Kimi's POV
The park bench felt cold beneath me, mirroring the chill that had settled deep in my chest. Tears blurred my vision, each one a testament to Charlotte's rejection. It wasn't simply that she didn't return my feelings that wounded me—it was the raw anguish in her eyes, the secret pain she desperately tried to hide.
Her expression when I confessed my love—confused, shocked, sorrowful—replayed endlessly in my mind, a haunting ghost I couldn't escape. I couldn't bear to stay in that space, haunted by the unreadable look on her face.
I stood slowly, my limbs heavy as if weighed down by the shattered pieces of hope I had carried. Without looking back, I trudged homeward, leaving behind a park bathed in silence and broken dreams.
Charlotte's POV — The Schoolyard
I stepped into the school, a carefully constructed smile plastered on my face, a flimsy mask over the storm of emotions that had kept me awake all night. Why did Kimi feel anything for me? The question gnawed at me relentlessly.
To create distance, I decided to publicly feign an infatuation with someone else—a desperate, clumsy attempt to deflect what I wasn't ready to confront. But who?
"Hey, Charlotte! Long time no see," Elena's smirk was sharp and familiar. A serpent clan member, she thrived on chaos.
"Elena," I replied, my eyes darting through the crowd until I spotted Kimi entering the gates. Our gazes locked for a brief moment, and a surge of panic twisted inside me.
Impulsively, I grabbed Elena and kissed her—a calculated display meant for an audience of one. Elena responded quickly, but my eyes never left Kimi, watching as she turned away and drifted toward a group of girls.
As I pulled back, Kimi's hand lingered on mine, possessive and soft. "I missed this… and you," she whispered. Her words only fueled my irritation. I yanked my hand away and hurried toward the school building, the taste of Elena's kiss lingering like ash on my tongue.
I locked myself in a bathroom stall, gasping for a moment of solitude. Then the door swung open, and sobs echoed in the air.
"Why… why does it hurt so much to love her?" The voice was fragile and broken—and I knew immediately who it was.
A sharp, stabbing pain shot through my chest, mirroring her distress. Tears welled in my eyes, but I quickly wiped them and stepped out, locking the stall behind me.
There she was, hunched over, shoulders shaking. Her hazel eyes, raw and sorrowful, met mine.
Slowly, I approached, reaching out to cup her face, tracing the tears on her skin. But my voice was sharp, cutting through the silence. "You like hurting yourself, don't you?"
Her vulnerability broke me. "Why? I told you I love you," she stammered. "Char… how could you?"
"Don't call me that!" I snapped, voice trembling, "I don't love you—just go away! Leave me alone, Kimi!" I turned to leave, but she grabbed my hand instantly.
"Do you really want me to leave? Charlotte, why won't you let me in? Why do you keep hurting me? Is it so terrible to love you?"
Her gaze burned with pain and anger, pinning me in place.
"Please… just stop. Find someone else. Not me. I'm begging you," I pleaded, desperation tightening my chest.
"How can I stop? You kissed me. You invited me to the park. I didn't ask for this. I'm sorry for my feelings, but I just want a chance—to be close to you. There's no reason to keep pushing me away, to cause me so much pain. I can try to let go, but please… don't shut me out."
My knees buckled, and I crumpled to the floor, breath hitching as tears spilled freely. My hands trembled as they covered my face.
"I love you, Kimi," I cried, voice breaking under the weight of it all, "and that's exactly why you need to let me go. I'll only bring you pain. I don't deserve your love. Please… find someone who can make you happy. Staying with me will only lead to heartache. You have to walk away."
She remained silent, wrapping her arms around my trembling form.
Why do you love me? The question echoed relentlessly in my mind as her warmth pulled me deeper into the storm.