❝ She was an abandoned paradise. Wrecked and scary.

The silence she held around her pierced even the darkest nights and the toughest hearts.❞

I almost growled loudly, asking "Why the hell are you calling me and how did you get my number?"

Her voice sent chilling tremor through my body, but it wasn't harsh and snarling like before, almost soft and pleading "I want to see you."

"But, I don't want to, leave me alone." I replied, faintly.

"Please—please Winter, just hear me out. Let me explain everything, let me see you and please, let me... apologize."

If I hadn't backed up against the wall, I would've fallen on my knees, completely shattered on the ground.

Just by hearing her speak, hearing her voice brought so many unwanted memories and heart ache, that I feared I wouldn't be able to get back up again, if I fell this time.

"How come? Why so sudden... after all this?" My voice was cracking slowly and I knew, so was my defense.

I feared that If anything went wrong, then it wouldn't be her that I would be disappointed by, it would be me. I would be my own disappointment.

"Because I don't think, I can live any longer with you hating me so much. I am not going to say that I understand what you've been through, because I don't. Nobody understands that better than you baby, but I know that you've been through worse... like me. I just want you to see me, just like I've been craving to."

With every word spoken, she was tearing up my wall like a paper and I knew, goddamn, it was going to hurt so much.

"What.. what if I refuse?" I told her, but deep down things were already slipping right through my fingers.

"Then I am ready to beg, beg for you to listen and then, beg for forgiveness" When I heard her taking a deep breath and sniffling, I knew she was already crying, begging me in a way words couldn't.

I closed my eyes, trying to stop the tears and watched everything cross over my eyelids, like a movie without an ending. Could I do this? Could I once again put my trust in her hands, hoping she wouldn't break it?

After a crackling silence, I spoke up "Okay"

"What?"

"I'll see you. Do you remember the cafe we first met at? I'll be there in twenty minutes and I hope you will too."

Not wanting to hear anything anymore, I disconnected the call and shoved my phone back in my pocket, with a sigh. Then, my eyes searched for him.

Far at the corner, I found him with a face towel in his hand and without putting any thought, I ran to him. Running away from my troubled thoughts, I ran towards him.

He looked up and smiled, but I didn't stop and fell into his arms, like the rainfall over an ocean and like the million stars, he wrapped himself around my empty dark sky.

"What happened?" His voice was laced with concern as I just shook my head, hiding my face in the warm curve of his neck.

"Just hold me, please" I whispered.

He didn't say anything and tightened his hold on me, letting me know that he heard me. When he rested his chin on the top of my head, putting a sweet pressure and arms around my body, engulfing me, that was peace.

When I pulled away just enough to look into his eyes, he murmured "Something's bothering you."

He didn't question anything, it was just a simple statement, because he knew there was.

Anxious, I drowned myself in his eyes, hiding away from the world and found peace in his calm orbs. His eyes held specks of stolen sunlight that could be missed with just one glance.

"I have to go somewhere, I'll see you late.r" I told him, almost breathlessly.

When nodding, he leaned down to kiss my forehead, I knew that it was going to be so hard not getting addicted to him.

"Okay. Take care, don't get into too much trouble."

With a sweet parting kiss, I pulled away from him and bracing myself, walked out of the gym. Even if it goes wrong, at least I'll know that I tried, I tried so hard to save myself, just success was not on my side.

I waited for the bell to ring, leaning against the wall outside the classroom. Just as I pulled out my phone to check the time, it did.

Washed over by the waves of students, I looked around for a known face, sweeping through the crowd and then, the silver hair shone in my direction.

"Sieve!"

She turned around with a cute furrow in her brows, trying to find the source of the voice and then, her eyes fell on me.

"Hey, Winter" She smiled, walking up to me. Like always, her books clutched to her chest.

I averted my eyes for a second, then taking a breathe, began to say "Hi, erm I need to ask you something"

"Sure" She happily nodded, making me somewhat relieved, but the relief was long gone and an uneasy feeling settled inside me.

"Can I borrow your car?"

~~~

Every second passing by was a sickening reminder of what I was about to do. I thought it would be easy, that after this maybe I would finally find peace of mind, but it turned out, it was not going to be easy at all, in fact, it would be a slow long torturous process.

I silently parked the car, when I wanted to do nothing, but turn around and run away, runaway far away from here.

But again, that would make me a coward. Coward for not facing my problems, for fearing to face my past, so with that, I got out of the car and nodded to myself, in determination.

The bittersweet smell of coffee mixed with the sweet delights used to be my favorite, but at that moment I was dreading it.

Stepping inside the Cafe, I gulped down the fear and looked around, scanning the unfamiliar faces, when I found hers.

She was already there, sitting at the corner table with a tense expression. She was wearing a peach colored long blouse and white pants, the tapping of her fingers on the table, showed her silver ring, proudly standing out.

She had moved on clearly and so did dad, then why couldn't I? I think that's what made me angry the most, they both were able to forget and move on, continue living their life, but what about me?

Everything, every word, every moment, every torture was so perfectly engraved in my heart that I didn't knew, how to forget it, without ripping my heart out.

As if sensing my eyes, she looked up and sweat droplets trickled down my back as I met her gaze, those dark eyes always clouding my thoughts. She had changed and looked older, than I remember.

Taking a deep breathe, I buried every emotion deep down and shut off every thought, before moving towards her table.

"Oh, Winter, I missed you and I am so glad you cam—" She began to say, hesitantly, but I interrupted her midway in a most detached tone.

"Yeah, sure. Just tell me, whatever you wanted to."

It really felt weird to hear her voice so cautious and silky, when all I remember it doing was curse and yell the words dipped in hatred.

I took the seat in front of her, observing her slightly wrinkled face, but beautiful nonetheless.

She heaved out a sigh, before looking up at me with a sad expression, "Just know, that I am not trying to make excuses for my behavior. What I did to you was horrible and I regret it, but I want you to know the reason behind it."

Although I was sitting just fine without moving, inwardly I was gasping for air, feeling drowning in an endless sea.

I nodded stonily and urged her to continue "I am listening."

But, what I didn't know was that never in a million years, I was ever ready to hear those words that escaped her mouth next.

"I really don't know how to say this gently, but Winter, you are not my daughter."

Fuck it, hell yeah, I did it! I may have pushed myself a lil too hard to complete this chap, but as I said fuck it, it was worth it.

Hope you liked this chappy, lemme know your thoughts in comment section. As always thank you so much for your time, your votes and comments, they keep me sane and happeh!

Bye y'all. If you're not using your smile, you're like a man with a million dollars in the bank and no checkbook :)

Love, Zee..