9

I studied her eyes, desperately seeking solace in its warmness but I'm afraid it's gone as well.

That was when I noticed, not only her smile was different. Her cheerful eyes were gone, blatantly replaced with a bloodshot gaze, laced with a tint of mockery.

I wanted to doubt. Just for a moment, I so badly wanted to doubt the possibility of what I was thinking, to believe I've not been a fool all these while.

But I couldn't. Because it was the truth. A painful truth my brain was calculating but my heart refused to accept.

'never make friends'

'friends make you weak and distracted'

'friends are like concealed poisons, choking you and depriving you of the little air left when you need them the most'

'friends are potential enemies…..'

Eric's warnings bombarded my clouded mind, making me quiver as my eyes opened to the hurtful reality.

Among other feelings, I was wholesomely disappointed. My initial fear just evaporated into thin air.

I stared at Emma, as my tear hormones battled