How to be loved

32 - Jealousy and all!

HOW TO BE LOVED

32 – Jealousy and all!

Freen flinched at the mention of Seng, but she quickly steadied herself. She knew Becky was lashing out, trying to push her away. But Freen refused to budge.

"Seng is no one," Freen began, her voice calm and unwavering.

"I told you, you don't need to explain. You can ju—" Becky started to say, her voice tinged with frustration and hurt.

"But I want to," Freen interrupted, her tone firm yet gentle. "He's not even an ex-boyfriend, Becky. He courted me, yes, but we went on two, maybe three dates, and that was it. There's nothing more to it."

Becky's eyes searched Freen's, looking for any sign of doubt or hesitation. But all she found was honesty and a quiet determination that left her feeling even more conflicted.

"Why are you telling me this?" Becky asked, her voice softer now, the defensiveness starting to fade.

"Because I don't want you to feel threatened by him, or anyone else," Freen replied, taking a small step closer. "I'm here with you, Becky. Not with Seng, not with anyone else. You."

Freen watched as Becky walked over to her office fridge, grabbing a bottle of water. The hurt and fear in Becky's voice were evident, but Freen wasn't about to let her push her away.

"You don't have to. Especially after what you saw," Becky said, taking a sip of water as if to calm the storm brewing inside her. "I'm like a bomb of anger, and that's just the tip of the iceberg. Stay away while you can. Maybe you're thankful we're not yet girlfriends— you won't have to deal with me or find a way to break up."

Freen took a deep breath, steadying herself. She could see the pain behind Becky's words, the way she was trying to protect herself by pushing Freen away before she could get too close.

"You've been through a lot, and you're carrying more than anyone should have to. But I'm not afraid of that. I'm not afraid of you," Freen said softly, moving closer. "And how can I be thankful not to be your girlfriend when that's the only thing I want to be?"

Becky shook her head, her grip tightening around the bottle. "You say that now, but you don't know what it's like. You don't know what I'm really like."

"I know enough, Becky," Freen replied, her voice calm but unwavering. "I know that you're strong, that you're passionate, that you care deeply about the people you love. And I know that you're scared—scared of being hurt, scared of letting someone see the parts of you that you think are unlovable. But I'm not going anywhere."

Becky let out a bitter, hollow laugh. "Don't worry. By now, you must realize how much I'm into you, and how hard I'm fighting not to be. I'm telling you to leave because I know the truth—I'll end up on my knees, begging you to stay. That's who I am. I beg, I beg, because it's the only way I've ever known to make people stay. Until even begging is not enough."

Freen's heart twisted painfully at Becky's confession, the raw honesty cutting through her like a blade. But she stood her ground, her voice unwavering. "I'm not going anywhere, Becky. You won't have to beg me to stay—because I'm choosing to stay. On my own... with all my heart."

Becky couldn't find words to respond and Freen took that chance to close the distance between them. She reached for Becky's hands, "I'm not like everyone else, Becky. I'm here, fighting for you, ready to break down those walls of yours one brick at a time. You deserve to be loved, and I want to love you—every piece of you."

Tears brimmed in Becky's eyes, and she shook her head, overwhelmed by the gravity of Freen's words. "This is just one of the many things that make me too much to handle."