The Piece of Him That I Lost

Chapter 16. Owen's secret

I saw Raffy's face soften when his eyes met mine.

We haven't talked for a while now, and I don't know why it bothers me so much to have him close, but I guess it does. I know that we have been distant ever since everything happened, and I don't know if things could ever be the same as before.
We're in the stairway beside the vacant room, where no student is passing by. He's staring at me intently, as if he's searching for an answer to something inside his head. "I'm sorry, Ash, but I can't just sit there and watch this happen to you and pretend that nothing is happening between us anymore! This is all my fault!" He said, running a hand through his hair. He looked tired, stressed out, and guilty.

I stared at him for a few seconds, not knowing what to say or what to think about it all. He knows that I've been avoiding him since that day, and I guess he is doing the exact same to me."I'm sorry," he says.

"What do you want now?" I asked. I know that I'm being petty, and I am aware of his feelings, but I don't want to be here any longer. I am not even talking to him because I feel angry and disappointed at him, and I just want him to stay away from me and leave me.

"Ashton," he sighed. He looked down.
"Raffy, I can't believe you're doing all of this to try and convince me to forgive you! How stupid can you be?! Have you completely forgotten what you did to me?!" I shouted. He took a step forward, but I stopped him instantly."Stop, I'm already getting mad enough. Let me tell you, the truth is, I don't feel the same way anymore—the fact that I was really stupid to fall for you!" I spat.

"What do you mean by that, Ash?" he demanded, stepping closer.
"It means exactly what I said! I'm done, okay!? I have moved past it!! I can't forgive you! But I don't have feelings for you anymore!" I replied angrily.

"Why? Because you're getting married with some random guy, right? A rich bastard who thinks he owns you?" He shouted angrily.

I flinched at his harsh tone. His hands were balled into fists by his side. I can't believe that everyone in this fucking school knows about my engagement with Harrison! This is all bullsh*t!

"Because we are meant to end up apart! Don't you understand that!?" I exclaimed as a tear rolled down my cheek. My voice cracked after I shouted.

"I love you. We belong together," he murmured.

"Stop saying nonsense!! Just shut your fucking mouth!" I shouted even louder this time, turning around to leave.I didn't listen to his pleas and instead started walking upstairs. As I passed by a corridor near my destination, I heard voices and stopped to listen to what was being said.

"Lune, can you be my date tonight?" I heard Viola asking Lune. What the hell?! What do they want with each other anyway?

"Is everyone required to join the party?" Lune responded back immediately.

My eyebrows frowned, because I didn't hear any rejection from the way he answered. Oh gosh, I feel like my ears were ringing from the loudness.

I can hear the heavy sigh of Lune. I was two meters away from them, and I was hiding behind the wall in a different direction of the hallway—impossible for them to see me. "Everyone was invited since the whole campus was celebrating your win as well," Viola excitedly mentioned. 

Fuck! He won. I was waiting to know from him, but my confession messed it up. 

I didn't want to hear that anymore, so I hurriedly ran upstairs. I quickly slammed the classroom door when I got there and sat in my seat.

I couldn't wait to end this day so I could go back home and rest. But this is so crazy, for sure, that Mandy won't let me go. 

"Ash?"

I gave an uninterested look to whoever was calling me, and I don't even care for whatever reason. And that is Mr. Pelazo, and everyone in the room is looking at me. I saw Owen standing on the doorway wearing his scrubs and his lab gown, which makes him more likely to be neat.
What the hell? What is he doing here?

"Please come outside," he requested in his usual monotone. "We need to speak; it's important."

His eyes told me to come and follow him without saying a word, so I got out of my chair and walked towards the exit, confused. Still, everyone is staring at me, like they are waiting for my response.

Mr. Pelazo nodded at me when I walked past him, giving me permission to go with Owen. 

I just nodded back. I can't believe what is going on right now. Why would Owen ask me to go with him? Is everything alright? It must be urgent for him to make such a request. I wonder what he wants from me. 

When we reached outside, Owen turned to face me. "Ash, I need your help!" He asked me with genuine concern.

"What's wrong?" I replied calmly. I'm not angry, upset, or anything. It's just that, what's going on?

"Look, I know that we have had our own problems with being engaged without our own will," he began. "But I have this person that I already made a promise to marry—I don't want to put you at risk either."

A cold shiver went down my spine upon hearing those words. What the fuck does he mean by that? I know that it is just an ordinary marriage, and what's the rush? I mean, does he really have to take me out here in the middle of my class?

"So what does it have to do with me?" I asked him. I saw him looking surprised with his eyes wide open.He cleared his throat a bit nervously. "Yeah," he stuttered in reply. His nervous demeanor made me frown.

What's he really worried about? What's the matter?

"Well, I don't want you to leave the wrong impression about me." 

What? What do I care? I mean, what impression do I have to take from this? Because I believe we have the same dilemma. 

"I don't understand." 

"Oh god! I hate this trap!" he said with frustration. "I'm sorry, it's just me."

"Okay, just tell me, why does it have to rush you over here?"

"Because I don't want to put you at risk once—"

"Once she found out about it?" I asked.
He stopped for a second and breathed,  closing his eyes tightly and exhaling sharply. When he opened his eyes again, a slight look of defeat came across them."Y-Yeah.."

Fuck! 

I hate this marriage for real! 

"I'm afraid they might find this out, and I can't imagine what they will do about it," he said, and then his eyes suddenly glistened a little, and he grabbed my shoulders softly. "Do you think we can still live our separate lives once we tie the knot?" 

I gave him a forced smile. I don't understand why he has to be here telling me this. "Is that girl in here or already on your campus? That's why you're running here to warn me," I jokingly tell him. He doesn't seem to enjoy that joke, though, and I could tell that he felt slightly guilty because of it.

"You're really not helping," he muttered.I chuckled at him and ruffled his hair playfully.

"So, can you give me some advice?" he asked, looking up at me with an earnest expression in his eyes. I don't know why, but it's actually making me feel bad for him.

"Sure. What do you need?" I replied, putting my fingers crossed, waiting for him to tell me everything.

"I'm gay, and I have a boyfriend." 

My eyes left wide open in shock.I guess what I expected wasn't going to happen because this is not what I imagined.

To be Continued...
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"Is it only me? Or do you feel the same, where life took us to a different path away from each other." -Holley Gardenn🦋

07.14.24
Finally!