Hope

Chapter Twenty Nine

Jade eyes hidden under pale eyelids. Brown curls that resemble the mud-stricken Prasinis because

of all the rain. Pink chapped lips that form an 'o' as he rests in what appears to be peaceful sleep.

Torn t-shirt, half exposing strong chest that is striped with multiple scars. Still so beautiful.

My eyes travel back up to his face. His lips are now pressed in a thin line and jade eyes are staring

at me.

I almost gasp in surprise. He doesn't say anything, just stares at me like I have been at him for the

past hour. His eyes, drowsy and blank at first, fill up with emotion and I can't seem to look away.

I want to strangle him whilst hugging him. I want him to be okay but I also want to be angry

because I'm not. I'm selfish yet extremely grateful that he's alive.

I love him but I hate him.

“I'm sorry,” he finally says, his voice breaking.

There are a lot of things that I want to say and ask, that I need to say and ask, but I don't know how

to phrase them. So I just nod, hoping he'll carry on speaking.

He does. “I'm extremely sorry, Kathryn. For everything I did, and everything that happened to you.

I can't even put into words how sorry I am.” He sits up and winces. I almost tell him to rest but I

keep my mouth shut and hands folded across my chest.

He takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. “Say something, please,” he breathes.

I swallow. “I don't know what you want me to say.” I wanted my voice to be strong but instead it

comes out as a whisper.

“Anything. You can even hit me- but I'd much prefer it if you waited a couple of days.” He smiles

weakly.

Suddenly I'm back when he used to joke around with Jeff while playing chess and laughing until he

turns slightly pink. I'm reminded of how his and Jeff's eyes would crinkle up at the sides as they

laugh at my lame attempt to play chess. I'm reminded of how his dimples would pop out in full

display with laughter when I'd throw a tantrum about how it isn't fair how Jeff can cook and I

couldn't.

I stand up so quickly that the chair I sat on topples backwards. “I'll tell Rob you're up,” I say.

I stop before I reach the door. “Just tell me something Harry,” I say, my back turned towards him.

“Was it real? Did you really love me?”

I hear him sigh. “Yes. Not much was real in my life but my love for you was, and still is.”

I quickly open the door, shutting it behind me.

Rob sits on the floor, his head between his raised knees. He looks up when he hears me.

I clear my throat. “He's up.”

He pulls himself off the floor. “Thank you,” he says. “Thanks for standing up for us against

Magnolia.”

“Why did

you stand up for him?”

He suddenly looks uncomfortable. He coughs. “Uh... Well...” He coughs again. “Harry is my... uh...