I prepared myself before entering my room so that I was able to surprise Steve. But my plans proved to be futile when I saw no one in there. Then I decided to look into Phil and Vanessa’s room. When I got there, Vanessa told me that Steve has gone to Jazz café and everyone else is there too and I told her about my plan to surprise him. She agreed to join me in that and we both left for the café.
When we got there, we saw that everyone was involved in a serious discussion. And James and Tia too were there. So, I just asked Vanessa to hear their conversation a bit from some distance before going in front of everyone.
“I just can’t let Zara know about this. She’s coming back tomorrow and I just don’t know what I’m going to do.” Steve said.
“But she’ll find out eventually. She’s not a kid. And I think it’s better that you tell her all this yourself rather than…” Phil was speaking but Tia cut him through.
“Either you tell her or someone else will do. I don’t care. But mark my words, if no one does, then I will. I want her to understand how all this is. She needs to get out of Ella’s way. Ella is already suffering so much and all you seem to care about is what will Zara do? How could you be so mean and selfish?” Tia said.
I wasn’t able to understand what was going on so I decided to simply ask them.
“What do you all want me to know?” I asked as I made my way to the their table
Steve, Phil and Ruth were more than just shocked while Tia and James had a sly smile on their face and Rodick sat there with indifference.
“Zara…..You came back already? You were supposed to come back tomorrow, weren’t you?” Steve asked in tone which was much more scared than just surprised.
“Yes, I did. But answer my question first. What were you guys discussing about? What is that thing which you don’t want me to know but everyone else does?” I asked Steve.
“Look Zara, there is nothing like that which you’re thinking. Just please listen to me first please.” He said panicking.
“It would be better if you tell her everything now!” James said.
“Yeah….she should know what happened in her absence.” Tia said and Steve gave her a vexed look.
“What is it? Tell me Steve…..What are they talking about?” I enquired.
“Zara, just listen to me first. I can explain everything, just please first listen to me…..”He said and Tia interrupted him.
“He’s just playing around and not coming to the point. I’ll tell you about it all.” She said and immediately Steve pounced on her.
“Don’t you dare open your mouth. I’m warning you. It’s my matter and it would be better that you stay out of it.” He warned her.
I had never seen him talk to a girl like that and I must admit now that it was scary.
And then James came in between them.
“How dare you talk to her like that? First, you mess up with my sister, break her down physically and emotionally and then you have the nerve of talking to Tia like that?” James blurted out.
“So what are you trying to say? That it was all my fault? She came with me herself. I didn’t ask her to.” Steve said.
“And you didn’t ask her to leave also.” James replied.
“Wait, can anyone please just tell me clearly what’s going on in here?” Vanessa said. “Phil, you tell us, what is this all about?”
“Can we just leave this place and go somewhere else? I don’t think this is the right place to talk!” Phil replied.
“Yeah, take her somewhere else so that you can tell whatever story you wish to tell her. Amazing Phil!” Tia said.
By that time, my mind was just tired to hear all of them argue with each other, so I decided to end it all in my own way.
“Ok fine, Tia you tell me what is it?” I asked her.
“Zara, I can tell you everything but just please….” Steve started to say but I cut him off.
“Can you please just keep quiet for some time? You’re just creating drama out here and I’m just trying to solve this all in a peaceful manner. So now just sit here and keep quiet for some time.” I said.
“But, please listen to me first, I…”
“Quiet, I said. I’m asking her and not you. So please just sit done here quietly.” I replied and he sat down accepting his defeat. “So what do you want to tell me?” I asked turning to Tia.
“It’s just that Steve isn’t the kind of person you think he is.” She said.
“Can you please just come directly to the point? Because I don’t have that much of time to spare for your bull shit.” I replied.
“Oh so all this seems to be shit to you and you want me to come to the point directly? Great, so here it is. This so called boyfriend of yours gave you the best birthday gift ever by sleeping with Ella and in the morning he denied even taking her to his room which he did that night in front of all of us.” She started but Ruth interrupted her.
“He did that because he was drunk and he thought that she was Zara and not Ella.” Ruth said.
“Whatever. And then, when she found out that she is pregnant with his child, instead of accepting her and his own child, he abused her emotionally stating that she was a slut to sleep with him and it was all her fault and not his.” Tia said.
I was shocked to hear all this and I didn’t know how to react. And I stood there gaping at everyone who continued their argument.
“So what? I don’t even know why all of you are making such a great deal out of it. It’s fine that Steve made a mistake. Mistakes happen sometime. And Ella can just abort that child. It’s not that late to do so.” Vanessa suggested.
“No, she can’t do that because if she aborts this child, she won’t be able to conceive again. So, abortion is out of question. And that’s why we want him to accept his child at least.” James said.
I was completely broken by then. Steve had broken my trust and I just didn’t know what to say. So, I simply just walked away from there to the place where the root-cause of all this trouble resided.
~~
I knocked violently on her door without saying a word and when she opened it, I pushed her into the house.
“So you got what you needed? You got him right. You happy now?” I shouted.
“Zara, calm down. Let me please explain this to you.”
“What will you explain? You got what you need and you ruined my life. This was your plan right? To drag him to your bed in my absence and then act that you’re pregnant with his child, so that you can make him yours. Wow, amazing Ella.”
“This is not an act, Zara. I really am pregnant.” And she started crying.
“Yeah, you may be. But I even doubt that you yourself know who’s the father of your child considering the fact that you’re a slut. But you know what? I don’t give a damn about if you’re speaking the truth or not. You may consider that you’ll be able to get Steve to love you by doing all this kind of shit, but let me tell you very clearly Ella, Steve is not going to love you EVER. He may accept your child if he’s forced to do so but he’ll never accept YOU. And you’ll always repent this deed of yours and this will not let you be happy in your Life EVER. Just remember that!” I said wiping my tears off my face.
