Meeting You Again

Chapter 22

I walked aimlessly for a while and reached the closest park. I sank downwards to sit on one of the swings.

Creak. Creak.

In the darkness, I slowly swang, not too high nor too low. I felt my face get damp again. What the hell...why am I crying now? I know. I've known. I shouldn't be crying right now. This was weak. But I really can't help it. Since when did human emotions have reason anyways?

Ayla, stop crying right now. These tears are worth nothing. The tears didn't stop though. Sometimes, when you are stuck in a situation, emotions don't react. Reflex does. I froze up, loosing sensation there, tears falling automatically. But these tears were different. These tears were because it hurt. These tears were from my body taking over, not succumbing to reason and logic.

I wanted to rub my skin off raw, the crawling sensation still on me. My dress was in an even more ugly state than before, but I didn't stop scrubbing. I felt disgusted. Cold overtook me, and I was scratching so hard my skin turned red. And all of a sudden, I felt cold, steady hands grip me. Familiar hands, filled with concern.

"Ayla!"

Both my wrists were grasped, and a cool sensation blew on my face as someone pulled me up to face them.

Tariq.

***

Tariq's POV

Looking from afar all I could see was a girl shaking from crying so hard, sounds of her muffled sobs evident in the quiet park. This is the scene I took in when driving back from the venue.

Although I was busy this weekend, I had to drop off a gift at the venue and then leave. If I didn't, then it would be looked at as if there was conflict among the top 5 families. Even if there might've been, it was never declared outright and I sure as heck didn't want to be the one to announce there was a conflict by not dropping off a gift.

Aaron already stopped by and left shortly. All that was left was me. I ran in, dropped off the gift, said hi/bye to Mr. Silber, and ran back out to go home. Just looking at that man gave me the creeps. Who the fuck looks at their adopted daughter with those eyes? It was disgusting. Revolting even. No wonder Ayla and Ms. Hayes separated from him. But That's when I felt something was wrong.

I heard Ayla's name coming out from the mouths of several guests. My gut told me something must've happened. Immediately, I grabbed the closest guest to me and interrogated what happened.

Hearing what the guest said, my skin broke out into a cold sweat. I looked around and I couldn't see Ayla anywhere. Who knows what that girl is doing right now! What if she's not in the right state of mind! My heart thudded in anxiety. Where did she go?! Reason tried to take over, telling me that Ayla wasn't that type of person. That she was a calm, steady person. But even calm steady people have their moments of outbursts, don't they? I know I sure as hell do. And that's what scared me. What if she burst today, when I wasn't there to help her?

I immediately started driving around, deducing that she couldn't have gone far. That's when I saw a girl hunched on the swings, shaking, either from the cold or tears, at the nearby park. Something inside told me it was Ayla, just like that very same thing always made Ayla feel familiar to me from day one, even at that cafe.

Thump, thump, thump. Flustered over her state, I rushed towards her, my steps increasing their pace.

"Ayla, what's wrong?"

"..." No response.

"Ayla, I need you to talk to me. Look up."

"..." Yet again, no response.