A Room for My Pretend Love

BONUS CHAPTER: CLARK'S STORY (THE END)

FOUR YEARS LATER

Clark was rushing to his car after a buying a present. If he didn't get to the parking lot in five minutes, then he was going to be late for his god daughter's birthday party. The universe, however, had no regard for his predicament. When he rounded a corner, he crashed into a hapless individual, sending shopping bags all over the floor. Luckily, his quick reflexes saved him --and what turned out to be a woman-- from suffering the same fate.

For a moment, they stood rooted into place. He had one arm wrapped around her waist and another pressing her head against his chest. While he struggled to catch his breath, the distinct perfume of jasmine and cinnamon permeated his senses. His eyes fluttered shut. There was a time when that scent was synonymous with contentment.

The woman in his arms was the first to recover, pulling away and voicing her apologies. Clark dropped his hands, showering her with apologies of his own. When he was far enough to see her face, his jaw slackened. Meanwhile, an audible gasp spilled from her lips.

"Ana?"

"Clark?"

They said in unison.

A small tremor started on her bottom lip. He saw it spread all the way to the hand she used to cover her mouth. His gaze swept up to capture hers. In her eyes, pain whirled, sucking him into their depths. Thinking perhaps she was merely a fragment of his imagination --after all, she had been a constant presence in his mind throughout the last few years-- he brushed the back his hand against her cheek. She flinched at his touch, her eyebrows meeting at the center.

Clark pulled back, stung by her fury. While he debated his next move, guilt started eating at the years that passed. By the time it was done, he felt the gravity of his actions as intensely as he did the day he decided to run away.

The ache in his chest was unbearable.

"Ana, I... I'm sorry."

At his words, a tear clung to her bottom lashes. She swiped it away before it fell down her cheek. "Sorry?"

A resounding slap hit his left cheek.

"Go to hell!"

Without waiting for him to respond, she picked up her things and walked away.

It took Clark a few minutes to process what happened. When he came to his senses, he noticed a crowd had gathered around him. Like vultures, they were drawn to the spectacle of two people falling apart at the seams, waiting to pick at their exposed carcasses for their own entertainment. Ducking his head, Clark grabbed the package he dropped on the floor and went in search of her.

While he ran around the mall, he was haunted by the memory of how he had callously severed her from his life. After ignoring her messages and blocking her calls, he went as far as going out of the country for a month. He told Devin he needed a break. His best friend, not knowing the real reason, had been quite happy to give him one.

Clark's eyes combed through the crowd, yet like a ghost, she had disappeared. He didn't even know why he was chasing her. It wasn't like he knew what to do when he caught up with her. What could he possibly say? More importantly, what did he want? Not knowing the answers, he stopped in his tracks, his shoulders slumping.

He had already given her up once. There was no way he was going to get her back.

******

"Why are you acting so gloomy? You're scaring the kids." Devin landed a hard smack on Clark's back.

Clark winced in pain. "Ugh, what the f-"