E m b r h e a AFTERLIFE

Chapter 44: Hurt You

"You do you guys know him?" Loraine asked his parents.

"He's your youngest cousin, Maple." His dad said.

"*coughs* he is WHAT?!" He shouted. "I can't believe that this pervert is my cousin! And he even looks like me!"

"Pervert?" They asked, confused.

"Oh my dear brother! Where have you been all these years?!" Mapled hugged Loraine dramatically.

"Ew. Move away!" Loraine said, disgustedly, pushing Maple away from him.

* * * * *

"Just because you're rich doesn't mean that you'll get to have everything you want, you sweet scented, perverted, blonde playboy!" Rhea shouted at the top of her lungs.

"I said, I was 'sorry', okay?"

"Do you think that's enough?" She narrowed her eyes.

"Then what am I supposed to do?"

"Do I need to tell you?" She looked at his eyes. They were looking sad.

"Fine. Go and apologize to Sabrina."

"Huh? No way. You don't have any clue what she did. And you want me to apologize to her?!"

"Shut up! And why did you have to say all those things to her?"

"Because she hates you and wants to have a revenge on you."

"We don't even know each other properly. And why the heck did you kiss me in front of her?!"

"Because I-"

"This isn't a joke, Ember. You don't know me. And according to my culture-" She paused.

"It wasn't a joke. I was serious-"

"Cut the crap, Ember! I hate you!" She shouted.

"Hey...I'm really sorry. I won't do that again. I promise." He said and hugged her.

"You're trying to do that again, mister!" She slapped his hand.

"Ow sorry!" He said nervously.

"There's NOTHING between us...right Ember?"

"Um...*coughs* yes."

"Good. Now go to that Sabrina and explain the whole matter to everyone."

"Okay, I will. Please calm down."

"How can I?" She said as tears began to gather in her eyes. "Ever since we've met, something or the other keeps happening. We're not meant to be, Ember!"

"Please...don't cry, Rhea...I promise you that you don't have to suffer because of me. I'll make sure nothing like that happens again...because of my mistake." He said and embraced her. She wrapped her arms around him and closed her eyes.

"I'm really sorry, Rhea. I didn't mean to hurt you like that. I was hurt when...you slapped me. It's all my fault. I deserve to be slapped...from you. From you..."

"I'm so sorry Ember...now that I think about it...it was my fault too. I don't understand you at all. Maybe I'm right. You don't deserve me. You deserve to be happier. I'm sorry for overreacting. I just don't want you to fall for me. Because now I know...we're not meant to be, Ember, we're not meant to be. And I don't want you to get hurt because of me, Ember."

"I don't want you to get hurt because of me, Rhea..."

-to be continued...

Ember Helberg