Third Love's The Charm

If you could keep on redoing one day of your life, would you? If somehow, you can go back in time to change the past, would you?

I would.

Standing in anguish while my boyfriend broke up with me makes me want to crumble. His strong features, trying to look apologetic, felt like a tower that was about to fall over me. It was horrible, I wanted nothing more but to turn around and run away but I didn't, I clenched my fist and listened to his words.

"I'm sorry."

As the tears started to stain my vision, it took every strength in my body not to fall into a pile of desperation on the ground. Those two words were all that I heard recently, no matter who I try to get close with, they always end up saying the same thing.

I'm sorry.

With a sharp intake of breath, I looked up and flashed him a smile, the corners of my mouth trembling as I did so. He blinked down at me in shock, knowing me well enough to realize that I was on the verge of breaking down. It would have been more dramatic if it was raining or the gray clouds were empathizing with my sorry ass, but that wasn't the case. Yes, it was slightly chilly because of the small glimpse of spring, but the sun was up and happy in the sky.

"It's alright," I told him, thanking the universe that I managed to keep my voice calm and leveled, "I'm sorry for always backing out on our dates and never being there for any occasion."

When I didn't do anything for him on his birthday – even going as far as skipping school – it was the last straw. He asked me out months ago and I was delighted, a cheerful guy like him actually wanted to go on a date with little ol' me.

And I thought we were fantastic together. Of course, that was before the incident.

I told him politely if he could go on without me, because I was sure that he was waiting for me to leave first. He agreed with another apology and I merely watched on as his back turned away on one corner.

A sob escaped my lips and my legs gave out, I sank to the ground with my black leggings hitting the slightly damp soil of the school field.

I'm sorry.

People never stay with you, if he only knew the reason why I had to say no to him, why I was absent for his birthday, why I couldn't be the perfect girlfriend in his mind.

No matter what my doctor said, the drugs never had its effect on me. I told her this and she trialed me for a bigger dose, hoping that it would be enough. Yes, I felt my mind getting lighter but everything seemed to be a trigger for me.

Pathetic, I'm so pathetic.

The oxygen felt like it was depleting, my lungs were struggling to gasp for air, and my eyes constantly roamed around for anything to give me assurance.

Nothing, absolutely nothing.

With my still wobbly legs, I pushed myself up by using the wall as support. I leaned against it, taking deep breaths to even out my breathing but my heart still felt like it was jumping around in my chest. I tilted my head up to see a classroom window, the same place where I left my bag when he asked me to meet him out here.

I started to walk back inside, my sweater felt heavier around my body. The stairs felt as if it was going on forever, in fact, it felt like the trip to the third floor was a climb up a large monument. When I reached the classroom, my bag was on one of the desks right next to the window and I practically crawled towards it.

The window was open, letting the cool breeze enter the stuffy classroom. With my hand on the back of the chair, I peeked out, gazing on the spot where I previously stood.

So cruel.

It was a long drop for sure, the school was rather old, its staircases were steep so even three floors was already high up.

I wonder what it will feel like to fall down from here.

I grabbed an eraser and dropped it down, watching as it slowly descended towards the soil, plopping with no sound and if you weren't paying attention to it in the first place, you wouldn't notice it at all.

Will it be the same if I jumped?

I tried to lean a little more forward until my whole torso was out of the window, my hands gripping to the windowsill and my feet now shaking as I tried to keep them balanced on my toes. I blinked down again on the spot where he broke up with me.

It wasn't his fault. Everything kept piling up.

Suddenly, I was jerked away from the window when somebody wrapped their arms around my waist and pulled me backwards. I released a small yelp and whoever dragged me away, they lost their balance and the both of us came tumbling down to the floor. My bottom hurts, my stained leggings were taunting me, and there was large pain around my stomach where I was grabbed.

"Don't do it," I heard the person – who I know identified as a male – plead into my ear, not even thinking of releasing me, "Please don't do it."

The sudden movements snapped me back to reality, as if a huge slap on my face that made me realized what I was about to do. I shook myself out of his hold and turned to face him, "What are you on about?"

Then I got the view of Leon Colten, sweat dripping on his forehead, his breath heavy and uneven, his hands were planted on the floor probably because of how quickly I moved away from him.

I knew him, he was my boyfriend's – I mean, ex-boyfriend's – best friend. Although we spent ample amount of time together, we never really gotten close. In fact, I think there was a time that he hated me.

"Look, I know Pat wanted to break up with you but that doesn't mean that..." he started to explain and I immediately lifted a hand to stop him.

"He told you that he wanted to break up with me?" I breathed out. Why was I acting so shocked? Of course he will tell his own best friend.

But I just wanted to be angry, it was far easier than spiraling down into another kind of emotion, "And you did nothing?!"

"Avery, it was out of my control," he tried to defend himself, "Please, just listen to me."

I was just trying to blame somebody when I knew that it was me who was at fault. Nobody else, but stupid me. So I jumped onto my feet and snatched my bag as fast as possible before bolting out. I was quite impressed at how fast my legs were moving considering how they could barely function a few minutes prior.

"Avery!" I heard him call out but my ears started ringing but I just wanted to go home.

I wanted this day to end.

Something I failed to think of was that Leon, along with Pat, was part of the soccer team. So catching up with a girl who had zero athletic abilities was easy. He grabbed my arm before I could even step out of the school.

