Chapter 8
Chapter 8
Laura stood by the window with her breath hitching as she whispered her silent plea to the night. The weight of her father’s words pressed heavily on her chest.
Let go… it’s about time you let go…
She leaned her elbows on the windowsill and rested her head in her hands. A single tear slid down her cheek but quickly wiped it away as if erasing the emotion could erase the truth. The stars twinkled above, indifferent to her pain, but she found herself speaking to them anyway.
“I wish it was that easy to let go…” Her voice was barely above a whisper. “I wish it were that easy to forget him.”
The cool breeze kissed her face as if trying to soothe her, but the ache in her heart only deepened. She looked up at the sky with her throat tightening as she swallowed hard, forcing herself not to cry again.
“I wish that my heart could just… not love him,” she murmured, her voice trembling.
And as if mocking her, a shooting star streaked across the dark sky. She blinked as her breath caught for a moment. Laura bit her lip and a bitter laugh escaped her.
Wishes never come true, she thought. She had spent years wishing for Jonathan to love her back, and nothing had changed.
The star disappeared into the horizon, leaving the sky just as it had been before. Laura sighed and stepped back, pulling the window shut. She collapsed onto her bed. And as if her mind was on cue, every bit of her memories of him came flashing before her eyes–Jonathan’s smile, his laugh, his touch and every moment she had with him.
And yet, he was never truly hers.
She stared at the ceiling with her body heavy with exhaustion, but her mind wouldn’t stop racing. Her father was right. She needed to let go. But how could she, when everything inside her still longed for him? When every beat of her heart whispered his name?
Laura closed her eyes, hoping sleep would bring some peace.
Jonathan leaned back against the bar while his arm draped casually over the back of a chair. His eyes scanned the crowd. The pulsing beat of the music thumped through the club as its lights flashed in rhythm, casting his face in shadows and flickers of neon. He grinned with drink in hand, as another girl came up to him, her eyes wide with admiration.
“Jonathan!” She squealed, barely containing her excitement. “I didn’t know you were going to be here tonight.”
He flashed her a lazy smile, the kind that always got him what he wanted. “Surprise,” he said, lifting his glass to her.
The woman blushed, giggling as she leaned closer, her perfume heavy in the air. She wasn’t the only one. Around him, women flirted, laughed, and tried to catch his attention, but Jonathan was in his element, soaking it all in. His handsome features, tousled dark hair, and easygoing charm made him the center of attention–exactly where he liked to be.
One of the women handed him another drink, and he took it without a second thought. He danced with a few of them, bodies moving in sync under the pulsing lights, the alcohol made everything blur together. He couldn’t even remember the names of most of the girls, but it didn’t matter. It was all about the thrill, the attention, the moment.
As the night wore on, the drinks kept coming. The conversations were shallow, filled with laughter, teasing, and flirty banter. Jonathan reveled in it–the freedom, the lack of responsibility, the way everyone seemed to want a piece of him without expecting anything deeper.
He pulled away from the dance floor for a moment, catching his breath. Leaning against the bar again, he downed the rest of his drink in one gulp, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. The room spun slightly, but he didn’t care. Another
Chapter 8
+25 BONUS
woman, with long blonde hair and a tight dress, sidled up next to him.
“Having fun?” she purred, her hand brushing against his arm.
Jonathan smirked, his eyes briefly meeting hers. “Always.”
They danced for a while, bodies pressed close, the music drowning out any other thought. For Jonathan, this was life. The parties, the attention, the fleeting connections. Everything was simple here–no complications, no feelings to get in the way.
But somewhere in the back of his mind, an image of Laura flickered, the memory of her confession whispering through the haze of alcohol. He quickly shoved it aside, focusing instead on the woman in front of him, letting the night swallow him whole.
Tonight, he wasn’t thinking about anything else. Tonight, he was just Jonathan–the man everyone wanted.
But then suddenly, Eunice, his girlfriend, stormed into the club, her eyes scanning the room furiously until they landed on Jonathan, surrounded by women, laughing and carefree. Without hesitation, she marched toward him, grabbing his hand with a sharp tug and pulled him out of the circle.
“Eunice! Baby! You’re here!” Jonathan greeted with a sloppy grin, clearly still lost in the alcohol–fueled haze of the night. His voice slurred, and he swayed a little, oblivious to the storm brewing in front of him.
Eunice crossed her arms tightly over her chest, her gaze hard and cold. “Didn’t you say you were going to stop this?” she spat, her voice laced with barely contained fury. “Clubbing, drinking, and hanging out with these women?! What’s wrong with you?. You have a girlfriend, Jonathan!”
But Jonathan only chuckled, shaking his head as if her words were an overreaction. He straightened up, trying to appear more composed, but the smirk still lingered on his lips. “Eunice, baby, this is my life,” he said dismissively. “I’ve been doing this long before I even met you. What’s the big deal?”
“The big deal?” Eunice echoed, her voice rising in disbelief. “You’re my boyfriend! You promised me things would change!”
“Come on, even Laura never made a fuss about this.” He waved her off, shrugging casually.
At the mention of Laura’s name, Eunice’s expression darkened, her jaw tightening. Without warning, she raised her hand and slapped him hard across the face. The sharp crack echoed in the air, startling the nearby club–goers. Jonathan staggered slightly, blinking in shock as the sting of the slap jolted him out of his drunken stupor.
“Again with her?!” Eunice’s voice broke as anger mixed with hurt. “You keep bringing her up like she matters more than I do! I’m done, Jonathan. Let’s break up. You can have your fucking freedom back!” Her words cut through the noise of the club, sharp and final.
Before Jonathan could respond, Eunice turned on her heel and stormed away from the club, leaving him standing there, stunned. His cheek still burned from the slap, but the realization of what had just happened hit him harder.
“Haa… The hell is wrong with you, Jonathan?” he muttered under his breath, rubbing his face as if the physical action would somehow clear his head. His thoughts were jumbled, the alcohol still clouding his senses, but the sting from Eunice’s slap was sharp enough to cut through it.
With a heavy sigh, he shoved his hands into his pockets and walked away as well.
“The hell is wrong with you, Jonathan?” he mumbled again, louder this time, the frustration building. He wasn’t sure if he was angry at Eunice, at himself, or at the way his life seemed to be spiraling into a mess he couldn’t control. Either way, it didn’t matter. It was easier to not think about it. Easier to just move on like he always did.
With another sigh, he pulled his car keys from his pocket and headed toward the parking lot.
