What HE took from ME

Chapter 1-Engagement

Brenda

"Hey! Edgar!" I yelled a call at the top of my lungs. I scanned the rusty living room, which had worn-out chairs that we scavenged out of the trash, but did not see Edgar. I eagerly ran to the kitchen, ready to deliver the good news to my "best friend," but he was not there either. That did not dampen my mood though-nothing could have level down my hype. Hell, even struggling to catch enough oxygen did not bother me. I just wanted to talk to him.

Taking a U-turn that left my head spinning, I ran up the stairs, his bedroom in my mind as the next destination. He had to be in there, burning holes through the pages of his books. He was such a bookworm.

Reaching outside his room, which was opposite my new room, and did not bother with the common courtesy of knocking. Instead, I threw the door open, and voilà!

I ignored the look that was chastising my manners and went direct to why I was there in the first place. Smiling from ear to ear, I jumped, "He proposed, Tim proposed, he proposed!" I cheered, holding out my ring finger, and I was yelling, which became apparent to me after he covered his ears. I quieted down and looked at the ring again, "Look!" I had to pause my gloating to run after my ring-The damn thing had slipped off my finger and started skidaddling to God-knows-where. I caught it before it disappeared under the bed. Quickly, I put it back and exhaled loudly before facing Edgar again.
Damn, that ring was too big.

Done with that thought, I focused on Ed, and his expression had me squinting. Why did he look ghostly? Why did he seem angry and broken instead of fangirling with me?

I was engaged!

"Why are you not saying anything?" I whispered, trembling. I could already feel smoke coming out of my ears-The smoke of disappointment. After everything I went through, he was only going to ignore me? Did he have any idea how I almost died galloping the steep and old stairs to see him? I ran miles and miles of distance. Hell, I did not even cast my new fiancé a glance after he slipped the ring down my finger because all I could think about was him.

I wanted his opinion that badly. And he was giving me nothing?

I will not lie, the smoke turned into flames, and it burned.

Just when I was about to scream out of frustration, he took a step forward. He held out his hand, and mine eagerly clasped into it. That innocent contact had me out of the world and to a place only he and I existed. I watched him-his every move. The way his lips parted slightly, then he ran his tongue over it. When he raised the ring, he swallowed painfully. He examined the ring keenly while my eyes continued piercing through his soul. Then he dropped my hand suddenly, causing the ugly jewelry to fall off again. Both our eyes followed the ring, but I did not have the energy to run after it this time. After it had stopped near his foot, that is when he raised his eyes to meet mine.

His face became unreadable, "Wow! Cheap, knock-off diamond, goofy-looking ring, which is oversized, by the way. I can smell the stench of his fake love from miles away. Congratulations? " He spat sarcastically. As if that was not enough, he added an epic eye-roll before he left the room.

I wanted to get angry with his brutal honesty, but to be honest, the ring did look greatly goofy. I had not brought myself to think about it before because I did not want to believe it. And as my "best friend," he should have looked past it too. So why was he not?

On a second note, I think I am going to show him the wrath of a woman!

I growled as I scooped my hideous ring from the floor and ran after him. He needed to see how angry at him I was getting by the minute. I could feel the beast in me growling, fighting to take over and chew him alive. How dare he ignore me?

I caught up with him at the top of the stairs, and my frustration multiplied tenfold when he did not acknowledge my anger. I was stomping my foot angrily; I was breathing heavily, my nose was flaring like an English bulldog. Why was he not looking at me?

I angrily stabbed his back twice with my finger. My lip trembled as I spoke, "You are missing the point here. He loves me. He is madly in love with me, just as I am madly in love with him." I tried to force him to see my point. I even squealed, jumping up and down, trying to convince him that I was happy. However, he still ignored me and continued to walk. We reached the couch, and he picked his accounting textbook. Without saying a word or even sparing me a glance, he started back towards his room. And I mindlessly followed.

I did not know what I was thinking at the time, except that I wanted to hear him say he saw what I saw. I needed his say so badly that I wanted to cry because he did not give it.

I continued to pester him until we got to his room again.

Suddenly I heard him huffing, expressing his annoyance, and that made me stop my ranting. He tossed the book on the old bed, which in turn produced a cracking sound.

"I do not know what you want from me. I have already congratulated you, have I not? Please leave me alone!" He burst, causing my eyes to pop in horror. I had never seen him like that, and he had never snapped at me before. I was his princess.

"Why are you like that?" I asked, a tear finally rolling down my eyes. He exhaled, shut his eyes for a second, probably regretting why he lashed out. When he opened his orbs a second later, they looked softer.

He took a step towards me, "I am sorry." He said regrettably. I nodded, unable to say a word. That was fine because he wanted to continue, "But did Tim actually tell you that he was in love with you?" Edgar interrogated, and that got me looking away. Tim had never even whispered that he loved me. Even after dating for eight months, our relationship status remained confusing. He was never there at all.

As the images of our poor relationship flooded my mind, my eyes involuntarily drilled the ground. I guess that gave me away.

Edgar sighed deeply, "He does not love you. He is just using you!" He said softly. I shook my head in disagreement. Why did he not get it? My fiancé loved me. He had no reason to use me. He had all the money in the world, while I did not have even a penny to my name.

Maybe, He did not know how to say it out loud. I found myself making excuses for him again. I mean, every time my friends called him out for not treating me as I deserved, I always made him look good. I lied to my friends for him.

"That is not true. Maybe, He is just shy". I reused that excuse, earning a scoff from Edgar.

" What is he, a girl?" He derided, pissing me

off. Why all the negativity, and since when did he become a sexist?

I mean, if the situation reversed, I would have accepted his man...

" Really?" I started to back up. "You should be happy..."

"I would have been happy if it were someone who loved you for real. But that pig does not. He just dumped that thing on your finger to stop m... someone who loves you for real from asking you out." He stated after interrupting my speech.

"Someone who loves me?" I laughed as the question came out of my mouth. I thought he was kidding, and when he did not laugh, I turned serious. My heart started beating louder. I so wanted to know who it was, and God let it be him.

I knew it was immoral of me to want to know that badly, that someone out there loved me when I was already engaged to Tim. He might have been senile, but he still proposed. Therefore, the least I could have done was force my heart to care. However, I could not control it. No matter how much I tried, I could not tune out the sound of my heart yelling for that someone to be Edgar. I knew it was impossible, but I pushed anyway, "Who is that?" I whispered, my throat parched.

Edgar looked away uncomfortably, "It does not matter now." He said in resignation, bursting my bubbles. I felt the sting in my heart again. Even when I thought I wanted his opinion, the truth was, I wanted Edgar to tell me that he did not want me to go through with that stupid engagement because he had feelings for me. I loved him. I had loved him since...

My eyes widened after that sinful realization had played in my head. "Oh my God-"I yelled, then walked to the old bed and plopped on it. I wanted to ask for forgiveness, but I realized I was beyond salvation. Nothing could ever save my soul from damnation. I mean, how could I ever want Edgar in such a way?

He was my brother!