Submission

CHAPTER : 14

Her red sad eyes held such emotions which I thought would never haunt her. I thought that only I was the one carrying the burden of a heavy heart, but I was always oblivious to how Liza's eyes would turn wet whenever she saw a small girl holding her mother's hand, whenever she saw a small girl learning to ride a cycle while her father supported her from behind, whenever she saw a brother standing up for his sister, all those times when it used to rain, and she would stare outside the window towards oblivion.

I was oblivious.

She looked at me with those baby blue eyes of her which looked as innocent as a newborn baby. Tinted with red they expressed their sorrow and sadness to me for the first time.This Liza was new to me.

This Liza was scaring me.

I was afraid, afraid that she might utter words which I don't want to hear, afraid that she won't tell me what was bothering her, afraid that she will push me away like I used to do to my parents.

"Max does not have any parents" Her voice was quiet carrying loads of emotions. Her fidgeting fingers were trying to distract her from crying, but a lone teardrop made its escape and fell on her fingers, halting their motion.

"D-did something happen to his parents? Are they alright?" My voice started quivering, and I realized the heavy words that hung in the air.

"No Rose, he never had any parents. He...he is an orphan"
I felt struck by confusion and bafflement.

"He lied to me all those times when I asked about his parents. He thought it would be better that way. He doesn't even know who his parents are!" Her shouts bounced off the wall and echoed through the room. Her anguished heart wanted to express itself.

" And do you know the worst part? He said he did so because he did not want me to get hurt! Because I will get hurt because I am an orphan!" Her anguished wails of sadness filled my heart with dark water.

I always knew that something had happened to her but never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined that behind that happy mask lived a depressed face, mourning for her parents.

"I remember that day as if it happened yesterday. We used to have these short outings every weekend where we would go to the beach or have a picnic. I had the perfect family rose, I had the best parents and a loving brother. Being the youngest in my family I was always pampered." Her eyes had a distant look, and she had a sad smile on her face.

"It was one such weekend when I argued with my parents because they did not let me go to a nightclub. Now that I think about it, it was my fault." The drops of tears leaked through her eyes, making a narrow stream down her cheeks.

Another painful wail came out of her lips and she closed her eyes to stop the painful memory from haunting her.

"Rose, I shouldn't have argued with them! Because of me, they are no more! I refused to go out with them on the weekend. My dad was calling me while driving the car with mom and Drew inside. It was raining hard and there was a storm. I did not pick up the phone. The next time when my phone rang I got to know that they had an accident and I became an orphan!"

Her pained expression hurt me. I have never seen her so sad. She was a mourning soul who mourned for her family.

Something dripped down my cheeks and I realized they were my own tears.

That night when I was sleeping with Liza in her room, it dawned on me that today the rain was not for me, it was for her.