Page 2 of Say You'll Stay

“It’s shock, baby.” She leads me to the couch, wrapping a knitted blanket around my shoulders. “But you’re here now, you’re safe.”

The fabric itches against my skin, a clear reminder that I’m no longer enveloped in June’s false promises. “He didn’t even fight for us,” I whisper, more to myself than to her.

My mother’s presence is a silent pillar of strength as she sits beside me. “People show their true colors in the darkest times, Cara. It’s not a reflection of you.”

I lean into her, allowing the tears to finally fall. The storm of my emotions - the fury, the disbelief, the utter heartbreak - pours out in great, shuddering sobs. Mama’s hands, warm and steadfast, ground me when I feel like I might shatter.

Clarity dawns, painful but necessary. “I need to stand on my own, don’t I?”

“You’ve always been stronger than you realized, Cara. It’s time you see it too.”

Her words, like an anchor in the raging sea of my turmoil, give me the strength to take that first step forward. I may be shattered, but I won’t let June’s rejection define me.

Just as the first wave of calm begins to wash over me, the sound of laughter breaks through the stillness of the night. Song and Sonya, my twin siblings, burst into the living room, their usual banter filling the space with a much-needed lightness.

Song, with his mischievous grin, throws himself onto the opposite couch, while Sonya, ever the dramatic one, flops down beside him, feigning despair. “Can you believe it? Our boss gave us another popup inspection today!” she exclaims, throwing her hands up in exasperation.

“And guess who’s lab aced it again?” Song teases, nudging his sister with his elbow.

My mother gives them a look, a silent signal that speaks volumes, and their laughter fades as they take in my tear-streaked face and the unspoken sorrow hanging thick in the room.

The twins exchange a puzzled look, probably doing that freaky twin thing they do before speaking. “What’s going on?” Song asks, his voice a mix of concern and confusion. “Cara, why are you crying?”

Sonya’s eyes widen as she takes in my disheveled state. “Oh no, did something happen with June?” Her voice is barely a whisper, tinged with disbelief.

I wipe away a stubborn tear, attempting a weak smile that doesn’t reach my eyes. “Yeah, something like that.”

The twins exchange a look of shock. Song sits up straighter, his playful demeanor gone. “But you two are like, the dream team. What happened?”

I shake my head, the events too raw, too painful to recount again. My mother, sensing my reluctance, interjects gently. “It’s been a tough night for your sister. Let’s just say, June and Cara are taking a break.”

Sonya’s mouth forms a small ‘o’, and she moves to my side, wrapping an arm around me. “I’m so sorry, Cici.”

I nod, a bitter laugh escaping me. “Yeah, me too, sis… me too.”

Song leans forward, the typical mischief in his eyes replaced by a rare seriousness. “We can’t let him just break our sister’s heart… Want me to beat him up?”

A fleeting smile crosses my lips at Song’s attempt to lighten the mood, but it fades as quickly as it appeared. “No, Song,” I say, my voice devoid of its usual warmth. “Some battles are fought alone, and some… some are simply lost.”

Mama’s eyes, always so full of wisdom and comfort, search mine, but for once, I find no solace there. She understands, we all do, that some wounds are too deep for platitudes or protective rage.

The twins sit back, their youthful energy dimmed by the weight of my sorrows they’re only beginning to understand. They exchange a glance, then go back to a silent conversation I’m no longer privy to.

“What now, Mommy?” My voice is small, lost. But even as I ask the question, the answer reverberates through me - because I have pushed away the source of my warmth, my safety.

June’s embrace, his love, is gone thanks to my reckless pride.

Regret washes over me in crushing waves as I recall the cruelty of my taunt about being with another man. What was I thinking? How could I have been so heartless to the person who has loved me unconditionally?

Sobs wrack my body as I remember the light leaving June’s eyes, that beautiful forest green turning flinty with hurt and accusation. In that moment, I saw the trust between us fracture, perhaps irreparably. And for what? A fleeting moment of petty vengeance?

“I’ve ruined everything,” I whisper brokenly into the comforting scent of Mama’s embrace. “June finally let me in, let me see the depths of his feelings, and I threw it back in his face.”

I dissolve into fresh tears, mourning the potential loss of the one person who has meant more to me than anyone else in this world. What if my rash actions cost me the love I’ve always longed for? What if I can never regain June’s trust, never restore the bond I so foolishly severed?

The anguish coils within me, a serpent of regret and fear constricting around my battered heart. All I can do is cling to Mama, letting her reassuring murmurs and soothing caresses pour over me like a salve as I give voice to my agonized sobs.

“I’m so sorry, June,” I whisper into the stillness, hoping against hope that somehow, somewhere, he can hear the sincerity in those three words. “Please, please don’t give up on me, on us.”

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