Chapter-5
2014 Words
He stared at her just in as much surprise as she stared at him. His lips quivered, as his chest tightened with emotions. She was here. Finally, right in front of him.
"Enrique," She whispered and he was certain now it was her. Her soft voice still vibrated through him like it used to two years ago when he first met her and even a year ago when he last talked to her. It was her alright. His, Amber. Maybe not his but he like the feel of that in his head.
Finally, after a year...
______________________________
One week ago...
Enrique doesn't think he has ever fallen in love with anyone in his life. Yes, he had a lot of crushes and some very serious relationships. But now when he thinks of Amber, he can't feel that they could be justified as love. The way Amber made him feel, no one ever has. It was like she has forced herself into his heart. He stared at the letter in his hands and he knew that the intensity of feelings he felt for her, that has definitely never happened to him before. He ran his eyes over her tiny neat writing and smiled.
Dear Enrique,
Don't be mad at me. Believe me, this wasn't easy to write. But I really couldn't leave without saying goodbye to you. It's not really a goodbye letter though. It's more of a thank you.
I don't think I ever thanked you enough for everything that you did for me. You barely even knew me and yet you extended the precious gift of friendship towards me. I will never forget what you said to me by the pool that day.
"You are strong woman, Amber. You did good. Can I say, I am very proud of you?"
That was the only comforting thing I might have heard in ages. I don't think I thanked you enough when I saw you in front of me that night at the bus stop. I was breaking apart at that moment but you held me. I don't think I thanked you enough when you saved my life at Cecilia's birthday. Every time I fell, you were there to pick me up. Just like a true friend.
You see, I never really had a best friend in my life. I thought Vera was but you and I both know how that turned out. So I am eternally grateful to have found you in my life. Despite the darkness and everything I went through, I can still say I was not completely sad because I did find happiness. In you...in Cecilia and even in Ivan.
With that said, take care of yourself. Don't let anyone treat you like a crap. You can always find a way out for yourselves, I believe you can. You are brave and strong and kind. I wish you a lot of happiness and I promise, I will see you soon. How soon, I don't know but you will see me again :)
Goodbye Enrique...
And not that I need to tell you, but please stand beside Ivan. He will need you and Cecilia now more than anything.
Lots of love,
Amber...
Enrique folded the letter back and stowed it in his desk drawer. Saying that he misses her would be an understatement. He was going crazy inside. It has been a year. A year cannot by any means be considered soon. He longed to see her. Her sweet innocent face. See her beam at him or laugh at his stupid jokes. Feel the smoothness of her beautiful dark hair that can never stay in place. Amber was not picture perfect like Vera. But she was divine. It was her inner beauty that outshines everything and everyone else.
If he was feeling this way, he can't even fathom how Ivan was feeling. After all he was married to her. They lived in same room, shared the same bed and of course were closer in every way to each other than him. And to add upon it, Amber was the woman he has loved all his life. He always thought inwardly that it was just a fragment of Ivan's imagination and that the dark-haired woman never existed. And to know that not only she did but she was also the woman he loved, it complicates things a lot. More than words can explain.
He knew Amber loves Ivan, no matter what he has done to her and he knows Ivan has also loved her in his own weird way even before he found out that she was the one he was looking for. The one person who doesn't fits in the equation was him. He should be the one to walk out because honestly, even he can see that what Amber and Ivan has was not something on the surface. It was much deeper. He sighed again and decided to go out and grab a drink. He barely drinks but today was one of those days when he was craving it.
Ivan was not much of a company. He could barely recognize the person his best friend has become. He was his own island state. He grimaced at the thought and decided to call Vincent instead. And it was time he have some heart to heart with him too. After all he was going to marry his sister. He pulled out his phone and was surprised to see a missed call from his to be brother-in-law some ten minutes ago.
"Hey," Enrique muttered. "What's up?"
"Wanna catch a drink?" Vin asked in his weird heavy voice. "I have something important to tell you,"
"Sure. Text me the address. Am on my way," He murmured and cut the call. Grabbing his stuff, he closed his bedroom door and stalked out.
"You went to see her again, didn't you!" Enrique paused outside his parent's bedroom and listened silently. His mother barely raises her voice and Enrique was always surprised as to how she managed to live with his father all these years without doing that.
"Stop it, Carla," His father's voice was bored and flat and Enrique was almost tempted to smack him.
"You have three grown up children!" She protested. "Your elder son is going to be a father soon. Your daughter will be married in less than two months and you are bed hopping with a woman who's her age! What the hell is wrong with you?"
