Ch.1 // The love we share //

Third person POV:

Raquel and Andrew were sitting on a bench in a park, observing and feeling the nature, the sound of soft breeze touching their skin , the birds chirping and humming a song while making their way back to the home, the warmness of the sun.. and the sounds of people talking and children laughing and playing.

Raquel was holding Andrew's arm while resting her head on his shoulder, inhaling his charming scent which will make her day. Andrew was silently gazing at her while playing with her beautiful and long fingers.. They both were so in love with each other .

"Hey babe?" Says Andrew.

"Yess? She replies while smiling at him.

"Why are you so silent today? Is everything ok?" His concerning tone makes her smile, but she shakes her head. "Everything is ok until you are by my side ... I just want to stay like this.. with you.."

He sighs. " Yeah alright ".

He kissed on her forehead which made her smile brightly and made her grip on his arm more tighter .

[ Time skip to 30 minutes ]

"Andrew?" Raquel's calls him. "Hmm?" A humming sound vibrates through his throat and he looks at her.

"Let's go now.. it's getting late ! I need to help my mom too. Says Raquel.

"Yeah let's go".

Andrew stood up from the bench and crouched facing his back to her body and told her to get over him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and He stood up and then slightly jumped to grab her knees and She wrapped both of her legs on either side of his strong waist .

That's how He used to take her home each day after having their own little beautiful meeting at the park, showing his love and affection towards his girlfriend.

Her house was only three allies away from the park, so he didn't wanted her to walk .

He carried Her to Her house and then gently bend His back to make Her feet touch the ground. And she removed her hands from his neck.

"Ppsssttt.. darling?" Andrew whispers.

He pulled her by her arm as she was opening the door of her house .

"Y-yeahh?" She gets startled by this sudden action. "Were you planning on to leave me without a goodbye hug?"

She chuckled and gave him a tight hug, resting her head on his chest, He wrapped his muscular arms around her waist .. They both stayed like that for a few seconds and then She said,

"How could I forget?"

They both pulled out from the hug.

He cupped her cheeks with his hands and said,

"Don't take too much stress ok ? I love you. Bye !

"Bye love". Raquel waves him.

Andrew dropped Raquel to her house and left on his way to his house .

Raquel's POV :

I stepped inside my house and made my way to the living room and said politely, "I'm home mom" ,

Raquel's mother: "Hello sweetie, come sit here. My mother greets me by her sweet voice just the way she always does.

I smile and nod to her .

She led me to the sofa and I seated myself on the comfy sofa while grabbing a fluffy cushion in my hands and I play with its fur.

"I made your favourite dessert today, I hope you are okay now?" She always asks me being the concerned mother that she is.

I place my hand on her shoulder to give her an assuring feeling and say"I'm okay mom" . She grabs my hand placed on her shoulder and say worriedly,

"Promise me Raquel.. you won't hurt yourself again?

I hug her as I also feel a bit emotional and guilty of my actions which worried everybody around me.

"I won't, don't worry". I hug her and reassure her the best I can. She smiles and nods to me.

"Where's dad?" I ask my mom,

"He said he will be late today. Go and fresh up and let's eat dinner together".

I nod and get up to make my way to my room upstairs.

I step inside my room and quickly close the door and lock it. I start taking deep breaths to calm myself down as I am having anxiety because of my mom's words making me remember the previous horrible incident which I went through. I walk towards my cupboard and pull the drawer of it in which they I keep a bottle filled up with anxiety controlling pills, I take a glass of water and swallow two pills to calm myself down and then I lie down on my comfy bed, remembering the incident which happened a week ago because of which Andrew and my mother were so tensed about.

[ FLASHBACK ]

[ Raquel's POV] :

I was lying on the floor of my room and my window was open through which cold breezes were coming through my way .. making me shiver in cold. But I was a crying mess and too powerless to lift my body up and cover myself . My depression was consuming all of me that day and my brain was messed up because of much overthinking ! Very weird thoughts were striking my mind like "I'm nobody", "Nobody loves me",

"I'm worthless" , "He will leave me".. Although these were simple thoughts and everybody goes through these kind of thoughts but these simple thoughts were what which could convert me from a smiling face to a crying mess.. And it was all because of Andrew. He didn't come that day to the park.. and it was enough to trigger my anxiety . "I'm sure he is tired of me".. I thought.

That such small incident was letting me feel the worst of me so I thought of finally ending it all. I was in depression from a long time ago and Andrew.. He was the only one who could make me feel hope .. A hope for a better tomorrow "with him".

I used all my strength to pick myself up from the floor and walked with my bare feet to the bathroom and made my way to the glass cupboard and grabbed a blade which I had kept hidden inside a corner. I walked to my room and sat beside my bed on the floor in a corner of my room, I took a deep breathe and started rubbing that sharp blade onto my wrist harshly, once the pain took over all of my body, I left that blade on the floor and leaned my back against the wall. Suddenly I heard my mom knocking on the door to invite me for the dinner downstairs.. I didn't reply back so she opened the door and came inside my room. My sight was getting blurry and tears were flowing down my cheeks like a river .. I slowly closed my eyes Infront of her.. but before closing my eyes.. I whispered,

"I'm sorry mom".

[XXX]