In a empty pitch-black room, two girls stood facing each other. One knelt on the ground, tears falling endlessly from her eyes and disappearing into the darkness below. Her shoulders trembled as she struggled to hold back her sobs.
While the other one could only stare at the girl with concern and worry, as if she has done something unforgiveable to the crying girl.
"Why...?" the crying girl asked, wiping away her tears, only for more to take their place. "Why are you treating me like this?"
Her voiced cracked.
"Why are you being so mean to me, Charlotte?"
Charlotte tried to approach her, but her feet refused to move. Instead, she took a step back, hiding the concern she felt for the crying girl. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.
"L-Listen," Charlotte began. "Can you just stop crying and—"
The words died in her throat. When she opened her eyes, her expression froze in horror. The crying girl was no longer standing before her. Instead, she was hanging on the roof with the rope holding her neck tightly.
Charlotte staggered backward, her heart pounding as fear gripped her. Without thinking, she turned and ran.
She ran through the endless darkness, her footsteps echoing around the void. Then out of nowhere, hands would start chasing after her from the back. They reached out from the shadows, closing in from every direction. One grabbed her shoulder.
Charlotte screamed. And suddenly, her eyes snapped open. She shot upright in bed, clutching her chest as she struggled to catch her breath. Her heart raced wildly, and beads of sweat ran down her face.
"..A nightmare." Charlotte sighed and held her head in frustration. "Not again.."
My name is Charlotte Violet. I'm eighteen-years old and I'm still trying to graduate from high school. Fortunately for us, our principal decided to give us a one-week holiday to take a break from the amount of endless work they gave us students.
However.. unfortunately for me, my girlfriend, Beatrice Alexandra, left the city to spend her holiday elsewhere. As much as I want to call her or send her a message, something always stops me before I can. A past that should have stayed buried a year ago has returned to haunt me once more.
No matter how hard I try, I just can't seem to forget it. Without Beatrice by my side, the memories only keeps coming back stronger, and every time I remember them, I find myself hating who I used to be, then completely hate the current me. And I can't let Beatrice see me like this. Because.. she deserves to enjoy her vacation without worrying about me and my stupid past.
So for now, the only thing I can do is ignore her messages and pretend everything is fine.
Charlotte open her phone, seeing the messages Beatrice has send her.
"Heyyy Violettt!"
"Hru? R U enjoying your holiday?"
"Cause I do, and I have a LOT of stuff I wanna tell you!"
And so on that I have read and never replied to.
"Hey sleepyhead." An older girl opened the door to Charlotte's room and peeked inside. "you've woken up yet? Get up and come out here, mom made us breakfast."
And that is Eleanor Rose, my elder sister.. She work as an artist in a large company, but I don't know what is it all about but she does made a lot of money out of it. So it's best to just ignore it so I wouldn't disturb her.
"Yeah, I know..." Charlotte replied, rubbing her tired eyes before getting out of bed.
She walked toward the door, ready to leave her room, but stopped when she caught sight of her mirror. Her reflection was smiling, causing Charlotte to froze in place.
A chill ran down her spine as her heart began to pound against her chest. Yet the reflection continued to stare at her, its smile never fading.
"It was your fault. Why are you trying to forget it?" The voice came from the mirror.
Charlotte clenched her fists and looked away. Without saying a word, she opened the door and stepped out of her room. And finally, the reflection's smile remained long after she was gone.
After leaving her room, Charlotte found Eleanor and her mom already seated at the dining table, waiting for her to join them for breakfast. She glanced between the two of them before taking a deep breath and heading into the kitchen to grab a plate.
Breakfast had already been prepared. A large mug of hot tea sat in front of Eleanor, while a smaller glass of iced tea had been set aside for Charlotte. In the center of the table was a plate stacked with ham and egg sandwiches.
Charlotte took one of the sandwiches and placed it on her plate before taking a bite. The family enjoy their meal, yet, for a brief moment, the dining room was quiet. But the silent was broken when her mother finally spoke.
"So, what are your plans for the holiday?" the mom asked with a smile. "After your dad heard you were having a holiday, he sent us enough money to enjoy ourselves this week, so what are you two thinking of doing?"
Eleanor and Charlotte looked at each other. As Eleanor was still deciding what to do for the holiday, Charlotte decided to answer first. "Well, I'm not really in the mood to go anywhere. I'll probably just stay in my—"
"Denied!" Her mother immediately cut her off.
