The wind blew past me and my hair waved in front of my eyes as I pushed the strands of my loose hair behind my ear. The leaves shattered on the ground and I watched as the sweeper swept them to one corner. The weather was pleasantly nice as I stood under the shadow of the tree looking at my university. It was lunchtime and students scattered away searching for food or their best buddies while I chose to stand to have some time to myself.
It's been four months since I traveled to Paris, leaving US.
I could barely get over his face and that voice. That look in his eyes, that plead and that sincerity. I clutched my books tightly. My turquoise dress fluttered with the wind and I adjusted them down as I took in a deep sigh.
I thought it would be so easy to forget him but it's just impossible for me to do so. I asked him, pleaded him to forget about me but he told me that he can't and he will be waiting.
I postponed my ticket to Paris while I was in the hospital and scheduled it to one month later. As I got back to my apartment, I kept on limping to almost all places. The surgery was successful but I had got two bullets to one single leg. It was double the pain. Pushing Caleb away was not for my reason to travel Paris but I was scared if he got too much involved with me then the woman who was after me would get him and try to hurt him.
It was my decision to push him away because I couldn't afford to lose one more of my dear ones. Caleb was special to me and if he got hurt because of me, I couldn't have bear it. So, I stranded myself from him and refused to meet him. He didn't give up and each time he came to my apartment, the barrier that I had built between us started to have cracks in them.
Finally, I decided it was the right choice to leave. After talking to the officer and getting a nod from him, I packed my bags and left for the airport when I met him.
Somehow, he got to know that I was leaving and hurriedly made his way to the airport huffing and panting as he found me at the airport. I remembered that face of his face clearly as if it happened yesterday.
This is it?
Are you saying that this is it?
Is this how our relationship going to end?
He was clearly hurt by my decision of not letting him know before I left.
Please, Caleb. Don't make a scene here.
Please, people, are watching.
I had expected that he would be filled by rage and would start screaming at me but he looked more in pain and distress as he stood before me taking my bag away from me.
So what if they are watching?
They are not going to make my future.
Are you seriously giving up one me?
I have apologized to you multiple times and I'm willing to apologize until I die but if you leave how can we..I-
My heart ached seeing him like that, but I had no option.
Caleb if forgiveness is what you want then hear it, I have forgiven you for a long time. You need to stop apologizing now and talking about me leaving the country. It is my decision and I want to do it.
His eyes widened for a second and he looked taken aback as he spoke.
Then what about me? Us?
What's the point? You didn't even think it was appropriate to let me know? If it weren't for the officer then I would've never known. No! I won't let you leave. Sang, do you not understand how much I love you?
Caleb, please!
No! Please Sang do me a favor and make it clear to me for once.
Have you ever loved me even if it was for a little?
His eyes were glistening at this point and I clutched the handle of my luggage back tightly.
No.
I lied. I lied with all my guts and watched a lone tear tricked him and he looked the other way, wiping his eyes using his sleeves.
I'm so sorry. I will pay you back the hospital bil-
You don't have to.
Why do you even care?
Forget it! Think about it as our farewell gift from me.
It was the last thing he said and stood there looking down at his feet. I had an urge to throw my bag and hug him tightly telling him that I wanted him safe but I couldn't. Instead, I hurt him badly as I mustered up all the courage in me and turned around and left. Since then, there had been no calls or any type of touch from him.
I tried to search about him on the internet and the only thing that I got was, his name nominated in the Businessman of the year award. But there was not a single trace of him about where he was and what he was doing. The last picture of his was with Hailey in that yacht. I wondered what he had been up to and how he was. I wanted to dial his number but went against it.
"Sang," I heard someone and turned to find Loius waving at me with Diana and Ella. I smiled and waved back at them as they came to me and stood before me.
"Here! Again a straight-A!" Louis complained as he handed me my test results and I smiled.
"I have started to doubt my abilities now. I don't seem to be doing good in the exams" he said and scratched his head as I saw his result to find a D mark.
"You are the only one with a Dad," Diana laughed and Ella joined her as I chuckled at them.
"Yeah, whatever. Just wait and watch Sang I will defeat you in necklace creation," he whined like a kid and Ella laughed even more.
"Yeah, you wish. Your designs are nowhere near to Sang's," she told him and he snorted in reply.
"Stop it you two now. We can discuss it later. Let's get something to eat before the break is over," I said and they nodded as Louis ran and faced us walking backward.
"I saw this amazing cafe just at the entrance. Let's go there!" he told us and we nodded as we followed him and ended up before the cafe named Cafe M. As they walked in, I stopped right before the cafe when I saw my reflection on the window. I had chopped off my hair when I arrived at Paris.
I wanted a new look and went for a shoulder-length blunt cut and dye my hair to a darker shade of brown. I looked different but much feminine. In place of my usual glasses, I went for some contact lenses and I loved how I looked. But somehow, there was this sadness on my face that had gone unnoticed by my friends.
They had asked me about it countless times but I didn't let them know about anything that happened to me in the past. Not even about Caleb.
"Are you going to stand there the whole day and praise your beauty?" Ella joked as she looked at me and I nodded as I followed her in.
~
Finally, the day was over as I packed my drawing items into my bag and stood up to leave. Everyone has already left but I was busy with a design of mine of a ring and I wanted to end it before I left. So, I took my time and after only I finished with my drawing, I got up to leave. It was late and already the closing time for the university as I left.
I nodded at the guards who knew me already because I was the only one who stayed late. Sometimes, Mrs. Karen my teacher in the uni stayed with me doing her own work and helping me time to time. I was glad that I thought of coming to Paris. It was a beautiful city and often I went to the Eiffel tower in the evening just having my time alone, watching the couples.
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