This chapter is dedicated to EnochYamoah for his support and motivation. It means a lot, honey.
~ Liam.
I hoist myself up, tucking my knees under my heavyweight and crouch, trying to make out the alphabets scribbled on the plain white sheet with only two words written on it in a very stylish cursive font.
Go away.
I understand she doesn't want me near her now and I haven't tried to permeate her personal space either. She's very feisty and I know she needs a lot of time to become less angry.
I shred her paper and throw a handful of popcorn into my mouth. Writing an apology letter never became so exciting. Deep down, I know that pretending to be strong isn't helping but that's the best I can do. After a long while of knowing her, I've come to a realization that I need her in my life. I really do and I'm not going to let her slip out of my hands.
The queasy feeling inside me whenever I watch her do simple things like biting her nails when she's frustrated or even taking longer to eat when she's deep in thought increases by the second.
After four days since my parents stopped by, writing to her and she pushing it back without even reading it kills me inside and Greg knows better than making jokes out of it.
"Buy her pizza. You made it her favourite.", Greg's hoarse voice rings from the corners of the door and I roll my eyes, looking around for something to kill him with.
"Open this door or I'll call tech service. Better still, destroy it myself.", He growls and his shadow reflecting from the window didn't look good. He's holding a toolbox. I drag myself from the floor and walk lazily to the door, an angry look etched on my face.
The second I open the door, the loud sound of the toolbox hitting the floor snaps me out of my thoughts and I look him the eye.
"The heck brother!!", He grunts and pushes me aside, walking into the room. "Smells awful in here. And dirty. "
Scanning the room, crumpled papers are littered all around and boxes of half-eaten pizza dumped on the couch and the floors. My pillow is on the floor beside the pizza box and a couple of clothes are lying around.
I haven't slept well since that day, I practically spent the whole time trying to figure out my own life and I still haven't reached a point. I lost everything at once and it hurt.
I gulp down the imaginary lump into my stomach and sink into the empty space beside Greg. He's reading the contents of one crumpled paper and I knock it out of his hand, tearing it into shreds.
"Go take your bath. You smell like crap. I'll call room service and order Chinese."
" Yes ma'am.", I tease and slide into my room. My lungs struggle for air the moment I step inside the very empty room. But I really doubt the emptiness in the room can be compared to what I'm feeling inside me. Like a wind of hollowness has been pumped into my chest.
******
"I need a ride, Greg please.", I hear the voice I've been meaning to hear in years. That voice that's music in my ears. I swear that queasy feeling inside me especially in my stomach overwhelms me and I'm sure it's at the sound of her voice. My cheeks heat up at the sight of her standing by her door frame and I freeze.
She's holding her hair in a messy ponytail that looks exclusively nice on her. My eyes catch something and they stay wide. She's wearing my black Architecture t-shirt from the last time and I love how it looks better on her than me.
Our eyes meet for a slight second and I'm honestly sure it's a blush I see on her face. She's feisty and really wild and I know she isn't going to forgive me for lying to her but I'm going to try this time.
"Hi", I croak nervously and I sigh. I've never been nervous, the things she reduces me to. It feels so unreal looking at her again. The next thing I want to do is draw her close and hug the life out of her. She's the only one I have left in my life and I'm not going to let her slip out of my hands now.
She walks past me in a rush and I figure something is wrong. Obviously her granny.
"He didn't bring a car. Get in my Jeep now!", I wink at Greg and he catches the hint. Oh goodness, the first reasonable thing he's done in years.
"Greg, please.", She pleads with him and I shake my head and he blinks. I grab my car keys from the coffee table and he follows as Mariya runs out of the room.
"I don't need you around me.", She literally screams and I cover my ears and take a step closer to her and she takes another step back. We continue till her back hits the side of my Jeep Wrangler and a scared expression crosses her face.
"It's just a ride. I promise, no funny business.", I explain in a calm voice and I see her chest moving very fast as her lungs fight for breath. She has never been scared of me, why now?
Her pale cheeks are flushed with a light shade of pink as she nods her head and looks away.
I mutter thanksgiving words under my breath and open the car for her to sit in. I start the car and pull out of the yard.
The last time we sat in here together was not so good after I purposefully flirted back with that waitress just to make her jealous because I was so desperate to see her reaction. To see whether she felt anything for me by then. I remember all my effort to make her recognize me.
I put the car on child lock before I start my speech so she wouldn't make a move on getting out. After she inputs the address in the GPS, she sinks in the seat and gets lost in her thoughts.
" Mariya,...", I start nervously and I sigh at the fact that she's still looking out of the window.
"Just wanted to tell you that whatever happens to your granny, I'm here for you. I'll always be."
" I don't need you.", She spits at me and it feels like all I've managed to build with her in all those months have been thrown down the drain. It's all my fault I know.
"Okay fine. I need you.", I breathe slowly and tighten my grip on the steer.
"You have your family.."
"They disowned me because I refused to stay away from you and go back to their house." I inhale sharply and take the keys out of the ignition after I park the car in the empty space in the parking space in the care home her granny is.
"That's your problem to deal with."
My problem to deal with. Indeed.
She's still mad at him. Oh lord, what should he do?
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