The Strings

Chapter 2

Cece

I woke up with the sound of someone knocking on my door.

" Cece? Open up! You know you have a big day ahead of you."

I tuned out my assistant's voice and tried to go back to sleep.

" Cece! C'mon if you are not going to get up now you will be late for your book signing. The place is jammed pack already. You just need to get your ass in there."

I heard her walking away from the door. Few minutes later, I heard the sound of the door opening. I will have to fire my housemaid later for giving my spare key to my assistant.

"What the hell? What happened here? Were you up drinking all night? You know you're supposed to sober up for this day." Alice, my assistant, kept on talking while spontaneously picking up my mess on the floor.

I just gave her a cold stare then proceeded to take shower.

Inside the bathroom, I close my eyes and heave a sigh.

"One more day. Just make it through one more day." I murmured to myself.

The fame. The money. All of it meant nothing to me now. I crave for something deeper. I am desperate to feel...anguish, fear, anything to make me feel. But I'm just a shell of a woman I used to be.

I hung my head down as a memory flashed to my mind.

3 years ago...

One month after the accident in the cliff, I went to the same lake where Keiran and I were supposed to take the leap.

I looked at the water and saw my reflection. I feel like I'm looking at a different girl. She feels the same but I can't seem to recognize the sorrow etched in her eyes as she blankly stared back at me.

" I miss you."

This is the first time I uttered those three words. This past month went with a blur. I just seem to function without really comprehending what happened. I felt like I'm slowly fading. Fading to a place where he and I can be together.

"I miss you and it's so hard for me to wake up every day knowing that you will not call me to say good morning anymore. I miss the little notes you leave at my locker every time you feel like I have a bad day."

I looked down and felt my chest tightening as reality finally hits me.

" I want those notes." I whispered to the air.

" I need those notes."

The sound of silence felt like a rope choking me.

"I need you. And I'm sorry. I can't do this anymore."

I slowly made my way to the water when something caught my eyes. My heart slammed to it's cage when I realized it was a man drowning. Terror filled my mind as I quickly swam to where the guy is desperately trying to stay afloat. I pulled the guy and I tried to get us back to the shore.

I was breathing so hard when I reach the shore but I refused to feel the burn in my lungs as I hurriedly check the guy and start to pump his chest.

At this moment, I seem to forget that seconds ago, I was so close in taking my life away and yet here I am trying to revive a stranger's life.

Life has a twisted sense of humor sometimes.

The man started to coughed out water, so I assisted him to his side.