A Gun To The Heart

People say that love is like giving someone a gun pointed directly at your heart hoping they won’t shoot. The same could be said about trust. I am Eliza Moore, the girl who hides everything deep inside, knowing that anger can be like a ticking time bomb when kept inside. Every year, I lose someone I love… someone I put my trust in. Jeremy, my once friend, now enemy, had shattered me. He told me he loved me, told me I was beautiful, but how could you ever hurt someone you love? How could you ever cheat on the girl you promised to marry, and promised to love unconditionally? Now everywhere I go, I see you; I see you in the eyes and faces of everyone around me, and all I see is betrayal. You’re in my thoughts, in my once dreams but now nightmares, all around I see you. All my friends say I should move on and forgive, but knowing you have no remorse makes my heart burn with anger, hatred, and disgust. The most dreaded word for me to hear was Monday, since it’s the start of the school week where I must face you.

I walked down the school hall, kids were smiling and talking about what a wonderful summer they had; those people got on my nerves. They act as if everything in the world is great and full of rainbows, but the real world is only full of wickedness and storms. I went to my locker to put up books, feeling a sudden tap on my shoulder. As I turned around, I saw a tall brown-haired boy with green eyes staring at me. The boy said hi and then started to say something else. I quickly interrupted and said, “If you are thinking of asking me out, don’t even try.” The boy’s face turned red as he said, “Oh no, I, uh, I’m Kai. I am new to this school and just needed to ask where the calculus class is.” My face flushed as I was filled with embarrassment. “Oh, sorry... I’m Eliza, and uh, I actually was just heading to calculus, so I will take you there.” Kai smiled and said thanks. I was relieved when we got to the class since I could go sit in the back row and not have to talk to anyone. The calculus teacher, Mr. Matthus, handed our first quiz grades back and then said in a rough voice, “You guys may know that I require everyone to work together on this upcoming test. You will all be paired in groups of two. The reason for this is because just as numbers and equations need to work together to find a solution, people must do the same.”

I groaned inwardly. The last thing I wanted was to be paired up with someone, especially when it involved math. To my dismay, Mr. Matthus started calling out the pairs, and my name was paired with none other than the new kid, Kai. He glanced at me with a friendly smile, but I could barely muster a response.

As we gathered our things and moved to sit together, Kai broke the ice, "Hey, Eliza, I know we got off on the wrong foot earlier, but I hope we can work well together."

I nodded curtly, not wanting to engage too much. We started working on the assignment, and to my surprise, Kai was not only smart but also patient. He explained concepts clearly and never made me feel stupid for asking questions. Slowly, my guarded demeanor began to crack.

Days turned into weeks, and we spent more time together, both in and out of class. Kai had a way of making me laugh, and I found myself looking forward to our study sessions. He never pried into my past or asked about my obvious reluctance to trust people, and for that, I was grateful.

One afternoon, as we sat in the library, Kai suddenly looked serious. "Eliza, I've noticed you always seem to have a lot on your mind. I won't ask what it is, but just know I'm here if you ever want to talk."

For the first time in a long time, I felt a glimmer of hope. I hesitated but then started to share bits and pieces of my past. Kai listened intently, without judgment, and his empathy was a balm to my wounded heart.

As the school year progressed, our bond grew stronger. Kai introduced me to his friends, who welcomed me warmly, and slowly, the shadows of my past started to fade. I realized that not everyone was like Jeremy, and that trust, once shattered, could be rebuilt.

On the last day of the school year, Kai surprised me with a small gift—a beautiful journal. "For your thoughts," he said with a shy smile. "And maybe to help you see that not all stories end in heartbreak."

Tears filled my eyes, but this time, they were tears of happiness. "Thank you, Kai. You've shown me that there is good in the world, and that not all storms last forever."

As we walked out of school together, I felt a sense of peace and contentment that I hadn't felt in years. Kai and I stood at the school's entrance, the summer sun shining brightly. I turned to him and said, "You know, Kai, maybe love and trust aren't so scary after all."

He smiled, taking my hand in his. "I'm glad you think so, Eliza. Here's to new beginnings and happy endings."

And as we walked away, I knew that my heart was finally healing, and that I had found a friend—and perhaps something more—in Kai. The future was bright, and I was ready to embrace it with open arms.

