LOST

Ella's POV

My heart pounded so hard it felt like it might tear through my ribs.

Branches whipped against my skin as I tore through the thick forest, every breath ragged, every step desperate. Sweat burned my eyes, mixing with dirt and tears as I pushed forward.

My lungs screamed for air.

My legs felt heavy, like they were made of stone.

But I couldn’t stop.

I wouldn’t stop.

Because if I did… I would die.

And I wasn’t ready to die.

Not here. Not on this island. Not like this.

The ground was uneven beneath my feet. Roots caught at my shoes. Somewhere behind me, something moved, something hunting, something patient.

Fear clawed at my chest.

I didn’t even fully understand what was happening anymore. Everything was chaos. Noise. Shadows. Screams that still echoed in my ears.

But I knew one thing.

I had to survive.

I had to get off this island, no matter what it took.

I know what you’re thinking.

How did I get here?

Why am I running like my life depends on it?

Because it does.

And the worst part?

It all started with a love story.

Yeah. I know how insane that sounds.

I had already given up on love when he walked into my life. I should’ve known better. I should’ve seen through the perfect smile, the charm, the way he made everything feel safe.

But I didn’t.

And now I was running for my life because of it.

To understand how everything fell apart, I need to take you back.

Back to the beginning.

Back to before I knew what fear really felt like.

(Three Months Earlier)

“Ella! Get up and take a shower!”

Alex’s voice cut through the room like an alarm.

“No,” I muttered into my pillow. “I’m just going to stay here and let the cat eat my dead body.”

“Well,” Alex said dryly, “as your best friend, I refuse to let that happen.”

Before I could react, she yanked the blankets off me.

“Stop!” I shouted, grabbing desperately for them.

“You can’t keep doing this,” she said firmly, pulling the curtains open and flooding the room with sunlight.

“Alex! No! It burns!” I groaned, shielding my face.

She rolled her eyes. “Are you a vampire now?”

“Maybe,” I muttered. “A heartbroken, unloved vampire. Maybe I’ll start a vampire cult where I turn all men into the undead so they’ll finally love me.”

“Bullshit,” she said instantly, pulling me into a hug. “You’re one of the most lovable people I know. If Liam didn’t see that, it’s his loss.”

The mention of his name made my chest ache.

“Five years, Alex,” I whispered, tears slipping out before I could stop them. “I gave him five years. I thought he was going to propose. Instead… he broke up with me.”

The words still felt unreal.

“What’s wrong with me?” I asked quietly.

“Nothing,” she said. “Absolutely nothing.”

“There has to be something,” I muttered. “Am I ugly? Is that it?”

“Ella,” she said sharply, grabbing my shoulders. “Stop that. Right now.”

Her eyes softened.

“You’re beautiful. You’re kind. You’re everything a person could ask for. Liam was just too blind to see it.”

I sniffed, wiping at my face.

“You’re going to find someone who loves you properly,” she said gently. “Someone who wants a life with you. And one day you’ll laugh about crying over that idiot.”

“Are you sure?” I asked quietly.

“Absolutely.”

She poked my shoulder. “Now go shower. You smell.”

I gasped dramatically. “Seriously?”

“Oh yes,” she said. “That’s what a month of wallowing smells like.”

“It hasn’t been a month.”

“It has. I counted.”

I sniffed myself.

Okay… maybe she had a point.

I groaned. “Fine. I’ll shower.”

“Good,” she said happily. “While you do that, I’ll clean this disaster zone.”

Standing in front of the mirror later, I barely recognized the girl staring back at me.

Puffy eyes.

Messy hair.

A face that looked tired in a way sleep couldn’t fix.

This wasn’t how things were supposed to go.

By now, I should have been planning a wedding.

I had even bought a dress.

Beautiful. Expensive. Waiting for a proposal that never came.

Instead, I got heartbreak and a quiet sentence that shattered everything.

I’m sorry. I can’t do this anymore.

Warm water streamed over my skin, washing away sweat and tears, but it couldn’t wash away the ache in my chest.

I had wanted a simple life. A home. Love. Maybe two kids running around the living room.

I thought Liam was that future.

Turns out, I was wrong.

By the time I stepped out of the shower, I felt lighter, not healed, but less heavy.

When I returned to my room, I stopped in shock.

It was spotless.

“You’re welcome,” Alex said proudly.

“Wow,” I laughed softly. “You really did all this?”

“I always do.”

I smiled, opening my wardrobe.

“Ella,” she said gently.

I peeked out. “Yeah?”

“Don’t be mad… but the girls invited us out to the club tonight.”

“No,” I said immediately. “Absolutely not. I’m not ready for people.”

“Mandy’s idea,” she said. “And honestly? I agree. You need to get out.”

“What if I run into Liam?” I asked dramatically, flopping onto the bed.

She laughed. “The odds of that are basically zero.”

“But still…”

“Come on,” she pleaded, giving me that look she knew I couldn’t resist. “You need this.”

I sighed.

I never stood a chance against those puppy eyes.

“Fine,” I muttered. “We’ll go.”

Alex squealed with victory.

“But if I cry when I see a happy couple, it’s your fault,” I warned.

She laughed. “You’ll be fine.”

“I don’t even have anything to wear,” I complained.

She smirked. “Girl, that’s just an excuse. There’s definitely something in here.”

Before I could protest, she grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the closet.

I didn’t know it then.

But that night… the night I reluctantly agreed to leave the house… was the night everything changed.

The night my life split into before and after.

The night I met him.