LOVE

Chapter 12

Rose was feeling a bit down, she felt like something was missing from her, she felt violated, after all, abortion wasn't her choice, she just had to do it for the honor of her family, she couldn't let herself cry, but her heart was crushed. She was waiting impatiently for Sam, keeping herself together, she didn't want to melt down in front of him. Not for now at least!

The last time Rose recalls seeing Sam was the day Stan asked her to be his girlfriend; she remembers him being crushed and wanting to talk about it and she never imagined that would be the end of their friendship.

After a long 15 minutes here he is, He didn't change. The same charming guy. As he was walking in her direction, her eyes started filling up with tears, she had some flashbacks from all the moments they spent together and seeing him again made her wonder again how they turned like this.

There he is in front of her, smiling at her. She couldn't help it, she hugged him and it felt like the tightest she could wasn't tight enough, and as he wrapped his big muscular arms around her, she melted down. Seeing her like this made Sam emotional, he realized how much she changed, the Rose he knew would never cry in public.

Sam wasn't over protective neither he cared with everyone, but when it comes to Rose, everything changes, he always hated seeing her hurt or sad, he used to do everything in his power to make her smile. He never let anyone bother her no matter what. In one way, he was her guardian angel. 

As they were near to Rose's house, they decided to go there, somewhere more intimate, where they can talk freely. And there they are, looking into each other's eyes wondering what they could say, after all this time, after everything; didn't Mahmoud darwish say "do not be absent for too long, then come back and ask about how I am, details die with time and stories change."

After a long silence, Sam decided to speak, he didn't know where to start or what to say, all he could think about was how she's finally in front of him, with her beautiful brown hair and pinkish lips, he just wanted to admire her beauty! but he had to talk! He was the one who asked to see her anyway! "I... I... 'He couldn't get words out of his mouth,' I missed you!" She remained silent looking at him before she could've said anything, "I missed you too! But you hurt me Sam! You gave up on me! You did that when you knew I was finally feeling better! How could you do that to me!" As the words were coming out her mouth, so did her tears, and with every tear a piece of his heart broke, he felt physical pain, he was the one harming the woman he once protected from everything!

"Rose! You can't blame it on me! I was hurt! It was just too painful watching you with him! And believe me I tried so hard to be happy for you but I couldn't." She was confused, did she hear him right " But why? I really don't know what to say!" she replied, confused, sad she couldn't even understand what she was feeling "Rose please! Like you've never seen it! You really think we had nothing between us! After everything!" She was surprised, he was her best friend! She didn't think of him like that, not from the time she was 15, when she used to have a big crush on him, but because of the 5 years age difference, she just moved on and never told him, and since then he was just a friend to her. She still remembers the time she first started liking him. It was the first of July, and he just came back from Paris. She saw him as the man of her dreams, the curly haired big boy she always dreamt about! In a way she was intimidated by him. And by the time she met Marley she forgot all about her crush!

"What does it mean! " He was surprised, he used to be so sure she knew, but now, he just felt bad, maybe she had no clue! "It's useless!" "No! You have to tell me! You can't say such a thing and then shut up!" "When you first came to Paris, I took care of you because my parents asked me to. But then I started slowly liking you, I did say anything because I thought it would pass! But it didn't, and the little crush became feelings and I understood I was already in love with you! " He ended his stance like he was waiting for her to leave and her silence didn't help. Every second felt like ages.

By the time she finally decided to speak, Sam already thought of everything he could tell her to convince her to be with him. "But... but, no I can't deal with this, not now!' she took a deep breath before continuing 'I'm sorry Sam, I really have a lot on my plate right now!" She burst into tears, he tried to comfort her, but too emotional she couldn't stop. "Hey, Rose! It's okay! it will be okay! You will figure everything out !like you always do! And I'm coming back to Tunisia with you, we can talk more there!" she smiled at him "I would love that! But it's not easy! A Lot has changed! I changed!" "Even if it did, I'm here for it all!" And for a moment she let herself believe, she tunned out her fears and  thoughts and there they are, Rose and Sam. "Don't be a stranger again!" He wrapped her with his arms like a fragile box and whispered in her ear, "Don't make me be!"  He kissed her on the forehead and she felt safe, finally safe after so long!

If Marley was her home, Sam was simply her person. Nobody can make her feel as safe as he does! He was the man for every situation, the only one she could trust with everything! He saved her so many times, from others and herself. She was so grateful for having him. The day he left a light left with him down and never lit again.