Enrique closed his eyes as he tried to calm himself and decided he didn't need to hear anymore. After all unlike his mother, he was not surprised. He has known this for quite sometime now. His father was turning out to be Martina Perez's sugar daddy and there was no way he wanted to have anything to do with that.
The girl was Cecilia's friend so of course her age. There was nothing more needed to be said about that. It was disgusting to start with. And he was glad Ci wasn't aware of it yet. He can't wait for her to get married and get the hell out of here. And so will he. It was Amber who suggested he moves out and it was Ci who brought him back. But once she is married, there was nothing stopping him. He wouldn't even want to be associated with his family if he could. And by that he meant his father and brother. His sister-in-law was expecting and his brother was still bed hopping. He closed his eyes and sighed, eternally grateful that he didn't turn out this way.
"You look like s**t," Vin commented as he perched down on a stool beside her and order a whisky neat.
"Don't even ask how I feel," He grumbled in response and Vin patted his shoulder sympathetically.
"Your father still busy playing sugar daddy?" He demanded and Enrique cringed at the word and nodded grimly.
"Don't let Ci find out. At least not before the marriage," He pleaded and Vin made a face.
"I am not stupid," He grimaced, taking a long sip of his beer. "She might end up canceling the bloody wedding,"
"Precisely," Enrique agreed. "Is Ivan coming too?" Vin stared at him, his eyes glassy and his expression hardening as he shook his head.
"What?" Enrique demanded, raising his brow and Vin sighed. He pulled his phone, swiped through something and pointed at an address. 5/2 South Charlotte Street, New Town, EH2 4AN.
"EH? New Town?" Enrique frowned. "What place is this?"
"Edinburgh," Vin answered and Enrique stared blankly at him, at loss.
"And?" He prompted.
"It's Amber's address," He answered and Enrique froze. Did...did he just say? Did he just say Amber?"
"Amber?" He whispered and Vin nodded his head gingerly. "This is where she has been living for the past one year. I accidentally found the number of her mentor, Mrs. Brown from her room a week ago. I went to meet her right after and she told me where's she living. I had no idea she had a mentor she was close to or anything,"
"Did you see her?" Enrique asked, his heart beat frantically against his chest. Vin shook his head.
"I will be leaving next week because I have some stuff to deal with at the moment. Don't tell Ivan yet. I want to be sure first," He muttered. "I want her back now, Enrique. There's no wedding without her. And I want to bring her back before the masquerade if I possibly could. Ivan and Amber met at the masquerade two years ago and well...it would be nice if they meet their again. Ivan would be so shocked he might get a coronary," Enrique stared at his glass and nodded his head.
"Sorry," Vin murmured. "It's just that..."
"I understand," Enrique said. "I want to come with you though. I can't wait now that I know,"
"But!" Vin protested but he cut him off, shaking his head.
"No! I am coming," He said firmly. "I don't need a dramatic meeting. I just need to see her. Please?"
"Okay," Vin sighed. "Let's go together then. It's time I bring my little sister back home," He smiled at the thought and Enrique couldn't help but marvel at Vincent's love for Amber despite the fact that she wasn't even his sister Vera was and he hasn't uttered her name even once. It was like Vera never existed in the first place for both him and the Vazquez. He wasn't surprised though. After what she did, this was exactly what she deserved. If only she wouldn't have left, maybe Amber could have been his. There would be no Ivan and Amber. It would be Enrique and Amber.
"What are you thinking?" Vin demanded and he shook his head lightly.
"I can't wait to see her," He answered, finishing up his drink. "It has been long,"
__________________________________
He rushed towards her and enveloped her in his arms. He wrapped his arms as tightly around hers as he possibly could. Like the way he used to hold onto the butterflies he used to catch when he was small. He used to be afraid that if he even move his hands a little, it will fly away. He felt if he didn't held onto her, she will leave again. And he can't afford that. The intensity of his feelings was too strong. As he pulled away and stared at her innocent face that once again looked radiant unlike the last time he saw her with all the ghastly bags around her eyes and deep dark circles, he realized that he couldn't. He tried to move back. Tried to curb and ignore his feelings. But as she stared back at him with her soft amber eyes, tugging at his heartstrings, his resolve tumbled down to pieces. He realized there was no way he can ignore his feelings.
There was no way he can let go without fight...
------------------------------------------------------------------
A/N: Enrique's POV for the first time readers! I hope you like the sneak peak into his life :)
- Writer
