The Unforgettable Echoes Of Love

Chapter 37

Life has always been a hard journey for me. I can't recall a single moment when I was able to let go of the weight on my shoulders and truly experience a sense of freedom.

Growing up under my biological mother's roof meant bidding farewell to my childhood prematurely. She had little, to no tolerance for childish activities or the innocence of youth, forcing me to assume the responsibilities of adulthood at a young age. It felt like I was skipping over vital stages of my life, losing out on experiences that I could never reclaim.

At the tender age of six, I endured the first abuse at the hands of my mother.

By the time I turned eight, I received the diagnosis of a chronic mental disorder.

And at seventeen, I ran away from home.

While others often reminisce about the joy and freedom of their teenage years, mine were overshadowed by a painful reality I couldn't escape from.

Unlike many others my age, I was fortunate to be surrounded by genuinely caring individuals who only wished the best for me.

God had blessed me with a loyal best friend, a supportive brother, and a wonderful boyfriend.

But was it truly enough? Lately, it seemed like it might be.

However, was this destined to endure? Probably not.

It had become a pattern in my life. Every time things seemed to be going too well, I'd offer my gratitude to God. Yet, there was always a nagging voice reminding me that happiness was fleeting, that I didn't deserve it, and that I would never truly experience it.

It was weighing heavily on my shoulders and sometimes I would even cry about it because, I was only seventeen.

******

"Does it hurt?" Zyran asked, his voice tinged with concern.

"No, it's fine. Just be gentle," I reassured him.

"It seems really tight though," he replied nervously.

"It should be pretty stretched by now. Just breathe, you've got this," I encouraged him.

Zyran took a deep breath as he continued to work to undo the knot in my hair. He looked so sad and guilty when he told me about the knot. It was moments like these that reminded me how fucking adorable he could be.

I hissed when he tugged a little too hard which caused him to stop moving completely. "I'm sorry, are you okay?" He asked, rubbing my arms.

I turned in his lap to face him before kissing him. "I'm not that fragile, it's okay." I said, laughing. "How about you just remove all the extensions and I focus on my natural hair?"

He shook my hand, "Deal." He said.

******

An hour later, we finally finished undoing my braids as we watched Camp Rock 2. As usual, Zyran couldn't resist making comments about Nick or Shane, and how useless Kevin seemed in comparison.

I scratched my scalp vigorously, trying to alleviate the itchiness caused by the tight braids. Dandruff scattered onto my clothes. The amount was actually crazy.

Getting up from the couch, I ran my fingers through my hair, reshaping it into an afro. I was pleasantly surprised by the length I had gained. Cutting the braid way further away from my scalp than usual hadn't been me being delulu after all.