The Word Love

XXII

"I'm not mad at you or your dad," Anna said softly, "The cancer had spread too far, and there wasn't anything else that could have been done."

"I know," I looked down at my melted ice cream, "I'm just afraid of going through something I never want to go through again. I don't even know if that makes any sense."

"It does," Anna replied and put her hand on mine for comfort.

Douglas was unusually quiet. He was staring out the window with his arms crossed over his chest. His eyes were distant like he was thinking hard about something.

When we finished our ice cream, we bid goodbye to Anna and left the place. Since Ella was hyped up on sugar, Douglas decided to take us to the nearest park. She ran over to the playground to join the other kids while Douglas and I sat down on a wooden bench.

At first, it was silent between us and we were just watching Ella playing tag with the other children. Then he spoke up.

"I'm sorry," he started, "I've realized now that I was being selfish for making you feel guilty. I should have just listened to you, and I'm ashamed that I acted the way I did."

"It's not your fault," I replied back after a few seconds of reeling in his apology, "You didn't know."

"It is," he looked at me with sad eyes, "I rushed this thing that we had, and it made us resent each other. I don't want us to resent each other, Aimee."

"I don't either," I whispered.

"That's why I think that we should just be friends," he suggested, "If you want."

Friends?

I looked up at his sparkling eyes that was glittered with hope. I wanted to be more than friends. I wanted to be with him. I couldn't tell him that though because it could ruin the chance of him ever being in my life, and I want him in my life, even if it is just as friends.

"Friends it is," I agreed even though I felt the opposite way.

He smiled but then he turned his head around when someone called out his name. I turned my head in that direction too and I saw Sarah, Douglas's cheating girlfriend. He got up from the bench and gave her a hug. When her eyes landed on me, a mischievous smile formed on her lips and she latched her red stained lips on Douglas's lips. I looked away as they made out, my heart breaking into a million pieces.

"Sarah, this is my friend, Aimee," Douglas introduced me to his girlfriend when he and her pulled away from each other, "Aimee, this is my girlfriend, Sarah."

"It's nice to meet you," I put up a fake smile.

She smirked, "Likewise."

Then it became quiet between the three of us. We were all just staring at each other, no one saying a word.

"I should be heading home," I interrupted the silence.

Douglas frowned, "With what? I can take you home."

I glanced over at Sarah to see her scowling.

"No, it's okay. I can take a taxi," I told him.

He shook his head, "I'm not letting you ride a taxi when I can just drive you home. Come on. I'll go get Ella and then we'll go."

He headed over to the playground before I can argue back. Sarah stared me down.

"So you're the girl who broke his heart," she scoffed, "I don't see what he likes about you."

I opened my mouth to retort, but then Douglas stopped in front of us with a panicked look on his face.

"I can't find Ella anywhere! She's not at the playground! I should have been watching her! I-I should ha-"