May I, My Love? ✔

45. t h e c a l m b e f o r e t h e s t o r m

(Harmony's pov...)

It had now been a week since the last time I saw Eugene. She was such a bother, looking down upon me every chance she got. I didn't even know why my parents were friends with hers, when she clearly didn't see me as one. The day after, Josiah texted me to wait back in the music room and we finally made up.

I did know that he was a busy man, with the weight of the whole country on his shoulders, and that I really couldn't pressure him to only pay attention to me. Maybe, just maybe, if I ever have a future with him, I will have to understand his responsibilities and try to not make his life harder than it already is. It could all be a big fat joke, with no healthy outcome for me, but I wasn't ready to let him go just yet.

For the past seven days, we have been meeting in the morning as usual, and also after Claire's class ended. Somehow after we made up, Josiah has been much sweeter than before. He pays more attention to me, smiles a lot more and acts completely different. In these two months, I haven't seen him show so much of affection to me as he had done in the last seven days. It was really aberrant to be on the receiving end of more than enough affection from a man who is usually reserved.

It's as if.... the calm before the storm. As if... he knows we don't have much time together.

It made me extremely uneasy whenever he went out of his way to smile extra broad for me, or do things which he usually didn't. For the first two days, I was so frozen that I couldn't even focus on him. But gradually, I eased myself and got accustomed to this new way. Whether it's a forewarning or just a change in his personality, I would accept all of it.

Thanks to that, the last few days have been like heaven. We have talked so much more, known every detail about each other, loved and kissed passionately, and become practically inseparable. Our bond is stronger than ever, and I can now know what he's thinking just by looking at his eyes. Those grey eyes, which hold the depths of the ocean, convey all his inner thoughts, feelings and intentions to me. Maybe, that's why I'm so happy nowadays, because I can see the love he has for me in every second that i spend with him. 'Maybe, this is even better than heaven for you.'

This afternoon, Lisa was coming over for a good chat after a long time, and I was so excited I almost forgot that I had to tutor Claire. But Claire being the sweetest girl I've ever met, she quickly dismissed my apology for being late by ten minutes and insisted that I should not apologize for trivial things. This was the reason I was so fond of her. She was a rare gem, the only one who treated me like a human instead of a mere girl from a lower class.

With over a week gone by, Claire told me all about how she fell in love with Andrew. It supposedly happened from a young age, since her brother wasn't here to take care of her. He would send Andrew to be with her instead, and he abhorred it initially. But, with her sweet behaviour, she won him over, and they went from talking about her childish drawings and nature to her growing up into a beautiful teenager whom Andrew fell for. She too always felt more comfortable around him than her own grandfather, and would take up any chance to be with him.

But Andrew chickened out when her brother came back, saying that he felt too guilty to break his trust. As if they had committed a crime. They still haven't talked to each other, and I was worried this issue will become a lifelong regret for both of them. So, today I advised Claire to go and sort it out with him. I told her to become stronger than him and to learn to talk about things, even if they were awkward or embarrassing. And, she surprisingly listened to me. Right after our class ended, we both went our ways, excited for what was to come.

I skipped over to my house, took a bath, and cleaned my room. I knew it was going to become dirty again, since Lisa is the epitome of messy, but it was much better to give her a clean room rather than a dirty one. Around five o'clock, Lisa entered my room with a breathless expression.

"What's wrong? Did someone bully you on your way here? You look mighty pale," I remarked as I saw her flushed face and wide eyes, all red.

Her appearance was giving me red flags and I immediately stood up. Who was in trouble this time? Her? Or me? I quickly pulled her inside and closed the door so my parents couldn't hear anything.

"Tell me Lisa, what is it? Why do you look like you're about to die?" I asked her, genuinely concerned about her behavior.

"Its all over." Was her simple reply.

"What? What are you talking about?"

But instead of giving any verbal answer, she pulled out her phone and showed me something. As soon as I held it in my hands and pressed play, I knew my life was ruined forever.

And that I was right. This really was the calm before the storm.