by S. S. Sahoo
“C’mon let’s go there!”
Without a warning four of them ran past me into the field not even caring about any snake or insects which could cause them harm. They went directly into the middle and soon enough began to take pictures.
“Hey Juliette,” I heard Kiara calling me and I looked up at her direction where she stood next to Eve and Marianna waving at me to join them.
I smiled and nodded my head no politely declining the offer. My declination caused her to slump her shoulders in defeat and she turned back to Tess clicking pictures of her with the sunflowers.
As I stood there silently laughing and chuckling at my friends who were busy clicking pictures and making funny poses my mind couldn’t help but recall the moment when Zachary encircled me in his arms and caught me off guard by taking a selfie with me as he called it ‘making memories’.
I still remember the day, he made my heart pound rapidly. I knew that I was in love once again because a mere touch by him made me feel those things which I never really felt when I was with Emmett. But again, it was the same day where everything ended. I understood that whatever I was feeling towards him was one sided. It was hard to know that the man I loved would never reciprocate how I feel towards him.
A sigh escaped my mouth as sadness marred my cheerful mood and I rubbed my face using my palms.
It is not really necessary to get love from the one whom you love the most. I guess I have a rotten luck after all. When it comes to love, I always fail.
“Juliette!” I was broke out of my state when I saw Tess standing before me with a frown on her face.
“What?” I asked slowly and raised my eyebrows in confusion when she pointed towards my back with her eyes.
“What?” I whispered confused and then turned to look at what she was pointing. My eyes widen in shock for a minute but as quickly as I could I turned back around hiding my expression from the one who was standing across the road with a cigarette in between his finger, leaning against our car. There stood the man about whom I have been reminiscing a few minutes ago wearing a black polo shirt and black jeans with brown shoes.
“What is he-” I couldn’t help but feel my cheeks burn and I could clearly hear the pumping of my heartbeat.
“He has been standing there and has been looking at you all this while. Who is he? I think I have seen him somewhere! Where?” she questioned herself putting her hand under her chin while I stood there fidgeting with my finger thinking what to do.
Why does he always show up out of nowhere?
“How long has he been there?” I asked more like whispered to Tess.
“Um may be from two minutes. He stopped the car and walked up to our car and has been standing there watching you all the while. Who is he anywa-”
My nostrils flared up inhaling the familiar cologne of the man and immediately I realized that he has moved behind me and was now standing few inches away from me. He was close, close enough that I could feel the warmth of his body engulfing me.
“Sorry to interrupt. Can I borrow her for some minutes?” his masculine husky tone filled my ears as he stood behind me and asked directly to Tess completely ignoring my presence.
“Eh?” Tess gave him a puzzled look and turned to look at me.
“Why not!” I heard an annoying chirpy voice which belonged to Kiara.
“But Ki-” Tess was cut off by Kiara “It’s okay they know each other,” she said and even though I wanted to glare and yell at Kiara, I couldn’t. He was too close.
“Thank you,” I heard his voice and by the tone, I assumed that he smiled at them because soon enough I found Eve and Tess swooning over him.
Like a gust of wind, I felt the absence of his presence and guessed that he might have left not even bothering to ask me if I wanted to come or not. I looked at Kiara and she gave me a toothy grin. A faint smile appeared on my lips as I decided to join him and making up my mind that I would only listen whatever he has to say. Why all of a sudden he decided to show up in my life and why does he want to talk to me.
“I’ll be back,” I said and turned slowly to find him walking towards his sedan.
Ironically, the sedan looked familiar and an image of a same colored sedan following our car a few minutes ago struck my mind.
“This man!” I muttered to myself as I realized that he followed me.
Exhaling a breath, I took a step forward but stopped when Kiara opened her mouth to talk.
“Amend things instead of breaking them,” she whispered so that I could be the only one who could hear that.
Glancing at her from my sideways, I gave her a small smile and followed Zachary to his sedan. He was already seated on the driver seat while I took my time to reach the vehicle and take my place next to him. All the while feeling the blood rush on my skin and I tried to hide it turning in my seat to put my seat belts on.
“Where are we going?” I asked fidgeting with the hem of my shirt.
