Stolen. Fallen.

S. F. - 24

***

New.

Earth handed me a glass of water after making me sit on the couch in his office. After my announcement earlier, he didn't say a word and just guided me towards the couch.

"What happened?" he asked as he sat in front of me.

"Nothing. Why? Don't you want me anymore?"

I was kind of confused with his reaction earlier. Given the time he had invested in courting me, he should have been ecstatic, right? How could he be so passive about the whole thing??

"I know you, New. I literally spent every single day with you for the past ten months. Something happened."

I swallowed the lump in my throat as I stared at him. Was I that transparent for him to eventually notice?

"I hate how you can easily read me," I muttered and leaned back on the couch.

"How can't I when you were obviously panicking earlier. So, care to tell me?"

I stared at him for a moment, mentally weighing things. 

"He's back," I held my breath as I told him the reason I was acting all fidgety and anxious.

"When?"

"I-I don't know. But I'm sure, if he's not yet in Bangkok, he'll be back. He'll be taking over their company. I just read the invitation for the party when I called you earlier," I explained and I could feel my heart racing as I remembered reading his name embossed on that golden card.

"Is that why you agreed to being my boyfriend all of a sudden?"

I swallowed the lump in my throat as I stared at him. No matter how much he tried to hide it, the pain in his eyes was evident. And I felt guilty for causing him such pain. He didn't deserve any of this.

"I-I'm sorry," I muttered lowly as I looked down on my hands and started fidgeting with my fingers.

"New. Look at me."

I slowly lifted my head to meet his gaze. Surprisingly, he was smiling at me.

"Okay, I understand what you feel. But you don't have to pretend to like me, okay? If you need me to do something for you, just tell me. You don't have to force yourself to like me just to show him that you are doing okay."

I bit my lips and gave him an apologetic smile. In our friendship, Earth had always been the understanding one.  And he never failed to make me feel secure. 

"You can always refuse to attend the party."

"I-I can't. I'm gonna be representing our company and I'm sure my mom wouldn't like it if I won't attend."

"Then do you want me to come with you?"

"No. I mean. I think I can manage on my own. I guess it's time we met again. In the first place it was him who left without a single word. So, why should I be guilty. And besides, there was nothing between us," I held back my tears as my last sentence came out as a whisper, but I was sure Earth heard it.