LOGIN“I was surprised when you disappeared,” she said, matching my pace. “At first, I thought you had simply left town. Then I figured you were in hiding.”She glanced at my uniform and chuckled. “But an usher? Come on, Emma. I know you’re capable of so much more than this.”I kept walking without acknowledging her. “I mean, it’s your life,” she continued with a shrug. “I’m in no position to tell you what choices to make. I just… I don’t know. I don’t think I like this ending.”A small laugh escaped her lips before her expression softened. “And for what it’s worth…” she added, “…what happened wasn’t your fault.”I stopped listening. “If I had been in your shoes?” she said. “I’d have done exactly the same thing.”My footsteps came to an abrupt halt. She stopped too. Slowly, I turned to face her. “Don’t you have someone else to spy on?” I asked coldly.She folded her arms with an amused smile. “Word on the street is Daniel’s getting married.” She paused just long enough to watch for my react
I leaned toward my coworker, forcing a smile. “I just need a quick bathroom break.” She nodded without looking up from the tray she was arranging.“No problem.” I slipped through the back room and stepped outside. The cool evening air hit my face immediately. I planted both hands on my hips and took a long, shaky breath, trying to slow the frantic pounding in my chest. My heart was racing so hard it felt as though everyone around me could hear it.This wasn’t supposed to happen. I had disappeared. I was supposed to be invisible. For an entire year, I had carefully built a new life under a new name. I wasn’t ready for reminders of the woman I had buried. I wasn’t ready for anyone from my past to find me.Especially not her. I glanced over my shoulder. Then to my left. Then behind the trees bordering the venue. Following people was practically part of her job. She could be anywhere. My breathing grew heavier as my imagination spiraled. What if she’d already taken pictures of me?What if
It was another shift at an ushering event, one of the many weekend jobs I had picked up to keep myself occupied. Before the guests arrived, all the ushers gathered in the back room while the supervisor assigned us to different sections of the venue. We were divided into groups, and I was paired with two other girls. Our responsibility was to serve drinks to the guests seated on the left wing of the event hall, while the remaining teams handled the center and right sections.The hall was enormous, decorated with glittering chandeliers that hung from the high ceiling. Round tables draped in white linen filled the room, each adorned with fresh flowers and golden centerpieces. Soft music played through the speakers while waiters hurried around making final preparations. It was easily one of the biggest events I had worked at.As soon as the ceremony officially began, we picked up our trays and started serving refreshments.I stopped at the first table.“Good evening,” I said politely, off
A full year had passed, and somehow I had managed to build a new life in a completely different country. Starting over from scratch had been one of the hardest things I had ever done, but looking back now, I could honestly say it wasn’t as terrible as I had imagined. It wasn’t perfect either, but it was peaceful, and after everything that had happened, peace was more than enough for me.A few months after settling in, I purchased a small apartment. It wasn’t luxurious by any means, but it was warm, comfortable, and finally felt like something that truly belonged to me. It had large windows that let in plenty of sunlight every morning, and just enough space for me to wander around whenever I found myself lost in thought. I spent many evenings standing by the window, staring out at the unfamiliar streets below, wondering how life could change so drastically in such a short amount of time.Oh, and lest I forget, I got a pet too. A tiny cream-colored poodle that I named Bella. She was ene
I was already dressed and about to call a cab when everything finally settled into place. I had boarded my flight the night before, right after selling the car. Before leaving, I decided to write letters to Clara, Adrian, and Daniel. An email would have been easier, but paper felt heavier, more final. They would have to hold the pages in their hands.I bought three envelopes and pulled out three sheets of paper.On the first one, for Adrian:Dear Adrian,I’m not really sure how to start, but I’m still in shock at how everything played out. I did enjoy the times and moments we shared. I swear I never wanted to ruin what we had, that’s exactly why I did what I did. But you shocked me too. The deeper I dug, the more it felt like your love had been a performance, or maybe a way of compensating for something else. I tried not to believe it. I really did. But the truth kept revealing itself.How do I feel about all of this? Still in disbelief. If none of it had happened, maybe we could have
There was no other response coming from him, so I just let it go. What was more important right now was looking forward to moving on without them. The phone stayed quiet. Daniel did not reply again. My phone stayed quiet. I sat on the edge of the motel bed. The vodka bottle was still half full. The cigarettes sat on the table. But for the first time in weeks, my mind felt a bit clearer.I have always wanted to get my own place, but Daniel never thought of it a good idea. In his own words, women are supposed to submit to their husbands. Stay home, be a housewife, totally rely on me. But look how things have turned out to be now. The memory made me shake my head. I drove down to Adrian’s place. The road felt familiar. The house looked quiet when I arrived. Weeds had started to germinate in front of his drive through and beside the house and fences. The grass was longer than before. No one was really home. The windows stayed dark. I’ve been here constantly, but I didn’t get in due to Cl
THE SCENE AT SKYBOUNDThe moment I step out of the car, I know I don’t belong here. The glass doors ahead reflect a version of me I barely recognize ,bare face, oversized T-shirt that hangs past my thighs, bathroom flip-flops smacking against the tiled floor as I walk. My hair is still damp from th
WHAT'S LEFT BEHIND I don’t even know how long I sit there before I finally move. I clean up the plates, wipe down the counter even though it’s spotless. His coffee cup is still half full. The rim has a faint print of his lips, I pour out the content and then rinse his cup and leave it upside down
CRACKS IN THE MORNING My eyes opened, as soon as I felt his hands rubbing on my thighs, I turn to him , “Morning” I say to him , smiling lightly as warmth floods through me at his touch. “Did you enjoy last night?” He asked with a smirk on his face . “I did ” I lied, he didn’t say anything to me a
DISTANCE BETWEEN US I keep checking the curtains. Three times now. They were straight the first time, but I keep tugging them anyway, like maybe it’ll make the house feel more perfect. The way he likes it. Daniel always notices the smallest things, and I want everything to be right when he gets ho







