TO HEAVEN WITH YOU

Ari was discharged from the hospital the next day, but she decided to stay home, avoiding the studio and Leo. She lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling, her mind racing with thoughts about her relationship with Leo.

She replayed every moment they had shared, from their first meeting to their most recent conversations. The warmth of his touch, the intensity of his gaze, the way he made her feel like she was the only person in the world—all of it felt distant now.

After that first kiss, everything seemed to change. Leo didn't seem as close anymore. "Did I make a mistake?" she wondered. "Did I push myself on him? Did I open up too soon?"

Her thoughts spiraled, each question more painful than the last. She remembered the days she spent in the hospital, checking her phone constantly, hoping for a message or a call from Leo. But there had been nothing. Not a single word from him.

"Why didn't he call?" she asked herself for the hundredth time. "Doesn't he care? Was he just playing with my feelings?"

She felt a lump in her throat, and tears welled up in her eyes. The thought of Leo not caring about her was almost too much to bear. She had opened up to him, shared her deepest fears and vulnerabilities. She had let him into her heart, and now it felt like he was slipping away.

Ari's mind drifted back to the conversations they had had, the promises he made about taking things slowly. "But how slow is too slow?" she thought. "At what point does it become an excuse?"

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of her phone buzzing. She reached for it, her heart racing with hope, but it was just a notification from a social media app. She sighed and put the phone back down, feeling more alone than ever.

Even now, as she lay in her bed, there was still no message from him. No sign that he had missed her or even noticed her absence. The realization was painful, cutting deeper than she had expected.

Ari knew she had to confront these feelings. She couldn't keep torturing herself with doubts and unanswered questions. She needed clarity, and the only way to get it was to talk to Leo directly.

"I have to talk to him," she decided, sitting up in bed. "I need to know where we stand. I can't keep living in this uncertainty."

With newfound determination, Ari got out of bed and walked to the mirror. She looked at herself, taking in the dark circles under her eyes and the pallor of her skin. "You can do this," she told herself. "You deserve to know the truth."

She spent the next few hours gathering her thoughts, preparing for the conversation she knew she had to have. She thought about what she would say, how she would express her feelings without sounding desperate or needy.

By the time evening came, Ari felt ready. She picked up her phone and typed out a message to Leo, her fingers trembling slightly as she hit send.

"Hey Leo, can we talk? I need to clear some things up."

She hit send and took a deep breath, waiting for his response. The seconds felt like hours as she stared at her phone, willing it to buzz with his reply.

After what felt like an eternity, her phone finally vibrated. She picked it up, her heart pounding, and read his message.

"Sure, Ari. What's on your mind?"

Ari felt a mix of relief and anxiety. She had taken the first step, and now it was time to face the truth. She texted back, setting a time and place to meet, and then put her phone down, her mind racing with anticipation.

As she lay back down on her bed, Ari couldn't help but wonder what the conversation would bring. Would Leo reassure her fears, or would he confirm her worst suspicions? Only time would tell, but one thing was certain—she couldn't keep living in this limbo. She needed answers, and she was determined to get them.