Zaynah ✓

xvii

~ D e s m o n d ~

"You like chocolate?"

"Yes, but I love strawberry more," She pointed at the particular flavored ice cream.

"Okay then," I turned towards the shopkeeper, "Two strawberry, please." He handed us the ice cream in no time.

I disliked that flavor, to be honest, but I wanted to try it since she had a liking for it.

I brought the cone shaped ice cream to my mouth, "It tastes good, actually."

"It does," Her enthusiasm for the sweet dessert was adorable.

I think I'll love strawberry from now on.

We finished our business at the stall and started our walk again with my fingers perfectly intertwined with hers.

For a moment, I wished that we could walk like this endlessly through a never-ending path towards an unreachable destination.

It would've been enough. Pure bliss. Perfect tranquility.

I was wandering in my impossible dreams when somebody had pushed me to the ground, forcing us to break apart.

Oh yes, my plan. We had reached the secluded alleyway already.

My day was going so great that I had actually forgotten about my great plan to trap my little Snowflake.

A group of four people hovered over me while I saw her standing there with a shocked expression.

Poor girl.

One of them bent over and started to check all of my pockets.

"What are you doing?" She spoke up, and I noticed a glimpse of that Queen whom I saw in that bakery for the first time.

"Shut up lady," the tallest one snapped at her, "Let us do our job."

They were acting too naturally.

The one who was supposed to rob me took out all my money and distributed it among themselves.

"Stop it!" She came towards me and tried to get me back on my feet.

"Uh, not so fast." One of them held her wrist, "Give me your money as well."

I let out an exasperated sigh. Touching her was not in the plan. I'll have to warn him later.

"I don't have any money," She looked so helpless and fearful. I felt so bad.

"Then let's thrash him," saying so another one of them gave a blow to my face. That one hurt like a bitch.

I had anticipated a punch to give off the feeling of reality but I didn't expect it to hurt like this. It surely drew some blood.

"No stop it please!" She tried to stop him and my heart clenched at the sight.

"Then give us something or else we'll beat your lover into pulp."

She was going hysterical. She had been given royal upbringing and wasn't subjected to such raw atrocity and maybe that's why she looked so clueless and lost.

Then it happened.

Her hands traveled to her neck and she removed her necklace and handed over to one of them. She didn't stop there. She took off her earrings followed by the rings on her fingers.

The sight unraveled before me like a play of the past events.

She had never changed.

"Let him go now," A lone tear flowed down her flushed cheek.

"This is enough, right mate?" One of them spoke to the another.

"I guess then we'll leave now." They left after that leaving us alone.

She rushed towards me and laid my head on her lap.

It looked similar to a scene in which a lover was bidding final goodbye to her soldier husband who was dying on her lap. Tragic.

"Are you okay?" A tear drop landed on my face.

I lifted my hand and wiped her tears, "Never been better."

"Have you gone mad?" She didn't look at me instead she pulled her handkerchief from her dress pocket and wiped the blood off my mouth. That's when I noticed that she still had the wedding ring on her.

She didn't give it up. It was the only jewelry she kept.

My eyes filled up with tears but my lips formed into a smile.

She now looked at me with sorrow and pity but at least it wasn't hatred and disgust.

"Why do you always help people?" I asked taking her hand in mine.

"I can't help it," She looked away blinking back her tears.

She had passed the test. She was indeed a genuine person.

"You know what?" I caught her attention.

I kissed the ring on her hand which I had slid on with so much undefined feelings back then.

But now my feelings for her were clear.

I caressed her face as if reassuring that she was real.

"I love you Zaynah."