"You can't spend your entire holiday locked up in your room," she said, pointing at Charlotte with a dramatic expression. "Go outside. Meet your friends. Touch some grass."
Charlotte let out a tired sigh. "I knew you were going to say that."
As Charlotte continued thinking of excuses to avoid going out, Eleanor suddenly stood up from her chair, an idea clearly forming in her head.
"I know!" she exclaimed. "Why don't we go to a theme park? It's been years since we've gone to one!"
Their mother immediately snapped her fingers before giving Eleanor a thumbs-up. "That's a brilliant idea, honey!" she said.
"Alright, both of you, go take a shower and get ready! I already know exactly which theme park we're going to!"
Charlotte nearly choked on her sandwich. "But I want to stay hoooome..." she groaned, her face filled with despair.
"Nope."
Before Charlotte could protest any further, Eleanor grabbed her by the shoulders and began pushing her toward her room.
"Come on, little sis. You're going."
"I don't want to."
"Too bad."
"Please?"
"No."
"This is unfair."
"Life is unfair."
"Traitor."
Eleanor laughed as she shoved Charlotte through the doorway.
After some time, the family had finished getting ready and were already on the road.
Their mother sat behind the wheel, driving them toward their destination. Eleanor was busy scrolling through her phone, while Mom happily sang along to whatever song happened to be playing on the radio.
Charlotte, meanwhile, sat in the back seat with her hands over her ears. As much as she loved her mother, listening to her sing was something Charlotte didn't want to go through every day.
And that's my mom. She's spent years taking whatever jobs she could find just to support us. To be honest, it didn't always work out. Back then, money was always tight, and there were days when it felt like we were barely getting by.
As for my dad... he wasn't around much. Most of his attention was focused on taking care of his own mother who is in another city. Even now, I still don't understand why he devoted so much of himself to someone who treated him so poorly.
Still, one day, Beatrice somehow was able to found out about our situation. And when she did, she immediately stepped in to help. She convinced her parents to support us through some of our hardest times. They helped with our rent, our meals, and even helped Mom find a stable job. That was the day I learned something new.
And that was my girlfriend was ridiculously rich.
"We're here!" Mom practically bounced with excitement as she led them through the entrance. Each of them wore a bracelet showing they had already paid for admission.
"So!" she announced. "What should we ride first?"
She turned toward Eleanor and Charlotte with a bright smile. Only to find both of them staring at their phones. Eleanor was scrolling through social media while Charlotte mindlessly browsed through her messages.
Mom's eye twitched, and without warning, she snatched both phones from their hands and shoved them into her bag.
"Hey!- Mom!" Both daughters protested at the same time.
"Eleanor!" Mom pointed accusingly at her. "You're the one who suggested coming here!"
Then she turned to Charlotte. "And you! You've spent days hiding in your room. Go out there and have some fun!"
Charlotte crossed her arms. "I was having fun."
"On your phone." Mom said
"Exactly." Charlotte replied with confident.
Their Mom let out a dramatic sigh. "I am surrounded by disappointments."
As Mom continued to scold both of them, Charlotte would look away to see anything that interest her. She looked around at the various rides, attractions, and restaurants scattered throughout the theme park.
Then something caught her eye. It wasn't a ride. Nor was it a restaurant. A group of students from her class were walking together along one of the pathways. Because of this, Charlotte would immediately looked away.
The last thing she wanted was to get dragged into a conversation. But unfortunately, one of the boys spotted her before she could hide. He raised a hand and waved. Charlotte hesitated before slowly waving back.
The boy simply smiled and returned to chatting with his friends, making no effort to approach her. Charlotte quietly sighed in relief.
Maybe today wouldn't be so bad after all.
"Well, I'm going to walk around and see if there's anything good to eat," Charlotte said.
Eleanor immediately smirked. "Fatty."
"SHUT UP!"
Mom quickly stepped between them before another argument could begin.
"Alright, then. Your sister and I are going to look for some rides."
She handed Charlotte a few bills. "Use this to buy whatever you want."
Charlotte accepted the money, but then her Mom narrowed her eyes. "DON'T SPEND IT ALL ON ONE THING!"
"I wasn't planning to."
"You absolutely were."
"...Maybe."
Eventually, Eleanor and Mom wandered off in search of rides, leaving Charlotte with some much-needed space.
