Once Upon a Time

Twenty~five!...

***

She looked away. "What's wrong?" He asked when she gradually loosened her hold on him.

"Huh, no it's nothing. I think we should get some rest already, it's getting late." She told him but his grip tightened instead.

"Is that your way of escaping the question?" She shook her head. "What happened now? I told you mine, I didn't hold anything back so you have to tell me yours."

How was she going to start?

She hesitated. "Daniel, I-" he nodded for her to continue. "I think we should really talk about something else." She tried again and he frowned.

"You don't want to tell me?" He nodded in understanding. "I should have known what I was getting myself into telling you that. I can never even tell if you are in love with me anyways, so it's fine." She swallowed. "You know you're right, it's dark already we should just head off to bed." He said and began to retreat for the night.

She watched his expression change to that of anger. She was quick to wrap her arms around his torso to stop him from leaving her.

"I'm one too quick to fall in love Daniel," she hesitated. "I tried to stay away from you because I felt that my cousin wouldn't be too glad to hear that I was attracted to you Daniel. I wanted time with you but I thought you liked Clara. You guys make out and kiss and it hurt all the time."

He turned back to her ignoring the melodious sound of the water. "So you have been in love with me all this while?" She nodded. "Why then? Why didn't you tell me?"

"How could I have told you? I would be betraying the trust she has for me Daniel. I just, I just thought it would be best if I stayed out of your lives. I didn't want her to think that I'm trying to steal you away." She finally sobbed and he hugged her tightly at that.

"I'm so happy that you feel the same way as I do. You love me don't you?" She nodded hardly before pressing her face to his chest to hide her tears.

He pulled away from her after a while. "Then tell me you love me," he requested.

"I love you," Without anymore hesitation, he sealed their relationship with a kiss.

__$

Becky rolled her hips to the music. With each dance move she displayed, she found herself staring into the eyes of a blondie who had sat readily and didn't hide the fact that he was looking at her. He smiled and she mirrored his expression before turning away. Few seconds later, hands slid around her waist and she was pressed into the comfort of that masculine figure. His breath fanned her neck as they moved to the beat of the song. She tilted her neck slightly as he planted his face in her neck.

"Found you," He muttered only to her hearing and she did something she didn't expect she would, she smiled.

__$

The chestnut beauty- Clara David, had been painting the whole day. She could not accept her misfortune yet. She could not accept the fact that she had no one now.

An magazine now old with date was by her side as she painted. Paint stuck to it every time she swiped hard.

Chiseled jaw....

Her paint brush finally snapped into two. For quite a while, she did nothing but stare at the weakling of a brush that couldn't withstand her anger before she exploded.

"Arrrrrghhh!!!" Her canvas went as she tore the picture out starting from the head to the naked torso. Her paint brushes went next from the table that laid the magazine.

She screamed in agony at her loss. Her life was ruined. Just when she thought she would have her own happy ever after, everything crumbled.

Her heart ached to get her prince charming. Why couldn't she be normal? Fall in Love, and live a life of happiness with the man whose feelings were mutual to hers.

She gently broke down. She should have known, anytime he told her that he would be gone for a while and the times where she would lend him some money. He went to her. How could she be so stupid?!

She had never been like this, she had always had her fill with boys and not the other way around. Why couldn't things go as she always wanted. She panted now with heavy breaths as she tried to calm down. There was only one thing left for her to do. She had no other option than to go back to where it all started.

Like they said, all event had a beginning and that was where she was going to find herself soon.

She found herself rising as she gripped the same table for support. It was at that moment that she looked at the magazine that was old by date.

She picked it up to view the content and the first thing she saw, was the dazzling smile of her cousin hanging unto the man she once thought that she loved. And as usual, his face was impassive. Her hold on it tightened as tears threatened to resume it's pour on her face. The envy she felt was too much that she found herself breaking down again. She tried to convince herself that she would have her own happiness soon enough.

She opened her eyes once more before reading another text from the same magazine. It read-

'Daughter seemed to have ran away with lover few weeks after the collapsing of their family business...' the write up went on and on.

'leaving her poor widowed mother devastated...' And again she didn't get to finish.

"Don't be sad mother, I made a mistake and I'm lucky I get to correct that mistake." Tears fell from her eyes like before as she wailed. "I'm coming home."

The paper fell limp in her hands as she sobbed.