A Love Like War (On Hold)

Chapter 15

Annie's POV:

I regretted my words the moment I saw the look of disbelief and hurt etched in her blue eyes.

And as much as I wanted to comfort her and tell her that I was just kidding, I couldn't. It was better this way. Better for her to hate me and come at me than me killing her in cold blood.

I knew just how much the boy meant to her. He was her first friend, the first and only person that she trusted out all of us, the one she tried so hard to protect during he Invasion at Trost, the first person she, unknown to her, ever loved.

And I killed him in cold blood.

Without even saying a word, I could hear her screams just by looking into those pain-stained orbs of hers and could feel nothing but shame though I didn't show it.

I could still remember the look on her face that dreadful day when she found his half burnt and lifeless body sitting on the ground. The look in her eyes, a mix of shock and unexpressed grief, was enough to make my heart break.

I remember how much I wanted to wrap my arms around her back then and comfort her. But I couldn't bring myself to. I mean, how could I? What right did I have to do that when I was the one who caused her such pain. When I was the one responsible for her beloved's death in the first place?

I lost count of how many times I wanted to apologize to her but couldn't because I know that apologizing to her just wasn't enough. That what I have done was something unforgivable. And that even if I apologize to her a thousand or a million times, it won't bring him back to life. It won't bring him back to her.

So I had no choice but to accept it. Her hatred, her anger, everything. Even losing our friendship. I'm willing to accept it all as long as I didn't have to kill her.

But what I didn't know was that I have done exactly the opposite of what I intended to do.

I didn't keep her alive. I killed her.

And I realized it when it was already too late.