The Man Who Left | ✔

35 | damar.

D A M A R

[arabic → destroyed (in pieces), devastated] 

As the tears fell, Tahira leaned against the window railing, letting the high winds of Los Angeles breeze in. She felt alive, but she was dead inside. She hated herself for telling him everything. She hated herself for being so quiet about her feelings. She simply just despised herself.

The faint sound of the city filled the air, creating minor distractions whenever Tahira thought of Nathan. It was then when she realised that she wasn't alone. Cocking her head as soon as she heard a noise, she looked around her.

And for once, she smiled a little.

Emily was standing by the kitchen counter, a hopeful smile on her face. "I brought you some food!"

Sniffing away the tears, Tahira tried to smile. "Thanks,"

"The front door wasn't locked though," Emily smiled, "You gotta check it next time,"

Nodding, she tried hard to let the tears to not fall—but it was too painful. When she approached Emily, she broke into sobs—her body growing limp when her hands met Emily's.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Emily asked as she pulled Tahira straight. Tahira—still sobbing—shook her head a gazillion times but nothing made it clear to Emily. "Is this about him?"

Squeezing her eyes shut, Tahira nodded. "I—what? How do you know?"

"You think I'm that stupid?" Emily raised an eyebrow at Tahira. "From the way you look at him, the way you talk to him, the way you act so different when he's around explains everything. Now," Emily leaned in forward, her hands on Tahira's shoulders. "Why did you tell him?"

"I had too—he," Tahira took a deep breath. "—he had this feeling about Maya, this feeling where he thinks that Maya is someone from his past or something like that,"

"And this shithead of yours told him everything?"

"What else could I've done?" Tahira looked at Emily, tears still raining down her cheeks. She spoke in a soft but hoarse voice. "What did you expect me to do other than that?"

Emily narrowed her eyes, a look of disappointment filling her eyes when she looked back at her. "I'm so sorry,"

Tahira shook her head, trying to force a smile on her face. "You don't have to be—I shouldn't be the one who's stupid enough to think of my relationship with him. I mean, he was Maya's fiance—I can't just snatch him from her? How dumb could I be?" 

Emily stayed quiet.

Tahira then let out a sardonic laugh in the midst of tears. "I'm just so pathetic. I'm just a attention-seeking whore who is in love with the man who will never love me."