RedCeiling

[Completed]:
Volume 1: Loss of a firm hold.

[Upcoming]:
Volume 2: Intertwined fingers.

[Excerpt]:
"I think I love you," I told him. The feeling of wanting to be with him for the rest of the time started the day he first visited me at the orphanage.

"You do, and I love you too." Then he walked nearer, "Promise me it'll be the two of us," he asked.

"Promise." 

But was that really possible? "I'm technically your sister," I said. We were old enough to understand certain things.

"Adopted." He stressed. "What I asked them was I wanted to you be with me forever. There will be no one to point on that," he said. Were things really that simple? But listening him say them was all I needed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I found out that I was pregnant almost a fortnight ago and which woman does not be happy? I wanted to tell him first and I did. But the reaction he gave made me doubt my entire life. First it was a surprise and then, as I waited for his response, I watched his eyes become happy. But before he smiled, a very small and indecipherable frown appeared and he hugged me tight not giving me a chance to read his face anymore. His breathing was quick and heavy. After he released me, I took in the smile on his face; only, I didn't know if I should call it a smile. All there was in his eyes was a hue of sadness.

"What's wrong?" I questioned him directly. His face changed once again. He seemed troubled.

"Nothing," he smiled and added that he was happy.

"You're not," I stated. He is not a fool to think that I would not know when something is wrong. And he would be more wrong to think that I would let this slip.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Look at me.” I said calmly. He shifted his head but still avoided my eyes. I walked up to him and put my eyes in his line of sight.

“Don’t you know what I mean ‘every day’?”

He took a quick step back. “Jessie, what’s wrong? Why are you like this?” What’s wrong?

An ear piercing sound rang through the room. I slapped hard across the face. Then I noticed that I started crying. Through my blurry eyes, I saw his eyes tearing up too. This was yet another unpleasant first. The first time I was forced to slap him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Are you okay?” I asked him lifting my head to see his face. His chin rested on my head and I still did not have a proper look. I tried to move my head slowly in another attempt, but he held me tight, not letting me move. Was he still crying? Perhaps that was why he did not like me seeing him.

When we were kids and something troubled him, he used to find me to let it out. Crying was included sometimes. He did not hide his tears back then. Because, boys did not particularly cry in front of their girls, I questioned him how he saw this once. It was a playful teasing that I aimed at. But, he gave me a serious and truthful confession in return. Mentally I am the stronger one and he told me that crying in front of me never felt like he was lowering himself. That was his level of acceptance.

But everything he is doing now is in a stark controversy to my beliefs.

He spoke after calming himself more, “I’m not.”

[Target Audience]:
This story has 3 volumes. From the name, it is not odd that this is totally based on love. The first volume is a little tragic, the reason why it is under realistic fiction. If tragic romance upsets you, then this might as well.

**[UNEDITED]**
I didn't proof read all the parts. But I usually keep an eye to check for mistakes as I write. So hopefully there are not too many of them. Will be editing soon.

Struggle Of Love

That day, James spoke to me in the evening when I was finally out of my room. 


"How's your hand?" He asked rather casually.


"Good. It's fine." I told him truthfully. It pained for a while but then it was fine.


After a little more time had passed he said something I had not dared to as much as wish for. "Congratulations on the job." Then he gave me my appointment letter that was left with him before.


I stared at his face trying to understand the situation. My internal struggle had not calmed down yet then. I was not very confident about the choice myself. "You don't want me to go away anymore?"


"Ah! Don't call that 'going away'. Anyway, I don't think it will be a good when you hate it so much." He smiled as he hugged me.


It had been easy because he chose to back down.


"Only because that job is not bad after all. I really didn't think you could get something like that. Would anyone with a management degree get it?"


That was the moment I looked forward to. I was happy to finally hear some praise from him. "The competition was high. Winter says it's because of my even face. I might have got more points for acting highly professional."


"Indeed. You can boast about it with a straight face. So that should be the reason."


"I worked hard. It wasn't just luck. I seriously prayed and wished for me to get it." I had faith in God.


"You did awesome then!" And that was how everything was to normalcy. This issue had been going on for a year then. Thankfully, we resolved much sooner than expected. 


Maybe, I should bang the door hard to get him to agree with me. That was a solution I devised to plan for the next time, which fortunately never arose until this moment. But now, it was not a disagreement between us, it was secrets. I did not know where to find help. After being together with me for so long, finally he had something to hide from me.


Based on his morning routine, I had an idea of what it could be. The worry was eating me away. Because, just why would he have to hide it from me? Unless the situation was out of hands. I did not want to believe logic for the first time in the life. It was something I never did. Even when I just knew we were in love and I was his sister back then, I trusted fate. I was willing the logical consequence of it.


"Jessica! Stop crying!" Dad shouted, and I finally came out of my reverie.


"Tell us dear, we're right here. What is it that's making my baby cry so much?"¬ Mom was hugging me from the side.


I sobbed and hiccupped a little more before my voice found itself. "James is being secretive these days." I said with my head down.


"Why would you think that?" Dad questioned sternly. 


I did not look up at him. I did not answer either. I did not want to answer it. What should I tell them? That I was not sure if he was happy with the child or that he has an early morning schedule that they did not know? It was true that I did not want to worry them. But apart from that, I was too stubborn to accept the changes.


"It's all your imagination girl! He is just taking more jobs and returning home late to make more money. You have a baby on the way now, don't you?" She totally misunderstood me. I could see where she was coming from. As she said the words with playfulness in her eyes, I responded.


"I don't think there's anything wrong with that. It is not about him working late." I stressed the word 'working' and gave her a look. Though I told her so, I had a feeling it was also a change related to the others. He was not one to throw himself at work. He would always maintain a perfect balance. When he was still studying his course, he always managed to make time to call me and parents, rising as one of the few best in his field.


"There's nothing wrong with anything, don't worry yourself." Dad said with a dismissal tone.
