7 Steps of Love

Step - 6.5: Meant To Be...

2 days had passed since Yousef returned from hospital, he didn't eat or sleep properly, all he wanted to do was to be left alone in his apartment, Alex, Aaron and Lauren checked on him everyday. Simmi brought him soup and tried to talk some sense into him. But he didn't want to talk to anybody. He only interacted with his dogs Muffin and Dollar for sometime, and they were taken care by Simmi the rest of the day.

Lilly on the other hand was heartbroken and very sad, she cried herself to sleep every night, thinking as to why she fell in love with Yousef, she at the same time was sad for him being in such a pain and not opening up to anyone. She had almost given up on Yousef, she couldn't think of anything she could do to help Yousef. She knew he was a difficult man before she got into a relationship with him, she knew how he was like, and she knew what she had signed up for, but she couldn't think of a solution. She decided to focus on her work and not contact Yousef until he is able to open up to her.

The next day, she woke up and worked on her Bawse Book, she continued working and started planning for her video ideas. She missed Yousef a lot but she couldn't think of a way to make him talk. She opened her wardrobe and saw Yousef's clothes in there. She saw his mug in her kitchen, and his broken watch that she was going to repair. Everything reminded her of him, she knew she wanted to talk to him, and she decided to take things into her hands. She rushed to his house.

Simmi took Dollar & Muffin to her place and left soup for Yousef that he hadn't eaten. He was in his bedroom taking a nap on his bed. Lilly had the keys to his apartment, she opened his apartment door and started looking for him, she went downstairs to his bedroom. She woke him up. 

"Yousef.. Wake up... Enough games.. Just wake up" she said as she got all sad seeing him like that.

"What are you doing? Leave me alone" said Yousef as he was surprised and saddened to see Lilly.

"I've left you alone for far too long, and treated you too gently, but that hasn't worked with you has it? Because you are a man, and men only respond to strength don't they?" said Lilly as she sat by his side and held his face.

"Lilly why are you doing this?" said Yousef feeling guilty and sad at the same time.

"You know why! To find out exactly what is wrong" said Lilly as she became all teary.

"You already know what's wrong, I lost track of speed limit, and my car fell into a cliff" said Yousef as he turned his face the other side, he couldn't look Lilly in the eyes.

"The obvious, yes, but what else?!" she asked this time more firmly.

"There's nothing else, I told you!" he said.

"Then why can't you look at me?!" asked Lilly.

He got up from his bed and pushed Lilly aside. 

"Lilly please I don't want to hurt you, just leave, please" said Yousef.

Lilly slapped him.

"Its too late for that isn't it? My man wants to destroy his life and he won't tell me why! Do you want me to hate you?! Do you want me to leave you?! What is it that you want Yousef?!" said Lilly as she sobbed and sat in the corner of the bed. Yousef sat with her on the floor, he wiped her tears and realized what he had caused, he caused the girl who loved him more than anyone else, cry, he made Lilly cry. He kissed her forehead and sucked the tears off her face. He took her hands in his hands.

"You're right, it wasn't just me losing track of the speed limit, it was more than the obvious" said Yousef "Lilly it wasn't....." he stopped.

"Go on..." said Lilly as she firmly got a hold of his hands.

"I felt so lonely Lilly.... I felt like I couldn't breath...." he said.

"Say it" she said as she wiped tears off his face.

"And you weren't there..." he continued.

"Come on... Say it" Lilly said.

"I fell into something wrong Lilly.... I relapsed in my addiction.... I gave in..... That's why I wanted to punish myself" he said.

"Were you afraid I wouldn't forgive you?" Lilly asked "There's nothing to forgive" she continued as she put her hand on his cheek, he turned his face the other way when she did that.

"Yousef... Its alright" she said as she cried.

"Don't you see? All the people.. All the people were right, Aman was right, I have nothing to offer to you except for me.... A broken, depressed addict, who gives in to his addiction. I can't be with you anymore" he said.

"You did what was necessary in that moment that's all" she said.

"No.... No I am broken Lilly, they broke me, they all did" he said.

"No... No you belong to no one else but me, and I belong to you, & nothing and no one will ever change that" Lilly said.

"Those are just words Lilly, remember what you said to me? Actions are better than words" he said as he sat on his bed.

"I lie here, on my bed, feeling I will die without you, without getting to see you, but when you come and see me and touch me, I feel ashamed" Yousef said as he cried. 

Hearing this Lilly started crying again and sat beside Yousef on the bed she grabbed his face.

"No... You are my life Yousef Erakat, how dare you give up on our love? How dare you give up on me now? You promised me that you will always be loyal to me and take care of me and love me... Well you gave into your addiction, but I will be damned if you gave into the thought of leaving me... You are mine..... And we are meant to be.... Its the only thing that makes sense to me after what I have gone through these past few months, you are the only thing that makes sense to me... Not Aman, not your addiction, YOU! And if you take away that one last person that makes sense to me, then I will die...." she said as she sobbed.

Hearing that Yousef couldn't help but cry, he never believed someone could love him so much. He never believed what he wanted was right in front of him. In that moment, he knew, they both knew, that they were all that they both were looking for... That they were perfect partners for each other. 

"How can you want me after all this?" said Yousef.

"I will have you any way I can, I will have you the way you are.... Forever....." said Lilly. 

She hugged him tight, it felt as if she didn't want to part from him ever. He being reluctant at first, gave into his feelings and hugged her even more tighter. They kissed, and hugged again....