Hourglass

3.

She still remembered the way he had looked at her at the park yesterday. It had made her feel like he could at least understand that she was suffering. At least, he didn't blame her. And for Dora, this was more than enough.

Dora didn't get to meet him later at the park because she left early. The people were giving her weird looks making her feel uncomfortable.

She felt his gaze on her.

Dora laid down in the grass and closed her eyes. She felt Trace lie down beside her too.

"It's peaceful out here." He said after a while.

"And sad too." Dora added. "Have you noticed, the flowers have died here. The paint we, you , me, Percy, and Tim did on the fence have faded now. Like our relations. This place has become a reminder of everything I have lost."

"You have me, Dora." Trace said and placed his hand over hers. "I am sorry I wasn't there over the last year. I am sorry we all left you when you needed us the most. I thought maybe you need space, you needed time to heal. No one wants to deal with things on their own. But I am proud of you Dora. You are so strong. You have been through so much and still you survived it all."

Dora felt her heart skip a beat at his gesture. After so long, someone had shown her support. Although he didn't know, she wasn't surviving, at least it was more than anyone had offered her.

She closed her eyes relishing in the moment, scared that if she opens it, she would break the spell.

Trace must have sensed it as he didn't say anything after it.

After what seemed like hours, and fighting a hundred battles in her head, Dora opened her eyes. Could she afford to be a little selfish for once?
She reoeated Percy's words in her head. She would leave this town with memories.

He was still there beside her. His eyes were closed. He looked peaceful and serene. His hand was still there over hers and he had a small smile on his lips.

"Trace?" She said in a small voice as if approaching a wounded animal. What she was going to say could go wrong on so many levels, she had to be careful.

"Mmhm?" He asked without opening his eyes.

"Go on a date with me tomorrow. Please." Dora pleaded.

"What!" Trace jerked up as he stared at her in shock. He had pulled his hand back too.

"I have never been on a date before and I want to experience it. Please, consider it as a charity or something." She improvised.

"I am in a relationship Dora. With your friend." He said, stressing on the second part.

"She won't know. I will make sure of it and it will be just be a one time thing. After that I won't bother either of you ever again. Just one day. One date." She begged desperately. At this point, even she knew that her behaviour was pathetic but for all that matters, she wanted to have a day to cherish in her heart forever.

Trace was the brightness in her life for the past year. Like a bright star, she had lived in the warmth of his light. And for once, she wanted to touch this light. To hold it in her palm, to taste the sweetness of it.

Trace stood up urgently and brushed his jeans. Dora followed him.

"Look Dora, I don't think you are thinking straight right now." He said. Dora opened her mouth to protest but he held up his hand to stop her. "I am not cheating anyone."

"I am not asking you to cheat on her." She defended poorly, knowing well that it was what she was asking him to do.

"Really?" He asked. "I understand things have been hard on you lately but this is not the way to deal with it. I am not lying to her or hiding it from her."

He didn't wait for her to say anything and jumped off the fence.

"We can pretend this conversation never happened. Good night, Dora."

He was gone within a second leaving Dora crying in the backyard for hours.

She was found hours later by her parents sleeping on the grass, who carried her upstairs to her room.

_________________________________

She woke up to the sound of her phone ringing.

"Hello." She said groggily.

"Dora?" A voice said from another side.

"Daliah?" Dora asked surprised. Why was she calling her so early? Had Trace told her about her request?

Dora wanted to slap herself for asking that from him. Why did she had to do it! She ruined her friendship. Everyone was right. She was good for nothing and a disappointment.

"Daliah, I am so sorry. I didn't mean to. It's just..."

"You don't have to be sorry. It's not like its your fault." Daliah said with a sigh.

"What do you mean?" She asked confused.

Daliah ignored her question and continued. "I should have known this would happen. He had told me when we started dating that he probably wouldn't fall in love with me ever. I just hoped that maybe I could make him."
She continued. "It's not like I was in love with him either. I just could have loved him if we had more time together. And that makes me sad. He was so perfect."

"Daliah, I have no idea what you are talking about." Dora said, taking meds for her headache.

"You don't know? Trace broke up with me."

The moment the sentence left Daliah's mouth, a huge smile spread on Dora's lips.

'Did he do this for me?' she thought.

She told Daliah that she felt bad for her and hung up after a minute. In reality, she wanted to do a happy dance.

"Don't you think you are being too wistful?" Percy said from her door. He was wearing his old black t shirt and blue denims and was crossing his arms on his chest.

"No. I think he broke up with her for me." Dora said giddily. "Think Pers. What if he likes me too?  He didn't want to cheat her and therefore rejected me yesterday. But now he is free. I would finally have someone."

"And what if that someone becomes everyone. Like everyone he too soon realises that he doesn't love someone like you. He too start seeing you as the disappointment and failure. He too starts hating you "

He started walking towards her.

"He will leave you once he sees how messed up you are in your head. He will be scared of you if he knows the things you have done."

Percy was now standing in front of her.

"He will never love someone like you."
Tears fell down her cheeks as she took in her brothers words. "Don't you think he blame you too, like Tim? He was there too. He saw it all. How could he be interested in you after seeing it?

He was right.

Everything he said was right. She was stupid to let her imagination run.

Percy cupped her cheeks with both hands.

"Dora, only I love you. None of them do. They are all faking it to appear good in front of others. Yesterday I heard Mom telling dad how she prays everyday you had died in that accident. Trace would turn up like one of them with time. Don't let them fool you. Okay baby?"

Dora nodded.

"Two more days. You can't ruin our plan."

Dora nodded again.

"I love you sis. I am only trying to protect you from all that pain."

"I love you too." She said tearfully and once Percy was gone, she fell down on the floor crying.