CHAPTER 11
Stories and More
DIANA'S POV
I came running inside my room and crashed on my bed. I had to pay the price of befriending the school's 'most desirable' guy? I buried my face in my pillow and cried. My mom had left me a text saying that she was staying at gran's place as Ian refused to come home, he enjoys there as there are my kids near gran's house. My mom wouldn't know I am home as I was supposed to stay at Amber's. Briyana is to be blamed, I guess. I heard the doorbell ring; I quickly wiped my tears and tried to look normal. I don't want my mom and Ian to see what a crappy life I was having. I mean it's 10:00 pm it has to be them. Maybe mom convinced Ian to come back. I ran downstairs and swung the door open. There stood Shane with his hands hanging to his side, he wore a very worried expression as he asked, "Are you ok?" he breathlessly added, "I am sorry. I-" "Go away!" I cut in rudely. "Please just go. Leave me alone, I don't wanna see anyone. Just-" it was all I could manage to say before the tears started escaping my eyes again. I turned to my heel and ran to my room. I heard the main door shut, good he went. Just then I heard a faint knock on my room's door. The doorknob turned, revealing Shane. I was sitting on the floor, but on seeing him, I got up. "What the hell? Why are you here?" I yelled.
"Diana, I couldn't go leaving you in this condition." He stepped inside my room. "Really? You couldn't leave me alone in my own house, but you could leave me all alone in the school cafeteria with the entire school laughing at me!" I shouted. No, I didn't! I don't know what happened there?" he raised his voice, taking a step forward to stand right in front of me. "Of course you dint know. Now pretend like you don't know about today either and just go!" I said pushing him. I pushed him twice, but then he held my hand by my wrist and pulled me closer to him. I buried my face in his chest, still crying. I found myself melting in his hug as I held him tightly with both my hands locked to his waist. He placed his hand on my back and rubbed it slowly, as his other hand rested on my head, holding me closer. "I can never leave you alone, D. when you told me about your break up, I knew I had to get you out of it on my own.
I wanted my best friend back. You know why... Because you are special. You are very special to me!" I looked into his eyes, the way he looked at me; I knew he meant every word he uttered. I can hardly believe the high school dream boy saying as sweet as this to me. We both sat on the floor leaning to the side of my bed, I wasn't crying a lot, but some tears managed to escape through my eyes. Shane put his hand around me as I rested my head on his chest, I could hear his heart beating frantically, just like mine. This might sound crazy, but it felt perfect there with him. I went back to all that Briyana had said to me. Shane doesn't date; she said both the times she created a scene. I don't see how it concerns me? "Shane, why don't you date?" I asked and immediately regretted it. Why am I so stupid? "I am sorry, you don't have to answer that." I said without moving from the now comfortable position. "No. It's fine." He said, "I can tell you." He sighed before talking again, "I don't date because I don't believe in dating." "Why not? Love is a great feeling." I butted in. "But your boyfriend made you cry every day, how is that great?" he asked hesitantly. There is something more he's not telling me about. "I know. But it has to be a great feeling. I don't know what is in store for me but look at my parents. They have been married for 20 years and they still love each other so much." I smiled against his chest. "Ya, you saw your parents. I never did! Your parents love each other but mine-" he stopped as his chest started up and down rapidly with his heavy breathing because of his little outburst. I shifted a bit and looked into his eyes, sitting up straight. His eyes evidently reflected pain. "Your parents?" I enquired. "No. nothing." He said never looking into my eyes. "You sure?" I tilted my head a little so he at least looks me in the eye. And when he did, I could see the weakest and the most fragile side of this tough and strong guy I call my best friend. It is maybe a bad memory or a fear of anything troubling. I placed my hand on his trying to comfort him. I shouldn't push this any further. "My mom and dad got married because they loved each other," he began "but I never knew love ends and neither did my mom. At first, everything seemed perfect, but then came the bad days. My parents used to fight daily; his voice was so loud that even after I closed my room's door I could hear him clearly. I could hear and see my mom cry every night and wake up the next day as if nothing ever went wrong. Everything good my mom used to do for that man, he only used hurt her! Then when my mom was pregnant with Nia, she thought everything will be fine once the baby comes into the family. But on her baby shower, that man did something no man would do to his pregnant wife. The ceremony was about to begin and he was drinking with his friends, my mom sent me to call him 5 times, but he never came. So she went out herself to get him. I was standing inside the house watching them talk through the window as they stood in the backyard. It seems they were fighting, their fight got bitter and..." he stopped. I gave his hand a light squeeze to let him know I was here for him. I knew this is the memory that has made Shane commitment-phobic.
