“Do you want to know the truth? You’re just like all of the other men out there, once I try to bring feelings into the mix, you just push me away!”
The anger in her voice suddenly changes to a tone of sadness and pain.
“Can’t you fucking see how much this is hurting me?”
In her rage, she hasn’t noticed just how close I’ve approached her. I decide to take a risk and wrap my arms around her. She gasps in surprise as I bring my forehead to rest on hers. In just a few seconds, her ranting comes to a cathartic halt.
“Lykan?” she whispers in confusion. “What is going on?”
“Cyra,” I sigh. “I’m so fucking sorry… I’m…”
My words trail off, only omitting a strange noise from my throat. At that moment, I pull back, losing strength in my knees as I fall on them.
“Lykan!” yelps Cyra in fright. “Are you okay? Talk to me!”
“I’m so afraid!” I wail, suddenly shedding a waterfall of tears.
I bury my head in my hands, feeling all the guilt, sadness, and pain rush at me relentlessly from all sides. I say nothing, anticipating hearing the sounds of her footsteps stomping out of the kitchen. To my surprise, I feel her hands gently grasp my body. I look up in confusion at her, my eyes stinging from the tears.
“Come on, take a seat,” she whispers.
She pulls over a chair and sits me down in it.
“Stay right there,” she tells me. “I’ll make us some tea.”
My mind is running rampant with thought after thought as she goes about boiling some water. I catch my breath and slow down my breathing, mentally preparing all of what I have to say. I already know it’s not going to be easy.
The stress causes my headache to worsen. At this point, I could hear my heart pumping and the blood traveling through my veins. Just then, Cyra places down a mug in front of me. I peer into it, seeing my clear reflection just before a fallen teardrop causes it to distort.
“Lykan, are you okay?”
“I… I’m trying to be.”
“What was this you were saying about being scared?” she asks.
“I don’t know if I should talk about it,” I mutter in hesitation. “But… you’re an amazing person and you deserve to know the truth.”
I take a deep breath, finally mustering up the courage to look her in the eye.
“I am a coward,” I sigh. “There’s no better way to put it.”
“Why do you call yourself that?”
Cyra leans forward, leaning her elbows on the table.
“Because I… I’m afraid to take a chance, Cyra.”
She tilts her head, narrowing her gaze on mine.
“I know that I keep pushing you away, but you must understand that I would love nothing more than to get closer to you. I just… I do that as a defense mechanism of sorts.”
Shut up, just get up and walk away,says the voice inside my head.Do you really think she cares?
I ignore it and continue.
“It’s not that I don’t want to get to know you, or let you in. If I had the choice, we’d already be together Cyra,” I tell her with conviction. “I don’t just want your body. Also, you’re wrong about one thing.”
“What’s that?” she asks quietly.