Synergy

Fifty-two

"They tricked me."

Ela's pov

"I missed you." He mumbled, absentmindedly playing with the fingers on my left hand.

Silently, yet contently he traced the patterns etched across my flesh.

My heart fluttered as he payed extra attention to the fourth finger. My ring finger. I tried not to read too much into though.

"I missed you more." I whispered while staring at the expanse of his hands compares to my boney long fingers.

Suddenly I felt something. An urge. Harry layed it all out on the line with me. It was time I did the same with him. He deserved to know my past demons. He deserved to know why my nature took towards the defensive, cautious side.

"Harry. I need to talk to you about, well about me." I blurted through an expel of air.

His fingers paused for only a moment before he smiled slightly. I took that as my indication to go on.

"About my past."

I knew I had his attention before. Though now, it was clear that no possible distraction could interrupt this conversation.

I swallowed hard at the serious shift in mood we had just taken route in.

I hoped, no I preyed that his opinion of me wouldn't change in a negative aspect.

He seemed to pick up on my anxiety.

"Nothing could change the way I feel for you."

He could read me like an open book.

Memories of the past actions I lived surfaced viciously and before I knew it tears has prodded at the corner of my eyes.

"I was so screwed up Harry." I shook my head.

Softly he reached up to flick a tear off my tinted cheeks. His touch gave me strength to continue on, sparing no details.

"It all just, just spiraled out of control and- and the worse part was I didn't even realize anything was wrong!" I pulled at my hair in a vain effort to take some of my frustration out.

"What spiraled?" He coaxed gently as he slowly took my hand away from my hair and into his grasp.

So I started from the beginning.

"My Dad and I, never really got along. We butted heads and argued over everything." My eyes glazed over as I tapped into the most bitter part of my life.

"His expectations were high, so high. And I tried so hard to meet them. I came up short everytime."

I couldn't look at Harry's face as I told my story. I was afraid to. Not because of any judemental expressions. Those I would never receive from him. I was more afraid that if I looked over at him, I'd see what I'm most afraid of. Pity. I didn't need any of that.

"One day we got into a fight. It was the worst fight we ever had. It was over going to college...I wanted to be a singer. My dad knew this. He knew I had a band and he knew we were good. This producer found us, the girls and I, and wanted to give us a go. My dad refused. He said I was just being lazy, didn't have the voice to be a singer and that if I'd ever even mention wanting to sing again, I could find someplace else to live. "

My grip tightened around his fingers.

"But I didn't listen. And I met that producer with the girls. He had us record a song and then sent it off. Melinda found it and loved it and offered us a deal. She at the time was just on a record dealing team but then eventually she branched off with us to managing." I briefly trailed off as I moved my gaze to the wooden coffee table in front of me.