However, despite this newfound peace, there were moments when the pain and anger from the past bubbled up, threatening to overwhelm me. One particular day, it all came crashing down.

It was a Friday afternoon, and I had been looking forward to the weekend. Kai and I had planned to go to the movies, something that had become a regular and cherished part of our routine. But that day, as I walked down the hallway, I saw Jeremy. He was laughing with his friends, completely oblivious to the pain he had caused me. Something inside me snapped.

I felt the familiar heat of anger rise within me, a tidal wave of rage that I could no longer contain. I stormed towards him, my fists clenched, and before I knew it, I was yelling.

"How could you?" I screamed, my voice echoing through the hallway. "How could you do this to me?"

Jeremy turned, his face a mask of confusion and annoyance. "Eliza, what the hell?"

"Don't 'Eliza' me!" I shouted. "You broke me! You made me feel worthless, and you don't even care!"

By now, a crowd had gathered, students whispering and pointing. But I didn't care. All the bottled-up emotions, all the pain and betrayal, came pouring out.

"You lied to me! You said you loved me, but you didn't! You never did!" My voice cracked, tears streaming down my face. "You made me feel like I was nothing, like I was replaceable."

Jeremy just stood there, looking uncomfortable. "Look, Eliza, I don't know what to say. I'm sorry, okay? It was a long time ago."

"Sorry? Sorry doesn't change what you did! Sorry doesn't fix the pieces you broke!"

Kai appeared at my side, trying to calm me down. "Eliza, let's go. This isn't worth it."

But I couldn't stop. The dam had broken, and there was no holding back the flood. "You ruined everything! You made me afraid to trust, to love. How do you live with yourself?"

Jeremy's friends started to snicker, and he gave them a sheepish grin. "Look, maybe you need to move on, Eliza. It's not my fault you're still hung up on this."

That was the final straw. I lunged at him, my vision blurred by tears and rage. Kai and a few other students held me back, but the damage was done. I had let my anger consume me, and now, I was left feeling even more broken.

Kai gently guided me away from the scene, his arm around my shoulders. "Eliza, let's go somewhere quiet. You need to breathe."

We found an empty classroom, and I collapsed into a chair, sobbing uncontrollably. Kai sat beside me, his presence a calming anchor in the storm of my emotions.

"I'm so sorry," I whispered between sobs. "I didn't mean to lose control like that."

Kai rubbed my back soothingly. "It's okay, Eliza. You've been holding in a lot of pain. Sometimes it needs to come out."

I wiped my eyes, feeling a mixture of relief and shame. "I just... I don't want to be angry anymore. I don't want to let him have that power over me."

"You won't," Kai said firmly. "But you need to give yourself time to heal. It's okay to feel what you're feeling. Just know that you have people who care about you and want to help."

His words were a balm to my wounded soul. For the first time in a long time, I felt like I could finally start to let go of the past and look towards the future with hope.

The summer passed in a blur of laughter, new experiences, and healing. Kai and I grew closer, and I started to open up to him more. I realized that not all relationships were doomed to end in betrayal and heartbreak. Trust, once shattered, could be rebuilt, and love, once lost, could be found again.

One evening, as we sat on the beach watching the sunset, Kai turned to me, his eyes filled with a tenderness that made my heart swell. "Eliza, there's something I need to tell you."

I felt a flutter of nervousness. "What is it?"

He took a deep breath. "I've fallen in love with you."

My heart skipped a beat. "Kai, I..."

He held up a hand, stopping me. "You don't have to say anything. I just wanted you to know. You've been through so much, and I understand if you're not ready. But I need you to know how I feel."

Tears welled up in my eyes, but this time, they were tears of joy. "Kai, I love you too."

His face lit up with a smile, and he leaned in, kissing me gently. In that moment, under the golden hues of the setting sun, I knew that I had found something truly special.

Life wasn't perfect, and I still had my moments of doubt and fear. But with Kai by my side, I knew I could face anything. Together, we were writing a new chapter, one filled with love, trust, and endless possibilities.

And so, my story, once filled with pain and betrayal, found its happy ending. Kai and I walked hand in hand, ready to face whatever the future held, knowing that as long as we had each other, we could overcome anything.