Nina

​📝 The Night and the Morning After

​"Caleb," I called his name. As my eyes adjusted to the dark, I could see his face a bit—shocked and breathing heavily. He hurriedly straightened up and walked out of my room immediately. I was left dumbfounded as I called his name again. My heart was beating fast as the rain outside grew heavier. Maybe it was the rain 🌧️ that comforted me. I didn't know what to feel about what happened that night. I wanted to hope for something more, but I knew it was a taboo to love someone who was legally family, even when not blood related. I couldn't help but cry about my helplessness.

​I hadn't slept even a wink, but I still needed to attend my class; it was Monday. I decided to cover up my miserable face with concealer and makeup. As I went downstairs, I didn't see Caleb—thank God. It was too awkward to see him today after what happened last night.

​I'm in my first year of college, taking up Marketing Management at a nearby university. I texted a friend of mine, Gina, to wait for me in the university's cafeteria. Gina is my nerdy kind of friend, who I always talk to about my frustrations and unrequited love with Mr. C—she doesn't know who that is. It's not that I don't trust her; it's just that I want some things to remain private on my part. Part of it was because I had a traumatic experience with Shane. I bet he told Caleb about me, but nah, it doesn't matter anymore.

​I met Gina patiently waiting for me, and we went to class together. We're taking the same degree, so we pretty much have the same schedules. When our class ended, we decided to eat together. Gina hurriedly asked me if I was okay; she must have noticed my sunken eyes and dark under eyes, deprived of sleep. I told her I was fine and that I just had a mental breakdown because of Mr. C.

​Her curiosity piqued again, and she asked what happened. "Did Mr. C mess with you again?"

​I kind of painted Caleb as a bit of a bad guy to Gina—because I was irritated with him when he got together with Shane after I confessed to him, even after I'd told Shane I was finally going to confess to Caleb. Little did I know that they'd end up together... So, I told Gina that Caleb purposely let me see them together with Shane during their intimate moment.

​Gina, seething with rage, cursed "Mr. C" and told me I should just forget about him. "You are pretty, Nina! I don't know if you have noticed, but lots of guys were stealing glances at you. I'm sure you will find someone better than that devil. He doesn't deserve you, and you don't deserve a cruel man like that."

​I felt a little bit guilty about Gina's concern for me because no matter how I tried to forget my feelings about my own stepbrother, I just couldn't bring myself to look the other way. I thanked Gina and told her that I would try, but I would hurt properly and despair enough; I would love Caleb and feel the pain until I got numbed, and I wouldn't feel anything but nothing about him.

​Gina hugged me and changed the topic as the mood around us became gloomy. She asked me to try to make myself busy with studies or the things that I enjoyed, to forget about Caleb, even for a while.

​After I hung out with Gina, I didn't notice it was so late. I hurriedly went home, as I walked from the bus stop; our house is like 500 meters away. The alleys were dark, and although there were some lights, the neighborhood was awfully quiet. I reached into my pocket to get my phone to check the time, and it was 11 in the evening. I shouldn't have spent so much time doing karaoke with Gina. I ended up enjoying myself too much and didn't notice it was this late already.

​As I scanned through my phone, I noticed I had tons of missed calls from Caleb. I was going to send him a message, but then I gripped my phone tight and hastened my phase when I suddenly noticed that someone from behind was following me. I was so scared that I prayed internally to God that I'd reach my house on the spot. I quickened my phase; the stranger's footsteps also quickened. When I tried to run, I didn't notice a stone, and then I stumbled on the road with my phone thrown out of my grip.

​Someone behind me yanked my arm as I screamed in pain and asked for help, hoping that someone nearby would hear my voice. As I was struggling to break free, my knees were sore from the scrape because of the fall. I was now crying and begging the man towering over me to let me go, and I instinctively called for Caleb's name.

​The man cupped my face and forcefully directed my face into his. That's when I properly saw a familiar face, and he uttered my name, "Nina."

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