"Ughh..." I wake up with a headache. I don't open my eyes; couldn't because I could tell the lights in the room I was in were on and it would only add to the pain. I rubbed my fingers to my temple, aiding in getting rid of the ache. While doing so, I thought about what happened before I became unconscious.
It was Hiyori's birthday and we had planned to go eat out at a restaurant together. It was nothing too special because she said she was just happy enough to spend time with one of her best friends on that day.
"Wow! I can't believe we got such a nice table, right next to the windows. Look! You can see the planetarium from here!" Hiyori gasped.
"What, really?" I leaned over the table to try to see from her point of view.
"Well, sort-of," she giggled. "I can't believe you chose such a fancy place for me. Jeez, you spoil me too much, Elaina."
"Come on, Hiyori. You're my best friend, how could I not?" We started looking into the menus when I received a text message. It was from Scorpio.
"Make sure to stay safe don't drink too much either have fun love you" I smiled. I could tell he still hadn't gotten the hang of texting. I texted him back quickly, saying "You know I don't drink and I love you too."
The waitress arrived a few minutes after we had chosen what we wanted.
"Hello, my name is Andrea, what can I serve you today?" When I looked at her I felt a pang of uneasiness. Something about her was... wrong, but before I could further discern it, Hiyori spoke up. After she ordered, I did as well and the waitress left.
"What's wrong, Elaina?" Hiyori had her head tilted in question towards me. I was sure I was over-thinking about that waitress. I just shook my head and drank some of the water I had. This was Hiyori's day and I wasn't going to ruin it by being paranoid.
Around twenty minutes later we received our food and started to eat.
"Wow, this is really good. We so have to come here again." Hiyori looked really happy and I smiled. I was glad to be able to make my friend happy on one of her most important days. But as time continued on, I felt sick.
"Wha- What's happening?" I held one hand to my head, and the other to my stomach.
"Elaina? What's wrong? Do you have a headache?" Hiyori reached into her bag, holding out a pill bottle which I realized was for Advil. I reached out the hand that was on my head towards it, but before I could grab it, my hand slipped onto the table. A wave of dizziness overcame me and I fell to the ground on my knees, knocking my glass over as I did so.
"Elaina?! Somebody call 911!" I looked around; everything was doubled in my eyesight. The last thing I saw before I blacked out was our waitress, Andrea, smiling.
"I knew she was trouble." I whispered as I finally sat up and opened my eyes. I didn't recognize the room I was in. It wasn't a hospital room, my bedroom, a room at the god's mansion , or even Hiyori's house. So where was I?
"Hiyori? Scorpio? Anyone?" No answer. I looked around the bed I sat in and found a phone tangled in the sheets. It was my phone. I opened it up and- "Scorpio? What is this?" It was Scorpio, my boyfriend, and he was in an app called Star Crossed Myth. He was just a character, but... No. He was real. He was my boyfriend, for goodness sake! He went against the other gods for me- he couldn't just be a character. Not him but there was the others too; Leon, Huedhaut, Ichthys... even Vega and Altair!
I closed out the app and went into my contacts to call him but his number wasn't there. I was glad I had memorized the number and dialed it myself. After three rings someone picked up and I nearly yelled out in happiness. That was soon overturned as I heard who picked up and inhaled sharply.
"Hello, this is Andrea speaking, who is calling?" Her. It had to be her fault this happened.
"What did you do to me? Where's Scorpio? And who are you?" Or even what, really. Could she be a goddess? I had to fight to keep myself calm, I couldn't start screaming at her.
"Oh, Elaina, was it? I supposed you do earn an explanation since you'll never hear from any of us ever again. Well, first of all, I'm like you: a former goddess, except, Scorpio was meant to be mine. You must have bewitched him or some sort but when I found out he had fallen in love with you, I knew I had to get rid of you. It wasn't as easy as I had thought at first but I did it, as you can see." she laughed and asked, "By the way, how did the food taste?" The food? So she poisoned it? Wait... Hiyori!
"Where's Hiyori?! If you did something to her, I swear-"
"You're stuck in an alternate universe, you won't be able to do anything to me. Hiyori's fine, if that'll make you feel better but you will never be able to talk to her like you had before ever again. You will also never see Scorpio anymore. I should go now, my lover awaits." She hung up. Lover? No... Scorpio couldn't possibly be. Alternate universe? That- that wasn't possible!
Yet as the day went on and after countless of hours searching through this place I was now in, there was no mistaking it. I felt utterly defeated. I felt as though a part of me was ripped away. All those days I spent with Scorpio... they had been erased but the memories- all those memories, the soft kisses, the passionate hugs, the alluring gazes. I would never experience that again. Not with him.
I sat down on the floor of the room that apparently belonged to me now. As I folded my knees to my chest and crossed my arms around them, I started crying. I never thought that my heart could be in this much agonized pain, for it was not just Scorpio that I would never see again but my parents, my friends, the people at my job. It wouldn't be the same since I was in a different world. I would never be able to laugh with them, to cheer them up when they were down, to go to them for advice. Nothing.
No matter how much I wished for myself to go back with them, to be able to be held in Scorpio's arms, the wish would not be granted.
I lay on the ground in a fetal position and wept until I wore myself out and fell asleep.
(A/N) I might continue writing for this but for now, it is complete. This is for labyrinthofleah contest on tumblr.