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Chapter 6 - Storm of Her Embrace

Kimi's POV

The park bench felt cold beneath me, mirroring the chill that had settled in my heart. Tears streamed down my face, each one a testament to Charlotte's rejection. It wasn't that she didn't return my feelings that truly wounded me; it was the raw anguish in her eyes, the way she seemed to be hiding a secret pain of her own. The memory of her expression when I confessed my love – confused, shocked, and strangely sorrowful – played on a loop in my mind. I couldn't bear to stay there, haunted by the ghost of her unreadable face. Standing, I felt heavier than ever before, and I trudged homeward, leaving shattered hopes behind.

The Schoolyard

Charlotte's POV

I entered the school, a carefully constructed smile plastered on my face, a flimsy mask over the turmoil that had kept me awake all night. The question of why Kimi felt anything for me was a puzzle that gnawed at me. To create distance, I decided to publicly feign an infatuation with someone else – a desperate attempt to deflect what I wasn't ready to confront. But who?

"Hey, Charlotte! Long time no see," Elena, my ex, greeted me with a familiar smirk. A member of the serpent clan, she was always good for creating a scene.

"Elena," I replied, my eyes scanning the crowds for a glimpse of Kimi. There she was, entering the gates. When our gazes briefly met, an awful sense of urgency washed over me. Impulsively, I grabbed Elena and kissed her, a calculated display meant for an audience of one. While Elena quickly responded, my eyes tracked Kimi turning away to join a group of girls. As I pulled back, she held my hand, lingering, a possessiveness that grated on me.

"I missed this… and you," she whispered, her soft voice only fueling my irritation. I yanked my hand away and rushed towards the school building, the taste of Elena's kiss lingering like ash. I locked myself in a bathroom stall, gasping for a moment of solitude. Then a door swung open and sobs filled the air.

"Why... why does it hurt so much to love her?" a voice choked out, and I knew instantly who it was.

A sharp, cutting pain shot through my chest, mirroring her distress. Tears welled in my eyes as I heard her voice. I quickly wiped them and stepped out of the stall, locking the door behind me. There she was, hunched over, her shoulders shaking. She looked up, and her gaze met mine; the raw sorrow in her hazel eyes was undeniable. I approached her slowly, my hand reaching out to cup her face, to trace the moisture on her skin and as I looked into her tear filled eyes I used a cutting tone saying

"You enjoy getting hurt, don't you?"

"Why? I told you that I love you," she stammered, the vulnerability in her voice breaking me apart. "Char, how could you?"

"Don't call me that!" I wanted to scream, "I don't love you, just go away! Leave me alone Kimi!" and I turned to go, but she grabbed my hand instantly.

"Do you really want me to leave? Charlotte, why won't you just let me in? Why do you hurt me? Is it so terrible to love you?" Her gaze was an intense blend of pain and anger, pinning me in place.

"Please, just stop. Find someone else, not me. I'm begging you," I pleaded, desperation tightening my chest.

"How can I just stop, Charlotte? You kissed me and invited me to the park. I didn't ask for this. I'm sorry for my feelings, but I just want a chance to be close to you. There's no reason to keep pushing me away or to cause me so much pain. I can try to let go of my feelings, but please, don't shut me out."

My knees buckled, and I crumpled to the floor, burying my face in my hands as the tears began to flow without restraint.

"I love you, Kimi, and that's precisely why you need to let me go. I'll only bring you pain, and I don't deserve your love. Please find someone who can make you happy. Staying with me will only lead to more heartache. You have to walk away!" I cried out, the words laced with a pain that matched her own, but she only remained silent, wrapping her arms around my trembling form.

Why do you love me? The question echoed again and again in my mind as the warm embrace pulled me further into the storm.