After We Collided Book Novels & Stories

he asked in grit, and stood in front of her to confront her. “I did not get his name. He just approached me when he saw me getting a medical book,” she explained, and gathered the books in front of her. “You didn’t?” he asked one more time, and his eyes got smaller as he began to suspect her. “I’m tired. I want to go home,” she mentioned, and bring the five books she got as she walks going to the door. Thereafter, they are inside the car in the back seat and both silent while they are along the way. The driver in front anyway keeps on glancing at them both. In a few minutes, they reached their house.

Suddenly, in a split second, they collided, their bodies bumping into each other with a soft thud, their books and papers flying out of their hands, scattering across the floor. Apologies spilled from their lips, instinctive and automatic, their voices overlapping in a harmonious cadence. "I'm so sorry!" they exclaimed in unison. Still, they didn't look up, their eyes fixed on the floor, gathering their scattered belongings. But as they stood, their hands brushing against each other, a spark of electricity ran through their veins. Their gazes slowly rose, meeting in a moment of mutual discovery.

I didn’t realize how much I’d leaned on her presence, even when we weren’t on the best of terms. A gust of wind lifted my curls right into my lip gloss. I rolled my eyes, tugging them away as I stared at the campus gates. Then in a blink of an eye— I wasn’t paying attention. Not to where I was going or at the stupid iced coffee in his hand. Nor the fact that he was definitely taller than me and definitely not watching where he was going either. We collided. Cold liquid soaked into my white tank top like karma had been waiting all morning for the perfect moment to strike.

The car thudded against rocks or something else and careened sideways, tumbling into shrubs and dirt. The silence following our crash was deafening as we all looked warily around, trying to spot any sudden movement. “What was that?” Cassie groaned while holding her head with her hand. “Rogues,” Elijah answered that immediately made all the sleep drive off our eyes. “Tyler, Gavin. Slowly get out. Violet, stay with Cassie in the car.” “But Cassie looks hurt” I said, looking at the thin line of blood trickling down her left temple.

My mother dragged me out of my biological father's brutality, and I thought we had finally escaped. Then she married the Don of the Falcone family. The woman who once fought to protect me completely changed. To secure my stepfather's approval and coddle his beloved Sofia, she stood by and let them turn me into a servant in the house I was supposed to call home. Every time I pushed back, they pushed harder. Every time I begged to be seen, I was met with contempt. My biological father's fists left scars on my body. This family's marks went deeper—into my bones. So I stopped. If they never wanted me there, I would stop breaking myself for their hollow approval. I would take my own life back. In

But before I could draw it, Something hard collided with the back of my neck. “Troublesome Hunter,” I faintly heard his deep voice grumble. Then, the world dissolved into blessed, silent black.

When I woke again, Luca was beside my bed, still wearing the same blood-stained shirt from the night before. His face was pale, his eyes swollen. “You’re okay,” he said softly, like he was convincing himself. “Both of you are okay.” I didn’t answer. I couldn’t. All I could do was look at the tiny bundle in his arms — our child, sleeping peacefully against his chest. For the first time in months, I didn’t feel anger. Just exhaustion. And a strange, quiet ache that didn’t know which side it belonged to anymore. When we were discharged a few days later, he insisted on driving us home.

Telling them I was doing well now. These days, I had a stable job. The pay was not high, but my life was calm and comfortable. Steady. Quiet. Without storms. That afternoon, after buying groceries at the market, I was about to head home when a commotion suddenly broke out nearby. I instinctively stepped to the side and saw a crowd gathered together. In the middle of them was a woman curled up on the ground, clutching her head motionlessly while several people continued kicking and cursing at her.

I wasn’t going to give up but still, I nodded like I understood before bolting out the hall, away from the curious gazes of the others. By the time I reached the hallway, my breathing was uneven. My thoughts were louder than my steps. I took a sharp turn. And collided with a hard surface. Pain exploded through my nose as I stumbled back, almost losing my footing when strong hands shot out and grabbed me. My head snapped up. The silent one of the trio. Ash.

Soon enough, I heard the familiar soft footsteps. "Hey, Cole," Zye whispered, appearing from behind a bougainvillea bush, her hair a tangled mess of curls. She held a magnifying glass to her eye, squinting at a tiny beetle crawling on a leaf. "Hey, Zye," I replied, a small smile touching my lips. It was a comfort, her quiet presence. A small anchor in the storm that was my life. "What are you reading today?" she asked, her voice hushed. "I am reading a book about mummies and pyramids," I said, holding up the book so she could see.