How to be loved

55 - Girlfriend

How to be loved

55 – Girlfriend

Freen's POV

I sank down onto the edge of the couch, clutching the car key and card Becky gifted me as if they were lifelines. Her message, simple yet profound, filled my heart with warmth and a hint of hope. "I love you, Freen. I always will." Those words lingered, soft and tender, echoing through my mind, stirring something so deep inside that the ache I'd been carrying began to ease, replaced by a gentle warmth. It felt as though her love was reaching out from across the distance that had grown between us, wrapping around my heart and soothing all the hurt I'd held.

Tears slipped down my cheeks, but this time, they weren't from sadness. They were from the overwhelming flood of emotions I couldn't hold back anymore. For the first time in days, I allowed myself to truly feel her love... and hope.

Then came Nam's voice, playful and lighthearted as always but with a softness that only she could bring. "Oh, someone's finally smiling in tears like a fool," she teased, leaning against the doorway, her arms crossed with that familiar grin.

I hadn't even realized I was smiling, but I could feel it now—a small, hesitant curve pulling at my lips. "Nam, Becky still loves me," I said, my voice thick with emotion.

The words felt like a revelation, like a truth I'd been too scared to say aloud. Now, out in the open, they filled me with a profound sense of relief that brought more tears—this time, tears of gratitude.

Nam's expression softened as she walked over, sitting beside me. "She never stopped, Freen," she said quietly, understanding in her eyes. "She made a mistake, but she's trying to make it right. Jane... Jane was nothing more than a distraction."

Hearing Nam's words, I looked down at Becky's note in my hands. Everything started to feel clearer. Nam was right—Jane had been nothing but a fleeting shadow, a moment of doubt that clouded the truth. And the truth was right here, in Becky's love, in her words, in her vulnerability.

"You think so?" I asked, my voice trembling, my heart desperately wanting to believe.

Nam nodded, her eyes full of quiet strength. "I know so. Becky loves you, Freen. She always has. She made a mistake, but she's willing to fix it. And maybe... it's time to let her."

Wiping my tears, I let Nam's words sink in. She was right. Becky was trying. She had always been trying, in her own imperfect way. Maybe it was time for me to let go of the pain, to stop punishing both of us for something that was already in the past.

"I want to, Nam. I just... I don't know if I'm ready to trust her again," I whispered, my heart heavy with both love and fear.

Nam gave my shoulder a gentle squeeze. "That's okay. Trust doesn't come back all at once. It takes time. But love? The love you two share? That's still there, Freen. It's worth holding onto."

I looked down at the key in my hand, running my fingers over its smooth edges. Becky's love was still here, tangible and real. Maybe we had stumbled, maybe we'd hurt each other, but we weren't broken beyond repair. We were just... a little lost.

"I still love her," I whispered, my voice thick with emotion. "I love her so much."

Nam smiled, squeezing my shoulder. "Then that's your answer, Bunny. It's not about avoiding hurt. It's about choosing each other, even when it's hard."

I nodded, the truth of her words settling deep within me. This wasn't the end for Becky and me. Not yet. There was still so much love between us, so much worth fighting for. For Becky, the woman who held my heart so completely, I knew I was willing to try. To trust again. To love again.