Memory in the End

Chapter 13: Brought Back Down to Earth

Being young and in love was no small thing. Your entire world becomes shaken, and everything revolved around that person. They say love turns you into a fool, and they were right. There isn't anything I wouldn't do for her. I loved her and she loved me...or so I hoped. But love is very powerful, it can destroy you in a second.

I wasn't poor, I was from a fairly rich noble family, so I could afford anything or anyone. The person I really wanted, was the girl who I grew up with. I'd known her forever, and my parents even joked with her parents that we would get married. Laila was beautiful, with long auburn hair that she usually left down and had embedded flowers in it. She had the prettiest blue eyes, the color of the sea, and the most beautiful button nose I'd ever seen. She was pretty quiet, never really spoke and her heart...you'd never find a heart bigger than hers.

She was always out helping the poor, giving them money, helping the children learn to read, and providing meals. Her parents hated this. They said nobility shouldn't interact with the poor, but she didn't care. Her parents knew it made them look better so they used it to boost their image, that was the only reason they never stopped her from going. She just genuinely liked helping people though.

So when we got together, it was kind of polar opposites. I was the opposite of her; I was very entitled. I lived an entitled life, I got everything I wanted, and disregarded the people because they were poor. I wasn't as good of a person as I am now. I was the warrior with the most potential, I was handsome, and I could have any girl I wanted...but not all girls were Laila.

When we got together, there wasn't anything I wouldn't do for her. I bought her lavish gowns and jewels and flowers. Her parents adored me, saying I was the best choice because, well, I was from another noble family and very successful. But she simply ignored it and continued to keep it slow, which let me tell you was difficult to do. All I wanted was to make her my wife, but she didn't feel the same way.

We stayed like this for months, going out on hikes through the forest, attending lavish balls, and I'd accompany her as she helped the people who needed it. I'll admit this, much to my dismay, she never looked happier than when she was helping those people. She adored them to the very core of her existence. The children loved her too; always talking happily about her. She had helped them so much.

I was the exact opposite. I'd look at these poor people and feel disgusted. How people could live in their own filth astounded me. I never really understood them, not like Laila did. So I didn't do much, I just stood there watched as she smiled and laughed with people who, I thought, did not deserve her kindness. But it made her happy and that's all I wanted...her happiness.

The sad thing was this happiness she experienced was never experienced with me. Now looking back all these years later I finally see, Laila never had the same happiness with me as she had with the people she was helping, with me it was just that typical forced happiness. I think that, because she was so kind hearted, she even managed to put up with me for so long for my sake.

He stops the story abruptly almost at the same time when I feel a rush of dizziness run through me, and I start coughing. My eyes feel much heavier than before. Michael gently grabs onto my shoulders, "Hey, Arrabella, listen. Don't close your eyes, okay? Here, lay on my lap if you need to.".

I want to nod, but I feel weak. I slowly lower my head down onto Michael's lap. Owyne smiles and looks at me, "Yeah Princess, come on, you can't fall asleep at the beginning of the story now can you?".

"I...suppose...not," I slowly say and look back at him. Owyne smiles. It is not his usual happy smile but a smile of nervousness. They both look nervous.