Back at One

***Hi guys! It's been more than a year since I last wrote the story of this imaginary couple and suddenly they made their presence felt, so here it goes. This is a part of the story that kind of happened in between Coffee for Two and Infinite World. Tell me what you think. :)

"Please pick up your phone. We need to talk. Or if you don't want to, just please tell me you're okay. No matter what, I..."

She knew what's coming up so she clicked the delete button before he could finish the words that frightened her down to the core. 

Then the doorbell rang.

Shuffling to her feet, she quickly opened the door thinking that it was room service when suddenly she felt her heart drop to her feet as she caught sight of the man that had turned her into a thousand jumbled pieces. 

He reached out his hand to touch her, just to be sure that what he was seeing really was her, but when he saw her flinch and take a step back, there was nothing he could do to hide the pain that slashed through his heart.

Still looking at her feet, she asked "How did you find me?" 

"Why did you run away from me?" he countered, never minding the fact that he sounded like a tortured lover. Because indeed, he turned into a tortured soul when she suddenly disappeared. 

"I didn't run away. I just needed a few days to clear my head. I would have texted you once I get back."

"You could have told me. I would've come here with you if that's what you wanted."

"Isn't it obvious that that's not what I wanted?"

"Then why don't you tell me what you want?"

"Do I really even have to spell it out for you? Can't you see, it's simple. I don't want you here."

Clutching on to his chest as if the pain her words lashed onto him felt like a physical blow to his soul, he replied  "Wow. She can be mean if she wants to huh?"

"I can be meaner if you don't leave immediately. So why don't you just go now and let me be."

Without looking, she walked back inside the room, heading towards the balcony doors, because the air suddenly felt too thick for her to breathe. Not waiting for any invitation from her, he followed her inside.

Out onto the open deck, she perched herself on one of the chairs and closed her eyes. She didn't know what to say. How can she explain that she wanted him to stay as much as she wanted him to leave?

"Seriously, you didn't have to follow me here. I was planning to go back within the week anyway."

"You're right. I don't have to. But I needed to see you. To make sure that you're okay. So sue me for being worried over you." he angrily said as he stomped towards the other chair.

She finally conceded that she was in the wrong. Over the sound of the crashing waves, she whispered softly "I'm sorry."

Seconds ticked by, and they both silently sat side by side as they watched the waves crash onto the shore. All along she thought he hadn't heard her, so she got a little bit surprised when he spoke.

"There's no need for you to be sorry. If you wanted a moment for yourself, it's fine with me. You could've at least told me where you're going. Or at least, that you're leaving." Suddenly he stood up then went to where she was seated and sat down beside her.

With his eyes still glued to the sea shore, he asked "So you have any plans on telling me why you suddenly disappeared?"

Taking a deep breath she started with "Because you frighten me too much."

He sucked in his breath preparing for the next blow because he knew her too well to respond to that, and it hurts her more to think that he knew her that much.

"You brought out all these things I've learned to keep inside of me. I said I'd never fall in love and I never did." a lonesome tear managed to escape as she tried her best to keep her composure then huffing out a single breath, she continued "Well until you came along, that is."

Suddenly all of the aches from days ago left his body and relief washed over him. Finally giving in to the urge to touch her, he cautiously laid his hand on her shoulder and when she didn't resist, he tightened his grip and pulled her closer until he can feel the softness of her hair against his lips. 

He didn't realize how much he missed this. It felt like all of  his life, this was the only thing he was meant to do. Just to hold her.

Without moving his lips away from her head he murmured, "Would you like to know a secret too?"

As she nodded her response, he said "You frighten me as well." 

Pushing her far enough to look her in the eyes he continued "You frighten me too much I didn't know what to do when I realized that you were gone. I was afraid that the time we were together was only just a dream and I suddenly woke up. I thought I lost you forever."

She watched as the pain flashed across his eyes and it hurt her more. She touched his face, wanting to kiss away all the pain she caused him, but before she could, she held herself back because she wanted to explain herself more.

"I ran away because I watched someone die."

"He was a good guy. I didn't know him well but I always saw him with his family. They really looked so happy together. He and his wife and their little girl. What happened to him, to them, they didn't deserve it."

"Was this the guy who got robbed that you tried to rescue?" he quipped. He remembered her talking about it and realized that that's when she started to keep to herself at times.

"Yes. That's him. I did my best to stop the bleeding but I was too late. If only I saw him a couple of minutes earlier I could have kept him alive. If only then, maybe he'll be spending dinner with his family right now."

"But it wasn't your fault. It's not fair that you blame yourself for his death."

"Don't get me wrong. I'm not taking the blame. What really undid me then was when I got to talk with his wife after the incident."

"When I asked her how she was, she told me that she wasn't okay for the meantime but she knows that she'll be someday. Because she has to. For their daughter. Because she's all that she has left of him. She knows that a part of him lives in her and that's what keeps her going on."

"I tried to put myself in her shoes then and I suddenly saw you lying there on the pavement instead of him. surrounded with blood, and there's nothing I could do to save you. That's when I broke down."

"I ran away because I thought it could loosen the grip you had around my heart. That maybe if I put some space between us, it would be easier for me..." 

"For you to what?" he asked when she didn't continue

"For me to let you go." she said, trying to keeep the tears from falling.

"And why in God's name would you do that? Do you think I'd just be a willing participant that when you decide to let go, I'd let go too? Just because you  imagined me dying on the street. I'm sorry to say but that's not how I do it."

"I know. But can't you see? The pain I felt when I imagined that I lost you was all too real. I don't think I can be as brave as her. I'm not even sure if I can handle that much. That's why I thought it'd be better if I let you go as early as now because I thought I haven't sunk quite that deep yet."

"So let me get this straight. You tried to cut me out of your life because you're afraid that you might suddenly lose me?"

"Yes."

"Then let me ask you another question. Would it make any difference if let's say we've separated, then a couple of years from now, you'd hear news of my death. Would you hurt less? Because for me, I absolutely think it would only make the pain worse. To think that I let you live those years without me by your side. That one would hurt me more."

Realizing now her mistake, she closed her eyes. "How did this happen? All my life I've been able to keep myself from falling yet now, here you are, only a couple of weeks in and suddenly you laid claim for the rest of my pitiful of my life."

"Let's just say you laid the claim first, love. That moment when you bought this necklace." he said as he reached for the locket that brought them together.

With their arms wrapped tight around each other, they watched the sun as it slowly descended towards the horizon, while the warm breeze blew around them.

"Just to make things clear, there won't be anymore episodes of running away from me, right? Because I seriously will keep on hunting you down even if I have to drag you back  to where you belong."

"And where would that place be, if you don't mind my asking?" she playfully replied

"My bed." was his cocky response.

"You insufferable son of a ---"

"Ah-ah. Don't you dare curse my mother, woman."

"---pig. I was going to say, pig. Those wonderful human beings weren't your real parents anyway. They just adopted you."

"Seriously though, now that we've cleared things up. You want to go anywhere right now?"

Slipping her arms through his, she whispered against his ear "Anywhere will be fine. As long as you are in it."

source

You came and breathed new life. 

Into this lonely heart of mine. 

You threw out the life line. 

Just in the nick of time.

***P.S. It's quite interesting for me that while this story was forming inside my head, this song suddenly played on the radio. I liked how it sounded so I decided to use it as the title of my story and when I finally watched the video right now (because seriously, I've already forgotten about it since it was frrm a long time ago. ouch!) I was a little bit surprised that somehow it was kind of related to the story also. Coincidence? Let the fates decide. ;)