Secret Love

Patty

by Patty

Story

I stumbled through the thorns just to see his face. My skin was bruised and my knuckles were bloody. As I reached out and my fingers met his skin he flinched away. I know I should have gotten here sooner, but somehow he didn’t care I would run and run for days even for the smallest glimpse of his face. His patience was growing thin, I could tell.

I begged for an explanation, but my pleas were only met with silence. I clutched his hand but he withdrew immediately. Regardless of what I did, not once did he look me in the eye. As I voiced my anger and frustration, he scoffed in response and turned away. I wanted to yell at him, but all insults died on my tongue as he lifted his hand.

I almost couldn’t see anything in the dark. But as he made the slightest movement I saw it glistening beneath the pale moonlight. I gasped softly. My heart was ringing in my ears and every ounce of anger from before inflamed. I felt the tears threatening to spill over as he reached for me. Wiping away the evidence of my sadness with his hands despite being promised to someone else.

He whispered, “It’s gonna be okay.”

I knew he didn’t believe these words himself. He never did.

“No,” I sobbed. “We can still run away. We’ll pack our things- and we’ll leave.”

He shook his head. “We can’t,” he said. “You know we can’t.”

I tried to convince him. My cries and pleas echoed through the familiar alley we were hiding in. He held me in his embrace, effectively silencing me with his soothing touch, knowing this was probably the last time.

© Patty 2022-10-07

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