My Romance Life System
Chapter 87: Acceptance

Chapter 87: Acceptance

The doctor grabbed Kofi’s shoulder, his expression desperate. "We need you to talk to her. Emotional support from someone she knows might help."

Kofi felt a wave of pure terror. ’What can I even say?’ He was completely frozen, the frantic beeping of the machines and the doctor’s urgent words just a wall of noise.

Then his eyes locked on the bed. He saw how small she looked, lost in the white sheets and tangled wires. The panic didn’t disappear, but something else pushed through it. He felt a surge of determination. He decided he had to try.

He ran to the side of the bed, his earlier exhaustion completely forgotten. The doctor and nurse stepped back, giving him space but watching with intense focus.

He reached out and took her hand. It was cold and limp in his. "Thea? It’s me. It’s Kofi."

There was no response, just the high-pitched wail of the monitor.

He was shaking a bit. He looked from the hopeful eyes of the doctors back to her, and he felt scared, but he decided he had to do this. He took a deep breath and started talking.

"Thea? I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry." He squeezed her cold hand. "That day at school, when they were... when they were hurting you, I saw it. I saw the whole thing, and I didn’t do anything. I just stood there."

His voice was quiet, a stark contrast to the frantic noise of the machines.

"I was a coward. I was scared, and I didn’t know what to do, I just let it happen. It wasn’t right. You didn’t deserve that. You don’t deserve any of this." He kept talking, the words just tumbling out in a raw, honest stream. "I know what it’s like to feel alone. To feel like no one in the world even sees you. But I see you, Thea. I see you, and you’re not a problem. You’re not a black cloud."

He wasn’t even sure if she could hear him, but he couldn’t stop. He had to get it all out. "You’re a fighter. You’ve been fighting this whole time, all by yourself, and that’s not fair. You don’t have to be alone anymore. I’m here. I’m not going anywhere."

He felt a faint pressure on his hand. He looked down. Her fingers, which had been so limp, were now weakly clutching his. Her breathing was still ragged, but it was evening out, losing its desperate, rattling edge.

The high-pitched wail of the monitor suddenly stopped, replaced by a slower, steadier beep.

The room felt quiet.

Kofi let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding. He looked over at the doctor, who gave him a small, relieved nod.

He turned back to Thea, his thumb gently stroking the back of her hand. "It’s okay," he whispered, his voice softer now. "Just rest. Everything’s going to be okay."

He was exhausted, but he didn’t let go of her hand. The doctor gave him a slow, meaningful nod before quietly checking the monitors one last time.

Thea’s eyelids fluttered open. Her eyes, hazy and unfocused at first, slowly found Kofi. She saw him sitting by her bed, his hand holding hers, and her expression, which had been blank with exhaustion, just crumpled.

It started with a single, silent tear, then another. Soon, her shoulders were shaking with quiet, heartbreaking sobs. She didn’t try to hide her face or pull her hand away. She just let the tears fall.

"I’m sorry," she wept, her voice muffled. "I’m so sorry. I just... I couldn’t do it anymore."

He didn’t say anything. He decided the best thing he could do was just listen.

"It’s just so... heavy," she said between sobs. "All the time. Waking up hurts. Going to sleep hurts. It just never stops. And I’m so tired. I’m so, so tired of being alone."

She looked at him then, her eyes red and pleading, like she was begging him to understand.

"I feel like a ghost in my own life. Everyone looks through me, or they look at me with pity. Or they whisper. They call me the ’cursed girl’. The ’black cloud’." She let out a laugh that was more like a gasp for air. "Even my aunt... she just looks at me like I’m a bill she has to pay."

Kofi felt an immense sadness for her. He just held her hand, his thumb rubbing small, gentle circles on her skin.

"I just wanted it to stop," she whispered, the fight draining out of her. "I just wanted to go to sleep and not have to wake up again. That’s why I took the pills. I just... I didn’t want to be a problem for anyone anymore."

She finally said it, the awful truth of it all, and the admission seemed to leave her completely hollowed out. She just cried quietly, her thin shoulders shaking.

Kofi felt a lump in his throat. He had to say something.

He leaned a little closer. "I’m glad you woke up."

His voice was quiet, but steady. She looked at him, her tear-filled eyes wide with surprise.

"I know it doesn’t feel like it right now," he continued, keeping his voice soft. "But I’m glad you’re here. And you’re not a problem."

She just stared at him, her crying slowing to a few shaky, indrawn breaths. The simple, honest words seemed to cut through her despair in a way a grand speech never could. She didn’t say anything back. She just squeezed his hand.

He decided he wasn’t going to leave her side.

After a long, shuddering breath, Thea finally fell quiet. Her tears had slowed, leaving her face pale and her eyes puffy. She looked completely drained, as if the confession had taken the last bit of energy she had.

Kofi felt a deep, aching sympathy for her. He reached over to the bedside table, grabbed a tissue from the box, and gently handed it to her.

She took it, her fingers brushing against his for a second. She didn’t wipe her eyes, just held the small, white square in her hand.

She looked at him, her gaze clear for the first time. "You’re still here."

He gave her a small, reassuring smile. "I told you I wasn’t going anywhere."

"....Thank you," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Her eyes finally fluttered closed, her breathing evening out into the slow, steady rhythm of real sleep. She was exhausted, but for the first time, she looked peaceful.

Kofi decided he wasn’t leaving. He settled back into the uncomfortable visitor’s chair, still holding her hand, and just watched her sleep.