A Little Too Dark

Toxicity

Lorenzo walked into the empty playground. It was dark in there. The only source of light was from the streetlight a few feet away from the entrance. He heaved a sigh and looked up at the sky. It was luckily a clear night, with a full moon over his head. He looked around to find her. It was past the time they agreed they will meet and Zara was fashionably late as always.

Lorenzo slowly walked around with his hands in his pockets. It was a chilly night. His eyes wandered around the playground. Empty swings. Vacant slides. Lonely monkey bars. He believes he can hear cricket or two – it is funny how a place can be so chaotic during the day and is now dead and hollow at night. But at least this place has a hope that tomorrow morning, it will once again be filled with laughing children – playing around and making friends – unaware and destressed of everything around them. Lorenzo envy those children, he wished he had a childhood like them.

"On time, as always." Lorenzo stopped strolling around when he heard the voice. It was as soft as it always has been. He tensed as he heard the clicking of her heels on the pathway. "I am sorry I am late. You know how I am," She softly chuckled.

Lorenzo gulped. His eyebrows with pulled together and his lips were pressed thinly. "Of course, I do." His voice was slightly hoarsely from being quiet for a while.

Lorenzo doesn't only know that she is always late, but he is also aware of his deceptive she is. He turned around to look at her. It was after ten years that he was seeing her in person and alone. They would see each other with lawyers around, in the courtroom, or under his father or her friend's presence and recently with Andrea around. But since that dreadful night, they haven't been together in the same premises alone.

She was dressed more casually this time. She didn't show up in a pencil skirt with impossibly high heels and makeup on. She was wearing a pair of jeans with a white blouse. Her hair wasn't tied in a bun or ponytail, instead – they were loose and were bouning along with the breeze. Her face was also bare of makeup. She looked so normal – so innocent with that soft smile on her face.

Enzo felt like he was taken back in time when nothing happened and everything was good between them. He felt like he was back to when he was madly in love with her. He gulped as he slowly blinked. How illusory that time was. If there is anything, he would never wish to bring back time when he was living a delusion.

Zara's eyes softened, "You look good, Zo." She lowly mumbled as she took a few steps forward. "I missed you," She added while she looked into his eyes with her misty ones. Lorenzo clinched his jaws – his eyes conflicting his demeanor.

Lorenzo exhaled, "You need to stop," He spoke firmly. He didn't dare to soften his eyes – not when her eyes were boring into his – seeking for the long lost compassion for her.

The smile on her face flattened as she slowly blinked – looking at him bewilderedly before she sniggered, "I need to stop what, Zo? Do I have to stop missing you? Caring for you? Or do I need to stop loving you?" She asked softly – her eyes were now filled with unleashed tears.

Love. Lorenzo was stunned to hear that word coming from her mouth. He remembers her telling him how much she hates him. How she believed Lorenzo was toxic – how she would never love him again. How can she say that she loves him now? Doesn't that word hold any meaning for her? But then again nothing is sacred for her – she is a liar. She is manipulative. Lorenzo doesn't believe that he was never wrong – he was and he takes full responsibility for what he did, but still, he can never forget Zara. Because of her, he lost so much in his life.

"You don't love me, Zara. You are incapable of love – at least towards me. You only want a surety that I am not happy without you. But I am – so much happier than I was with you. And you don't like that – so, now you love me again." He told her and saw a fat tear fall from her eye as she looked at him with slightly widened eyes.