All Chapters of MEND ME IF YOU CAN.: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Travian always had this unnerving talent—he knew exactly how to control a room, a moment, and more disturbingly, how to control me. It was like watching a master conductor at work, orchestrating tension, fear, relief... and then stealing it all away as though it never existed. His presence alone could shift the energy in a space, as though the walls bent to his will, as though every molecule of air awaited his command before it dared to move. He didn't need to raise his voice. He didn’t even need to move with force. His calm was the danger. His stillness was what made you freeze.I didn’t realize I was holding my breath until Luke stepped out the door, the sound of it shutting echoing louder than it should have, leaving the air noticeably lighter. The moment that latch clicked into place, the suffocating weight in my chest lifted, and I could finally breathe again. Relief washed over me like a breaking wave, crashing into the shore of my trembling nerves—but it was not enough to cool

Thirty minutes have gone through the movie and I'm already feeling bored... well, not exactly bored, but something felt missing. There was a hollow ache blooming inside me—strange and persistent. I wanted something, something more, and just leaning into Travian’s arms wasn’t enough to satisfy it. His warmth should’ve been comforting, grounding. But it wasn’t. Not this time.I pushed myself away from him gently, my hands pressing against his chest to create some space—maybe what I needed was distance, some air to breathe, a moment to think. But the second our bodies parted, it worsened. Like pulling away from him only made the craving stronger. My entire body rebelled against the space I tried to give it. It turns out I didn’t want to be away from him. I wanted to be closer. Much, much closer.Why? What was this odd, wild feeling that had suddenly surged from nowhere—unannounced, uninvited—and was now tormenting me without mercy?I leaned back into Travian’s arms, but this time, I didn

"excuse me" I didn't know what to feel and how to feel, but what I do know is sitting here wasn't the best idea so I carried myself to the restroom before any other theme could ask me what's going on.I paced back and forth, unable to understand what was going on. The door creaked open and Travian walked in and I lost it"What the hell was that?" I snapped, clearly angry and dissatisfied with what he did."Why the hell did you give him the go ahead? Did I ever say I want to date him?" I kept on talking as the situation seems to be sitting on me."Why are you so offended? Would you rather I kissed you before your crush and tell him you are mine?" Travian barked, visibly with the same level of energy as me."I'm not fucking yours, you hear me?" I restored. A wicked smirk appeared on his lips, he took slowly steady steps towards me and out of instinct, I retracted my steps behind."Are you sure about that?" He kept on approaching, and I kept on moving behind until there was no more space

I spent the entire shift barely keeping myself from unraveling. My composure clung to me by threads, each minute dragging with the weight of everything I was pretending not to feel. Every order I took, every smile I forced, every polite nod—it was all part of the exhausting performance I’d grown far too skilled at. But inside, I was a storm. A tangled mess of regret, guilt, and something else I couldn’t quite name.The second the clock hit closing time, I didn’t waste a breath. I grabbed my things with urgency and turned on my heels, desperate to vanish before anyone could stop me, before my resolve cracked open and spilled across the floor.But I wasn’t fast enough.“Leaving already?”Luke’s voice floated toward me, smooth and casual. I turned to see him approaching, tugging off his apron and folding it in his hand. There was something warm in his eyes—gentle, maybe even hopeful.I gave a short nod, paired with a noncommittal hum, already pivoting away when he added, almost uncertain

I can't really tell what happened after that night, but I found myself waking up alone in an empty bed. The sheets were cold, and the space beside me was untouched, as if no one had ever been there. My head was still spinning, and a dull ache throbbed behind my temples. I reached over to the side cupboard, grabbed my phone, and slid it open. The screen lit up—still in the early hours of the morning.Where has Travian gone? I had wanted to wake up in his arms, to get lost again in that fleeting warmth he carried so effortlessly.I slipped out of the bed and made my way to the bathroom, letting the cool water from the shower run over me. It was refreshing but not enough to wash away the emptiness pressing on my chest. Another day awaited me at work, and I held onto the faint hope that I might see him again.Once I was dressed, I picked up my small bag and left the apartment. I arrived early at the café, one of the first of the morning crew. To my surprise, Samuel—who had been away for a