PROLOGUE-THE BREAKUP
The evening was breezy as they held hands strolling back down the paths that led to amusement parks. Her hair was flying in the evening breeze and he couldn't stop staring at her. Gently, he squeezed her palm which was perfectly placed in his, making her beam at him.
“Hope you enjoyed yourself, today?” He c****d his head sideways to have a proper look at her smile. She slipped her fingers from his and covered her face childishly which caused them to share a loving laugh.
“Umm, yes!” She responded with a goofy smile. He reached out and pulled her cheeks playfully, broadening the smile resident on her face. “I'll love to do it again and again” She sang without maintaining eye contact with him.
“Yeah! We'll have lots of time to redo this evening but I have to drop you home before your four brothers break my neck.” He deadpanned with an eye roll which erupted more laughter from her frail body.
With her career as a teen model, she had to always look like she'd never tasted a slice of sandwich or a bowl of ice-cream but in reverse, those were her usuals on her dates with him because then, nobody would dictate her meals. She'd always complain to him about how frightened her mother was that she'd lose her position as the face of various brands if they noticed she added an extra pound and enforced strict diets and strident training.
These complaints led to more frequent dates in order to eat what she craved then burn them off by long hours at the gym the next morning. Maintaining her figure was the only goal on her mother's mind while the men in the house cared more about her associations and appearances. This placed lots of pressure on her frail frame making her relationship with him most pleasurable and the only breath of fresh air.
Unlike her, he wasn't the star of the family and various other big organizations, but a timid nobody who ate lunch in the toilets and spent sleepless nights doing the assignments of the long list of bullies, his timidity coupled with his intelligence attracted daily. Their meeting a few years back had been the ray of hope they'd both had prayed every night for.
“My brothers won't hit you. They only did because that was your first time visiting and come on! That was over six years ago!” She frowned at him in disapproval but he flung her words away as he planted a tender kiss on her forehead, making her grin broadly.
She loved the way he treated her in public despite his difficulty with social interactions. He was everything a teenage girl and woman would want. She couldn't think of a reason to tell him what would happen in a few hours. He had always been there for her no matter what; on her first flow and all the other times her cycle had come with pains, during her family crisis and her frequent hospitalization due to stress, supported her by reporting to their parents about the constant hitting from her brothers at 12.
“How pretty you look, Miss Hamilton.” He appraised as his fingers played with her cheeks. She moved away suddenly, taking him by surprise.
“What's it?” He arched a brow, his entire expression coated in concern. He reached for her hand but she wouldn't let him.
She took a deep breath and looked up at him, “I love you. I love you so freaking much! I loved you when you helped me win the competition against Claire in middle school and when you asked me to the Summer dance even though I looked like hell after the surgery and nobody would ask me.” She gulped, letting her head drop. “I loved you when my grandma died and you sat with me in my stench for a week … even my mother couldn't bare it.” By this time, she was sobbing and pausing between words.
“But you know what? I can't do this anymore! I love you but that's not enough.”
He dropped to his knees, wrapping his palms around her legs, he pleaded “Tell me everything. I can take it. Did I do something wrong? Are you leaving me? What's wrong! What's f*****g wrong!” He'd begun to panic. His everyday response to a surge of emotions.
“Stop this! I can't do this. You—you don't deserve me…” She blubbered as she struggled to free herself from his grip.
“I won't let you go. You can't leave me. I love you, I really do and if it's because of my condition, I'd strive to be better.” He gulped, forcing his tears to stay at bay. Crying wasn't something he did in front of anyone including her. “You've been everything I live since you were placed in my grade at 9. How would I live now?”
“You'd try. You-You'd manage and it's not your condition.” She stammered as more tears welled up in her eyes. “It's my fault. My f*****g fault!” She yelled, kicked him furiously in the jaw and bolted away. Gathering himself up, he raced after her despite his knowledge of how previous attempts had failed. She was a sprinter.
She got into her house before he could, but he didn't leave. Still fighting back his tears, he perched below her window, talking endlessly about the loving experiences they'd shared.
Hours passed and it became even darker.
Her family called his father, who arrived and forcibly took him home with the help of her four hefty brothers.
After injecting his son into a deep sleep, the stressed father listened to the tale from the brothers and how he should present it to his boy. They offered him money to aid his enthusiasm, but the father told them that he had it under control and would do it without their monetary assistance.
Later that night when his son staggered out of his room still drowsy and crying for his girlfriend, the father spilled the tea.
“She's gone, son. She cheated on you and doesn't want to relate anymore.”
“I don't care, dad. I love her. We can sort it out. I just need a few minutes with her. I love her and I will forgive her.” He lamented as he dropped beside his father on the couch, his body quaking in sobs.
Between sobs, he whispered, “She left, daddy. She left. She said she's never gonna leave. I'll love her no matter what. I'll never talk to another lady.” He promised, solemnly. “She's my life, and I'll wait for her to return.”
“You don't have to, son. I know you love her, but some people leave, and you should accept that.” His father advised in a soft tone.
“I don't want to, dad. It's bad enough that I have to do life alone without her but accepting whatever this is, I can't.” He sobbed. “I can't. I can't. I can't” He yelled into the air as he shook his body violently and fought back more tears.
“I'll wait for her.” He resolved, sucking up his feelings and leaving for his room.
His father watched him with a broken heart, he knew he'd not have the same relationship again or at least until Miss Hamilton gets back.
