Broken Strings

C H A P T E R T W E N T Y - F I V E

Andrew was afraid. Anisha would leave him, leave him for someone better. That Anisha would leave him for Sebastian.

His eyes were focused on her, he didn't know what to say to her.

All of a sudden, it was though it was the first time he was talking to her. He could still remember the way she had smiled at him when he had down next to her at the library. He could still remember how nervous he had felt, the way he had jumbled his words together, the very first time he had talked to her.

The feelings were still there.

They had always been there.

Truthfully, there was only one person who Andrew Hayes had let into his heart. And she hadn't ever left.

"I love you." The words were barely a whisper, she wasn't sure if he wanted her to hear them. But the words were sweet. They slowly left his lips.

The weight of the three words weighed him down.

Andrew Hayes didn't know to love. The only woman he had claimed to love, he had ruined her by loving so.

Yet, still. The winds of a fairytale surrounded them, embellishing their broken hearts. There was a hint of promise in his words, in his eyes, in his heart.

Anisha's eyes darted upwards to his. His icy blue eyes were soft. For the first time, they held concern, and care, and perhaps love.

Her eyes widened and her mouth agape.

Love.

It was nothing more than a word for her. A stupid, four letter word that had caused her pain, over and over again.

There was nothing special about love. Love didn't mean anything to her anymore.

It had made her weak, it had made her pathetic. It made her a fool.

Love broke her.

The four-letter word meant nothing to her. It was the reason why she was like this.

Especially when it was his love.

His actions proved otherwise. Anisha knew he had other priorities. And she was at the bottom of that list.

But love? Did he really love her?

Before she could say anything else, he quickly turned around, running after Mira and Ryan.

Anisha's lip trembled. A tear slid down her cheek. And then another. A harsh sob left her lips.

She didn't want love.

Her hands gripped onto the bench, the world still spinning around her. She grabbed her jacket from the pile of her things that Andrew had left on the table. Anisha pressed the cloth against her nose as a few drops of blood stained the jacket.

The dark red liquid stained her white jacket.

She pinched her nose as a violent shock caused her to jerk forward.

It was all normal. It wasn't even a real nosebleed. She'd suffered far more than the few drops of blood that gushed out.

She pushed the cloth aside, grabbing the water bottle and spraying some over her face.

She tried to cleanse herself of the pain.

Anisha Hayes didn't feel a single bit of emotion.

The three words were ringing around her. She could hear him whispering that he loved her.

"Mom."

Anisha looked up as Ryan sat down next her, offering her a tight smile.

She could see the worry etched onto his face as he looked between the jacket and her.