My chest tightens when I hear her answer.

"I try not to be bothered by it and I did try to get inside of the house a few times. But.. I can't bring myself to get inside. My body and my mind do not align with each other. I somehow end up staying outside until you found me. I'm sorry."

It's my fault then, how did I not feel that her action yesterday was fishy?

"No, it's not your fault. It's mine instead."

"You didn't know, so it's my fault"

"No, it's definitely mine. I should've known earlier"

"How could you know if I didn't tell you?"

She chuckles a bit and she seems a bit relaxed now.

"Then why don't we start now?"

She looks at me, surprised by my words. She looks uncertain before I take her hand in mine. Both of us look at each other trying to find words. I start off with what I have been thinking since yesterday.

"Look, I know I've been a jerk since in the waiting room until yesterday. I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you, I swear. When my mum told me she'd found someone for me, I was flustered.. because I'm with Emily at that time. We've been together for two years and our relationship has always been rocky, but I keep on holding on. My family and friends didn't like her because of what she had done to me. She's my first, Nea. I've never liked anyone before her and I feel like my heart is only for her."

I look at her, but she's staring and listening to me attentively. I let out a soft chuckle to her serious face.

"What? Why?"

"Why are you listening so seriously?"

"You've opened up to me, shouldn't I listen?"

Seriously, she's thinking that? Even though I'm talking about my ex? How naïve are you Nea?

"You won't continue?"

"So, my mum and I made an agreement to where I will be proposing to Emily and if she didn't accept, I'll have to marry the girl my mum has chosen for me, and that's when you came Nea."

She looks at me almost sad as if she's sad for me. Her question really shook me.

"Why did she reject you? Didn't she love you?

I didn't prepare my heart for this kind of question. All of the people around me keep on saying this, but I never admit to it, I never want to. I believe if I keep on holding on, she will come eventually, but I forgot it should be mutual for a relationship to build, and I have been the only one to hold on while she let go for a long time already.

"She's been out of love with me a long time ago, I'm the one that doesn't let her go."

I can feel that her thumbs are caressing my hands, trying to comfort me. I smile a bit at her and I see that her eyes turn a bit glossy.

"So, I'm sorry for being a jerk to you from the beginning, I don't know whether I can love anyone else as I love her. I'm also afraid that I will hurt you when I didn't even mean to."

She shakes her head and smiles warmly.

"Honestly, I did feel disappointed but I didn't want to be a nuisance, so I let go of it. I know you have your own reason so I don't want to push you any further. I'm the one decides to get on with this marriage, so I should bear with it, that's what I thought of when you say those things in the waiting room and in the car. I didn't blame you at all, Adam."

"You shouldn't feel like that, you're not a nuisance at all. I've never thought of that and I don't want you to think like that."

I assure her as I firmly grasp her hand in mine. She smiles softly as her blue eyes struck mine.

I look around and it becomes a bit brighter as it's already 7.30. We've been talking to each other for almost an hour and somehow I feel like I didn't want to end this.

"We should probably get inside to start the day"

She says as she smiles at me.

"Yeah, we should continue this later on, we have a lot of time with us"

I said as I get up from the couch while still holding on to her drips. I offer my other hand to her where she accepts it with a smile.

"Wait, Nea?"

I say stopping her on the track before we enter the house.

"I believe we didn't have a good introduction before, so I want it to be done properly again"

She looks at me with a questionable expression.

"I'm Adam Nicholas Clark, nice to meet you," I say as I extend my hand to her.

She finally understands my words and laughs a bit before extending her hand to me.

"Nice to meet you too, I'm Nea Aryn Lee"

Upon our hands meet each other, there's a tingling feeling and my heart warms along with it.

It really is nice meeting you Nea.

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