The Entangled Tales

His Girlfriend

She often wondered whether the time had stopped. Aeons had elapsed since she'd met him, or so it seemed to her. She tried not to think of the future but that's all that she could think of. As if to dampen her spirits more, he seemed rather aloof on phonecalls. Could it be that he had a girlfriend?

Raven Baxter sighed dejectedly at yet another failed attempt of calling her best friend, Oliver Woodstock. He would have told her, right? Sure, they were miles apart; she was sipping coffee at some quaint cafe in Sydney while goodness knows what business matters Oliver was attending to, in Singapore. But Raven was still his best friend; he would have told her about a new relationship if he was in one.

Raven felt tears starting to blur her vision, as she sat with her caffeinated drink, due to the lack of awareness of her best friend's status. But most likely due to emotions much deeper than that.

Ever since he stopped responding cheerfully to her texts or calls, she had been filled with sadness, hurt and anger. But there was another feeling, unbeknownst to her before this, lurking within her aching heart.

With trembling hands, she rose and headed out the cafe, the thought still lingering in her mind, messing with her. She wanted answers, and she was determined to get them, but a part of her heart told her to let it go. People don't stay forever. Nothing's constant in life.

With a crestfallen spirit, she dragged herself back to her apartment and tried engaging herself in various, fun tasks.

But every task that brought joy to her was ineffectual in filling the hole in her heart.

Filled with a void, she slumped and walked towards her room, deciding to retire for the night. As she bumped into a small shelf by the hall, a framed picture tumbled down, and the glass broke into shards.

As Raven carefully picked up each of the pieces of glass, she couldn't help but think that this was how her heart felt. Broken, shattered and ripped at the seams. As if to clench her soul even more, when she picked up the small portrait that fell, she realized it was them, Oliver and Raven, when they were five years old.

She had known him for 20 years since she first went to school at the age of 3. And ever since he'd never left her alone. Up until now, at least.

Tears threatened to spill once more, but she blinked them back. She didn't want to lose him. Not when she loved him.

She slowly picked the picture and went back to her room, and she closed her eyes as she collapsed on the bed. Memories of those days circled around her head days she laughed with Oliver so hard that it brought tears to their eyes, days when she cried on his shoulder and he would wipe them away, reassuring her. Days of high school, when they would sneak out together to go to watch movies.

All these were such insignificant events but for her the most treasured ones of her life. Amid her reminiscence, she felt as if she was re-living each of those moments of the past. Oliver had played such a meaningful part of the early years of her life, she could not see her future without him. He was the reason she smiled, laughed and believed in love all along. If only he knew. If only she had confessed before he went to live in Singapore, maybe things would have been different.

Perhaps she wouldn't be lying in bed with such a dispirited temperament now. Perhaps, he would have been with her.

But maybe, he would have left her all alone if she confessed; that was the only fact that stopped her from pouring her heart out to him.

She sighed as she tossed in her bed, still clutching the photo. It hurt. It hurt so much.

This was going to be a long night.

Hoping to see a better morning, Raven finally fell into a restless, dreamless slumber. But, alas, luck was not her side again, and the morning was no better than the night.

She felt as if it was worse. The burden of her earlier assumption weighed down on her profoundly, and she could not force her trail of thoughts away from it. She stared at the text she had sent him yesterday, and the one which she sent this morning. Neither of them was read. A single tear fell from her left eye and rolled down her cheek, dripping on the phone screen.

She blankly stared out her window, watching leaves slowly fall from the trees. All she could think of was how this is exactly what love is. You fall, with no one to catch you.

A small knock on the door startled her out of her ruminations. She got up, still slightly dazed, for she was not expecting anybody today. Opening the door, she gasped at what she saw. This was beyond her expectations.

Out there, with a sheepish expression, along with a suitcase, stood her best friend. No, the love of her life, looking at her.

"I'm back!" He exclaimed.

Raven was at a loss of words. When she finally found her voice, she screamed, "You come back so suddenly, and that's all that you do?!" Anger was boiling within her, ever since he stopped responding to her phone calls. Of course, she was happy he was back, but why make her go through all that pain?

She rose her hand and struck right across his face, and yelled, "That's what you get for ignoring me like that!" But her expression softened considerable, after seeing his crestfallen expression, and the inability to comprehend her previous actions.

Tears began flowing out her eyes, unbidden and uncontrollable, and she cupped the sides of his face and kissed his cheek gently. "That's for coming back to me."

He held her close to him, and quietly whispered in her ear, "I love you, Raven. Always have, always will."

More tears flowed, this time filled with joy. How long had she waited to hear those exact words, she couldn't remember. But what mattered the most to her was the fact that he was here, with her, for her.

"I love you too, Oliver!" She whispered back, hoarsely due to her crying.

They both slumped to the ground, embracing each other at the doorstep. The years of longing and pining, all the hurt and anger, melted away.

"Are you staying?" She timidly asked, afraid that he might vanish if she left him again.

"I'm here to stay forever." He replied, as he picked her up and took her inside, settling on the couch. Along with a few tears and smiles, the entire story tumbled out. How Raven had been distressed about Oliver ever since. And how Oliver had been trying his hardest to locate a job a Sydney, to be closer to her, and the past two weeks had gone by in travelling back and forth in secret for his job.

Teary-eyed, Raven could almost not believe what was happening. Who could be that lucky?

With trembling hands, she cupped his cheek and whispered, "Oliver...I love you...so much..." And this tender love of theirs was sealed with a loving kiss.

No more holding back now, as their lips overlapped each other, all the fears and insecurities had vanished. For the feeling of love truly outshines all.