TO HEAVEN WITH YOU

Ari had decided to stay home today because she wasn't feeling too well. Her illness was acting up, and she didn't want to alarm Leo. She had always managed her condition on her own, relying on her strength and resilience. However, as the day progressed, her symptoms worsened. Breathing became difficult, and she could feel the familiar ache in her joints intensifying.

Despite her best efforts, the situation soon spiraled out of control. By evening, Ari was gasping for air, her body wracked with pain. Mia, who had just returned home, found her sister in distress and immediately called for an ambulance. As they rushed to the hospital, Mia anxiously asked, "Should I tell Leo about this?"

Ari shook her head weakly. "No, Mia. Don't tell him. I don't want him to worry."

Mia frowned but respected her sister's wishes. Ari was admitted to the hospital and placed under observation. The doctors worked quickly to stabilize her condition, but it was clear she would need to stay for a while. As the days passed, Ari found herself confined to the sterile, white walls of her hospital room. She was there for almost a week, and during that time, she kept her phone close, hoping for a message or a call from Leo.

Each day, she would unlock her phone with a mix of hope and dread, checking to see if Leo had tried to contact her. But there was nothing. No missed calls, no texts. The silence from him was deafening, and it hurt her deeply to realize that he didn't seem to miss her or care about her absence.

"He hasn't called or messaged," she thought to herself, feeling a pang of hurt each time she checked her phone. "How could he not notice that I've been away for a whole week?"

The emotional pain she felt was far worse than any physical ailment. The idea that Leo might not care as much as she thought made her heart ache in a way she hadn't expected. She had opened up to him, shared her vulnerabilities, and yet he remained distant.

One night, after another day of waiting in vain, Ari lay in her hospital bed, staring at her phone with tear-filled eyes. She felt utterly brokenhearted. The constant hope and subsequent disappointment were taking a toll on her. She let out a shuddering breath and closed her eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her body was exhausted from the emotional and physical strain, and eventually, she drifted into a fitful sleep, aided by the sedative effect of her medication.

In her dreams, she replayed moments with Leo—his smile, his touch, the way he made her feel safe and cherished. But now, those memories were tainted with the sting of his absence. She woke intermittently through the night, each time checking her phone, only to find no new messages. The empty screen seemed to mock her feelings.

Ari's sister, Mia, watched her with concern. She hated seeing her sister in so much pain, not just from her illness but from the apparent neglect by someone she cared so deeply about. Mia wanted to reach out to Leo herself, to demand an explanation, but she knew Ari wouldn't want that. All she could do was be there for her sister, offering comfort and support.

On the sixth day of her hospital stay, Ari was feeling slightly better physically, but emotionally, she was still in turmoil. She gazed out the window, lost in her thoughts. "Maybe he just doesn't care as much as I thought," she whispered to herself, feeling a fresh wave of tears threatening to spill.

The door to her room opened, and Mia walked in with a small bouquet of flowers. "Hey, how are you feeling today?" she asked softly.

Ari managed a weak smile. "Better, I guess."

Mia placed the flowers on the bedside table and sat down next to her sister. "I'm here for you, Ari. Always."

Ari nodded, grateful for her sister's presence. "I know, Mia. Thank you."

As the evening approached, Ari's thoughts once again drifted to Leo. She wondered what he was doing, if he even thought about her. The pain of his absence was almost too much to bear. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to push the thoughts away. But the hurt remained, a constant reminder of her unreciprocated feelings.

As she drifted off to sleep once more, Ari clung to the hope that things would get better, that somehow, she and Leo could find their way back to each other. But for now, she had to focus on healing, both physically and emotionally, and find the strength to move forward, even if it meant doing so without him.