Finding True Love

Making her my friend again

Alex POV

"Rish, I am back," she stared at me for a moment before I felt a stinging pain in my cheek. Damn, she slapped me and then started crying. I should be crying, not her, since that slap hurts like hell. But seeing her crying hurts more than anything.

"Why? Why did you leave me?" she cried out. "I hate you. I-I...I hate...you, Alex Donovan," she started hiccupping uncontrollably. I'm not sure why, but witnessing her crying burned something in my chest. It was so painful. I couldn't help but encircle my arms around her. She clenched my shirt while repeating those words, "I...hate...you." Those words should have made me sad; instead, they made me smile. Somehow, it felt like there was someone in this world who cared for me, who wanted me by her side.

"I know you hate me. Now, calm down. Rish, please," I whispered to her ear, caressing her head softly. She pulled back after she relaxed a bit. I wiped her tears while asking, "Why are you crying if you hate me?" she didn't answer; instead, fresh tears started to spill from her eyes.

"Hey, I will leave if you don't stop crying," I warned her.

"I will kill you if you step out one foot from this house," I couldn't help but chuckle at her cute warning.

"I won't, promise," I cupped her face and promised her, staring at her beautiful green eyes.

"I am sorry. I am really sorry, Alex," I frowned as she continued, "I shouldn't have said those words to you. I shouldn't have told you to leave. I was just angry, and those words slipped from my mouth. I am..." I cut her off.

"Hey. Don't you dare to say sorry! It's not your fault, Rish," I sighed, hesitating to say the next word, "I just thought it was for the best—for me to leave. It was stupid though."

"I knew you were dumb but didn't think you were super dumb," I chuckled at her comment. A comfortable silence fell between us as I stroked her hair softly. Her head was on my chest. Never thought it was possible between us.

"Rish," I called her, and she hummed. "Are we good now?" she looked up and gave me her brightest smile while nodding. "Why didn't you accept me back then?" I asked again.

"Cause I thought you would be mean like my classmates," she sighed and began to tell me. "They used to bully me too, because I didn't stay with my parents. They used to tell me my parents hated me. That's why they kept me at mum-mum's place. They also kept telling bad things about mum-mum. And one day, it made me damn angry, so I broke a glass on someone's head. It cost me one week's suspension. But I was satisfied, trust me," I laughed at her last word.

"After that, they kept their distance from me. I also didn't bother to make any friends. That's why I was a bitch to you. I kept my distance from you," she confessed.

"I want to know everything, Rish," I told her.

"Is it necessary?" she asked me, and I nodded.

"Your first day of school, how was it?" she sarcastically asked. I looked down, and she sighed. "I tried to ignore you that day. But after lunch, I didn't see you in the next class. I was worried. I looked everywhere you might have gone—behind the school building, on the rooftop, in the canteen—but I couldn't find you. For one moment, I thought you had returned home. But then I remembered I hadn't checked on the washroom. So I went there and saw one of the washroom's doors was locked. When I unlocked it, I found you. I knew something like that would happen again and that's why I told you to transfer from that school. But you were stubborn as hell. And you still are. Duffer."

"When I went home that day, I told mum-mum everything. She only told me I had to protect you, but I wasn't ready to keep you close. And then they started to bully you. Then that day when they poured water on your food, I just lost it and then..." "You poured water on him," I finished her sentence.

"That's why I told you not to enter the canteen. Things did not go as badly, but that day..." tears brimming from her eyes, I wanted to stop her. I didn't want to see her crying, but she shook her head and started talking.

"When I didn't see you again. I was afraid that they would do something to you again. And my doubts were clear when I found you behind the school building. They f*****g tied you with that tree. Then I came back to call some teacher who could help you. When we went back, we found you unconscious. I couldn't hold myself. I ran towards you and cried a lot, holding you. Then the teacher sent us home. You had a high fever, and I didn't leave your side that night at all. The next morning when I saw you moving, I went downstairs to call mum-mum. That day I went to school... and threatened them. That if they bully you again, they have to face me," I really found it sweet she threatened them for me.

"Alex, I am sorry. I didn't mean any of those words which I told you. Will you ever be able to forgive me?" she asked me while crying again.

I cupped her face between my hands, making her look at me. "I had forgiven you a long time ago, but that's not the fact. The fact is, you are innocent. You didn't do anything. You only tried to save me. While I only misunderstood you. I left when you needed me the most. Mum-mum asked me to be patient with you. But I? I failed both you and mum-mum. It's me who should be sorry. I am sorry, Rish. I promise I won't do that again," I promised her, and I will keep it.

"Can I come in?" we heard mum-mum's voice. I got to my feet, approached her, and took the food dish from her.

"How are you feeling, sweetie?" she asked Risha, entering the room.

"Better," Risha replied. Then, mum-mum turned to me and said, "So, finally, you told her?" I frowned at first, but then her words sank into me. She knew... she knew all along. I couldn't utter a word— I flung my arms around her, hugging her tightly.

"You knew?" was my first word after I pulled back.

"You are my child, Alex. Why wouldn't I recognize you? The moment you stepped into the house, I knew it was you, my boy," mum-mum said affectionately, making me grin a little bit as well.

"You knew all that time and didn't tell me?" we both turned our heads toward Risha as she asked mum-mum.

"Yes, dear. Cause that wasn't my story to tell," mum-mum replied.

"And if that duffer would never decide to tell me then," she screamed.

"Hey..." I complained. "What!" she snapped. "Tell me honestly, have you ever decided to confess to me that you are that little boy?"

"Well..." I hadn't any words. I really didn't plan to tell her this. That's it. She jumped out of her bed and stormed out of her room. Really? Now she is angry with me for this!