Marrying The Guy I Hate

XXVIII: Stone-Cold

Melody placed the last book at hand onto her new bookshelf. It took her time to finish arranging all her things after being able to find herself an apartment which is just one short bus ride away from the university.

Aside from it being a convenient choice, there is no way she'd be able to stomach living with her parents again. She doesn't know how she'd be able to face their disappointment after she and Clarence nullified their wedding.
Things came crushing to an end, and in deed it turned out the way they originally planned, like what the contract says. She and Clarence went separate ways right after the six month contract ended, burying everything that went on between them like it was nothing.

Two weeks from moving in to her new apartment felt like a year at how heavy and drained she felt. Both physically and emotionally.
Her chest carried the same knives and needles that night she told Clarence to end everything.

She still remembered how he had the same pained look on his face.
"Do you not love me?" He asked that chilly night. She almost wondered why it seemed painful for him too.
'Even if I answered you yes, it would not change anything, the contract nor the fact that you still love Cindy.'

"Do you not love me?"

'Please. Please do not rub salt to the wound Clarence. Let's make it easy for both of us. Please.' She wanted to plead. Knowing that maybe letting him go is another way to express how much she loved him. She want him to be happy. Even if it meant him being with Cindy.

'I love you. I love you enough that I'll set you free.' She closed her eyes dreading the biggest lie she'd ever made in her entire life as she answered him;

"No Clarence. I don't love you."

Even now she can still clearly picture the defeated look on his face after he heard her lie, and with that he mentioned no more as he let her go to her room. That was the last time they ever talked.

At least he's happy. He must be with Cindy right now. She thought smiling bitterly.

She should have known from the start... It was useless to let herself be swept with the feelings she had for him. The bliss only lasted while it did, before it car crashed to a dead end.

All that's left are cold lengthy nights with the stabbing pain as she cried her self to sleep. During the past weeks she's been forcing herself to sleep a lot. It's only when she does not think of him nor feel that constant stabbing pain. Sleeping. To numb herself for awhile. Sleeping. Her bitter sweet escape.
There are times she almost doesn't want to wake up because whenever she does, there it was again the stabbing pain coming through her chest twice as painful as it does.

"I should do something today. Anything."
Melody went out for a walk to distract herself before the loneliness of her apartment swallowed her whole. It was weekend, and she doesn't have classes to keep her mind busy.

"Tag you're it!"
"Here! Pass the ball here Jimmy!"
"It's my turn on the slide next!"

She found a nearby park and sat on one of the swings as she watched as a few children played. Her eyes absentmindedly caught by the little cheery smiles at the slides and the monkey bars. Some run and laugh innocently almost lightening up her mood. Despite not as high end as the subdivision where the mansion she previously lived in, the neighborhood of her new home is nice. There were pine trees here and there that made the air seem cool and fresh.

Feeling calm now, Melody stood on her feet and decided to explore the neighborhood a little more. Just a few blocks from the playground she found the local grocers. It almost made her glad that it was just a few minutes away from her apartment. It was a good thing that she decided to take a walk around after locking herself up after class in her apartment for a couple of weeks.