The Heartbroken - S01 E199

Story 2 years ago

The Heartbroken - S01 E199

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 199

When we pulled up in the parking lot, I had rushed

out of the car, but as soon as I got to the entrance, I

stopped. I was rooted on that spot, unable to move,

held by the past that threatened to choke me and it

wasn’t until I felt Seth’s presence behind me that I

tore my gaze from the glass door to look at him.

He knew. He knew I couldn’t make myself go in, and

he said, “You okay?”

He walked forward, stopping when he was right next

to me. He reached for my hand and I let him slip his

hand in mine. He tugged me gently, closer to the

door, wordlessly pulling me out of the sea of worry

that had been overwhelming me since Hail’s call.

I emerged from the waters, gasping for air, and I

was thankful—so thankful—because if it wasn’t for

the warmth of his hand in mine, the way he carefully

pulled me forward until I finally took a step closer to

the glass door, I never would have moved from that

spot.

“Yeah,” I finally replied, giving his hand a squeeze.

“Yeah, I’m okay.”

—

Hail was already waiting at the lounge on the third

floor when we got there.

She looked surprised to see Seth, but that didn’t stop

her from standing up to pull me into a hug.

I immediately released Seth’s hand to wrap my arms

around Hail too.

“Any news?” I asked her when we pulled away.

She shook her head, her worry visible in the way her

brows were furrowed. She looked over my

shoulder, her gaze landing on, I suspect, Seth

standing behind me.

When her eyes met mine again, I could feel her

asking me a silent question.

“I was with him when you called,” I told her simply,

giving her an I’ll explain later look..

The three of us sat on the chairs. Hail and I were

sitting next to each other and Seth was sitting

adjacent us.

“Seth, do you…” Hail said, “do you know about…”

“Yes,” I replied for him. “I told him on the way.”

Hail nodded, looking as if she wanted to say

something, but she didn’t. Seth gave me a look and

his eyes flickered back to my shaking hands. The

three of us were silent as we sat there, within those

goddamn walls that made me feel so f-----g

claustrophobic.

Still, there was nothing I could do but sit and wait

and wait and wait, just like the way I used to do

when I was younger.

I tried to push the thoughts away, but they kept

coming back, and I felt a headache coming along.

Hail’s phone rang, startling the three of us, and she

excused herself to take it and I found myself sitting in

silence with Seth.

I felt awful about the way our meeting ended. If I had

been feeling better, I would have offered for us to

resume the conversation, but at the moment, I just

knew I wouldn’t be able to handle it.

“You don’t have to stay,” I told him.

He shifted in his seat, bringing a hand to the back of

his neck. “Yeah. I don’t have to,” he said, nodding,

not quite looking me in the eye, “but I want to.”

“You don’t even like Cedric.”

This time, he met my gaze, his blue eyes gazing at

me with a softness that was both haunting and

comforting. He reached for my shaking hand.

“I’m not here for him.”