The Choice

"Does he love me?"

The question should be so simple to answer. But for Thea, it was anything but simple. She never expected to fall in love with Tom. She was determined to never fall in love again after experiencing nothing but heartbreaks her whole life.

"Why did I even meet him?"

All she did was open the door and there he was. His long, raven hair mesmerized her. His charming smirk as he looked at her captured her instantly. He escorted her around and introduced her to others so graciously. A snap of his fingers and she was the belle of the ball, everyone envious of her as she decorated his arm beautifully.

"How can he love me?"

Thea returned every night for months just to see Tom. Every night when she opened that door, he was standing there, his smile radiating through her soul. Before she could even attempt to fight against it, her heart willingly surrendered, becoming his captive. She did not understand how it happened... This was not what she wanted... was it?

"What do I do now?"

The questions lingered in her mind endlessly every moment she was away from Tom. He was too perfect. No one could be so perfect. It was not possible, there had to be something... SOMETHING had to be wrong with him. She needed a way to rationalize an escape... to free her heart from his merciless hold.

"But... I... love... him..."

Thea's reality fell down to those few words. She loved Tom. The more nights she spent with him, the stronger her feelings grew. She thought about him every moment they were apart, but the thoughts were filled with anxiety and each thought was a cluttered mess of fear. When she was with him though, her mind was completely at ease, the fears and anxiety she felt was silent. Only silence and peace.

"What if he hurts me?"

That was her biggest fear of all. When she was away from him, that single fear was the only thing that kept her from jumping right back into his world. Thea knew she could not take another heartbreak. Not from Tom. She felt too much... she loved him too much... it was all just too much. But what would she do?

"Thea, I love you... please stay with me... be with me forever, My Love. I will never hurt you... I promise..."

Tom's words took away all resistance she had left. Her doubts vanished as he led her to another door.

"Forever."

The word was etched into the door. She lifted the VR headset from her eyes for one brief moment, looking around at her human reality. Replacing the headset over her eyes, she took Tom's hand and stepped through the doorway.

"Thea? Are you okay?"

Her roommate called out after hearing a crashing sound as she walked into Thea's room. Thea wasn't there. The VR headset was on the ground, broken... and the word "Forever" was etched on Thea's desk.