PRIDE AND HIS HEART

Chapter 5

She looked at David mysteriously, still smiling, checking in the bag for the rest of the items. She pretended she didn't see the letter at first.

“Um… Kiara,” David uttered inconveniently, “Can we go have some ice cream? I mean no one is at home. We can just take stroll”

She looked at him with sideward for a second, “What for? Some are available in the fridge, I can go get them for you or I can place an order from a nearby eatery.” She paused. “Do you remember Ivy in elementary school?”

He got confused, like he doesn't remember any Ivy at all. “No. I mean I can't remember any Ivy. Anything?” He looked at her blankly.

Kiara, not knowing the content of the letter kept talking and smiling at every gift she saw in the bag. David's mind began pounding but calm anytime she smiled. He acted relaxed on the couch, freely like he always does anytime he was with her. He stared at the ceiling, looking thoroughly into the chandelier fixed on it, expecting the worst at any moment. He wondered if the letter idea was a good one.

Meanwhile she kept smiling at the teddy bear, the frame with a motivation quote, her favorite chocolate and a wrist band. Just her favorite aesthetics. She didn't care to open the letter, she thought it's just something special but random.

“You mean you don't remember Ivy, she used to have a crush on you back then.”

“Really?” he said, curiously.

“Yeah, don't you remember?” She paused, “I saw her in the mall last week. She is having a baby now.”

“How do you know she had a crush on me?”

“She was this quiet girl with a small circle of friends and her crush on you was obvious.”

“Didn't you feel jealous… I mean weren't you angry when you knew about it? She had a crush on your best friend.”

“She's a girl and she has a crush, anything wrong with that? I shouldn't be angry.”

David giggled, even though something uncomfortable ran through his spine. He managed to keep his face normal. For a second he looked on the floor then raised his head to Kiara.

“Kiara,” he said, his expression fell. He looked deep in her eyes with a pitiful look, wanting to get hold of her hands but Kiara hesitantly moved backward a bit. “Don't you feel something for me, I mean don't you feel anything?” He said, slowly.

“Feel?” she said, squeezing her face in a way that shows ultimate disgust.

David's heart began to pound at the mention of ‘feel’ and the expression on her face. She tried to keep her cool even though her mind was going in a different direction.

David's mood went off, his face saddened and he became vulnerable. He looked around the furnished silent room, seeing nobody, he raised his head to Kiara then paused. He stared at her for a moment then managed to smile, “I will be on my way home. My mum must be waiting for me.” He stood up, holding his jacket. “When Peter and James arrive, tell them I came. And take care of yourself.” He said to her.

Her mood shifted. She didn't even bother to accompany him or even say ‘goodbye’. She watched as he left, confused.

He cracked the door open to leave then turned back to look at her. In a faded face, he waved at her and left. Kiara was left in a complete state of confusion. She wondered what the whole meetup was for, the conversations kept playing in her head as she packed the gifts.

She left the living room to her bedroom with the gift, sat on her bed and unwrapped the letter. And then she read aloud:

‘Dear Kiara,

I know you may not want this and to be honest I'm scared I might lose the friendship I've been building for years. I understand the fact that I'm just the son of a poor civilian and an orphan. I love the fact that you love me to the extent your dad has been helping me and my mum. Honestly I'm scared but I need to pour down my heart. I need to tell you what I feel about you ever since. You are the best human I ever met and you are my favorite person.

I love you Kiara. I know what this sounds like but my feelings are real I promise. I'm not planning for a relationship, we can still stay as friends but I just want to let you know that you own a place in my heart and please don't break it by rejecting me.

David'

Her mum broke in after a minute, “Kiara, what are you saying?” She tried to hide the letter from her even though she knew her mum had seen it. “No, it's nothing.”

“Let me see, I'm your mother.” Mrs Mark dragged the letter from her, ran back a bit and opened it. “David wrote you a love letter?” “Tell me, are you in love?”

“I promise, you are getting it all wrong.” she tried to defend herself.

“Oh dear, but there's nothing wrong with that. You are twenty one and you can have a boyfriend.” She smiled, then paused. “Besides, David is a nice guy. I just wish_”

“Wish what? Mum!” She clenched her fist, standing firm on the ground like she was ready for a fight. Her expression fell, she squeezed her lips and move them sideward a bit. Her eyes became red as fire, and her flesh hardened. She managed to calm down a bit, breathing in some air.

“Mum, just get out!” “I want to have some time alone, please.”

Mrs Mark dropped down the letter on a stool beside her bed and slowly walked to the door. “Just take care of yourself okay?” She shut the door.

Kiara fell to her bed, placed her hand on her chin. She took the letter again and went through it. She stared at it for a moment and chuckled.

‘like, what's funny?’ she thought but then deep down she's been expecting it, expecting the day David would finally confess to her. The chemistry was obvious and undeniable but her pride won't let her.

Back to present reality, David sighed. He pulled out his phone from his pocket and dialed a number.