Like a plague he ignored me and I turned to look at him to find his jaw clenched and he had a determined look on his face, as he ignited the engine and the car sped up onto the road.
Where is he taking me?
“Zac-”
“Let me drive,” was his reply. His answer immediately made me shut up my mouth.
Is it because he doesn’t want to get disturbed when he is driving or am I simply annoying to him?
Whatever it was I chose to keep my mouth shut and waited until we reach the place wherever he was taking me.
Amidst all this, I couldn’t help but keep on playing with my finger. It was possibly because of the suspense he was creating by not talking to me and letting me know where he was taking me.
Was I afraid?
Yes, I was.
Why?
Will he hurt me?
No, he won’t.
Then?
I was afraid because I feared I would let my emotions out and end up throwing my heart before him only to be crushed down again. I was afraid because there was this nagging in my mind that he will not understand. He would and won’t ever understand how I feel for him. What if he does?
I shook my head and put my fist into my mouth as I looked out of the window. It’s been fifteen minutes since we have been traveling and finally, the car stopped with a screech and the sudden push on the brake caught me off-guard as I bent forward due to the impact but thanks to the seatbelt and me putting my hand on the dashboard on time to protect myself.
“Wha-?”
“Get out!” was the only thing he said before he got out of the car and I looked at his back astonished by his demeanor.
“Zachary wait!” I called before him as I unfasten my belt and got out of the car and I recognized the place as Merri Creek trail. It was where I came with my girls.
“Zachary wait!” I called him and followed him as he walked towards the Merri Creek bridge.
The place was mostly known for its cyclist and pedestrian path. I remember coming here with my girls because Tess’s family lives here nearby and as we were also invited to her house we got the chance to enjoy the surroundings too.
In the middle of the bridge, he stopped and I watched as he raked his hair looking anything but calm. Meanwhile, I huffed out air as I put my hands on my knee feeling exhausted for running after him.
“How do you feel?” he asked all of a sudden.
I looked up and stood straight looking at his back confused thinking what he meant.
“Answer me!” he said suddenly raising his voice as he turned around and faced me.
“Zachary I-”
“Sssh!” I was cut off all of a sudden when he took a long step towards me and kept a finger on my lips.
“It’s frustrating, right? when you call someone and they don’t turn up when you need them the most hmm?” all of a sudden he withdraws his hand and taking a step backward he rubs his face.
“Zachary I don’t unders-”
“You understand everything!” he yelled at me making me gas
p.
“Do you hear me? You...” he lunges at me and pulling me by my arms he shook me on my place “understand everything!”
“Don’t play with me, Juliette! I know...” suddenly his palms are cupping my cheeks as he pulls me to him gazing straight into my eyes “you understand everything.”
“What were you doing?” he asked as he leaves my face and I take back still not getting anything.
“I dont understa-”
“Ah! Zac-c” I was pulled roughly to him as he held the back of my neck and with my body pressed against him.
“Hurts?” he hissed on my face grabbing my chin using his other free hand.
“I bet this isn’t even a little percent of what I have been feeling since the day I have met you!” his words were filled with pain and somehow it affected me and I became emotional. Streaks of tear fell down my cheeks as I took in what he just said.
“So you regret ever meeting me?” I whispered loud enough for him to hear.
As soon as his eyes fell on my tears his grip loosened and he hugged me putting my head on his chest.
“That is the thing! It is the regret that I don’t feel. I thought I should feel the regret for ever meeting you but that is the thing, I don’t feel any which is why I’m confused and now I am broken,” he whispered the last part but as I heard it I looked up at him placing my palm on his chest.
“I thought I would eventually forget you and I would eventually move on in my life but it seems my heart doesn’t wish the same as I do. No matter what it keeps yearning for you,” he pressed his forehead against mine as he spoke “I have recognized the feeling and that is what is hurting me right now,”
“You don’t feel the same and it makes me feel lonely to know that I am the only one who fell in love!” he said but as he said that the world began to spin before my eyes.
“Juliette?” I heard his worried voice as I held my head and felt my knees giving out but it was only because for his arms still around my waist I didn’t end up on the ground.
“Juliette?” I felt his palm on my cheek and I opened my eyes looking straight into his eyes.
