date me?

28. share the pain.

Erela's POV :

My parents have understood the problem after I explained it to them ofcourse, they are understanding and supportive.

But Zion, he hasn't talked to me at all for the past three days after I came back from prison.
I mean he did talk to me once after I barged into his house to sort things out, the very day I came back.
But ofcourse, it didn't work.
I wouldn't blame him anyway.

I should've told him this matter.
He would've understood.
I know, he would've.
Yet, I didn't tell him.
I was too selfish.
I was too selfish for it to go smoothly.

Ugh, if I could turn back time.

After knowing his past still I betrayed.
How could I do something like this?

Flashback starts ~

I was in Zion's house, trying to explain to him my perspective in this matter.
Asking for forgiveness.

"I understand, my love and I forgive you for that." He says.

"But I can't forgot the pain you caused." He adds.

"I'm sorry, I'm really sorry-" I say as I stopped mid sentence because tears started rolling down my face.

"Sorry for hurting you, my love." He says as he wipes the tears from my face.

"This... This could be the end of everything, so why-why don't we go, somewhere only we know?" I say, looking at him.

"But let me assure you, that every time I have hurt you even I have gone through the same pain, even I have endured, all that you have. The difference is just that, the tears in your eyes would express your pain and as for me, I couldn't share my pain even with myself."  He says, his voice and tone sounding so morose.

I can see that if I stay for a minute more, he would start sobbing in pain.

"I love you." I say as I cup his face in my hands and then stand on my tip toes to kiss him on his forehead.

"I too love you, my dear, except you are not the one for me." He says.

As I walk away.

Just say I'm not deserving of your love.
I know, I'm not.
Atleast when you say it to my face it would be easier to move on from you.
Because that's the only thing I could do.
Move on from you because you don't deserve someone as pathetic as me.
I would never forget you.
I love you.

Flashback ends ~

Lance's POV :

I got to know about everything.
Erela's arrest, the reason for it and the consequence of it.
Erela has been living with such a tragic thing in her heart from her past that's been haunting her since.
Why didn't she tell me?
How could I have not known?

Her relationship with Zion also ended.
He broke up with her.
Not sure, why.
He really loved her.
I did too.
I still do.

What was the reason though that caused him to break up with her?
She chose him over me.
She thought he was better than me.
Even though he isn't.

I know, she's hurt.
I know, she's sad.
And after all this, she must be blaming herself for all of it.

She needs me.
Maybe, not me but someone.
She needs a shoulder to cry on.
I will be her shoulder to cry on.

I call her mum to check if she's at home.
Yes, I have her mum's number. Her mum likes me anyways.
Her mum said that she isn't at her house.
Well then, she must be...
I know where she is.
Let's go.

~

I see her.
She's sitting in the church.
She's wearing a black maxi dress, her hair down, her rosary on the neck and a ring which I assume her mum would've given.
She's wearing no makeup, all simple.
She's looking so ethereal.

I go and sit beside her.
She doesn't even notice.

"Hello." I whisper.

She flinched and then looked at my direction and saw me and then her face had this expression which I've never seen her with before.
Don't know if that's a good thing or a bad one.

"What are you doing here?" She questions while whispering as it's a church and we can't be disturbing the whole crowd.

"Came here to look for God and saw an angel." I answer as I give her a smile.

Not a cocky one as she calls though.
This is genuine.

She nods and then looks back at the pastor who's preaching.

~

The prayer session has ended and I didn't disturb her anymore as I knew she came here to find peace.
Don't know if she did though.

After the session ended, she went and prayed under God's feet and then talked with the pastor and some elders as she's quite well known here.
And thank God and his goodness, nobody judging her about her recent arrest.

She's now walking out of the church as I walk along with her.

"What do you want, Lance?" She asks, looking at me.

"I don't always talk to you for something in return, Rilly." I say.

"Right but I know you're up to something." She says.

"Nothing that should bother you, love." I answer.

"Well, you are bothering me right now." She says.

"Just tryna talk to you, from when is that considered bothering, baby?" I ask.

She sighs and asks "What do you want to talk about?''

"Well, I'd like to take on a ride." I say.

"Not now." She says.

"Come on love, it's the start of the new year and you're still refusing?" I say.

"Let's go." She thinks for sometime and then agrees as I take her to my car, did I say that I came by my car?
Anyways.
I open the car door for her as she sits in the passenger seat and I sit on the driver's one as I'll be driving, ofcourse.

And I start the car.

After almost half an hour, she says "if your done with the ride, take me home."

"I'm taking you somewhere, love."

"But you said it was a drive."

"A drive needs it's purpose."

And I stop my car at one of my fav places in this town.
It's an abandoned garden which is still thriving, I must say.

It doesn't give the pretty aesthetic vibe nor the old money one.
It gives this hauntingly beautiful ethereal vibe.
I love it.

I go and open the car door for her and offer her a hand and she takes my hand and gets out of the car.

She takes a look around and gasps and then says "Such a lovely place."

I smile.

"How come I've never been here, if it's in our town?" She asks, looking at me while smiling.

This smile seems genuine not the ones she gives when she is tryna cope with pain or hiding it.