As much as I wanted to know what happened, I wouldn't want to know it at the cost of troubling him. "He pushed my mom to the ground. She fell on the lawn screaming and writhing in pain and that man just walked away with his friends leaving her like that! I was only 12 back then, I managed to get mom to the hospital with my family's help. That is where Nia was born, she was a premature 7 month born because of that man! My baby sister was in the incubator for 3 days after her birth, because of him!" his hurt and pained expressions now changed to anger. But he continued, "After that, he begged for forgiveness to my mom, he said he was high and so he misbehaved with her and he wouldn't do it again. But after that twice he came home drunk and hit my mom. The second time, he went as far as trying to throw Nia on the floor. That was it! Mom had tolerated enough, we had tolerated enough. We left that house with a 3-month-old Nia with us. My mom was a successful businesswoman and the only heiress of my grandfather's hotels. That was the only income when my mom was with that man too. Later we shifted here. It was the midterm, so I had to repeat a year. That's why I am in your class when I'm a year older." He looked me in the eye, "I lost my faith over love. I had seen a very horrible version of this word. My mom and Nia mean the world to me, they are all I need. We are happy the way we are. I don't need a dad to complete my family." Shane had been through such terrible times, I didn't know what it would have been like, but from what Shane said, I could feel his pain. He always seems like a strong person, which he is, but he is also hurting. I hugged him tightly. "I think I should go," he said, shifting to get up. I could see his eyes soften like he would cry any minute. He has always been there for me, now when he needs me; I can't just let him walk away. "No, stay," I held his hand and looked at him.
He stopped and sat beside me like he was initially sitting. I then turned to face him, "Shane, I can see you have been through a lot. It must have been horrible, your worst nightmare, even. But things are different now." He was still staring at the ground. "You just can't keep running away. You have to give life a second chance. It's okay to fall in love, Shane." I smiled as his eyes met mine. "I don't know. I don't want anything that will distract me from my duties towards my family. Many think going to the park with your younger sister is lame, but I love it. I love watching my sister play, coz she seems too happy. I can do anything to keep my mom and Nia happy." "Who said she will be a distraction?" I began, "When you truly love someone, that person will be with you in everything. She will share your happiness, your sorrow, responsibilities even. You have taken care of everyone, even me. It's only fair if you have someone to take care of u. She will be someone special, someone as important as Nia and your mom; someone who makes your life worth living. There is someone for you too. You just don't know." "He looked at me lovingly and asked, "You have been through so much. How did you not llosefaith in love?" I smiled before answering, "There were times when I thought its all bullshit. But then I am not going to give up on something as beautiful. It hurts, sure, but it also shows you what it is like to live for someone else." When I looked at Shane, his eyes had a very different spark in them, an emotion that I hadn't seen him carry. "I know what it is like to have someone share your responsibility, happiness and sorrow with. There is someone who is as special to me as mom and Nia. She makes my life worth living," I grinned at him, "Who?" A small smile made its way to his lips before he answered, "You."
My eyes widened and my heart sank at what I just heard. Nobody had ever said anything so nice to me. Not even Wes had made me feel so special. I didn't know what to do or how to react. Our eyes were locked in each other and there was just silence between us. Surprisingly, it wasn't weird or awkward. Am I just having a moment with Shane? I tore my eyes off him, "I- I," I cleared my throat as couldn't find my voice. "I'll get.. You s-something," I got up from the floor and walks towards the door. I was about to leave the room before his hand gripped my wrist. My heart was beating faster now; I could hear my own heartbeat. I just closed my eyes and stood there. His hand slowly slipped upwards to my arm and he turned me around to face him, he walked closer to me. "Everything I need is here," he whispered in my ear. I looked into his eyes, only to see me in them. He pulled me closer; we were just inches away from each other his breath was practically fanning my face. I could hear our heartbeat in a rhythm, being this close to him; I could feel his heart hammering in his chest. His grip tightened around my waist as he placed his other hand on my cheek. My hands were on his chest, holding his shirt which seemed like my only support as my knees felt like jelly! It seemed so magical. We were so lost in each other, he leaned closer and my eyes shut automatically. As soon as his lips met mine, a thousand firecrackers started bursting in my head, there were goosebumps on my skin and butterflies in my stomach. I had kissed Wes before, but it was nothing like this, not even my first kiss. His lips melted on mine and without a second thought, I kissed him back. Our lips moved in sync before he deepened the kiss. We were so much into the moment that I didn't realise when he carried me to bed and before I knew it, our clothes were disposed of. What happened after that is what turned everything around!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A/N: Hello dear readers, I am so sorry it took me long to update. I had my exams on.
I hoped you enjoyed this chapter. Shane and Diana finally. What do you guys think? Let me know, I would love your feedback.
●Vote.
●Comment.
Keep reading. Love ya! :-*