Dragonflies

CHAPTER 13

"Aylan?"

"Hmm?"

"When you told me that you had something to tell me, did you meant proposing to me?"

"Well, not exactly that."

"Then?"

"I showed my mom a picture of yours and told her about you. She liked you and asked if you were my girlfriend. So, I was going to tell you that."

"Oh! In that case, when did you decide to marry me? I mean what made you change your mind?"

"When you said you were going to get married to someone who you don't love, I kind of had this feeling that you are going to do a mistake. That you will suffer that way. And I couldn't bear the thought of you being sad. So, I thought this is the right thing to do."

"That means you are doing this for my happiness. You don't really want me in your life. You are sacrificing everything you ever longed for because of me." "No, it's not like that. I am doing this for me too. I have this feeling that I will regret if I let you go. I mean, my family won't let me stay single forever. Eventually, I will have to marry someone. I am just scared that I won't find anybody like you ever in my life if I lost you."

"Can I ask you something?"

"You don't have to ask me this every time you have a question, just ask right away."

"Okay. If you ever had a chance to stay single forever, would you have considered marrying me at all?"

"I am sorry, no."

"Hmm. I had a feeling that you'd say so."

"Please don't be sad. I love you. You know I do. That's why I can't stand the thought of you being sad."

"I know. But it feels like pity love."

"You are overthinking. I am so happy to bring you in to my life. I really am, you believe it or not."

Shams was right. When you love someone enough, you change for them. Aylan loved me enough to let go of his dream and see new ones. I was happy. For the first time in my life, somebody was ready to fight for me. Finally, me being or not being there mattered to someone. The tears in my eyes hurt him more than it hurt me.

"I love you Aylan. I'll talk to my parents tomorrow."

"I love you too."

As the call ended, I felt dazed. An unsettling feeling fluttered in my stomach. As if something wasn't right.

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...

"Mommy, look what I caught!" The little girl jumped up and down. She looked as if she had conquered the world.

"What is it honey?"

"It's a dragonfly!" She shouted proudly with widened eyes.

"Oh baby, it's a poor creature. You should let it go. Look, it's struggling to get away."

"No, mommy. He is mine. He likes being with me. We are going to play." She danced around restlessly.

"But dragonflies don't like being captured. They like to fly around. You must be hurting its wings."

"Oh, he can fly mommy. I am gonna tie a string to his tail. So, he can fly as much as he likes." She said as if she was revealing her master plan.