Perfect Imperfections

Chapter 3 - Wither Away

CHAPTER THREE

Why don't you ask me
Why is it so hard to fall in love
Why don't you ask me
Why can I never ever ever try
Why don't you ask me
Why everything is going this way
Why don't you ask me
I guess we don't know
They say the one that you truly love hurts you the most
Now the one that I truly love hurt me the most
Now the one that you truly love is hurting you the most
I guess I'll never know
Why I got so cold
It's not your fault

×××××

Sitting in the veranda of my rented house, I stared at the red tulips planted in front of it. Looking at them always reminded me of my childhood and made me feel free. I had always craved freedom more than anything in this world perhaps because I had spent most of my life feeling trapped.

Evan made me feel free. I felt like I didn't have to be someone else with him. Even though I hid under the name Scarlett Stone, I felt more myself than ever with him. He made me embrace my true self, rather than run from it like I had been doing all these years. I had no problem in being a con girl before I met him. I thought the solution to all my problems was to forget who I really was and be someone else, but I didn't realize how suffocated I felt in such a life until he came in.

He allowed me to be me. He was like a key to my cage. He was my red tulip, the only one who could make me feel free.

Until he had me arrested.

I could never erase that night from my head. His betrayal was burnt inside my brain. Every second I spent in that cell, my love for Evan turned to hate which kept growing stronger.

He let me taste freedom, happiness and love before he robbed me off it completely.

I was there for one hour before Ella bailed me out.

It should've relieved me, but it didn't. If anything, it made my pain grow immensely. I couldn't stop thinking that if Ella hadn't gotten me out, I would be in there for God knows how long. It shattered me to think that Evan just left me there to rot. He didn't care enough to look back. He didn't care at all.

And so I decided to never ever look back either.

Until today.

I despised myself for being weak. I had ought to never let Evan Carter break me again, but just one look at him and I was breaking already.

I wiped my tears off and took a deep breath. I didn't have to do this to myself. I knew he was going to ask for another wedding planner. If he didn't, I would pull out of this wedding myself. I wasn't going to put myself through so much pain again.

I wouldn't let me break again.

$~~~$

I knocked on Gabrielle's office door before entering. Behind her huge black spectacles, her eyes left the laptop screen to meet mine and she offered me a warm smile.

"Flora, how's work going? I talked to Emily and she certainly has faith in you. Thanks for handling this." Gabrielle praised.

I frowned, wondering if I heard her correctly. I was very sure that Evan was going to ask Emily to dismiss me and ask for another wedding planner. I wouldn't even be surprised if he told my boss about my past, hoping to get me fired.

"Really?" I said dumbly. "I mean, when exactly did you talk to her?"

"This morning. An hour ago infact. I actually didn't speak to her directly. It was Mr Carter who told me that Emily was quite content with the discussion she had with you regarding the wedding." she spoke casually while making some notes from her laptop, having no idea the confusion her were going to leave me with.