DENIED AND DISCARDED

“Marco, meet my friend, Mylar,” Suzy said, gesturing her hand toward me.

I froze. My bag slipped from my fingers and dropped to the floor with a hard thud.

Suzy looked at me, then at the bag, her brows furrowed in confusion. Marco said nothing. He just stood there staring back at me like he’d seen something impossible.

He never expected this.

Neither did I.

But slowly, everything started making sense.

“Marco?” I stammered, taking a slow step forward.

“Wait… what’s going on here?” Suzy asked sharply. “You know him?”

“Remember when I told you about my boyfriend… the one I called for help and he ditched me?” I said, my voice trembling.

“Yes… so?”

“He’s the one.” I pointed at him. “The boyfriend. And the father of my unborn baby.”

Suzy turned to him so fast. “What? Marco?”

“That’s not true, babe,” he said immediately. “I have never seen this woman before. How could you even believe that?”

A bitter laugh almost escaped me.

“You’ve never met me?” I said, stepping closer, brushing past Suzy like she wasn’t even there. “Then why do you look so tense?”

I stared straight into his face.

“So this is it. This is why you never wanted me to know where you lived or come to your place. You’ve been with someone else this whole time.”

“Hold on now, Mylar,” Suzy snapped, walking up and shoving me to the side. “The man you’re talking about is my boyfriend. Soon to be fiancé. He has never had anyone except me.”

“Suzy, I am not lying…” I muttered.

“Then prove it.”

She folded her arms, eyes full of distrust now, like she was already regretting letting me into her house.

My throat tightened.

The only picture I had of Marco and me was inside the bag that got stolen earlier. No messages. No photo. No proof. Nothing except my voice.

And right then, my voice meant nothing.

“See that?” Marco said, walking down the stairs and resting his hands on her shoulders. “She’s lying. How is she even your friend?”

Something hot snapped inside me.

“You shameless bitch!” I spat. I didn’t think twice before marching toward him. I wanted to wipe that smug look off his face with my bare hands.

But Suzy moved first.

She pushed me so hard I lost balance and hit the floor. Pain shot through my side.

“I shouldn’t have let you into my place,” she sneered. “Besides, your father never let me into yours back then.”

She bent, picked up my side bag and threw it at me.

“No doubt, your a total slut. Is this how far you can go? Have some self-respect.”

“I’m carrying his child, Suzy,” I cried, tears spilling before I could stop them. “Believe me.”

“Another lie,” Marco said coldly. “Go find yourself the father. But for now, you’re leaving.”

His voice was calm, firm, sharp enough to cut through skin.

“Fuck you, Marco,” I spat, dragging myself back to my feet. “You’re nothing but a coward in a grown man’s body.”

“That’s enough, Mylar,” Suzy barked, pointing at the door. “You heard him. Leave.”

“Suzy, how can you trust this man so much? He is denying everything. Can’t you see it?”

“Leave now!” she yelled. “You’ve said too much already.”

She believed him, just like I had believed him once.

And now it hit harder than shame.

“I will leave,” I said, swallowing painfully. “Why would I even want to stay here anyway?”

“Yeah,” Marco said with a sly smile. “Get along already.”

I turned my back and walked out of their house. No hesitation. No looking back.

Outside, the night air hit my face, cold and empty.

I had nowhere to go, but it still felt better than staying inside that house full of lies.

Right now, I only wanted somewhere to spend the night. Even if it was just a place to lay my head.

Then I remembered my aunt.

She lived in the neighboring city,  Not too far from here.

I could go to her. Start over.

She was my mother’s younger sister, still in her early thirties and unmarried. Kind. Warm. I knew she would welcome me and love me like her own.

She stopped coming to our house after Mom died and Aunt Juli came in. Dad never let her see me until she gave up trying.

“What was I thinking?” I muttered, hitting my forehead lightly. “How could I be so foolish?”

Maybe Natalie knew all along. Maybe she acted nice just so I could walk straight into heartbreak. She always wanted me out of the way, but this… this was wickedness.

I kept walking.

Lightning flashed faintly across the sky. Rain was close.

I swallowed my pain and kept moving, but memories kept chasing me.

The reason behind all this.My mistake of agreeing,of trusting,of loving.

“Mom… I’m sorry,” I whispered, tears burning my cheeks. “Your daughter made a mistake.”

My thoughts swallowed me whole. I stopped seeing the road in front of me.

Then a blinding light struck my face.

Someone screamed from behind.

Tyres screeched. A car stopped so close I felt the heat of it.

My breath caught in my throat, i had almost been hit.

I stood frozen, heart pounding so loud I could hear it.

A front door opened and a man rushed toward me to check if I was alright.

Then the back door opened slowly.

Then the back door opened slowly.

Polished shoes touched the wet road first, another man followed.

Then he stepped out like the night itself belonged to him

I kept my head down, trying to hide the tears still slipping from my eyes.

“Are you so dumb that you can’t watch where you’re going?” a deep voice snapped. “You almost got yourself killed.” The man behind said.

The harshness in it annoyed me instantly.

I looked up and my eyes met his.

Cold, emotionless, hard.

Yet beneath that stare were dark blue eyes so striking they held me still for a second too long.

Something about them pulled at me.

And I hated it.