Your body goes completely rigid. It felt like a bomb had exploded inside of you. All your senses seem to become numb at once. You can't even move or breathe. For a moment, all you are aware of is the feeling of dread spreading throughout your body.
Then your eyes land on her.
She looks exactly the same as you remember her to be. Tall and elegant with a flawless complexion. Her long, flowing black hair reaches her waist. Even though her face is covered by the mask, you still recognize who she is. You swallow hard and try to speak but nothing comes out.
"Hello (Y/N),” she says calmly. "How have you been?"
You can only manage a shaky, “S...sorry…”
"It's fine. You're forgiven."
Silence hangs in the air, neither of you willing to break it first.
"I should probably leave," she finally says, breaking the silence. She turns around and begins to walk away.
"(Y/N)." You call out softly. "Wait." She stops and looks at you, waiting patiently for you to continue.
Your mouth feels so dry. All you can think about is how much you regret telling her your secret. How did you ever think that this could work? "I, uh.. I wanted to tell you something," you stutter. "I need to talk to you.. alone."
She looks at you skeptically. "What do you need to talk to me about?"
You hesitate for a moment. You look down, unable to make eye contact with her. She notices this and puts her hand underneath your chin. "Look at me, (Y/N). Please?"
You sigh and finally look into her soft yet intimidating golden eyes. They were glowing in the sunlight. "(Y/N)," she repeats.
"You told me once that people change when they're in love." You pause for a second to gather your thoughts. "And I was thinking about that. About how I changed for the better. And you said that love does that to people. That people become more open, more honest, more forgiving." You pause again, letting your words sink in. "But, I don't know. Maybe I didn't deserve it. Maybe I shouldn't have trusted you in the first place." You look at her hopefully. "But if I hadn't.. then why are you here?"
Her expression changes, becoming more serious than before. She places her free hand over yours and squeezes it gently. "I know it doesn't feel like that anymore. But, that isn't the whole reason I'm here.”
"Then, what is the reason?" you ask, wanting answers badly. You can feel her grip tighten slightly.
"Listen, I-" she pauses and sighs, closing her eyes for a brief second. When she opens them again, she continues her sentence. "I made a mistake. One of the biggest mistakes of my life. I knew things weren't gonna end well. I knew it wouldn't end well for either of us, but I still tried anyways. I was selfish, but I couldn't help myself. I had to see if you really cared about me or not. I wanted to know whether you actually loved me." Her voice starts to get louder and louder as she speaks. "So, I went looking for you. I tried every corner and alleyway in town. I looked in the trash cans. I looked behind every dumpster. I even checked under cars. But, no luck. Not one fucking thing."
She lets go of your hand and steps away from you, balling her fists angrily. "I searched every inch of the city for months without any sign of you. And I never stopped until I found you in that warehouse, all by yourself." She pauses, taking a deep breath before continuing. "When I found you, I almost lost it. I nearly killed you, just for being the most precious person I've ever known. Because I saw you lying there, barely breathing, dying. I could've taken my anger out on you, but instead, I did the next best thing. I ran, leaving you behind. I didn't stop until I reached this country and came here. Because I wanted to prove that I wasn't a coward anymore. I came here knowing that I was alone, but I knew that I'd find someone to help me. Someone who could help me forget all of those horrible memories. And that'a what you did. You helped me heal. You helped me come to terms with what happened. So, here I am. Back in America, trying to get over the man I once loved."