She walked along the crowded pathways, passing restaurant after restaurant while trying to decide what she wanted to eat. Then her eyes landed on the Ferris wheel, causing Charlotte to stopped to remind herself of the day she had ridden it with Beatrice.
A small smile formed on her lips as she recalled the conversation they had shared high above the park.
"Why are you apologizing?" Beatrice had asked. Charlotte had looked away, embarrassed by the cheap little gift she had given her.
But Beatrice simply smiled. "Everything is special when it comes from you."
Charlotte could still remember how warm her voice had sounded.
"So don't be sad, Charlotte. You've already made me happier than you realize. Just being with you is enough."
That was what Charlotte remembered most about that day. Not the Ferris wheel. Not the view. Just Beatrice.
The memory lingered for only a moment before a familiar voice shattered it. "Heyyy, Charlotte!"
Charlotte turned toward the source of the voice and immediately let out a sigh.
Zach Wisely. One of her classmates. Zach wasn't a bad person. He was just... Zach. I never talked to him that much. Most of the time, he spent his days acting like the class clown alongside a few of the other guys. He absolutely hated math. If there was a math assignment involved, there was a good chance he'd either copy someone else's answers or search for them online.
Still, I couldn't help but feel a little bad for him. He had somehow managed to go through three breakups in a row. At this point, I was genuinely curious whether he'd be able to make it to a fourth.
The two of them sat on a bench, each holding a hot dog that Charlotte had paid for. As they took a bite, Zach decided to start a conversation.
"Sooo... how's life without Beatrice?" he asked. The question immediately brought Charlotte's mood down.
She let out a deep sigh. "Boring," she answered.
"I'm already starting to miss her."
"Damnnn, girl. You're such a glazer." Charlotte slowly turned toward him with an annoyed stare.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing," Zach replied with a grin. "I'm just making fun of you."
Charlotte narrowed her eyes. "You know, at least I haven't gone through four breakups in a row."
The grin immediately vanished from Zach's face.
"Yoooo, I was just joking!" Zach clutched his chest dramatically. "You didn't have to tear apart my sad, black, empty heart."
Charlotte rolled her eyes. "Ugh. I hate people who pretend to be emo just to get attention."
Silence settled between them. Charlotte continued eating her hot dog while Zach stared down at his own. For a while, neither of them said anything.
Then Zach spoke. "What am I supposed to do, then?"
There was a smile on his face, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. Charlotte glanced at him but didn't respond. She just wanted to finish her food and move on with her day.
"Should I just end myself at this point?" Zach asked quietly. "If there is no one that is going to love me."
Charlotte paused mid-bite. The question caught her off guard.
"I mean, seriously," Zach continued. "Three relationships. Three breakups. I'm just going to bring disappointment to my family."
He let out a laugh, but it sounded forced. "At some point, you've got to wonder if you're the problem."
Charlotte stared at him. Was he actually being serious? Did she go too far? "Zach...?"
"You said you hate people who pretend they're okay just to get attention," he said, looking ahead rather than at her. "Do you think people see me that way too?"
He crumpled the wrapper in his hand before tossing it into a nearby trash can. Charlotte didn't know how to answer. Comforting people had never been her strong suit. When someone was at their lowest, she never seemed to know the right thing to say.
Charlotte couldn't tell if Zach had been serious or not. Part of her wondered if he had only said those things to get a reaction out of her.
But another part wasn't so sure. The atmosphere had felt different. Uncomfortable. Real. Then, as suddenly as it had begun, Zach smiled.
"Oh man, that totally wasn't me. I wonder why I said all that." He laughed and scratched the back of his head. "Sorry for bothering you, Charlotte. I should probably get back to the gang."
Before Charlotte could respond, Zach stood up from the bench. He waved goodbye and began walking away. Charlotte remained seated. She wasn't sure what to think.
Honestly, she didn't really want to get involved with whatever Zach was going through. It wasn't her problem. At least, that's what she told herself. Eventually, Charlotte stood up and brushed the crumbs from her clothes.
She turned in the opposite direction, planning to find her family. Then she stopped. A familiar voice echoed through her mind.
"Listen!"
Charlotte froze. The memory felt as clear as if it had happened yesterday.
"I don't care if you're bad at every subject in school." Beatrice's hands rested firmly on Charlotte's shoulders. "I don't care what people say about you being careless or stupid."
