. Even through her sadness, she knew one thing for sure: she had friends who cared.

Ella: "I think... I think I'm finally done waiting for him."

Ava: "Good. Now let's focus on YOU."

Ryan: "Exactly. He was never good enough for you anyway."

As she put her phone down, a strange sense of relief washed over her. She had finally admitted it to herself-Drevin was her past. And it was time to move forward.

She wasn't fully healed. Not yet. But she knew she would be.

To Be Continued...