Aveline
I was crying.
I was in the hospital, and Ruby… she was in the ICU. She'd lost so much blood, and she wasn't even conscious. I couldn't stop the tears. Luna was trying to calm me down until both our families rushed in.
The first one I saw was Mireline. I ran into her arms, sobbing. My mom and dad looked anxious. And her family… her mother looked like she could kill me on the spot.
And maybe she should.
After all, I'm the reason.
"Aveline," her voice cut through the air — Loria Daniel, Ruby's mother. Her tone was sharp, laced with ice. "You're the reason she's lying in the ICU right now. I know my daughter, but this… this is the first time she's in this condition because of someone else."
"I… I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," I cried, hugging Mireline tighter. My knees were weak. "Will your sorry bring her back healthy and safe?" Loria's voice didn't break, not once.
"Mom, that's enough," Max stepped in. "That was an accident. You can't blame Aveline. Ruby… she never cares about herself. Why blame her?"
Loria bit her lip, fighting her anger. "If anything happens to her, Aveline... I won't forgive you. I don't care if the Vale and Daniel families are close."
I could only nod.
My mom stood by her, silent. My dad was talking with Ruby's father. Max stayed beside me. Mireline, my rock, didn't let go.
"Sis… I'm the reason she's fighting life and death."
"Shhh, calm down, baby," she whispered. "She's strong, Aveline. Don't worry. Ruby's strong — she'll come back to you."
"I… I'll distance myself. She always ends up hurt because of me."
Mireline's voice went quiet, sharp. "No more words. If you want to stay, then stay. But don't talk like that again."
I nodded. Clung tighter. After what felt like hours, the doctor finally came out.
"The patient's out of danger," he said. "But she asked to meet Aveline. Alone."
I looked at Mireline. She nodded. I went in.
Ruby was lying in the hospital bed, weak but smirking like the devil still whispered in her ear.
"Ms. Aveline is strong," the doctor said on his way out. "Impressive. Most patients don't wake after losing that much blood… but she survived."
He left.
I ran to her and started smacking her chest lightly. "Idiot," I choked. "You absolute idiot!"
"Ouch, ouch! Rabbit, I'm hurt," she winced.
"You fought life and death, Ruby! What if the bullet had hit your heart?! What if something… something actually happened to you?!"
"But it didn't." She gave me a weak smile. "I'm alive, aren't I?"
"Idiot, idiot, idiot! Your mother was ready to kill me if you hadn't woken up."
Ruby's expression hardened. "Did my mom say something to you?"
"No, Ruby," I shook my head. "Just… recover soon. I already decided. Even if we meet again… it'll only be for a moment."
"…Why?"
Why. That question shattered me.
Even as I was the one breaking us, it hurt me more than I expected. But I had to control her before she got herself killed.
"Because you keep putting yourself in danger. And I'm the reason."
"You aren't the reason, Aveline," she said quietly. "Because of my love for you, I'd do it a thousand times. You're not why I'm hurting. You're why I'm fighting."
"Then for my sake… don't do it. You said you love me," my voice broke, "then forget I ever existed."
I leaned in, kissed her lips one last time — soft, lingering — and left.
She was confused, hurting.
And me? I was the one leaving the wound this time.
---
That night I cried. The whole night. Alone in my room. A few days later, to distract myself, I went to uni.
Biggest mistake of my life.
Alia looked at me like I'd lost my mind. "Are you an actual idiot?" she snapped. "You told her to forget you? After she took a bullet for you? For whom did she bleed, Aveline?!"
"Please, Alia, don't talk about her…"
"Aveline," she sighed, massaging her temples. "That hot mafia is madly in love with you, and you just told her to erase you? Bravo. And that motherfucker Kai? He's behind everything. The bullying, the kidnapping."
I froze.
"No… no, Alia, it can't be. Kai wouldn't…"
"But he did." Her voice was dead serious. "He gained your trust just to get back at Ruby. For revenge. He used you."
My knees buckled.
"He ditched you, Aveline. Like all those other guys."
"No… no, it can't be…"
I left the class in a haze, whispering to myself like I was trying to rewrite reality.
It can't be real.
He wouldn't do that.
He can't.
Why would he…
Until I saw it.
Him.
Kai.
Making out with another girl, like I was a page he'd already torn out and burned.
Rumors said he was dating her, but he'd always told me, "It's just rumors."
And I believed him. God, I believed him.
Voices around me whispered. One girl laughed, "Aveline's such an idiot, falling for a fool like you."
He chuckled. "Yeah, I used her. Ruby? She was like a wall. I bullied Aveline just to see that fire in Ruby's eyes. Kidnapping her? Best part. I wanted to see Ruby desperate, and oh, she was. That firm look in her eyes? Mmm… delicious."
He smirked.
He said that.
He really said that.
I stumbled back, hand on my mouth, breath caught in my throat.
Alia ran to me, but I wasn't in my body anymore. Just silence.
She brought me home. Everyone saw my face and knew something had shattered inside me.
"I told you not to fall for someone easily," Mireline said quietly. "Ruby would die for you, Aveline. And you pushed her away. You made a mistake."
My mom left the room. Mireline just stared at me with those disappointed eyes. I wanted answers — I wanted to scream — but I had nothing.
I looked at Alia.
"Alia… did I make a mistake?"
She scoffed. "You're realizing this now, Aveline?"
I stared down at the floor, lost. I didn't know what to do anymore.
---