Clara shrugged, already feeling like a stranger here. “I don’t know yet. But I can’t stay here, not after this. I need to get away, to start a new life, far from him, far from all this.”
“That’s a big decision, Clara,” Alex murmured, trying to reason with her. “But if that’s what you want, we’ll support you.”
Clara gave a faint smile, grateful. “Thank you. I didn’t know it would hurt so much… But I can’t stay here and watch someone else live the life I hoped for.”
So this is what puppy love was… An illusion that disappears with the first gust of wind. I realized that I had held onto him without ever knowing that he was never truly mine. This pain, this emptiness, it was my heart mourning a love that had never been returned.
Lila placed her hand on Clara’s shoulder, as if to lend her strength. “Maybe this pain is just the beginning of something better, Clara. Something that’s waiting for you somewhere else.”
Alex added, in a gentle voice. “You’re strong, Clara. Stronger than you think. If leaving is what you need, then do it. We’ll be here, always, even from afar.”