Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 91361 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91361 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
“Hello,” I said.
“Hello.” Her smile seemed genuine enough, but her puzzlement was also obvious.
I stopped when I was at the foot of her bed. “T-thank you...for...seeing me.”
To her credit, she didn’t even blink at my halting speech. “It’s always my pleasure to hear from Helios.” Her voice had the same accent as Kellion, and I hated it.
“Although I have to confess...” Her smile turned wry. “I’m confused as well. I’m not sure why he had to send you all the way here when he could have just texted me—-” Her eyes widened with apprehension. “Has something happened to Kellion?”
I shook my head hastily. “No...it’s not...like that.” I inhaled deeply. “But I am...here...for him.”
When Jacqueline’s face became expressionless at my words, I knew she had an inkling of what I was about to say.
“I love Kellion.” I met her gaze head on, even though it hurt to look into her eyes, knowing she had always had Kellion’s heart.
Finally, Jacqueline said, “I’m not sure why you’re telling me this. I have nothing to do with how you feel for him.”
My eyes bored through hers. “We both...know...you do.”
Jacqueline flushed. “If this is all an attempt to twist my arm to make me help you nab him—-”
“I’m already...his girlfriend.”
Her mouth parted in surprise. “If...if you’re already his girlfriend, then why are you here?”
“You know...why.”
“I can’t force him to fall for you.”
The words were intended to hurt, and they did hurt, my heart shattering once again, pieces that only Kellion could fix but I knew were destined to remain broken. For Kellion to be happy, they had to stay broken because that was the only way I could let him go.
I whispered painfully, “I know...that...too.” Gazing at her, I was badly tempted to cry out, why? Why did Kellion have to keep loving her? Why couldn’t it be me?
“Does Kellion know about this?” Jacqueline suddenly asked.
I shook my head. “No.” Kellion thought I was with KC and the others on a field trip, but what he didn’t know was that the moment we got to the hotel, I had slipped out and Helios’ private jet had flown me halfway across the world just so I could meet with Jacqueline in person.
Squaring my shoulders, I told myself it was time to say my piece, to do what I came here for so it could be all over. “I’m sorry...your fiancé is...a cheat.”
Jacqueline whitened at the words, but she didn’t say a thing to deny it, and she earned just the tiniest bit of my grudging respect for it.
“But you have...always...known I think...that Kellion loves you. All these...years, you took and...took, and you like...having...him at your...beck and call. Like...now.”
“He didn’t come to see me now,” Jacqueline pointed out bitterly.
I could be just as bitter, but I didn’t want to. I told her simply, “Because...he’s guilty over...me.”
Her eyes widened.
“He knows...I now know...about you. And so he...doesn’t want...to hurt...me.” Each word felt like a knife I had to pull out from my own body, exposing my wounds and making me bleed even more. But even so, there were still more knives to pull, more blood to bleed before I could be sure Kellion had the happiness he deserved.
“Kellion needs you...now. You can make...him believe in himself. Be the President...of the Afxisi. Tomorrow, it will...be the ceremony...for his succession. Please come. Please be there...for him...for a change.” I bit my lip hard after that, needing more than a few moments to get myself back in control.
Just a few words more, I thought. I just had to hold on a little longer, do whatever it took to stop the tears until I said everything and this girl wouldn’t see me crying.
“If you really...care about Kellion...please come. If you don’t...I’ll take him...away. Forever.” Turning away, I walked towards the coffee table at the opposite end of the room. Placing a note on the table, I said, “If you’re coming...please...give this note...to Kellion.”
I didn’t wait for Jacqueline to answer. I couldn’t afford to. I was already at my limit, and I only managed to step out of her room before the tears fell and the sobs came out in choking bursts.
I love him, I love him, I love him. My heart sang the words. No other girl, not even the perfect Jacqueline, could love Kellion as much as I love him, so why, dammit, why? Why couldn’t he love me instead?
KELLION WAS WAITING by the sidewalk when our school bus slowed to a stop. The moment I stepped out of the bus, he was already there, pulling me into his arms.
“I miss you,” he whispered to my ear.
I hugged him more tightly. I really wanted to say the words back to him, and I had to bite my lip hard just so I wouldn’t. There was no better time than now to start moving on, to start accepting that soon, really soon, the day he wouldn’t be mine would come.