Ain't Meant For LOVE..!

Getting Clear Image

Tasha’s P.O.V

As he left, the room went silent with my steady breathe and Edward’s shallow breathe.

“Cupcake, let’s have dinner together.” Edward tried to appear calm but failed as his fists were still clenched.

“I am not hungry, but thirsty.” Moistening my lips, I tried to get up from bed. Edward on the other hand was quick to get me a bottle of water.

Yeah! A bottle. He was in no mood to go back and forth to fetch me water after every five minutes.

I laughed out loud at his gesture, as he let out a chuckle and regained his usual self.

We went outside to grab a quick dinner going to a nearby diner. The place was small but wisely decorated and accommodated such as it could take in as much as 60 or something diner at one go. Taking a window seat, Edward passed our orders. I was busy studying him. He was no less than a handsome man so how come he is still single? It was important to find out because I had this nagging doubt whether he has started falling for me. I hope not. That would only worsen the matter.

Love is something which I despise because of my past experiences but at times I feel the need of having someone love me. Not romantically but exclusively. I want someone to hold my hand in public, showing me off with pride and holds respect and admiration in his eyes. I want a trust that couldn’t waver even in the strongest storm but I failed twice. The problem was those men never understood me. That is the reason I never indulged in these feelings and if it involved my friend, I might lose him for good.

“Ahem... Ahem...” I looked at Edwards’ raised eyebrow

“Were you drooling over me?”

I shook my head with a giggle. “You wish.” earning a chuckle from him.

“Ed, why are you still single?” he looked at me as if seeing me for the first time.

“If you are still wondering that I am single, let me tell you I have been sleeping around and not being prude like you. Who knows you might be a virgin.” He said giving me a wide grin.

I glared at him. “Shut up i***t, I am not discussing my S-Life with you. I just wanted to know why you are still single. Plus, let me remind you that you haven’t seen a woman in the past seven months.” I smirked at him.

He was lost at words for few minutes. “So, you are interested in me and keeping tabs on my whereabouts huh...?” he gave me a sheepish grin.

“Gosh, don’t be so full of yourself dumbhead. That’s not what I meant.”

“O, Do not tell me it is okay to discuss my S-life but not yours” he mocked me.

 “You are changing the topic and I won’t let it slip today. I want to know the reason.” I gave him a stern look.

He took a deep breath and spoke. “You know Tay? I made a biggest mistake in life. Though it was unintentional but still I did.”

Our food was served as he took his time to continue.

“There is a reason why Damien hates me. We were best of friends in high school; Damien, Zac Nelson and me. My dad and his dad were friends and business partners. We used to hang out with each other in his garage turned music room but when we were twelve, my family shifted to another area. The distance only made our bond strong.

After coming from school, we went to our usual spot deciding to play instruments. Damien was crazy about instruments and could play six of them. While he was singing out a piece he made, a girl came rushing to the garage. She was the most beautiful girl we had seen.

Damien being the shy one restrained himself from introducing but we didn’t neglect the blush creeping on his cheek. The girl on the other hand was bold; only making one’s desire for her more. As time went by, we realized him getting distant and spending more time with the girl. Zac and me were upset but didn’t mind it any longer.

There were times when she made advances on me, but I knew he liked her a lot so I refrained myself from getting closer to her. She manipulated Damien that I don’t want them together so he came to reason it out forcing me to spend more time with them becoming a third wheel.

She didn’t let any chance pass to hit on me and being a teenager it was hard for me to resist her. Then one day, they had an argument and she came over to my house being vulnerable and cried her heart out. She told me she had long broken with Damien and is forced to be with him and that night I couldn’t hold myself any more.

After a week of being in relationship I realized that she was staying with Damien. I was furious to know she fooled me and my friend so I decided to tell him everything. Before I could even talk to him, she met me and begged not to tell him anything now as he has threatened to kill himself if she left. I knew he was too serious for her for leaving the auditions of his life only for her name sake so thought she might be telling me the truth.

It was after few years when I met Damien in a bar looking defeated when guilt crawled me. I realized I was the one to cause him that pain and decided to confront her. She wasn’t so easily tamed so I drugged her. I know that was cruel but less than to what she did to him.

