Twenty
– Daniel King’s POV –
I turned stone when I saw mom sitting across Aunty Emilia and grandpa hugging Hannah’s grandma. This is what I am not prepared. I am not prepared for the truth that could ruin my world.
Aunty Emilia sniffed as she wiped her cheeks, “Sit here, Hannah. We are discussing something important here.”
Hannah fixed a puzzled look at Aunty Emilia, “Wh-what is happening?”
“You won’t believe it, dear but I finally found your Uncle Alexander.” Hannah’s grandma said with a smile while holding on grandpa’s arm.
Hannah’s eyebrows furrowed, “Wh-what do you m-mean?” She stuttered and her lips seemed shaking.
“This is your Uncle Alexander, my bother.” Her grandma was so happy though a tear escape from her eyes as she looked at grandpa, “And that is his daughter, Jenalyn.” She said as she glanced at mom, “And that guy is his grandson, King.” She said as she pointed her finger at me.
I felt my eyes getting wet as I closed it. I swallowed the knot forming in my throat. My heart skipped a beat as I felt my chest tightening. Her words were like knife that were stabbing my heart countless times. I tried to prepare myself for this moment because I knew it will come but it felt so awfully painful when it’s the actual moment.
I opened my eyes as I took a deep breath. Mom was silent but tears flooded across her cheeks while she was covering her mouth with a handkerchief. Hannah was staring also to Aunty Emilia but Aunty was looking down, avoiding her gaze.
Hannah sniffed as she took a deep breath, “Mom? Don’t you have anything to say?” Her lips were shaking and her voice sounded terrified.
Aunty shook her head, “That’s it. Just as what your grandma said.”
I could see that she froze. Even I couldn’t make a single move. Grandpa and her grandma was so happy while hugging each other like they didn’t realize how painful to us after knowing that we were somehow related.
Hannah was shivering as she turned to look at me. Her cheeks were soaking wet, her forehead wrinkled and her lips parted while trembling. I was trying to avoid her eyes by stooping. It helped me prevent my tears from falling. Damn it! I can’t look at her even a glance. I’m in pain and my heart felt like bleeding as much as she was. My conscience kept on pledging me guilty, after all I partially knew about it but I didn’t stay away from her. I let my feelings took control of my mind and body which is a huge mistake, that was why we ended up here.
She pressed her lips as she restrained her lips from trembling, “Do you know about it?” She asked as she exhaled.
I swallowed as I felt my throat getting husky and my whole body froze. I can’t thought of anything to answer her question. My mind was emotionally damage.
“King..” She begged.
Her voice made my heart bleed even more. I don’t want her to be hurt. I don’t want her to feel this pain. If only I could transfer all the heartache that she felt in me. I would rather suffer with it than seeing her like this.
My eyes mistakenly meet her gaze. And it made my eyes gave in and tears started to fall across my cheeks. My lips were trembling so much that I couldn’t make it opened to say something.
“Answer me! King!” She shouted. Her tone sounded so desperate that she wanted to hear a word from me.
Her voice made my body flinched as I shut my eyes and gritted my teeth, “Yes, I knew it! Goddammit!” I accidentally yelled at her. Perhaps, my guilty conscience was speaking, “I overheard it from mom and grandpa!” I gasped for air and my forehead wrinkled while staring at her aching eyes.
She was stunned as her lips parted for a moment. She clenched her jaw as tears continued to fall, “How could you!?” She cried out as she hit my shoulder with her fist.
Mom and Aunty Emilia quickly stood as they fixed a protective look at us. Grandpa and her grandma held each others hands and fixed their worried eyes at us.
“I told you from the very beginning! We can’t be together!” I shouted back. I was shock on my own words and I gasped to breath. My palms were sweating up and cold as ice.
I didn’t have any control of myself now. My guilty conscience got all the best of me.
She was taken back as she gritted her teeth, “But you keep on showing affection towards me. Instead of-”
I cut her off before she could finish, “Because I love you! And I want you for the rest of my life!” I paused and gasped through my mouth, “I lit up my world the moment I confessed to you and watched it burnt down right when I kissed you!”
My chest was raising as I took heavy breaths through my mouth. I felt like my chest is tightening and I could hear my heart pounding.
