Our Love is Not A Fairy Tale

Chapter 3

Her heart felt conflicted. It had been months since her lover gave her the news of his departure, of the pain, thinking about their relationship brought him, of how being with her hurt him.

She cried. Embracing the pain. She remembered every moment of their relationship.

Their first dance. The first moment they met. How she pathetically came back for more. Him asking for her hand.

She felt pathetic. The number of times he left the picture, coming back with someone new - breaking her each time - she assured him he wasn't. After all, he always came back to her... She wanted him to be happy.

Through her relationship, she met Him. Leo Ambrose. Their friendship was rocky. She didn't pay much mind to him at first - too selfish in her pursuits of love with Carter. Till finally, a year into the friendship later, they grew close.

They argued: they laughed, they cried. Her heart hurt at the pain he felt. Yet all this time she titled him 'Just a Friend.'

It was no secret Leo was loved, craved for and desired by all. Girls threw themselves at him, men couldn't decide whether they wanted to be him or be with him. Nova, couldn't remember when the line between friendship and love dimmed; when she wanted to hide him away from those that craved him. When she herself desired him.

She hated it. She hated seeing him with someone who didn't deserve him. For years she watched him lose his confidence, grow to hate himself all beaus of Her. Diana Dixon. The woman who stole his heart. Who he kept running back to.

Leo would never know how the woman whom he never noticed nor cared about did for him. When he got used on - how she ran to protect his name. When he cried how worry plagued her mind. How she begged to be by his side. Constantly questioning him.

And him?

He snapped at her. Ruining her confidence.

He never took note of the shy glances she gave. The sadness she hid from him. The longing she felt for him.

Carter had not truly left. Leo kept going back to Diana. Nova was alone.

***

"I'm leaving. For good-"

Her hands made a move to grab him, but he had already begun walking away from her. She still saw Carter, each time she would go talk to him. Whether it was for a dance, a drink; he never came to her.

***

Leo started realising his feelings for Nova. He stared at the picture of her on the painting's canvas. Watched his hands glide over her painted-flushed cheeks, down her neck. He remembered her body perfectly.

All those nights by the beach. The vixen plagued his every living thought. He couldn't stop it - he didn't want to stop it... He knew he had to.

He picked up his brush, carefully removed the picture of his hope: he stared at the blank canvas, his hand moving methodically, slowly, painting another picture. Them together. A family.

He chuckled, biting down on his bottom lip as his heart ached, his hands curling around the brush.

"Fuck."

***

He gave her hope.

Showed the pictures of them together. He knew how she felt. Together, they created a symphony of songs to tell each other what they felt.

Then... Diana, hurt him again.

Nova was by his side. Leo couldn't take it anymore, he wanted to leave - to get out of town to never return.

She couldn't let him do that without telling him how much he meant to her. How much he was cared for, not just by her, but everyone who loved him. She wanted to show him his worth.

***

She confessed.

He denied her love.

"Don't forget, I'm your ex's best friend."

It warmed her heart that they were still friends... she didn't know if she should hate herself for not realising this would be the outcome, or for betraying her ex-lover. Everything hurt.

From then on, featured the many restless nights of crying into her pillow. Room locked. As the various fantasies of her and the man who stole her heart played in her mind. She finally said it out loud -- "I love him."

"Why did you give me hope?" She continued to cry, "If you were just going to break it."

***

Awkwardness followed. She couldn't handle him being cold to her, so she stopped trying, till he came to her.

Hands on her hips, glaring at him, she waited for him to apologise.

He did.

It was all water under the bridge, he said.

Thus, the two carried on their post confession lives.

***

As this was happening, Melody watched the two with growing discontent as they found excuses to block out their love. Her and everyone else could see the chemistry between them - a type of love which people were lucky to experience once in their lives - yet they chose to ignore it.

She hated being away from her sister when she needed her. She read over the letter she received.

"I-I don't know what to do. I love him. But I feel like I'm betraying Carter in some way - Am I? I- I just -- I don't know!"

She folded up the letter, laying it beside her to answer when she returned home.

***

''You're not betraying him. He would want you to be happy. He would understand. As for Leo.... Give him time. Then swoop in and take him," Melody, joked. A week later she had returned home, the moment her feet touched the ground, she ran away from the carriage bursting into her sister's room to dispel her doubts.

Her sister stared at her bemused, nodding he head in understanding. She felt better after hearing it from her. She chose to trust her words.

***

The flirting between the couple continued. They continued to tease one another, arguing over every little thing - the main topic of discussion being who Melody loved more. They continued to be there for each other when the other was sad.

"You can cry with me, love, I'm here."

***

Once more, Leo's tears shed. Diana hurt him again. For the final time.

Nova groaned as she felt the rope tighten around her wrist, as the older woman tied her to the chair.

"Melody, doll, let me go!" She screamed, sugarcoating her words, her attempts at hiding the anger in her words being futile as she tugged on her.

Her sister shook her head, she leant down kissing her head, smiling softly at her before leaving the room.

She cursed, struggling against the ropes, which would no doubt leave a mark.

The door opened. She could hear footsteps.

He stood in front of her --- Smiling?"

"She broke up with me," he began.

"I know--"

He knelt beside her, his hand freeing her legs. With the ropes binding her legs discarded, his hands slowly slid up her leg, effectively shutting her up.

"Listen. Then react later Miss Spitfire. Be proud," his hand continued to draw patterns on her bare skin. Sliding higher and higher.

"I didn't cry this time." His lips kissed her heel.

"A-Are you finally happy now?"

He looked up at her, his burning gaze affecting her more than she wished to admit.

"I am." She smiled. She was happy he was finally happy. She knew how much he hated the man he was becoming, but now, the toxicity was out of his life, hopefully for good... he could finally, slowly, begin to love himself.

"And how do you feel?"

"So much better," he promised, his lips moving away from her skin, hands sliding down her dress. He smiled.

She waited as he untied her wrists from the chair, kissing each of the red marks that formed on her wrists.

"I told Mel, to tie it looser."

"I would've escaped otherwise -- Want me to hurt Diana? I will break her. You know I will."

He laughed, shaking his head - he knew now, the lengths her protectiveness would go.

"It's okay. Not reacting, would be the best thing to do. It will break her to see me happy." His arms wrapped around her waist, lifting her off the chair, smiling down at her.

She huffed, childishly, begrudgingly agreeing.

It seemed the obstacles of their love had now gone.

***

"Now go ask for his hand."

"Mel - Ow!" She whined, as her sister applied pressure on her bruised wrists.

"Did I stutter?" Nova, shook her head, watching her sister work on her wrists.

"I already asked for his hand. This time, It's his turn."