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

"There is! Dad, I'm sure." I pressed. Just because I did not give the details does not mean I am not bothered. I was just crying bitterly, I bet my eyes are red now as well. He cannot just rule this out.


"You don't see anything out of order, do you?" Mom asked backing him up.


"Don't worry. Everything will be fine." After saying that, dad left the place.


"I've been seeing you two for twenty years, you know him better than I do. What are you afraid of? He will say when the time is if there really is a secret and he's keeping it from you." Mom consoled me.


"Go to office. It will take your mind off unnecessary worries," she suggested.


"Yeah. I will go and get ready then." Then, I prepared myself to get to work. There is only one thing to do now. I should confront James regarding this.


The day passed rather slowly for me. The waiting this time was excruciating. I really have a bad feeling about this.


"I'm going home now Jessy," Winter told me. I stood up from my seat and left for home too.


It was just 6:00 PM. I did not go to the kitchen to help mom today. I just sat near the front door waiting for James. No one disturbed me through out until dinner. After eating, he still did not return. Like every day, he should be back at least another two hours later.


I decided to wait by the door again. Today, he will have to give me some answers. Mom and dad just retired to their room. I was alone waiting in the living room with the lights on.


Finally after two hours, the handle of the door twisted. He started taking the keys with him ever since he started arriving late.


"Hey, you're still awake?" He asked seeing me sitting in his presence soon. He must have realised that I was awake from the lights. He did not seem surprised.


"I'm sorry. It's hectic at the hospital." He said softly as came forward and hugged me. I relaxed in his embrace as I hugged him back.


Then we went up to our room. I lied down on the bed for a while when he got ready for bed. He leaned in and focused on my face. "Are you asleep?"


"Is there something you should tell me?" I asked him observing his face which did not have any twitch with the question asked.


"Um... yeah! My co-surgeon took off work recently. It is really tiring. But any rookie has to go through this period. After some more experience, I will be up a step and then perhaps I won't be so busy." He said without giving away any clue. He actually considered himself a rookie after all this time?


"I see," I continued gazing at his face.


"Yeah... I'm so tired," he said as he took me in his arms and both of us lie beside each other. He soon closed his eyes and his breathing evened five minutes later. Why should he work himself until he was this tired?


The thing that surprised me the most was, however, his ability to lie so smoothly to my face. It was not exactly a lie what he told me. But it not the truth he knows I am searching for. That is no good than lying. Since when did he do that? He should not be able to do that. He was never good with things like that. There was a time when he spilled out what he prepared for my birthday present which was initially meant to be a surprise. He acted like he had forgotten my birthday but the second time I asked him with a sharp gaze, the truth was before me.


Thinking about then and now, my heart felt uneasy. Tomorrow morning is very important to me. With the thoughts of asking him early in the morning, I closed my eyes and let sleep take over.


Uneasy