She told me how she fooled us at that time. She wasn’t able to pick one not knowing who would become the CEO. She used Damien for her comfort and me for money. Damien gave her everything and I focused on my career. Then she dumped him and became my fiancé to gain my company shares. I left her then and there feeling dirty and heart-broken. She tried reaching me back but failed. I just wanted to finish off a project before apologizing to Damien and come clean but he... being outrageous, he brought my company down playing dirty and then buying it under himself. He had shut himself from me completely. He knew how much important that company was for my dad but he involved my family to take his revenge.

I have seen the devil side of him Tay and I know to harm me, he may hurt you.”

I looked at his face displaying different emotions. Taking my hand in his, he rubbed his thumb over my knuckles, “I don’t want to be a reason of your misery and I am scared, scared that he will use you to get to me.”

Squeezing his hand with my other hand, I reassured him. “Ed I can take care of myself. Don’t worry too much about me.” I smiled at him brightly.

He kissed the back of my hand. “Ok... let’s finish our food and get you to sleep.”

When we were walking our way back, holding hands; Edward stopped me in between. “There is a secret that I want to tell you Tay, I think I might be falling for someone soon.”

I quirked up my eyebrow and scanned his face for dubious, “What’s up with you? You think???”

I was nervous, hoping it might be someone else but the looks in his eyes were telling me something different. I was waiting for him to tell me the name of the girl or say it was all a joke.

Suddenly, he laughed hard, holding his stomach and letting go of my hand. “Gotcha! God, you are so easy to mess with.”

“You.....” I ran after him as he ran faster saving his ass from being kicked but before I could take the turn to follow him, I was glued to my place in the same position as if pressed by some unknown force.

-‘Yups, you heard it right. I was glued in the same place in that same effin’ position looking like a statue to the passerby but trust me like a crazed-woman to myself.’-

Love isn’t meant for you...

You aren’t to trust anyone...

I looked around searching for the damned person messing with me, as I felt myself free from the spell. I went into the same alley which Edward took but found myself surrounded by darkness. The thick dense air, prevailing around me, made its way towards my throat chocking me. I tried to grab onto something and throw the unknown force as I kicked aimlessly.

Still so weak...

I pushed myself to pass that alley and just as I made some three steps, tears simmered my eyes. It was hard, hard to breathe, to think and to walk without cutting out of oxygen. I closed my eyes hard focusing on some memory to stick to; to motivate myself to fight this darkness but nothing came. I had none. I did not have even a single effin’ memory to hold onto.

“Cupcake....”

That voice laced with worry gave me strength and I took another step and just as I felt my heart constrict, Edward came into view. Promptly, the air thinned, got clearer and my stiff body under that spell, felt like a feather as my body crumpled from the lack of outer force.

He rushed to me and looked bewildered. He embraced me as I hugged him back and tried to find comfort in his body.

He inspected the surrounding before turning to me. “What happened? Why are you crying?”

I just shook my head and tried to get up. My hand touched something around his neck. Something so warm, I liked its heat.

He carried me back to the hospital as he was deep in his thoughts. I too was lost in all the things that went around.

After thorough consideration, two things were clear.

1.    The guys aren’t fighting OVER me but with each other.

2.    I am not seeing things.

I was glad to know these though as it clearly kept me away from love and also reminded of me of my stable and sound mental health.

Now we stood outside the hospital, still engrossed in my thoughts I failed to notice Edward panting. He took slow steps and looked down watching my face.

“Eh... cupcake...?”

I brought my eyes to his face. He was suppressing his laughter.

“I know you are probably lost thinking ways to sleep in my embrace but...” I smacked his arm.

“Now I am tired and I cannot carry you further.” We guffawed as he lowered himself to make me stand while he held his sides to take deep breath.

“Oww... You are such a delicate darling.” I called out to him teasingly. “I have seen guys carrying their girl for long distances.”

“Keyword: ‘their girl’ and give me one good reason as to why should I carry someone else’s burden.” He ran out of my sight with those words as I stood there smiling to self and recalling his words.

‘Why should I carry someone else’s burden’ wait... burden? He called me freaking burden. You are so dead now...

“Ed idiot.” I rushed after him as I met an angry looking sister asking me to keep my voice low.

-‘Well woman, I am a patient as well.’ Rolling my eyes at her, (Of course behind her back) I headed towards elevator throwing daggers at a mischievously smiling Edward.

No sooner have I reached him, he let the doors closed and burst out laughing earning whack on his shoulder and back.

“i***t, I hate you...” crossing my hand over my chest, I turned away from him still being angry.

“O I love you too...” he hugged me as I kept pushing him away.

-‘Only if you have known Tasha... only if you knew.’- Edward looked at his reflection.