“I know, I know this very well.” She said sobbing. “He said the same thing when he woke up that day to find me sleeping next to him. And I know this that he’ll never ever love me the way I love him because his heart belongs to you and only you. There is no place for me in it. But I can’t even abort this child and I’m not even forcing him to accept it. James and Tia are doing that. Because I know it’s entirely my fault. And I really wish I could make it all right.”
“Nothing will ever be alright Ella, never. And you know what? This one wrong action of your have ruined three lives including yours. Even if I forgive Steve, nothing will be same like before and YOU are responsible for that.” I said.
“I know…….I know that…..” She said.
“And you’ll pay for it all through your life, just remember that.” I said and walked out of the house leaving her to cry alone for her actions.
I didn’t know where I should have gone at that time. I didn’t want to go back to my room and face Steve at that time. I was just not ready to do that. I could have gone to Alan’s but Steve would have probably found out and had come there to talk. So I decided to go to Amy’s house. He didn’t know about Amy so he would never even think of looking for me at her place. So I called her and asked her if I could come over her place and she agreed.
I needed some time to think about what was going on in my life and being away from everyone who was connected to it.
So Amy’s house was a perfect place to calm my nerves down and to be able to think clearly.
But Ruth knew about Amy and the next day, she found me there. But thankfully she didn’t tell anyone and came to look for me alone.
“Zara, why did you think of coming here? Why didn’t you come back to your flat? You don’t know how tensed and worried Steve is, about you being alright. ” She said.
“He still thinks that I’ll come back to him?” I asked her.
“Yes, of course. In fact not only Steve, We all know and believe that you’ll forgive him for the mistake he has made.” She said.
“But why did he do this to me? He knew very well about Ella’s intentions and he knew how much it would hurt me to see him with her.” And by that time I had started sobbing.
“It was a mistake Zara. We are humans and we are bound to make mistakes. Moreover, he was badly drunk that night. And he wasn’t able to think clearly. And he was missing you really badly and maybe when Ella went with him, he thought it was you.”
“Maybe it was a mistake. But it has shattered my trust on him. And I really doubt if I would ever be able to trust him like before. And all the three of us are suffering because of it.”
“No, not only the three of you are suffering, many more people are also suffering because of this mistake.” She said. “But just tell me first, did you say something to Ella last night?”
“Why are you asking this?” I asked, surprised that she had told everyone about our conversation.
“She was already going through depression after Steve said all those things to her and last night, she attempted suicide. She’s in hospital right now. And her suicide note mentions you, that’s why I’m asking.” She said and my jaw dropped.
“Suicide? And she mentioned me? Like I’m responsible for this step of hers?” I asked her.
“Yeah, she attempted but James and Tia came in time to save her. And they found a note besides her which said, Zara is right, I’ll always remain with this guilt and I’ll never be happy. And if a person cannot live happily, he doesn’t deserve to live. That’s why I don’t deserve to live.’ So, that’s why I’m asking you did you say something to her like that?” She asked.
“I was just so angry with her last night and I spoke whatever came to my mind at that time but I didn’t mean to hurt her like that. And how’s she now?”
“Still critical. She had lost a lot of blood and James was so angry with you after reading that note that he went straight to your flat to talk to you and when he didn’t find you there, he instead got into a fight with Steve.”
“Fight? With Steve? Is he alright? Why didn’t you tell me all this before? He had to suffer just because of me.”
I was literally cursing myself at that moment. Why did I even go to Ella’s house? If I hadn’t been there, nothing would have happened.
“He’s okay. Just got a blue eye and nothing more. So, won’t you go now and see him? At least you should listen to him also so that you know both perspectives.” She said and I relaxed a bit.
“I don’t know. I think I need some more time to think clearly.”
“It’s fine. But I would suggest that you meet him and talk to him as soon as possible because he’s suffering a lot Zara. He has been suffering since that day itself. And only you can make him feel better.”
“Okay, I’ll talk to him whenever I think I’m ready but please don’t tell him or anyone that I’m here. Please I don’t want to talk to anyone.” I pleaded.
“Okay, so maybe you’ll meet him by the evening? Is that fine?” She asked.
“Okay as you say.” I agreed but I was not sure what I should say to him.
“Fine, I’ll call you in the evening on Amy’s number and we’ll fix a place alright?” She asked.
“Ahmm hmmm, yeah!” I said and bid her goodbye.
~~
In the evening, Ruth called and suggested that we should meet at my flat only but I opposed. Instead I suggested that Steve should meet me by the river and she agreed. So, everything was set. Steve and me, both of us were supposed to talk everything out that day.
I decided to leave early so that I could spend some time alone there and prepare myself to talk to him. And When I reached the spot, it was already half past seven and then, Steve called.
“Zara…” He said.
“Yeah…..”
“Are you really coming? Because I’m really afraid that you’ll have a change of mind.” He said and I could make out from his voice that he had cried a lot.
“I’m already there and I’m waiting for you to come here. I wasn’t in a state to talk yesterday but I’m fine now and I want to clear all the misunderstandings which……….” I was speaking when someone suddenly snatched my phone.
“Zara………… Zara, Are you still there?”
And I turned around to find James with my phone in his hand.
~~So, here's an early update as I promised :) But I'm sorry, the surprise is still not ready :(
But anyway, There is a picture of Steve (Andrew Garfield) by the side and I really think Zara is doing the right thing to give him another chance :)
And for those who have been asking me this, there's one more chapter and that will be the end of Zara's past and continuation for her present of course :P
So please vote and comment of what do you think of the chapter and I'll assure you of the next update as soon as possible :)