Zyla: The Last Chapter

ZYLA: THE CONFESSION

=ZYLA=

“I understand why you didn’t tell me you were dating the boss but it’s still a shock.” Siva said as she replaced William’s place when he left for his speech.

“We are not dating.” I told her as we watched William.

“Honey, I don’t think you still need to keep up the lie.” Siva said while elbowing me.

“I’m not lying.”

“Then why did you guys come here together and holding hands to be exact. If you were here as his partner for the night, there was no need to hold hands for like the entire evening.” Siva mocked but her eyes tell me different. She seems…happy?

“We really are not dating and you’re right, I am just his partner for tonight.”

“Well, okay then I’ll change the question. Do you love him?” Siva asked and I returned my gaze to William.

            I watched him for a while.

“I’m supposed to love him but I cannot understand what that love is supposed to feel like.” I said more to myself but Siva heard.

“I don’t understand. What? Are you like seducing him?” Siva asked and I could not help but smile a little.

“That is one way to say it.”

“Why? He seems into you already.”

            I did not answer Siva. William is indeed interested in me but I’m beginning to think that he is interested because he has to be interested, an effect of my connection to him as his mate. I just realized how unfair this is to him. It’s different for me because I am a werewolf. The magical thing called mate is a normal part of our world and most of us don’t fight it, I never even really cared about it because I thought I’d just go with the flow when the time comes but here I am now.

“I’m going home.” I said to Siva as I turned my eyes away from William.

“What? You’re not going to wait for your partner?” Siva asked but I had already started walking or rather running away from what I am feeling at the moment.

=WILLIAM=

            I secretly watched Zyla walk away but somehow I felt like I had to even though my whole body is aching to follow her. I still don’t know her all that well but in human terms, she is an introvert, a person who cannot stand people for a long time. However, this was enough for me. Enough to know that she would do this for me even though she hates it and also enough to make me feel a bit guilty for dragging her out like this.

“Mr. Johnson, sir..boss?” Someone suddenly called out when I was on my way towards the elevator after shaking a million hands.

            I turned around to see who’s calling and I recognized Siva, Zyla’s friend.

“Siva.” I greeted when she was finally in front of me.

“OMG! You know my name!” Were the first words that came out of her mouth.

“Yes. You are Zyla’s friend.” I answered and she suddenly had that amused look in her face.

“Oh. Of course. I just came to tell you that Zyla said she was going home. I hope you understand her sir. She doesn’t like crowds or people in particular but she is a great gal.”

“I know.” I said as I smiled at how kind this woman is.

“Then…I’m sorry sir but why haven’t you asked her out yet? I know I’m just being a gossip but Zyla takes everything literally by the word. If she thinks that she’s just a partner for tonight then she is and that’s it.” Siva complained and I laughed.

“Well, I’m about to. I’m just waiting for the elevator.” I said and Siva beamed.

“Oooh. Best of luck sir.”

“Thank you Siva.” I said as she walked away excitedly.

            For some reason, I think Zyla doesn’t know that she really has a great friend.

=ZYLA=

            I know that my skin will regenerate and heal on their own but I just can’t stand these chemicals on my face. So instead of letting the make-up disappear on their own, I’m trying to wash it away but it’s a stubborn thing. I was in the process of doing so when I heard the doorbell ring and then a knock. I didn’t need to ask who it was because the scent had already reached me. I stopped scrubbing my face and looked at myself in the mirror. I sighed and went to open the door.

“That wasn’t very nice, leaving me all alone there.” William greeted when I opened the door.

“I’m sorry.” I replied immediately.

“Can I come in?” He asked as he held up a plastic bag that contained a box of fried chicken.

“Sure.” I walked back inside and let him close the door.

            I watched William look around a bit before settling on the couch. My apartment does not really look like a house or anything since I don’t live here most of the time so there is less furniture and stuff like that. William looked at me.

“What were you doing?” He asked.

“I was trying to remove my make-up.” I said as I remembered that I was doing that.

“With a rag and water?”

            I looked down at the towel I was holding and nodded. He laughed and somehow it felt good to hear that.

“Do you have a make-up kit or something?” He asked.

“I think my sister made me carry something like that a while bag and I put it around here somewhere.” I said as I moved to find it.

            When I found it in the bedroom and came back, William had already removed his jacket and tie, he was in the process of rolling up his sleeves.

“Come here.” He said as he patted the spot next to him.

            Next thing I knew, he was helping me remove the chemicals in my face with a make-up remover that I forgot existed. Although, I just assumed that I don’t have that kind of thing though.

