Another Heartbreak

Amara barely slept. She couldn't sleep very well in the night. The mysterious message about her father had haunted her all night.

"I know what happened to your father."

The words replayed endlessly in her mind. The words keep replaying on her head over and over again.

She had typed a dozen of replies and deleted every single one back.

“Who was the sender?”

“How did they know about her father?”

“And why contact her now?”

By morning, dark circles had formed beneath her eyes.

Still, life didn't pause for questions. Her mother condition came first.

As Amara helped her mother prepare for a doctor's appointment, she noticed how much weaker she looked.

She was very weak due to the sleepless night she had last night.

Even walking from the bedroom to the front door seemed exhausting. She couldn't walk very well.

"Mum, lean on me."Amara said.

"I can still walk, you know."

"Humor me."

Her mother chuckled.

"Bossy girl."

Amara forced a smile, but deep inside, fear was growing. Deep down fear gripped her heart.

The fear became much worse when they arrived at the hospital Because what they heard next would change everything.

The doctor reviewed the latest test results His expression immediately worried Amara.

The look on the doctor face worried her so much.

Doctors only wore that look when something wasn't right.

"Doctor?" she asked nervously.

He sighed.

"We will need to adjust your mother treatment."

Amara stomach tightened.

"What does that mean?"Amara asked.

"It means her condition is progressing faster than we hoped." The doctor replied.

The room suddenly felt smaller, Her mother remained silent. Amara heart pounded. Her heart beat faster

"Can the treatment help?"Amara asked.

"Yes." The doctor replied.

Relief flooded her Then the doctor continued.

"But it will be more expensive."

The relief disappeared instantly.

"How expensive?"

The doctor handed her a paper.

Amara stared at the figures. Her vision blurred.

It felt unreal.

The amount was more money than she had ever seen.

More than they earned in months.Her fingers trembled.

"There must be a mistake."

The doctor shook his head.

"I am sorry."

Silence filled the room. Everywhere was very silent.

A painful silence.The kind that crushes hope.

When they finally left the office, neither mother nor daughter spoke.

The weight of reality followed them into the hallway.

On the ride home, Amara stared out the window.

Cars passed. People laughed. Life moved on Yet her world felt frozen. Her mother gently touched her hand.

"What are you thinking about?"Her mother asked.

"Nothing."Amara replied.

"That is a lie."

Amara smiled weakly.

"You know me too well."

"I carried you for nine months."

That earned a small laugh Then silence returned.

Finally, Amara spoke.

"What if I quit school?"She said.

Her mother eyes widened.

"What?"Her mother asked.

"What if I get a job?"Amara replied.

“What if I get a job and start working?”

"No."

"Mum"

"No."

The firmness shocked Amara.

"I can work."

"You are staying in school."

“You are not dropping out from school.”

"But we need money."

“We need money to pay the hospital bill.”

“We need money to buy medication.”

“We need money to buy foodstuffs.”

"We will find a way."

"How?"

Neither of them had an answer. That was the problem because The bills were real. The medicine was real.

Their empty bank account was real. Hope alone couldn't pay for treatment. Hope alone doesn't buy foodstuffs. Amara looked away.

For the first time in her life, school felt like a luxury she couldn't afford. That evening, Amara sat at her desk pretending to do homework.

She pretended as if she is doing her homework Instead, she searched for jobs.

She was searching for jobs online on her phone. Restaurant assistant. Cashier. Cleaner. Store helper.

Anything. Everything.

Her heart hurt with every application she read. Most employers wanted full time workers.

Most employers doesn't want part time workers.

Most required experience.

Some paid so little it wouldn't even cover one week medication. A knock interrupted her thoughts.

Her mother was standing at the entrance knocking at the door. The door open slowly.

Her mother entered carrying tea. Amara quickly minimized the job listings on her phone.

"What are you hiding?"Her mother asked.

"Nothing."Amara replied.

"Amara."

She sighed.

"Just homework."

Her mother narrowed her eyes.

"You are a terrible liar."

Amara laughed nervously.

"I learned from you."

They smiled But beneath the smiles, both were hiding fears from each other.

Later that night, after her mother had fallen asleep, Amara sat alone inside the kitchen.

The apartment was silent. Only the ticking clock could be heard. Tick. Tick. Tick.

The bills lay spread across the table. Hospital bills.

Prescription costs. Utility bills. Rent.

Numbers. Everywhere. Numbers she couldn't escape.

Tears blurred her vision.

She tried calculating different solutions. Nothing worked. No matter how she rearranged the figures, they always ended the same way.

Not enough. Never enough. Her shoulders shook For the first time in months, she allowed herself to cry.

Not because she was weak but Because she was exhausted. Exhausted from worrying.

Exhausted from pretending. Exhausted from carrying burdens no teenager should carry.

"God."

Her voice cracked.

"I don't know what to do anymore."

What am I going to do, A tear landed on one of the unpaid bills Then another And another, She covered her face with her hands.

"What if I can't save her?"

The question shattered her completely.mA sob escaped before she could stop it.

Suddenly he heard her name.

"Amara?"

She froze. Her mother stood in the doorway. Neither of them spoke. Then her mother slowly walked over and hugged her Tightly.

As if trying to shield her from the entire world.

"You don't have to carry everything alone."

Amara buried her face in her mother shoulder.

"But I want to help."

"You already do."

"It's not enough."

Her mother eyes filled with tears. She couldn't hold back the tears anymore. She start crying.

"It is for me."

They held each other for a long time. Neither willing to let go.

The next day at school, Amara tried to focus But her thoughts remained trapped at home.

She couldn't focus anymore. She was thinking about the bill they couldn't pay Then something unexpected happened.

Her teacher announced a scholarship opportunity.

The program offered financial support to outstanding students facing hardship. Amara heart skipped.

“A scholarship.”

It wasn't a complete solution But it was something For the first time in days, a tiny spark of hope appeared.

After class, she quickly collected the application form.

Maybe this was the answer.

Maybe she wouldn't have to quit school after all.Maybe things could still get better.

For the first time that week, she smiled. A real smile.As Amara walked home that evening, her phone vibrated.

Unknown Number.

Her heart immediately raced. Her heart beat faster. It was the same sender who had texted about her father.

With trembling hands, she opened the message. Her hands were shaking as she was clicking on the message notification.

A new text appeared:

"If you want money for your mother treatment, meet me tomorrow after school."

Amara pulse quickened Below it was another message.

"And if you want the truth about your father."

A third message appeared.

"Come alone."

Her breath caught. The sender attached a photograph. The moment Amara saw it, her blood ran cold.

Her chest hurts Because standing beside the mysterious stranger in the picture

Was her father.

Alive.

And looking directly into the camera.