Chapter seven : Seth

My morning didn’t start with coffee.

It started with a stupid message. From China. From my beloved father.

I brewed a cup anyway, the bitterness matching my mood, and took a full sip as I tugged my unironed white shirt off the hanger.

I already knew—I wasn’t going to have a wonderful day. My mind was triggered.

I hated China -I hated messages from China.

I didn’t have to click on it. I could already hear his words echoing in my head.

Still, I drained my coffee, fell back onto the couch, and tapped the message.

“Since you're not going to visit me, I'll come there. I miss my son. I'll bring you some of your childhood favorite snacks or whatever you want. Just text me back. I'll come soon. We have a business trip to Chicago, but we’ll have to stay in New york for a couple of days for a meeting. I can't wait to meet my little boy. See you soon.”

A sharp pain ran across my chest. This wasn’t what I had expected.

Within a few days, he would be here. Wandering through my house. His rough fingers brushing against the knife handle. Pulling it out of the holder.

Tiptoeing through the hallway like a thief. Silently twisting my doorknob.

Tightening his grip.

My alarm went off, slicing through the silence.

I jumped—off the couch, out of the memory, away from everything I didn’t want to feel.

- - - - - - - -

The sun was bright and hot, but my mind felt heavy, wrapped in a thick, invisible fog. Even after four cups of coffee, I couldn’t shake it off. I had only two classes before lunch, but each second felt stretched. I sat lazily in my seat, scrolling through my phone without purpose.

“I miss my son.”

The words echoed inside me—not just as a memory, but as a presence. My body responded before my mind could; goosebumps raced along my arms. I didn’t want him here. Not in my house. Not in this city. I felt his fingers tightening around my throat, stealing my breath, my chest tightening as my eyes welled up.

I stood up abruptly, grabbing my phone, and walked out without looking back. I needed to breathe. I needed space.

The rooftop had always been my space. It wasn’t dangerous—not really. No one ever came up here except me. The last time someone did, it was Nyla, and even then, it was only for coffee. This place was mine.

I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply, filling my lungs, trying to breathe out the dread that clung to my chest. I’d spent so much time here during the early years—those difficult, lonely months when I barely knew anyone, when conversations were terrifying and I missed home like a missing limb. I was terrible back then. But somehow, slowly, things had gotten better. At least partially.

The breeze wrapped around me softly, and silence fell like a blanket over my thoughts. I let myself drift into that stillness, my eyes unfocused, my mind slowly calming.

And then—stairs creaked.

I turned, the sound snapping me back, heart skipping without permission.

“Nyla? What are you doing here?” I asked.

She didn’t look at me at first—just faced the clear blue sky, taking in a deep breath. “Just came for some fresh air,” she said, her voice soft, carried by the breeze.

“Is it a free hour? For you?”

“Nah, it’s biology.”

“You skipped again?”

“It’s hell. Boring. It’s all about plants and greens.”

“Your teacher lets you out that easily?”

“I said I want to pee..... so she let me go. Easy.” She shrugged.

I stood there quietly, watching her brown, silky hair fluttering in the wind, her face calm, eyes blinking like clockwork. She looked so at peace—like nothing in the world could shake her.

“Not going back?” I finally asked.

She turned toward me, and for a moment, our eyes locked.

“A few more minutes,” she said, almost like a secret. “You’ll be there for the evening class, right?”

“Of course I will,”she sounded genuine.

“Try being friends with Jessica. Classes will be more fun.”

“I’m good on my own,” she whispered.

“Huh?”

“Let’s not talk about her.”

“Why?” I asked, the curiosity starting to itch at me.

She didn’t answer right away. She just kept looking at me, a soft smile forming at the edge of her lips. Then she took a step closer—so close I could smell the faint hint of coffee and mint on her breath. She tiptoed slightly, reaching up, and gently pressed her fingers between my eyebrows.

“Erase this frown away,” she said softly. “There are people who like you.”

Her touch was light, but it sent a rush through me—like warmth in winter. The frown vanished before I even noticed.

She smiled again and, without another word, turned and ran off the rooftop.

What the hell just happened? What was that weird feeling in my stomach?

Why on earth was my heart pounding like a drum? What... did I feel?

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***