“Do you wear make-up?” I asked out of the blue. He laughed and his breath smelled like red wine. I think mine also smells like red wine.

“No. Why?” He asked.

“You’re good at this.” I observed.

“My sister had her teenage days and she’d come home drunk then pass out without removing her make-up. I’d give her a lecture in the morning but Myles and I takes care of her when she comes home including removing her make-up.”

“Oh.”

            I had been closing my eyes all this time because he was working on them but when he started on the other parts of my face, I opened my eyes and saw instead of just feeling how close we are. He doesn’t seem to mind as he winked at me when our eyes met but I could not help but stare at his eyes, nose and then down to his…mouth. Without realizing it, my hands came up to his face and I just held his face, enjoying the spark that the touch brought. I felt him smile but he did not stop cleaning my face. Then suddenly, I was leaning in and pressing my mouth to his. It was just a small short peck but the spark it made, made me feel very good but it made me realize what I had done as well. I jumped up and flew to the other side of the room as fast as I can. I don’t think it was a good idea to do that but my body just reacted on its own.

“I’m sorry…I-“ I tried to say but stopped when William was suddenly in front of me.

            His lips were on mine the next moment and I found myself…kissing back. I don’t how long we kissed but when he finally let go, I was frozen in surprise. My pleasure senses were on but my brain was still working as well. How did he catch up to me so fast?

“Are you really sorry?” He asked as he kept our faces close while putting his hands on either side of me to support his weight.

“Umm…I…” I only managed to say as he leaned in again and kissed my cheeks, my nose then my forehead before leaning his forehead against mine.

“You know, as much as I want to make love to you right now, we have to do this the proper way.” William said after a while. “Zyla, will you marry me?”

            I was shocked as the question repeated itself again and again in my head. It’s the very first time in a long time that I experienced an intense feeling like this, shock and confusion that it’s overwhelming my brain.

“Why?” I asked instead.

“Because I love you.” No hesitation.

“How do you know you really love me? How-“

            I wasn’t able to ask anyone because the next thing we heard were shouts from outside the door. They were all yelling that there is fire.

“Come on.” William said as he pulled away from me before grabbing my hand.

            I had rented an apartment at the 4th floor of a building and as I used my senses while we were running down the stairs, it seems like the fire started and still is in the second floor. From the looks of things, I don’t think the fire department will be able to make it in time. Strangely, or not, William and I were calmly but quickly walking down the stairs until I remembered something.

“Wait.” I said as I stopped on my step.

“What’s wrong?” William asked and I ignored him as I used my hearing to locate someone. When I heard her, I let go of William and run back up the stairs. William followed me.

“There’s an old lady who lives below me. She lives alone and she has a bad leg. She’s still inside her apartment.” I explained as we ran and William did not say anything but followed me.

            When we got there, I kicked down the door immediately and went straight to the kitchen. Mrs. Chen was crouching on the floor, calling out her cat’s name.

“Mrs. Chen, we need to get out of here. The fire had already spread next door.” I said at the scared old woman.

“I can’t reach Snow, she’s hiding below the sink.” Mrs. Chen pleaded.

“I’ll get your cat, Mrs. Chen. We need to get you up first.” William said as he nodded at me.

            I helped Mrs. Chen up while William took her place and reached inside to get the cat. I heard it hiss but William had managed to grab it, scratching him deep in the process. As if though, it’s a natural reaction, worry settled in my stomach when I saw the blood coming out from the long scratch but I had no time to attend to him as we quickly exited the building. We handed Mrs. Chen to the paramedics when they arrived and then watched with the others as the building burned down. However, unlike the people around us, I wasn’t angry or sad probably because I’m more blessed than others here. Those material things are nothing to me because I can replace them easily but most importantly, that apartment is not home. I felt William wrap his arm around my waist and somehow, I didn’t fight it this time and relaxed in his arm until I remembered the cat scratched it.

“Are you okay?” I asked as I grabbed his hand. “Your arm-“

            I looked at it and saw that there’s no scratch at all so I took the other hand but there’s no sign of scratching anywhere as well. I turned his hands round and round and finally came to the conclusion that I probably imagined it.

“It already healed.” William suddenly said and I looked at him in confusion. “The wound already healed.”

“That’s impossible. You are…human.” I blurted out then looked at him for a while. “You are human right?”

            William shook his head.

“You asked me how do I know that I love you. I don’t know when I really fell in love with you but I know that we are meant to be together.” William said. “We are mates, Zyla I’m a werewolf.”