Chapter 6

Aurelia's POV

The next morning, I woke up and tried to sit up in bed. It felt like a truck had run me over. Pain wracked my body, forcing me to curl into a ball as wave after wave of muscle spasms made me cry out.

A dull ache throbbed in my right ankle. I glanced down—the gauze was still there. At least it hadn't swollen up.

But I was alone in the room. No one heard my suffering.

And it was probably because I hadn't stretched or iced anything last night.

Right now, every part of my body was screaming in silent protest.

The whole process—from sharp agony to complete numbness—took less than five minutes.

That shift from searing pain to numbness left me staring blankly at the ceiling, tears streaming down my face.

My mind drifted back to last night—those thugs who'd cornered me in the alley.

If Elijah hadn't shown up, I'd probably be "broken" right now.

Elijah was Sidney's brother. We'd barely met before. His gaze was so sharp—I could tell from Sidney's eyes that he was a little scared of his own brother.

Why, though?

I thought back to last night when I got home. Elijah is showing up. My calf is cramping. He came into the bathroom, reaching out to massage my leg.

Absurd. The whole thing was ridiculous.

I never imagined I'd meet Sidney's brother like this.

His fingertips were rough—nothing like Sidney's long, slender fingers. But his cold expression and broad chest gave me this strange sense of security.

Like as long as he was there, all that inexplicable panic and fear would sink deep into my chest—or just vanish entirely in that moment.

And yet, whenever I felt this way, Sidney's image always surfaced in my mind.

He was the first person who cared about me. Not just him—his family cared too.

I admitted it: I missed Sidney. I missed that "fragmented" kind of care he gave.

This time, I didn't hesitate or second-guess myself. I remembered what Elijah had said—why didn't I call Sidney when something happened?

The next second, I dialed Sidney's number without thinking.

He picked up faster than usual.

His voice was as gentle as ever, but it carried a concern I hadn't heard in a long time. Yes, I'd call it concern.

"I heard from my brother what happened last night. How are you feeling? Do you want me to come over?"

That string of questions—especially when I heard him mention Elijah—changed everything.

Normally, I would've been thrilled. I would've said yes, let him come take care of me. But now? I didn't feel that way at all. In fact, I was resistant to the idea.

The moment he finished speaking, I turned him down. "No need. I can handle it."

Two seconds of silence on the other end.

I almost thought he'd insist. Even just once.

But instead, he sounded almost relieved. "Alright then. Take care of yourself. Call me if you need anything."

Then he hung up.

After the line went dead, I remembered what Elijah had said to me last night.

That fragile thread in my heart finally snapped.

I could feel something inside me quietly shifting.

Just then, my mom called.

"Aurelia, you were amazing in the competition."

"So can you come home and see me?" I wanted it desperately, but my voice stayed calm. There wasn't a trace of pleading in it.

There was a troubled pause on the other end. Then she said, "I'm out of town. I might not be able to make it. Once I'm done with work, okay? My sweet girl."

I obediently said, "Okay."

My mother didn't seem to notice the disappointment in my tone. She said a few more caring words, then cheerfully hung up.

Staring at the darkened screen, I went downstairs. The house was empty. I sat in the kitchen like an abandoned cub, staring helplessly at the ingredients on the table.

I knew I couldn't stay alone in this house any longer. If I did, I'd lose it.

Once I lost it, I'd fall apart completely. I had to find something to do.

I made a decision: I had to go to school today.

After forcing down a few bites of food, I headed to school.

In the hallway, a classmate walked up beside me casually. "You didn't go to Rufus's place that night? Sidney and Azalea sang a duet together. It was hilarious."

I kept smiling and nodding, but inside, it felt like ice water had been dumped over my heart.

So the party he ditched me for wasn't just about watching the game—it was because Azalea was there too.

And he'd had a great time. Singing with Azalea. Hanging out with everyone. Like, ditching me that night didn't matter at all.

The realization sent me spiraling.

Today's classes felt like molten lead pouring into my skull. The more I listened, the heavier my head felt.

I stumbled through the day in a daze, dodged Sidney's concern, and escaped from school.

When I got back to my empty house, it felt like a "safe zone". I finally felt a bit more clear-headed.

That night, I tossed and turned, unable to sleep. My mouth was dry. Eventually, I got up and went downstairs to get water.

Standing in the kitchen, I grabbed a glass and filled it. The island counter faced the window. I glanced up and saw a dark figure running toward my street.

After what happened last night, my nerves kicked in. My hand tightened around the glass.

As the figure got closer, I realized he was wearing workout gear. Obviously out for a run.

What really made me relax was recognizing his build.

It was Elijah. Sidney's brother—the one who'd helped me, protected me, and taken care of me last night.

I stood at the window, watching him run past my house and disappear down the street.

Over the next few days, I noticed that every time I came downstairs for water at night, I'd see Elijah running.

Apparently, he ran this route every night.

Why hadn't I noticed before? Was it a coincidence? Or something else?

I chalked it up to never paying attention to Elijah before.

Normally, I would've already taken my glass and gone back upstairs by now.

But this time, I stood there sipping my water, watching his figure fade into the distance.

It wasn't until he disappeared from view that I snapped out of it.

I finished the water, washed the glass, and put it back on the counter.

Then I went upstairs to bed.