Afterglow

XVI. The Writer's Portrait

After she called me that day, we decided to meet once again a week prior to that time. Theresa told me that she reserved a place for us for a whole day. Despite being at first that our plan came true, I really don't know what to feel after that.

Ever since that call, I always thought that there was something wrong between us, and yet, I can't force myself to say and ask. In the first place, who am I to ask and to demand that she must tell me the truth? I'm neither her friend nor someone more than that. We're just people who felt love.

She was like that even from the moment I knew her. Theresa came from a family where there's no one willing to listen to her thoughts and feelings so it's hard to make her open up about what she truly feels.

In times when she felt depressed, she mostly tried to fix it alone. There were scenarios in which she told everything to me, but it only happened when the problems were not big enough but once large enough to handle alone, she just hid it.

I tried my best during those times to give her a hand. I even asked her that whenever she feels troubled and she can't handle it alone, I'm always there for her but despite all of that, she barely asked me for it. I can't even count how many times I felt bad since I couldn't help her.

It already happened quite a lot of times already. There was a time when her father tried to force her to go to France with him and a time when her beloved pet dog died. She didn't utter it to me even once, I just learned it when all of it was already done.

The thing that I felt when she contacted me once again wasn't too different from what I felt ages ago. If only I still had those rights to know her secrets, I could've forced her to talk it to me but that's long gone. I just hope that the thing she hides isn't that too serious and it could affect her career and life.

Before I went to see her again for my final request, I tried to open it up to Athena.

"...So, will you let me? This will be the last time, I guarantee you.", I asked.

"Are you sure that this will be the last time? To be honest, I'm fine with it as long as you're happy but something is bugging me. I can't avoid myself to think that she might take you away from me again."

"I'm fine granting you your happiness, but I'm afraid.", Athena added.

"She will never take you away from me. Even though I've already said it to you before, I will never get tired of telling you. I will never leave you. Just trust me."

"I know what you feel and I'm not invalidating all of it. Being afraid to lose me just reflects how much you love me, and it warms my heart. It's pretty normal to feel that to someone you're in love with.", I added.

"Can you promise me that? Will you promise to me that no matter what happens, you'll never leave me in the dark?", she asked.

"Promise, Athena. How could I leave you who's always there for me? I love you more than words can explain, and it won't change until my last breath. I will never let go of your hand."