Love Beyond Universes

9

"Hi, Si—" I greeted her but stopped as she gave me a warm hug.

"Where did you go, Damy? I was worried," Si whispered near my ears, while I did nothing but pat her head. Guilt resurfaced as I could clearly feel her.

As we broke our hug, we sat on our respective seats, facing her. I couldn't face her anymore, as I did something that betrayed her. Falling for another guy.

To deviate from the topic, I decided to speak up. "What would you like to—?"

"Don't divert, Damy!" She interrupted before sighing heavily. In a soft tone, she said, "Damien. I'm happy that you're back. But where have you been these days? These three weeks without you were like three hundred years to me. I couldn't express how much I missed you. Our relatives thought that you ran away. You should've at least put up a message about your whereabouts, right? Please, Damy! I was waiting for this very moment. Where did you go?"

After exhaling and preparing myself, I placed my hand on hers and said, "Si. I'll tell you. But promise me that you'll trust me."

"I never disbelieved you, baby. Tell me," she said in a reassuring tone.

"Okay."

Then I told everything that happened after our secret meeting: About Claudia and her prophecy, about Claudia, about Austin, about my engagement with Claudia, about my discovery of my sexuality, and lastly, about how he died and how I re-entered here.

"Oh!" She exclaimed in a suspicious tone. "So... You realized that you're a bi. And you fell in love with a guy. Right?"

Biting my lips, I hung my head down and nodded a yes.

Sighing sharply, she said, "Okay, fine! Did he love you?"

"Yes," I said softly, while the next which came was a cup of espresso and cappuccino each, and an awkward silence. We were in deep thoughts on this debate. All that was running in my mind was, will she create a drama on this?

"Okay. Past is past and let's stop talking about it. Are you at least ready to marry me?" Si asked. She was already on the verge of crying.

"Sienna, that's what I need to talk about. You know, I'm not the Damien you've been seeing from childhood. Claudius and Austin changed me. I... I'm not that person who loves you more than anyone, but someone who already found a guy to love him more than loving you. Yes, I still love you. But, I feel like I love him more."

Tears glistened her cheeks, as she wiped it and said, "How could you even say that, Damien? We've been in love with each other for, say, a decade. But you met him less than a month ago, goddammit! What tells you that you literally love him?"

Wiping my own tears, I said, "I didn't believe in soul mates until meeting him."

"SOUL MATES, YOUR ASS!" She swore loud enough for everyone there. As they looked at her, embarrassed, she gulped a glass of water, while I slurped my ristresso.

As she was done, I tried to place my hand on hers again, but she took hers away. Wiping her tears, she loudly whispered, "Fine! What's your plan now?"

With a heavy heart, I said, "Let's breakup. For your own good."

For a moment, she looked at me as if she couldn't believe her ears. With a chuckle, she said, "Damien, I misheard it like you asked me to breaku—"

"You heard it right, Sienna."

"What? Seriously? Are we breaking up? For real? Damy, please tell me that we aren't brea—" She stammered, while I interrupted her.

"There isn't we anymore. We are breaking up," I said.

Pursing her lips, she said, "Okay. I think you've decided. I'll go on with you. Let's consider this as an action for my so-called 'own good'. Are we at least friends, or...?"

"We are still friends. But we never gotta be like before," I said, looking outside the window.

"Okay. All the best. Can I leave now?" She asked in a sort of angry tone.

"Yeah. You need me to drop you?" I asked.

"No, thank you. I can manage. Bye!" She said, quickly collected her handbag and left, without sparing a glance. I was about to drink the ristresso but wasn't in the mood for that. So, I went to the cash counter, paid the cash, and left the café with a heavy heart.

***

A MONTH LATER...

Life started to become smooth, as I didn't get into my personal life much. Knowing about my breakup with Sienna, our parents asked us the reason, but we never dared to answer. We tried our utmost best dodging questions based on my whereabouts when I went missing. In spite of our nasty fight, Si later agreed to be friends with me. Now my entire world ostracized me, except Si and my pet dog Casper. My world shrunk into my dream job, Si, Casper, and my memories with Austin.

I came out from my parent's house and lived in a rented house in Bermondsey. I started taking a train from my house to my workplace in London Bridge Street. Like this, days rolled by and life became bland like a clear water.

One such day, I was walking from my workplace to the railway station listlessly, my mind in a sort of semi-conscious state. The whole lane was dark at midnight at twelve-thirty, when I suddenly saw a translucent door appear slowly, blocking my way.

I had a sensation like, what if Claudia came back? So, to save myself, I looked back and started running down the stony lane like a dog.

"STOP RIGHT THERE, DAMIEN!" I heard a voice shout from behind. I expected it to be a feminine voice, but it sounded like a sound from electric music.

Closing my eyes, I turned forward, and bracing up myself, I opened my eyes, to see literally nobody except the door. A few seconds later, I saw a figure coming out from the door. It was wearing a black hoodie, a black t-shirt, and a black leggings. While I noticed this, I also noticed that something is missing. As I looked closer, I found that it was IT'S FREAKING HEAD MISSING!

I LITERALLY MET A HEADLESS CREATURE!

I gasped louder and started to cry, while it came towards me. Fear gripped me hard as it kept coming towards me. Then, at a particular stage, it stopped, making me stop.

We were facing each other, while I felt fear from the tip of my hair to my toenail. The headless creature started the conversation. But it didn't speak. Instead, he took a piece of paper and gave it to me. Afraid, I extended my shivering hands and took it from him. I read the letter, which was written in a black ink.

Damien,

I'm Austin Richmond. Your Austin here! Before telling you something, I need to explain how I came here. You guys may have eclipses seldom, but we see them once in fifteen days. Claudia would've definitely hid this from you, that's why I'm telling this. There is a fact that determines the population of Claudius. That is, the door to Earth used to open every time a death occurs there. Then the spirits may teleport to Earth or stay back there. It was a lunar eclipse on that day when I died. That's why you were able to reach Earth. 

Now, time for bad news. After my death, I've been roaming around Claudius as a headless ghost, while I learnt many shocking things. I think you still have your Ring of Claudius, which is an illegal act according to the Constitution of Claudius. As your punishment, Claudia and her guys entered Earth. Yes, they did! They are all set to destroy the whole world and kill you, but after you marry her. They are in search of you. So, I'm here to protect you from them. But the thing is, I can't speak. So please bear with it.

P.S.: And yes, the one who delivered the letter was me.

P.P.S.: I love you. And I still do.

Austin.

Word Count: 1371 words

Total word count of the book: 9065 words