The Girl With a Broken Heart💔

Her choice

Emma's POV
Joffre Lake

The imprints of my slap, followed by the shock of my action was evident on his face, and everybody else's around.
It was an otherwise surreal evening. The calm of the waters, the darkness of the night, the twinkling of the stars, and the sweet aroma of the decorated parade of flowers; were in complete contrast to the lava of betraying thoughts that burnt every nerve inside me.

The love of my life was finally here, explaining how bravely he decided to protect my honour. Looking at him after all these days overwhelmed every bone and brawn of my body, my heart ached to touch him, but my brain knew better.

I don't know if it's the universal law of love or the self-made rules of my pathetic conscience, but knowing about his sufferings pained me more than my own, and I wished I was there with him, to take it all away.
There was a moment, I even forgot the wrongs I felt, after he told the ordeal he faced alone. I imagined a thousand ways I could have made it better. It hurt, knowing he was all by himself fighting so many turmoils at once. I could have helped him through this, only if he allowed me.

I was angry at him, for he decided to take the brunt upon himself, without even giving me a fair chance.

I was angry at him, for making a choice for me, a right nobody will ever be granted, for I am entitled to my own opinion, and nobody takes that away from me.

I was angry at him for making us suffer, when clearly it was a battle with no winner; by the end of it, both of us lost, miserably.

The moment he showed me his back, again, I felt I was stripped off my credence anew. I suddenly felt bare and open, an option for him to walk in and walk out as he willed.

This had to change and change now.

Love anyday held the highest rank amongst all the emotions I valued in life, but dignity and pride were a close second too. Determined, I took my steps forward, and before he could even apprehend, channelling everything within, I slapped him.

"How dare you tried to walk away? Again? Who do you think I am?" I growled, my eyes throwing daggers at him, as my spirit stood bitter and sharp.

"Emma...No baby... I.... I just didn't want to pester you..." He stuttered.

"How could you Jake? You could have told me all this, and I would have understood. I would have waited. I would have eagerly waited all my life for you... But.." I let out a sigh, and shut my eyes, in an attempt to control my quivering lips, holding my strength together, I somehow managed to continue, "You left Jake, and it took you three freaking months to realise and come back. First, you carved my heart in your name, you became the most irreversible part of my life, you turned yourself into a fond habit; and then, you just left. Do you even realise how it felt?"

Regret washed over him like solitary waves on a shallow beach, and a tear escaped his enslaving eyes.
He stood there and looked at me with empathy and compassion. Even though his eyes looked calm, but somehow his heart's loud, noisy screech didn't fail to reach my ears; as if they screamed back renouncing that he knew exactly how it feels.

"I thought we are equals Jake. I thought you respected my choices. I thought my opinion mattered to you.."

"It does Emma, I value it the most, but the situation was such..."

"Shut Up! What situation? I have seen worse, and I still never left your side. Why do you always have to underestimate me and my love for you?" My voice was slowly losing its dominance and pain was gradually overpowering the reprisal.

"Exactly, Emma. You have seen worse, and can't you see how unfair it is to have you suffer on account of my family and me every single time?"

He took a step back and exhaled deeply, before he continued. "You fucking became a target, you were kidnapped, and even got shot in the hands of that psycho. For God's sake, you could have died, Emma." He let out a sorrowful sigh, and his chest heaved in exhaustion.