Tears flooded on her cheeks as she pressed her lips and her forehead wrinkled. Her hands were shivering as she put it together and looked away. I clenched my jaw when I briskly rubbed my hands on my face and brushed my hair with my fingers.
“Damn it! Curse this fucking love!” I cursed on the wind.
I heard a loud sound that made me immediately turned to look at her. Her knees were on the floor and she sat on her heels. She covered her face with her hands as she let out a painful wail.
I quickly kneeled in front of her and opened my arms. Attempting to hug and comfort her. But before it could enclose her, she pushed my arms away and even pushed me.
“Stay away from me!” She shouted.
I didn’t let her words get to me, “Hannah…” My voice was almost a whisper and my lips were trembling as I went to her again.
But before I could come closer to her she slapped my face and pushed me again.
“You’re a monster! Liar!” Her words come out stabbing my heart.
That was when mom and Aunty sprinted towards us. Aunty went beside Hannah and hug her while caressing her hair and my mom went to me and forced me to stand while she’s standing in front of me.
“Now you’re talking!” I exclaimed, “You did it first towards me!” I gasped right after.
She clenched her jaw as she leaned on her mother to stand, “About your report card?” She swallowed to compose herself but her forehead was still wrinkled, “Possibly yes. Knowing that I was so desperate to graduate. But don’t you think…” She hesitated for a second, “you’re too desperate to have me?” Her voice cracked at the last part and I couldn’t almost hear it.
Another set of tears flooded on my cheeks as I got my thoughts together, “Call it desperation. But I couldn’t stand the fact that I’m in love with you.”
“Separate them Jenalyn and Emilia!” Grandpa interrupted before she could thought of responding, “Otherwise they will kill each other with sharp words.”
Grandpa and her grandma stood and walked towards us. Grandpa narrowed his eyes at me. And when our eyes met, I quickly looked away. Mom tightly hugged me but I didn’t hug her back. I could hear her sniffing and I felt my shoulder was getting wet.
Grandpa took a deep breath as he took glance at me and her, “Separate them and let them cool down. Or they will end up cutting their ties forever.”
“No!” I resisted as I struggled to go near her, “I’m not going anywhere unless we’re okay!” But mom was hugging me which prevented me from moving.
“Daniel King!” Grandpa stepped on the center of me and her and fixed a glare at me, “Calm down and listen to me, son.” He paused as he cleared his throat, his eyes were wet and reddish, “Give her space to heal considering that she is hurt and in pain. But it doesn’t mean you will lost her.” He paused as he examined my face and a tear escape from my eye, “Your ties are still connected to each other. Remember…” He glanced at me and her with a smile, “A strong man prioritizes the happiness of the woman that he loved the most. Even though he is not her happiness.”
His words hit different in me. It made my whole body lost it’s life. I was stunned and my mind was shuffling. Grandpa slowly walked towards me and gently patted my back.
I sniffed as words came out from my mouth without any emotion, “Can I just hug her? For the last time?”
Mom freed me from her tight hug. She wiped her cheeks and sniffed to composed herself. I was looking down as I walked towards her. She was covering her entire face with her hands while quietly sobbing. Aunty loosened her arms around her and wiped her cheeks.
I opened arms and wrapped it around her. I felt her heavy breaths and it made my eyes wet and blurry once again. She didn’t hug me back but I even hug her tighter and she buried her face on my shoulder.
I sniffed to compose myself and whispered, “I love you so much that I’m willing to send my soul to hell…” I paused as a tear escape from my eyes and it made my throat husky.
Painfully, she gently pushed my arms and stepped back. Without a word she turned her back and ran away.
I was left frozen. My tears flooded on my cheeks and my heart was bleeding. I felt like my chest is tightening that it made me hard to breath.
“Everything will be okay, King.” I heard mom’s voice with her hand rubbing against my back, “Maybe not now but sooner.”
It felt like I didn’t heard her say anything. My senses was completely lost in my thoughts.
I just found myself walking towards the main door while mom’s hand was caressing my back.
I partially know the truth but I refuse to believe it because of the love that I have for her. I let my emotions take over my mind and my body become slave of my foolishness. Now, I have to pay for it.