A New Start || Seventeen

Chapter 76

Daena closed the front door of her parents house behind her.

She leaned against it and took some deep breaths.

After a few moments she stood upright and walked into the sitting room before sitting down on the couch.

The room was dark as she had purposefully chosen not to turn on the light as she entered.

She lightly tossed her bag and phone onto the coffee table before placing her head in her hands.

She felt lost. Something about seeing just how much she had actually hurt Jeonghan with her decision had shaken her.

She had chosen to live in a bubble of denial where she believed he was okay and had moved on with his life over the last few months. Tonight had burst that bubble and she had been hit with the reality of her actions.

A buzzing sound distracted her from her thoughts and she lifted her head to see her phone vibrating across the coffee table.

She picked it up to see who was calling this late at night.

She almost dropped her phone in shock when she saw the name written across the display.

Jeonghan was calling her. But why? He hadn't wanted to talk earlier, going as far as to quite literally run away from her. Had he changed his mind, did he suddenly want to talk? Daena couldn't figure out why he would be calling.

She continued to stare at the display until it went dark and then lit up again to signify a missed call.

She hadn't answered because she didn't know what to say. But at the same time she wasn't sure she wanted to hear what he had to say. What if he was calling to tell her to stay away from now on.

She watched the phone to see if he was going to call again. After a few minutes passed with no more calls she sighed and placed the phone back on the coffee table.

Just as she did so the lights in the room suddenly came on and she looked up at the doorway to find her mother standing there.

Her mother silently crossed the room and sat beside Daena on the couch.

"What are you doing sitting alone in the dark?" Her mother asked.

"Thinking" Daena replied quietly.

"Leah told me about what happened at the concert. Is that what you were thinking about?"

"Sort of, and other things" Daena replied, trying and failing to express herself properly.

Her mother reached out and took one of Daena's hands in her own. The pair sat quietly like this for a moment before Daena began to cry.

"Oh my darling girl. Why are you causing yourself so much pain?" Her mother asked.

Daena took a few deep breaths and pulled herself together. "What do you mean?" She asked her mom.

"Can I be really honest with you? As your mother?" Her mother asked quietly.

"Of course" Daena replied, now concerned.

"It might hurt to hear though" her mother explained.

"I'd rather you told me" Daena replied.

Her mother took a deep breath and then spoke. "I don't want you to stay here for my sake anymore" She said simply.

Daena blinked at her in response, she wanted to argue but her mother continued to speak before she could.

"I appreciate you choosing to stay and look out for me, I really do. But Daena I am an adult and your mother. I don't need you to take care of me. What I need is to see you making the best of your life" her mother explained.

"Mom, I'm fine here, I'm happy" Daena argued.

Her mother shook her head. "Don't lie to me Daena. I know you better than you think and I can see how unhappy you truly are" She replied.

Daena's mother continued. "I know you probably don't want to hear this but you need to. Daena, your father was so proud of you when you took that job in Korea. He told everyone all about it. I couldn't get him to stop bragging but he wasn't bragging because you were doing what he wanted for you he was just happy you were living your dream"

A tear silently rolled down Daena's cheek as she listened.

"And when you met that boy he could see how happy you were and told me regularly that he couldn't wait to meet him because he was sure you had found your person. Daena, if your father could see you now he would be so upset because you have given up on your dream"

Daena looked at her mother and saw she was crying as well.

She gripped her mother's hand tightly.

"If you really love that boy, and I think you do. Don't miss out on anymore time with him. If what happened with your father has taught me anything it's that you have to cherish the time you have with the people you care about because you never know when that time will run out" Her mother said with a small sad smile.

Daena took a shaky breath. "But mom, if I go you will be all alone" She replied.

"And if you stay you will always wonder what could have happened" her mother countered.

Daena thought about what her mother was saying.

"If I go back. And I mean if, will you really be okay here on your own?" Daena asked.

"Oh my sweet girl. I won't be alone. I have my friends and my family here. Please dont worry about me. Just do what makes you happy" her mother said as she reached up to stroke Daena's hair with her free hand.

"Can I say I will think about it?" Daena asked.

Her mother released her hand and stood. "That's all I'm asking"

Daena watched as her mother started to leave the room.

"Mom?" She called to stop her leaving.

Her mother turned around to look at Daena.

"What if... what if its too late? What if he won't take me back. I was the one who hurt him in the first place" Daena said, her voice pleading for her mother to tell her what to do.

"That may be the case. But at least you will know you tried. Wouldn't it be worse to know you never tried at all" her mother replied before turning and leaving Daena alone in the room.

Daena thought about her mother's words for a moment and decided she was right.

It was better to try than wonder what might have happened.