Back then, Charlotte had struggled to meet Beatrice's gaze. But Beatrice never looked away.
"All that matters is that you tried your best, And I'm sure your family can see that too!"
Charlotte stared at the ground. Back then, she had been the one struggling. The one who thought nobody would understand. The one who needed someone to stay.
And Beatrice had stayed.
Charlotte turned around and sprinted after Zach. By the time she caught up to him, she was already out of breath.
"Zach!"
Before he could react, Charlotte grabbed his shoulder and spun him around. "Woah— Charlotte?!"
"Why?" Charlotte blurted out. Zach blinked.
"What?"
"Why are you acting like finding a girlfriend is the only thing that matters in your life?" Now it was Zach's turn to stare.
"There are so many other things worth living for," Charlotte continued. "So many people who care about you."
She tightened her grip on his shoulder. "Your friends. Your family."
Her voice faltered for a moment.
"Even me." Zach's eyes widened slightly.
"You can be annoying sometimes," Charlotte admitted. "Actually, most of the time."
"Hey—"
"But people still like being around you." For once, Zach didn't interrupt. Charlotte took a deep breath.
"Just because things haven't worked out doesn't mean they never will."
The words felt familiar. Like she had heard them from someone else before. "There are still so many paths ahead of you, Zach. So many things you haven't done yet."
She lowered her gaze. "And if you're hurt..." Her voice softened.
"You don't have to deal with it alone."
The two stood there in silence for a moment. Then Zach suddenly laughed. A real laugh this time.
"Charlotte, it wasn't that serious!" he said. "I was mostly trying to get your attention."
Charlotte stared at him. "...What?"
"Yeah. I mean, I wasn't exactly having the greatest day, but you looked so lost in thought that I wanted to see if I could get a reaction out of you."
A vein nearly popped on Charlotte's forehead. Before Zach could take another step, her fist connected with his shoulder. "SCREW YOU!"
"OW!"
Zach stumbled backward dramatically.
"I was worried about you, you idiot!"
"Okay, okay! My bad!" Rubbing his shoulder, Zach let out another laugh.
"Still, thanks, Charlotte. What you said actually meant a lot. But you don't always have to take me serious, you know?"
Charlotte looked away. "Whatever."
As Zach began walking off, Charlotte hesitated. For a moment, she considered keeping quiet. But in the end, she spoke. "Just... take care of yourself, okay?"
Zach stopped after hearing that.
"Maybe we'll chat again someday." Charlotte said with a smile.
Zach sighed, gave her a thumbs-up, and continued walking away. Charlotte watched him disappear into the crowd before turning in the opposite direction to search for her family.
Yet as she walked, her own words lingered in her mind. "There are so many people who care about you" or "You don't have to deal with it alone."
What a hypocrite. After all, she wasn't any different. She had just spent several minutes telling Zach that life wasn't defined by one person, yet she could barely function without Beatrice by her side.
She was avoiding her messages. Ignoring her calls. Running away from the one person who had always supported her. And yet she had the nerve to lecture someone else.
Charlotte let out a long sigh.
Still... Maybe it didn't matter. If her words had helped Zach, even a little, then perhaps that was enough. For now, at least.
Meanwhile, Zach continued making his way through the crowded theme park. At first, he tried to act normal. Then he realized tears were running down his face.
"Damn it..." He quickly wiped his eyes. The last thing he wanted was for anyone to see him crying.
Then a familiar voice called out from ahead.
"Yo, Zach!"
He looked up. His friends were waving at him from further down the path.
"Hurry up already!" one of them shouted. "We're leaving you behind!"
Zach froze for a moment. Then he smiled. A genuine smile.
"Coming!" He broke into a run and hurried back toward them.
This time, he didn't feel quite as alone.
Later that evening, Charlotte was back home. As she was changing into her pajamas and prepared for bed, her phone suddenly vibrated.
Curious, she picked it up. A new message from Zach. Charlotte raised an eyebrow before opening it.
Attached was a photo. Zach stood in the center of the image with his friends gathered around him. Some were making ridiculous poses, others were laughing at something off-camera.
Everyone looked happy. Including Zach. Charlotte would smiled.
Then—
"Hey, Charlotte! Dinner's rea—" The door burst open.
"AH! SHIT!"
TO BE CONTINUED