Better Off With Whom?

Chapter-12: BEFRIENDED

Adele followed the path that led to their office building while Samuel followed along the path that led to the side of the beach.

He wandered for about 15 minutes when he finally saw a woman wearing the same clothes as Evelyn. He couldn't be mistaken. He was sure it was her.
He ran towards the woman in front of him and yelled,
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? IT'S SO DARK. ARE YOU MAD?", he yelled in order to seek her attention.

The woman looked at him vaguely. It was Evelyn. Partially drunk. Musing as she was settled on the sand looking at the waves.

He understood she was drunk.
"Hey! Listen to me very carefully okay! Please just stay here. Don't wander off to somewhere else. I am going to be back. It won't take long.", he said extremely sincerely with the most polite tone he could use.

In response Evelyn just nodded. Did she even hear him or recognise him? Not sure..

Samuel went to the nearest Mart to buy a bottle of lemon juice for her to sober up and neutralize the drunkenness caused.
He returned back in not more than 5 minutes and Evelyn was still sitting there like a statue.
She didn't even move a single finger of her hands

Samuel rushed towards her and unsealed the bottle's cap and gave it to her to drink.
She drank the juice and Samuel settled himself on the sand bed.
Few minutes later, Evelyn started to crawl out of drunkenness.

They both stared blankly at the waves for a while in silence.
Finally the silence was disturbed.

"What were you doing here?", Samuel asked Evelyn.

"Just thinking..", Evelyn said without breaking her gaze from the beach.

"Do you want to talk about it?", he asked her.

"You don't want to know. It's too complicated..", she said.

"Well, if you would like to share, I would love to hear..", he said with utmost patience in his voice.

"Just the cruelty of life.",she said.
Samuel looked at her as she sighed with concerned eyes.

"I talked to a friend at the restaurant on text. A very old friend. She reminded me of someone. I didn't want even the thought of it to pass my mind ever. But here I am all reminiscened.", she said.

The breeze blew through her shining hair making it even more depressing.
Her eyes closed with the wind passing coming through the sea.

"My ex boyfriend. The thought of him is overwhelming. And I hate drowning myself in the past. I hate how even with him gone, his actions, his thoughts still bruise me to places that hurt.", she said. A tear dropped down from her eyes through a right cheek.
Samuel saw it.
He was enraged.

"Do you miss him?", he asked as his eyes blackened in fury.

"No. Not at all! I hate him too much to miss him. I hate him to the core. He was an asshole. Even that word is too good for him!", she spoke.

"What happened between you two? What did he do?", Samuel asked her.

"He cheated on me. I made him my worship place. I gave him the right to dominate me to such an extent that I was blinded by faith and love that never existed.", she said and her expressions changed from upset to anger.

"And that's not where the story ends. He didn't just cheat on me! He cheated on the girl whom he cheated me with later. And deprived of love and hungry for more he's now with some fourth girl. That insensitive bastard.", she said as her anger visibly couldn't stay inside of her.

"He was a jerk! You know it! Do not give him the right to influence your life again. With him present in your life or not, you're doing it again. Giving him the right.", Samuel told Evelyn.

Evelyn spoke. This time her voice had become weary and tired, "I try to move past from this. I really do. But life always somehow finds a way to screw me over bringing up somebody from the past.".

"It makes me feel so undesirable, undeserving and unlovable. Like I am born to experience traumatic experiences only. Whenever I try to be happy, some way or the other I am screwed over. Everyone I love, falls apart from me", she said.

"Even my best friend left me stranded once he found a girlfriend. As much as I was happy for him, I was aware that I liked him and I couldn't feel any more upset because at last, I was left alone. I am never the first choice of people. I hate this life.
When the universe doesn't want me to live happily, then why even give a small moment of laughter with anyone? To raise my hopes up like I am awarded with a blessed and happy life? And then take it all away?", Evelyn ranted.
Her rants didn't include whining. She looked for answers to her questions seriously. She longed for a safe place where she'd feel secured.

Samuel heard her with all ears.
"Evelyn, trust me when I say this. You deserve the world. Even though you feel like everything's just meant for falling apart, I assure you of one thing, when you find the right man, you would feel grateful for all these heartbreaks you have experienced. These experiences are what would lead the way to your right person. Once you are ready, you will find a man who was worth waiting. I promise.", he said. He deep inside hoped he was her right man. He couldn't imagine the things the pure soul has endured. He wanted her to stay happy always. And if given a chance, he would keep her happy and satisfied.

"You don't know that.. You don't know me..", she said.
Evelyn looked at Samuel while saying this.
"I may have not known you for a long time. But, while working with you and talking to you, I have learnt one thing about you. It's that you misunderstand yourself too much. You think lowly of yourself.", Samuel said without breaking the eye contact between them with utmost confidence and patience.

Evelyn looked away and stared at the beach blankly.
"Maybe. I don't know... I don't know why I told you all this.. I am sure I must be looking like a nuisance."
Samuel looked at her "No you're not. You're still thinking of yourself negatively. I am glad you felt comfortable in telling me this. I promise to keep it all safe within me. And.. you can talk to me about it whenever you want to. Really! Text me whenever! I'll always listen to it. Besides, I don't have any friends.", he said and shifted his gaze towards the beach too.

Evelyn looked at him and looked away,
"If that's the case, you can text me whenever too when you feel low..", she said.

"Okay then, I am befriending you." , Samuel said. And leaned his hand forward for a handshake.
They shook their hands.
"Sure!", Evelyn said.

They both stared at the beach sitting in the sand silently as the cold breeze blew against them.