Always, It's You

Chapter 26

Ashley's POV:

I couldn't move, I felt something too strong pressing my wrists of both hands.
It was difficult to breathe, I tried to gasp air opening my mouth. It was pitch black all around, where was I?

"Remember me?" a soft voice spoke somewhere.

I wanted to say, yes, I remember you. It was too familiar, too sweet to forget.
I blinked repeatedly to erase the darkness around me,
I saw him, an ageless, timeless reflection as if.

Immense pain started to engulf me as if something started to cut through me deeper, slowly. Seemed like it pierced my skin, reached my flesh, blood, and cores of the bones patiently until I run out of the air screaming. only the screaming was inaudible.

There was blood on his hands, on his sweet face, there was blood everywhere.
He whispered, "you know what hatred is?"

I tried to answer that.

"I'll show you," he smiled.

I tried to resist him, but I couldn't move, all I could do was gasping violently for a tiny bit of air as if I was underwater, I was drowning down to infinity.

"You know what love is?"

I tried to say no, but he was not alone this time.

Tae was smiling at me, that beautiful, innocent smile with soft eyes full of compassion? Love? Pleadings? He was stretching his hand towards me to take it.

" I will destroy you." he whispered.

I woke up with drenched clothes with sweat. I grabbed my hair and buried my face in my knees. I can't take these anymore.
I tried to blink away my tears and ended up trembling hysterically hugging my knees. I couldn't just deny the pains in my chest, the immense heaviness that was trying to suffocate me, I couldn't breathe.

I got down from the bed, splashed cold water repeatedly in my face, ignoring the fact that I was soaking wet.
I stared at my reflection, a pair of tired, red eyes stared back at me.
I slowly lifted my shirt a bit and looked at the marks scattered across the skin underneath.
"Marks of disgrace!" a painful smile appeared in my reflection when I  thought of myself as Cain, bearing the curse for eternity.

I again muttered, "You are enough."

But this time these words felt hollow and fake. I touched the mirror, my reflection did the same, "Don't break down. Just hang on there, I am here for you," I whispered back.

I sat beside the window for the rest of the night. Why was Tae in my nightmare? He shouldn't be there.

Am I being soft? Are there some cracks that appeared on the walls I built around me for years? Ready to tear down my walls brick by brick? I was not ready to let that guard down, ever.
I was not ready to open up, I was not ready to let myself tear down again and again. I was not ready to get broken into any more pieces.

I have to run away before it ruins me, God I wanted to hold onto him, I  wanted him to tear that wall down, I  wanted him to see me behind that stone fort, I wanted him to be that someone so suddenly, so unrealistically at this hour of the night.
What was that feeling?

but I knew I have to let him go.

The thought itself was painful, but I  was not more sure about anything now.