Plump, Hated, And Bullied

Are you in love with her?

Chapter 50
Ren POV
It's finally daybreak, and I have an appointment at the office, but I don't feel like going there now.
"Aren't you going to the office?" Rena asks as we both sit side by side along the hallway, and I glance at her.
"No, I'm not," I reply to her, and she slowly nods her head.
"You've been overly nice to Lilian lately. Have you fallen for her? Do you love her now?" She inquires, and I glance at her.
"Don't even think of lying to me. It's written all over you. You needed to see how worried you looked when she passed out. Aww! My brother is in love," She whines, and I roll my eyes. I guess it's obvious, and I can't deny it anymore.
"What should I do, Rena?" I ask her, and she pulls a puzzled look.
"About what?" She inquires, and I sigh briefly. About everything. What should I do about Tracy, Lilian, about my messed up life? I'm confused, honestly.
"Nothing. Never mind," I reply to her, and she sighs briefly.
"If you want to talk about anything, I will be here to give you listening ears..." She pauses and silence creeps in.
"I understand what you're feeling now. You're thinking how can you fall in love with someone like her... Why she of all people? But have you ever thought of this the other way? Lilian is beautiful the way she is... What if you were in her shoes? Do you know the pain she must've been through living like that?" She utters as she stares into space, and I sigh. She's right, anyway. She has been through a lot, and I should never have treated her like that.
"If you love her enough to be with her, why don't you confess to her? Tell her before someone else snatches her away from you, ok?" She pats my shoulder, and I sigh. I wish it was as easy as that, but it's not. Will she even look at me let alone accept me into her life after everything I've made her pass through? I don't even think so.
"You won't know until you try, Ren. What if Nate asks her out before you, and she agrees to be with him?" My subconscious mind reminds me, and I sigh briefly. I think I'm losing my mind.
"Will she accept me?" I ask her, and she glances at me.
"Will she not think that I'm trying to take advantage of her because..." I pause, realizing that I can't tell her about the intention of sending her and her sick dad outside the country for treatment. But will she not think that I suddenly want to be with her because of the help I rendered to her? This is crazy and frustrating.
My phone suddenly starts ringing, and I check the screen to see that the call is from Tracy.
"Excuse me," I excuse myself to answer the call outside the hospital.
"I'm waiting for you. Aren't you coming to pick me up?" Her hoarse voice sounds through the phone, and I sigh silently. Do I really want this? Yes, I was excited about her coming back into my life, and also sad because she was forced, and we didn't have any option, but now, I don't even know what I feel anymore.
"Sorry, I had to take care of something. I'll be there shortly," She hangs up the call immediately, and I sigh briefly. I guess I need to leave the hospital now.
"I need to go somewhere now, Rena. Please stay here with Lilian and her dad," I say to Rena once I walk back to her, and she raises her eyebrows.
"Look at what I'm wearing. I was about to tell you that I want to go home and have a change of clothes," She blinks her eyes rapidly, and I sigh as realization dawn on me that she was wearing her pajamas.
"Just stay here. I'll be back shortly," I assure her.
"What about Lilian? Aren't you going to check on her before you leave?" She inquires, and I shake my head before I stride out of the hospital. I hop inside my car and drive out of the place, heading to Tracy's house.
The drive to her house didn't take much time, but I couldn't help myself out of the deep thoughts that kept hitting at me as I drove here.
I finally arrive at the front of their gate after a few minutes of drive, and I take a deep breath before I drive into the compound, where I meet her already standing in front of the entrance door with her bags. With the amount of bags she has with her, I ask myself if she's coming to stay with me forever. Why does she even have to come to stay with me, when she can stay here?
"I'm sorry for keeping you waiting. I had to attend to something," I apologize to her once I walk up to her after I hop out of the car.
"I don't need the apologies," She replies to me sarcastically, and I slowly nod my head.
"I will help you get these inside the car," I offer as I reach out for her suitcases, ready to take them to the booth when the door opens, and Tyler walks out. He glares at me with resentment, and I sigh silently. Can this boy stop hating me for nothing? It's not my fault his mom is so selfish in forcing her child to be with someone she no longer loves, so why is he taking everything out on me?
"Do you really have to do this, Tracy?" He turns to her and inquires.
"I'm sorry, Tyler. I promise to be fine, and I will also check up on you often," I watch as she pulls him into her arms, and hugs her tightly.
And after that, I finally drive us out of the compound. The drive to my place was filled with silence since none of us talked to each other. I wonder what we would be talking about.
"You are happy now, aren't you?" She asks as I slow down the car because of the heavy traffic ahead.
"You are happy that you finally got what you want, isn't it?" She asks for the second time, and I bite my bottom lip as I tighten my fingers around the steering wheel.
"No, I'm not," I reply to her in a low tone as I glance at her reflection in the visor, since she's sitting in the back seat.
"I see," She scoffs before she stares out through the window. I watch as tears well up in her eyes, and I can't help but blame myself for all the pain she's going through now. I shouldn't have gone into her life in the first place, I shouldn't have made her hate me to the point of not being able to stand me now.
"The truth is... I was hurt when you broke up with me... It was painful, but I managed to get over it as time went by, and..." I pause and bite my lip again.
"I don't know what to say," I scoff as I throw my head back on the headrest, and sigh briefly.
"Let's get married in three weeks, Ren," Her next words make me snap my eyes open in shock, and this time, I snap my head back swiftly to look at her.
"Wha...what did you say?" I stutter, maybe I didn't hear her right.
"Let's get married in three weeks. That is what you have always wanted, anyway," She replies to me while staring directly into my eyes as if she wants to see through me. I gulp down nothing as I slowly return my gaze to the front, her words replaying in my head again. Get married? That's crazy...