His Camelia [Completed]

Chapter 19-Martinis

Something flickered in his eyes. The change in the air went from free flowing– warm to staticky to cold and silent in a matter of seconds.

The trance shattered. The connection severed, broke. An intense sense of disappoint crashes through Camelia. For a moment she thought he was going to kiss her. When he looked away, it wasn't the reaction she'd hoped for. She wanted him to show her, to acknowledge what they shared.

"Kent...?"  She asks tilting her head slightly.  His expression looked pained when she spoke his name. 

"Look, Camelia there is something I need to tell you..." Stefan hesitates, his jaw clenched, struggling with the new lie he was weaving in his head.  What he was about to reveal was by far one of the worst and harshest lies he'd have to say.  "I'm...before you take things the wrong way...I must confess something I've never declared to anyone..." 

Camelia raises her eyebrows expectantly, holding her breath.  A sense of dread descended over her in the next instant.

"I'm homosexual."

What? Her lips parted at his words. 

Camelia inhaled sharply and blinked several times as if it would help her process what she heard. Literally, she felt the rush of blood drain from her face and down her neck.  The rest of her limbs numbed and locked in place halting their dance. 

He was staring, his eyes stormy and intense, waiting for her to say something, waiting for a reaction.  She couldn't find the right words.  All she could feel was a part of her was utterly stunned by his declaration. 

He was gay?  But it made no sense.  Camelia pulls out of his arms and takes a step back.

Could it be she completely interpreted everything the wrong way?  Is that what she sensed he was hiding all this time? 

There was a softening in his features that chipped pieces of her innocence.  The only thing that registered was the disappointment, the hurt–her feelings were unrequited...once again. It was all so painfully familiar.

Feeling small, fragile and all alone, it was difficult for Camelia to comprehend why life did this to her.  It was like she wasn't meant to find love, always hitting a road block.  She was so close to love him. 

As always, she was the foolish one.   A foolish girl who had a hundred fantasies.  A girl that became carried away with the her books and believed love was precious and easily recuperated.

She loved too much. Trusted too much. 

The tears begin stinging her eyes, but she rapidly blinks them back keeping a straight stoic expression.  She acted as if it didn't matter when it was really breaking her heart.

She straightens, coming out of her haze, holding her chin high, chest heaving. Camelia could only stare at him, the fury building inside her like a storm.

"Kent, it's all right."  Her voice sounding surprisingly steady to her own ears.  "I'm in love with someone. I've been in love with him for some time and I don't believe he could be ever replaced. So before you interpret things incorrectly, which now appears doesn't need to be cleared anymore, I have high hopes that one day I'll have a chance with him."  It was part lie.  She'd placed Stefan on the back burner and nearly allowed Kent to take the lead. 

A deep frown marred his features.  Followed with a long moment of silence where neither of them moved.

"Camelia....I...I'm–" Sorry.