"Let me go!" I screeched, my voice going a complete octave higher.

"At least let me drive you home," he frowned, his voice getting gentler.

I looked onto the winding street outside those school gates and the dread of walking home in this state. I then switched my gaze to his face, an expression of pure desperation flash on it. Even though I really didn't want to, I finally agreed, "Okay."

When I got inside his car, he didn't immediately drive. Instead, he reached into his backpack and pulled out a whistle, long and thin, with a chain right through it.

"Here," he said, presenting it to me.

I blinked at the silver thing and my eyebrows knitted together, "What's that for?"

"Coach taught us that blowing on a whistle relieves a bit of stress," he explained, "Try it."

"I hope you're aware that I am not putting your used whistle anywhere near my mouth," I told him bluntly.

He rolled his eyes and without asking for permission, he passed the chain over my head and allowed it settle on my neck, "Then sanitize it when you get home."

"Leon..." I trailed off and he shook his head, stopping me from even attempting to remove the whistle.

"Please," he pleaded, his voice almost cracking at the end. I do understand why he was like this, he could have witnessed something so incredibly horrible. I don't know what I would have done if he didn't pull me back.

So I lowered my hands and nodded silently, facing forward and fastening my seatbelt so we could finally go.

I didn't know how I was going to go about this break up. Somehow, I felt it coming. He was being more and more distant each day. Well, during the times when I wasn't the one being distant. Still, I thought we would talk about it more instead of him just dropping the bomb on me.

Either way, I was thankful for the guy sitting right next to me. I can't even imagine what would have happened if he wasn't there at the right place, at the right time.

He stopped the car in front of my house. I didn't even bother with asking how he knew where I lived, Pat probably mentioned it to him.

"Thanks," I murmured, opening the door and getting out as fast as I can.

My house was situated right next to my best friend's – which was the reason why we were best friends in the first place. She was a year older than me, but even then, we were practically sisters growing up.

I squinted my eyes to peek at her bedroom window, trying to figure out if she was already home so I could go over and talk to her about the recent happenings. When there was no signs of life inside that room, I sighed and continued on my trek towards my front door.

When I looked over my shoulder, I noticed that Leon's car was still there.

My eyebrows knitted together and I waved a bit so that he could get the signal that it was alright to leave. He gestured that I should continue on.

You know what? I was tired already, he can do whatever he wants.

I unlocked the door and went inside. My mom poked her head from the kitchen doorway, beaming at me, "Welcome home, sweetheart."

A gush of warmth immediately enveloped me, just seeing here there, "H-hi mom."

Thankfully, she didn't notice my stammer or the smudges of mascara around my eyes, "I was wondering why you weren't home yet, I was starting to get worried. I even made you your favorite chili."

My heart started beating in my chest and I felt alive once again, "Umm... a friend drove me."

A friend.

I gasped and turned around, swinging the door open to see Leon finally starting to move away from our driveway. If it wasn't for him, this day would have been completely different for everybody. Yet, all I selfishly did was give him a small 'thanks' that didn't even sound sincere.

"Leon!" I yelled, my feet running after him, tapping my hand on whatever part of his car I could make contact with.

He rolled down his the window, his eyes wide, "What are you doing?"

"I never got to say thank you properly," I puffed out.

"We're good!" he exclaimed loudly, "No need to thank me."

"Yes, I do," I said defiantly, "Look, I know that we got off the wrong foot and..."

"No, really, Avery," he attempted once again to stop me, "It was my pleasure and I really meant it when I told you that you didn't have to thank me."

I stepped back from his car, clasping my hands together, "But I really am grateful, I don't know what would have happened if you weren't there."

His face morphed from one that was clearly in a hurry into such a soft expression. He leaned his cheek on the back of his hand that was gripping the top of the steering wheel, his face so gentle and kind, "You're welcome."

I mustered a tight lip smile, it was all I could give right now with so many things rushing in my head. With one final nod of acknowledgement, I turned on my heel and he started to drive away.

The thing was, I only managed to take two steps before another car pulled over to the house next door. Not just any car, it was Pat's.

And it wasn't just him inside. Zoey, the person I said that was my best friend and like a sister, was right there in the passenger seat.

Why?

They looked so happy when Pat said something to make her laugh. In fact, they looked like a couple from an outsider's point of view.

My lip started to quiver and the tears started to once again form in my eyes. I've managed to keep my composure earlier but now, I don't even know what to think. A thousand thoughts entered my mind, battling for my attention.

A part of me said that I should calmly ask them what they are doing together, but another one just wanted to raise my anxiety.

And I'm afraid, the latter won.

The tears slowly dropped one by one down my cheeks. A hand covered my vision and an arm wrapped around my torso, pulling me against the owner's body.

"Don't look," I heard Leon say and I could no longer hold it in. I gripped onto the hand that was covering my eyes and I started to sob loudly, letting the tears fall right down.

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So while I was in the middle of studying, I got so fed up with my lessons that I told myself that I wanted to write something. You know, my sparks of inspiration comes at the weirdest times. I literally managed to create the cover of the book, the description, and this prologue in the span of an hour.

New book, new plot, new characters to fall in love with. Don't worry, I will try to write everything in a very sensitive manner. I'll put my psychology degree to good use.

So, what do you think?

I hope you guys will stay with me through our new adventure! See you on chapter one!