“Is it that shocking to you that you almost fainted?” he chuckled darkly as his eyes scanned my face.
“N-No I-”
“Why did you run?” he asked his face contouring with anger as he looked at me sharply, his accusing eyes penetrating my soul.
“I came to you last night right! So tell me why did you run? Are you this desperate to stay away from me that you ran the morning hoping that you would not have to face me?”
“Guess what?” he chuckled and trailed a finger on my neck. His touch sending shiver down my spine. He had no idea what effect he had on me!
“I found you!” he leaned closer to my ear, his hot breath fanning the sides of cheek “and this time you can’t escape!” he whispered as he brushed his lips against my earlobes.
No! Who wants to escape?
I didn’t quite really understand what made by heart beat rise all of a sudden, his words or his cold hand touching the bare skin on my waist. Voluntarily, I looked down to find both of his hands inside my shirt holding me by the waist while his thumbs caressed my skin making me feel hot.
“It’s your fault after all!” he chuckled probably noticing the blush creeping on my face. The next thing I felt was his head on my shoulder and his hot breath fanning the nudge of my neck.
“You were the reason why I fell into all these emotions. I thought I would forget you and move on but again it was your fault. You shouldn’t have come before my eyes once again. You lit that fire within me by ignoring me last night. You thought you escape?” he placed his hand on the other side of my shoulder and I clutched my thigh tightly as I felt him placing a wet kiss on my neck making me gasp.
“You can run as much as you want now because I have finally found my goal. You have lit up that burning desire of having you all by myself and to take pleasure until tired. Your body has become my life and your soul is my love. You can’t stop me now sweetheart,” he bit down on my earlobe “for I have returned,”
He stood straight in his place and held me by the back of my neck and pulled me to him “Returned to take what rightfully belongs to me,” he stopped just inches away from my lips.
“You made a mistake! You provoked me to run after you. You shouldn’t have ignored me last night!” he smiled darkly as he left my face and took steps backward.
“You wanted to run? Then run!” he said clearly enunciating each word.
“Run as fast as you can. Run as long as you can. But make sure that you don’t stop!” all of a sudden he leaped forward pulling my hair from my ponytail, but not painfully making me glance straight up into his eyes.
“Because if you do,” he chuckled as I watched his eyes turned darker and darker but out of lust?
“I’ll be right behind you to take you,” he leaned closer and pressed his cheek to mine.
Ta-Take me?
“Then you can’t ever escape. You will end up having regrets for ever stopping. After all, it was all your fault” he laughed and took few steps back eyeing me hungrily “You burned the desire in me to chase.”
~
“Hello?”
“Hola?”
“Yo! Yo!” I broke out of my state when I saw Kiara moving her hands before my eyes.
“Will you tell me what happened?” she asked as I sat properly on my seat and looked out of the running car. The sun had already set down and we were heading right back to our home. After that conversation with Zachary, I was too shocked to even move. He dragged me back to his car and drove us back where had picked me up. Our moods were reversed by the time we reached back. He looked lighter, happier and generous while me, on the other hand, shocked, confused and flustered.
This is how it feels when a man truly loves a woman?
And is this really how it feels to know that you are the woman who he loves?
“I will take you,”
“Because believe me, I never had this desire to love someone before. And now when I had it, I think it will be difficult for you to escape.”
“So give in to me.”
His words kept rotating before my eyes and I felt my cheeks burning. His words have also set me on fire. Lifting up my leg on the seat, I put my head on my knees wanting to hide my face from Kiara but all the while a silly smile remained plastered on my face.
He fell in love with me. With me.
His confession has given me a reason to smile once again. He had freed me from the pain I have been feeling all these months. If I had known it earlier then I would not have ignored him last night. It wasn’t my intention. But I was in pain and I was broken. I needed him and all of a sudden he appeared before me which made me flee.
Had only I have kno-
“Wait!” I said out loud as I rose my head up when the reality dawned on me.
“What about Loana?” I thought as I balled my fist and looked out of the window all of a sudden anger burning inside me as I remembered her and what she did.
“I m telling you I have seen him somewhere before,” Tess punched the steering wheel as she drove us back to our home.