19 The worst nightmare

Jake opened his eyes to find himself in a familiar room..

After walking around a bit, he realized it was his room, his old room.. He was back at their old house from which they moved out from when Jake was 20..

He was about to walk out of his room when he heard a noise.. He turned around to see himself—His younger self.. He remembered the tee-shirt his younger self was wearing, he remembered those glasses, he remembered that rough haircut he gave himself.. It was his 18-year-old self standing right in front of him—But somehow the younger Jake couldn't see him..

He got so lost, looking at every single detail of his younger self that the sudden sound of 18-year-old Jake's phone ringing made him flinch..

He saw how a smile appeared on his younger self's face as he saw who was calling—But that smile soon dropped after he picked up the phone..

Younger Jake didn't say anything.. He just rushed out of his room with his phone pressed against his ear, letting the door close behind him..

26-year-old Jake was now left alone in that room.. He was confused, wondering what was happening so he continued looking around once again—Until he saw the calendar..

[30 August]

He slowly begin to realize what was happening as he slowly started to remember everything..

The realization made him run quickly towards the door and open it..

One blink, and it was like he was teleported to the place that meant a lot to him..

He found himself standing on top of a railing of his school's rooftop.. He stumbled a bit before gaining back his balance.. He was about to get down from there when he saw a familiar figure leaning onto the railing, right in front of him..

'Abby..' he thought..

Suddenly the door burst open making Abby turn around.. It was his 18-year-old self..

The scene in front of him played like a movie except that it was a piece of what he went through—It was a memory..

He felt his body freeze slowly from his toe to his head—He couldn't even move a finger..

Before he could even take his time to freak out about not being able to move, his attention diverted towards the young Abby and Jake..

He saw Abby hesitated, fidgeting with the sleeve of their hoodie..

"We should break up" They were avoiding eye contact..

It was the inaudible sound of two hearts breaking at once.. 26-year-old Jake and 18-year-old Jake, both could feel their world falling apart..

"Can you .. please tell me the reason... What.. made you think like that?" 18-year-old Jake said while looking at the floor..

"I just.. I just don't feel the same way about you anymore-" their sentence was cut off by the sound of younger Jake's chuckle.. Although his heart was breaking and his world was turning upside down he couldn't help but laugh..

"For real Abby.. What is it that made you want to break up with me, to come up with a lie like that?" He knew Abby was lying.. He could feel it..

Abby took a deep breath..

"Look... I'm not lying.. I'm really sorry.. I just .. I tried but I just don't feel the way I used to when we started dating"

Jake walked closer, slowly placing a hand on their cheek..

" We love each other Abby.. We can't lie to the people we love"

Abby couldn't take it anymore.. They could feel their knees getting weak.. They wanted to give up.. They just wanted to fall on their knees and cry their heart out—But they couldn't..

Jake felt his heartache as he saw Abby slowly moving away from him..

"I'm sorry" they looked at him in the end before saying the words that shattered Jake's world..

"I don't feel the same as I used to Jake.. Being around you— It suffocates me.. It makes me want to cry.. It makes me want to die.. Please, Jake.. I don't want to die like this.. Save me from this hell and let me go"

'No.. NO! NO YOU'RE LYING! T-THEY'RE LYING! DON'T LET THEM GO! STOP THEM, YOU IDIOT!'

26-year-old Jake was shouting in his thoughts.. He couldn't move his mouth.. He wanted to scream out loud—But he was powerless.. He was a slave to his own memories..

18-year-old Jake was staring at the ground, too scared to look up.. He was too afraid to look them in the eye.. He understood that it wasn't Abby's feeling that has faded away with time.. It was Abby's courage—Courage to fight..

"You know you don't have to do this right.. W-we're in this together.. W-we will be just fine-"

"What do you mean 'we'? There is no we jake.. There never was.. And you think a weak loser like you is enough for me? You think a useless person like you can protect me?"

26-year-old Jake's eyes widen..

'Wait.. That's not what Abby said.. Wait that's not what happened.. What is happening..'

His thoughts were cut off as he heard Abby screaming at Jake who couldn't look up.. He heard Abby's voice getting distorted until it completely turned into a voice Jake couldn't recognize anymore..

'What is happening' he thought but it was like 'Abby' could hear his voice now.. He saw as their head snapped in his direction.. It wasn't Abby anymore.. It was just a dark figure smiling at him..

Suddenly he heard the screech coming from that dark figure, which not only shocked him but also made his frozen body, loses its balance.. It was like as if his body had turned into a stone, he couldn't move—He ended up falling backwards..

His eyes shot open he woke up from his nightmare..

He was panting as if he had just run in a marathon, his heart was beating insanely fast and he was covered in sweat..