Lost Love - Complete

Seventy One

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Seventy One

Eric

I feel so hopeless right now. There's so much heartbreak Zoe and I could've prevented to us. She should have talked to me about her promise to my brother and I shouldn't have ran from her when she tried to explain the situation.

It hurts me to think that she thinks that I think she played me but I was being hypocritical right now. Well, I don't know. I couldn't believe that she cheated on me but I still felt betrayed. I just knew she wouldn't play with me or treat me like I meant nothing to her. But I was mad and heartbroken. I let myself lose control which caused her pain.

But at least she knows that I don't think she played me.

I haven't talked to her and I wanted more than anything to clear everything up between us. And to also have her close to me and my family. She's a great person that took care of my brother without pitying him. She would've made a remarkable wife to him. And although it hurts to say that, it's the truth. After learning that it was a promise towards my brother, I would've supported that even if it broke my heart but the important thing is that he was happy.

And now I think that there's something else bothering Zoe.

After Rose said those hurtful things, she let me comfort her but suddenly, she ran from me. And then I told her that I knew the truth when she was talking to my boss and she tensed. Then she left while apologizing. About what? I have no clue.

Now she's talking to Hailey. They seem to get along great and I hope she can convince Zoe of talking to me. While they were at it, I decided to bring them blankets. The temperature was going down and Zoe especially wasn't wearing a coat or a jacket to keep her warm.

I was climbing down the stairs when I saw Zoe with her coat on while she sat with her head on her hands. I silenty put down the blankets and grabbed one to put it over her shoulders as she was slightly shaking. She looked up at me in surprise and then muttered a thank you. I tucked a strand of hair behind hear ear and felt that her face was really hot as my finger graced her skin. "Zoe, are you feeling okay?" I didn't know how else to ask her.

She nodded and leant her head on the back of the sofa. "I'm fine." She whispered. More hair fell to her cheek and I didn't think twice before putting it behind her ear again. She smiled and her eyes started to drop. Checking her temperature, she was hot but she was also shivering a little. I drapped another blanket over her but as minutes went by, she wouldn't stop shivering.

I went for to dampen a washcloth and put it on her forehead, hoping to lower her fever. "Eric, have you seen- What happened?" My mom asked as she saw me next to Zoe.

"She has a fever and I'm trying to lowering it down." I told her, not looking at her but still checking if the washcloth was working.

My mom didn't say anything. Instead, she went to the kitchen. She came back a few seconds later with a popsicle. "Est this, Zoe. It'll also help."

Zoe took it and mumbled a thank you. I opened it for her and gave it back but it didn't seem to work either.

"Zoe? Sweetie, what's happening?" Zoe's mom stepped in to the living room and checked her temperature. "Oh, God, you're burning." She whispered.

"It won't lower." I said as I turned over the washcloth.

"It can also lower if she gets into a bathtub." She told me.

"No, mom. I'm fine." Zoe whispered as she looked at her mother.

"You're not fine, Zoe. Come on, let's get you in the tub." I told her to which she complained.

"Try that out, Zoe." My mom advised.

Zoe nodded recluctantly. I picked her up and took her upstairs to the bathroom. In normal circumstances, me doing this would be weird but considering that she's sick and that both our parents knew we were together and that we are adults, nobody objected. And most importantly, Zoe didn't object which gave me the green light. "I'm okay, Eric. You don't have to do this." She said until we were locked inside the bathroom.

"This is the least I could do." I said. "As long as you're okay with me in here." I told her just in case she wasn't comfortable.

"It's okay." She told me.

I filled the tub with lukewarm water as Zoe took the two blankets off of her. She started unbuttoning her shirt but she was shivering so badly that I put her hands down and unbuttoned the shirt myself. I felt her eyes never leaving mine as I undressed her. I was kind of waiting for her to tell me to stop and leave her alone but she remained silent.

Once she was naked, I helped her inside the tub and sat. She took her hair and put it up in a bun so it wouldn't get wet. I busied myself putting soap on a sponge so I wouldn't take her in my arms and kiss her and never let her go. I love this girl and although I'm trying to stay away from her and respect her marriage to my brother, I'm still in love with her and I'm not sure if that'll ever change.

"What are you thinking?" She whispered softly. I turned to look at her. "You've been glaring at that bottle for a while." She chuckled.

I looked at the soap bottle and blushed. "Nothing." She chuckled again and reclined her head.

"Zoe?"

"Yeah..." She replied tiredly.

"Why didn't you tell me about the promise?" I dared myself ask her. Hopefully she won't get mad.

She stayed silent for a bit. I wasn't looking at her eyes but I was sure she was thinking of a way to explain herself. "I swear I forgot about it." She started in a small voice. "I feel so bad because we shouldn't - I shouldn't have gotten together with you. I should have remembered. I mean you are Jace's brother. That should've hinted but I simply forgot. When we were at the cabin and we had to take Jace to the hospital, I remembered. I didn't know what to tell you. I didn't want you to think that I was with you just until I needed to fulfill the promise."

I didn't say anything as I washed her body so she continued. "I feel like I was expecting Jace to get better." She said and brought her hand to cup my face and make me look at her eyes. "Not to get out of the promise but so he could live forever." A tear fell from her eye. "And then I let you believe that I had cheated so you could hate me and see the horrible person that I am." She started sobbing. I took her hand off my face and put mine on her cheeks.

"You're not a horrible person and I don't think I can ever hate you."

"You should. I played with your heart after all. When I let you believe I had cheated on you." She insisted.

I stood up and made her stand up as well so I could hug her to me. It's hurting me that she thinks that way of herself. She is most definetely a bad person. A lot of people may think that she is because of what she did to me but she isn't. She's an incredibly selfless person who would let her heart be broken than have someone she loves feel sad. Yes, she broke my heart but it was for a good reason. "It's okay. Besides, I wouldn't let you explain. I'm just curious... When I asked you if you had done something, why did you tense?"

Zoe looked at me like she didn't know what I was talking about but then her eyes widen in realization. "I couldn't believe you would think that I had cheated." She replied and blushed.

I was the next to blush. "I feel like such an idiot." I commented.

"Can you forgive me?" She shyly wondered.

I chuckled. "Of course, baby. Can you forgive me?"

Zoe tensed as I spoke but then she relaxed. "Of course."