CHAPTER 2 – A MISTAKE I CANNOT ERASE

Days passed, and Lena tried to ignore the uneasy feeling in her heart. She told herself Tyler was harmless. She told herself she was only overthinking. But her heart did not believe her mind. Something between them had changed, and she could feel it every time she walked into the room. She felt his eyes on her, even when he pretended to work. She felt the silence between them changing into something heavy, something she did not understand.

One evening, when Lena was alone in the kitchen, Tyler walked in slowly. His voice was soft, almost whisper-like. “You look tired today,” he said. Lena forced a smile and replied, “I’m okay. Just college work.” He looked at her in a way that made her heart beat faster. Not in a good way. Not in a romantic way. But in a way that made her feel small and unsure. She stepped back slightly, trying to keep space between them, but he moved a little closer. “You don’t have to be scared of me,” he said. His tone was strange. Lena’s breath shook. She wanted to leave, but she didn’t want to make things awkward. So she said nothing and walked away.

That night she could not sleep. She kept hearing her mother’s voice in her mind: Do not trust people too fast, Lena. She turned from one side to another, confused and restless. She wanted to believe the best in people. She wanted to believe Tyler meant no harm. But her heart whispered the truth she was trying to hide.

The next morning, Tyler acted normal again. He greeted her parents. He helped her father lift boxes. He smiled at her mother politely. No one could see what Lena felt. No one could see the change in him. But Lena felt it deeply. She felt trapped between fear and politeness. She did not want to hurt him. She did not want to create problems. She was young, and she did not know how to handle complicated feelings.

One afternoon, Lena was sitting on the sofa thinking about her life. She wanted peace. She wanted a simple journey. But inside, she felt unsafe. Tyler entered the room slowly. He sat on a chair and looked at her for a long moment. “Why do you look sad these days?” he asked. Lena swallowed hard and said, “I’m not sad. I’m just tired.” He leaned forward, his eyes sharp yet gentle. “You can talk to me,” he said. “I care about you more than anyone here.”

Those words confused her even more. She did not want this kind of care. She did not need this kind of attention. But she could not say it. Her heart was young, and she did not know how to tell him to stop.

One day, something happened that changed everything. Lena was in her room, sitting quietly, lost in her thoughts. She did not hear Tyler come near the door. When she turned, he was already standing inside the room. She felt her body turn cold. “Tyler, you cannot enter without knocking,” she said, her voice shaking slightly. He smiled a slow smile and said, “I just wanted to check if you’re okay.” She felt trapped. She did not know what to do. She should have shouted. She should have told him to leave. But fear tied her tongue.

He came closer, and Lena felt her heartbeat race painfully. “Why are you scared?” he whispered. “I thought we were close.” Those words broke something inside her. She felt her strength disappear. Her hands shook. She felt she had no control. She was too scared, too shocked, too confused. And in that moment, she made the biggest mistake of her life. Not because she wanted to. Not because she trusted him. But because she was young and afraid, and she did not know how to protect herself.

After that moment, everything changed. Tyler’s behavior changed. His voice changed. His eyes changed. He was no longer gentle. He was cold. He avoided her. He stopped talking to her unless necessary. Lena felt sick inside. She felt like she had lost a part of herself. She wanted to cry but could not tell anyone. The pain was too heavy. The guilt was too strong. She could not forgive herself. She could not understand why he had turned into a stranger.

Three days later, he left without a single word. No message. No goodbye. No explanation. Lena sat alone in her room, shaking with fear and shame. She cried until her pillow was wet. Her heart felt like it was breaking into pieces. “Why did I trust him?” she whispered to herself. “Why did I stay quiet? Why did I not walk away?” She pressed her hands against her chest and cried harder. She felt alone. She felt trapped in her own mind.

Her mother saw her pale face and sad eyes but did not know the reason. “Lena, talk to me,” she said gently. But Lena could not speak. She kept saying, “I’m fine, Mom.” But she was not fine. She was breaking every minute. She could not focus in college. She could not sleep. She could not eat. Every memory of Tyler made her feel smaller and weaker. She felt she had ruined her own life.

She did not know that this mistake would follow her far into the future.
She did not know that her past was not done with her yet.
She only knew one thing—
her heart had fallen into a darkness she did not deserve.