Your Ten Letters [Completed]

Letter 10

Marcus... he was probably sick as well.

A cold and a throbbing headache gripped her. She quickly descended the stairs to fetch some cold medicine before retreating back to her bed, her thoughts swirling.

What had been going through Marcus's mind? Why had he chosen to end things so abruptly? What was he hiding? Before she could spiral further into her thoughts in search of answers, sleep overtook her.

Upon waking, she sensed the presence of someone sitting on her bed beside her.

"Mom?" Lily murmured as she blinked her eyes open.

"Your mom let me in," Charlotte responded.

Lily was taken aback. Why was Charlotte here?

"What are you doing here? You do realize I have a cold, right?" Lily inquired, concern lacing her words. She didn't want Charlotte to fall ill too.

"It's fine, I just wanted to check on you. Your mom filled me in on what's happening. I'm here for emotional support!" Charlotte quipped with a teasing grin.

Lily recognized Charlotte's efforts to lift her spirits and managed a faint smile. However, with all the confusion in her life, sadness seemed to cling to her.

"So, my mom told you..." Lily sighed.

"You don't have to explain anything if you don't want to," Charlotte assured her with a warm smile.

"Thanks," Lily replied sincerely.

"Just so you know, I'm always here for you," Charlotte added.

Lily wanted to hug her, but she hesitated, not wanting to risk passing on her cold.

"I'd give you a hug, but I'd feel terrible if you got sick tomorrow," Lily explained with a hint of humor.

They both shared a laugh and caught up on what Lily had missed at school – assignments, homework, and much more.

"You know, Marcus hasn't shown up either," Charlotte mentioned.

"He's probably just sick, nothing more," Lily replied, though the mention of Marcus tugged at her heart.

"Maybe he's sad too," Charlotte suggested.

Lily remained silent. Talking about Marcus was like poking at a fresh wound.

"Why do you think he broke up with me?" Lily asked in a moment of despair, a tear escaping her eye.

Charlotte paused, choosing her words carefully.

"Honestly, Marcus can be really annoying, and he'd always wear that annoyed expression whenever I entered the room and interrupted your alone time, as he put it. But one thing I noticed was how he looked at you. Every single time you were together, it was like you were the best thing that ever happened to him. I don't know why he did what he did, but I'm certain it wasn't because he didn't like you."

With those words, they embraced. All their efforts to resist the urge to hug had been in vain, but it brought a measure of comfort to Lily in her troubled times.

Lily's recovery was swift, and the next day, she felt ready to return to school. As she woke up, a sense of dread loomed over her, the idea of going back to school still a daunting prospect.

Nevertheless, she mustered the courage and motivation to face the day.

With a sigh, she rolled out of bed and tidied the covers. Today was going to be a long one, she thought. Afterward, she splashed her face with water to wake herself up and descended the stairs to the kitchen for breakfast. Her appetite was still recovering, so she settled for a piece of fruit.