Beautiful Betrayal

Canada

----------------

"Tell me how to forget you and I'll happily let you go."

~L.E. Bowman

----------------

----------------
V I C T O R I A
----------------

Flashback
(Victoria 17 & Dominic 19)

The cool, chilly air of Canada brushed against my skin, causing me to shiver from the cold. It had been a month since I arrived in Canada with Lily.

Of course, I'm avoiding him. His texts, calls, and emails remain unanswered because I can't bear it anymore. Loving him is slowly draining the life out of me, and with each passing day, feel like I'm losing more of myself. Every time he breaks my heart, it feels like a piece of me is torn away, and what's even more painful is that he doesn't even know the extent of the pain he's causing me.

On the prom night, after spending an hour in the washroom crying over my fate, I returned home. There, I cried all night long, attempting to explain to my heart, but that stubborn thing never wanted to listen to a wise word. The next morning, I woke up with red, puffy, swollen eyes.

My mood was already sour, and the notifications on my phone were only making it worse, so I made the decision to switch it off.

I wasn't in the mood to have breakfast, so I remained upstairs in bed, feeling like a lifeless body. However, it seemed the universe had other plans. I was lying there when my mother barged into my room, scolding me. Yet, as soon as she saw my swollen eyes and pale face, her anger melted into concern. She sat beside me, her tone softening, "Victoria, my child, what have you done to yourself? What happened, love? Why are your eyes swollen? Why have you been crying?"

Hearing my mother's soothing voice, I couldn't hold back my tears as I melted into her warm embrace. The wounds in my heart reopened, and the pain felt unbearable.

"Victoria, don't scare me like this, baby. Why are you crying? What happened? Please, tell me something."

"Nothing, Mom. I just watched a movie... a... dog movie where the dog died while saving his owner. It was really... heartbreaking."

"Oh my God, Victoria, are you serious? You scared me. I know how emotional you are, but baby, this is too much. Don't ever do this again, do you understand? Don't you dare to do this again."

I nodded my head in response, feeling relieved that my mother hadn't seen through my white lies. She held me in her comforting embrace for a while before instructing me to put some drops in my eyes, then she left my room.

As I lay back down on the bed, preparing for round two of crying my heart out, the door to my room suddenly burst open. I looked up tiredly to see Lily standing there, her expression a mix of worry and anger.

"Lily, I don't want to talk right now. Please leave," I pleaded, but she didn't listen. Instead, she hurried into my room and closed the door, standing right in front of me.

"Why aren't you answering my calls, Victoria?" she demanded, her voice filled with concern and anger. When she saw my condition, her expression hardened, and she gritted her teeth.

"That bastard, I'll kill him, Victoria. I'll kill him right now," Lily seethed, turning around to leave the room. Panicked, I quickly got up and grabbed her hand.

"Lily, no, please," I pleaded, desperately trying to calm her down. "It's complicated. There's a lot going on, and I just need some time to convince my stubborn heart."

Lily's anger softened slightly as she looked at me, her eyes filled with concern. "Victoria, you can't keep shutting me out like this. We're friends, remember?

She sighed again, her touch gentle as she cupped my face in her hands. "Victoria, you have to let this go. It's killing you slowly," she whispered, her voice filled with genuine concern.

Tears welled up in my eyes as her words sank in. I knew she was right, but it was easier said than done. The pain of letting go seemed unbearable, but I also knew that holding onto it would only prolong my suffering.

"I'm trying Lily," I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper. " God knows I'm trying.

Her expression softened, and for quite some time, we sat there in a comfortable silence.

"Victoria."

"Huh?"

"Don't you think you need a shower? You really stink."

I Couldn't help but laugh. "Maybe," I replied, a hint of amusement in my voice appreciating her ability to lighten the mood.

With a playful tone, Lily nudged me towards the bathroom. "Now get up and go take a shower, you really really stink," she teased, giving me a gentle push.

"And Victoria, pack your bags," Lily said with a secret, mischievous smile.

"Why?" I asked, confused by her sudden announcement.

"Because we're leaving for Canada," she declared, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"But Lily..."

"No 'buts,' sweetie," she interrupted gently. "We are leaving, and more importantly, you need a fresh start. Let's go to Canada. Canada is waiting for us with its chilly weather. Let's go there and freeze our hearts with our bodies so no one can hurt us."

That's how I ended up in Canada with Lily, staying at her grandparents' house. During our time here, Lily informed me that she would be transferring here in Canada to pursue her career here after this semester.

The news took me by surprise, and I felt a mix of emotions. On one hand, I felt sad at the thought of Lily leaving, knowing that her presence had been a source of comfort and support for me during my vulnerable time. But on the other hand, I also felt happy for her, knowing that she was pursuing her dreams. Despite the bittersweet feeling of her departure, I knew that our friendship would stay the same, even across the miles.

I was lost in my dilemma when my phone rang, and a message popped up on the screen.

"Victoria, please at least talk to me. Please, I want to hear your voice. It's been a month, cara. Please, at least give me the location. I beg you, I want to see your beautiful face. Please, tell me, Amore, where are you?"

Reading his messages, I felt a surge of emotions, Despite everything, a part of me longed to respond, to hear his voice again. But another part of me hesitated, unsure if I was ready or not.

However, in the end, I chose to ignore his texts.

----------------
End of the chapter
Thank you for reading
Like comments and share
----------------