Song: Marriage - MoonMoon
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As I drived to work, I was grateful that today was friday, the last day to go to office for the week. After what happened yesterday I wanted to stay away from Blake as much as possible.

I was still angry at myself for trusting him and going with him to an unknown place, I should have known better. What if something actually happened to me there? I could have been in a far worse situation if I wasn't lucky, if Carter hadn't shown up.

But I also hated the fact that Carter showed up. Cause he made everything worse for me, messed me up from inside and was the reason I could not sleep the whole night.

I was also angry at myself for shouting at him like that, for bringing up the past like I was stuck on it. And maybe I was but he didn't need to know that.

I looked like an insecure, frustrated girl who couldn't let go of a past lover where as he acted like he had completely forgotten about our relationship, about the memories we shared with each other.

I still remembered his blank face clearly, I could paint it from memory if I wanted to. It was painful to see something that was once so beautiful and meaningful now forgotten. Like it never existed.

But his blank expression and three small words that he said afterwards wasn't what angered me most. What angered me most about last night was the realization that I was still very much in love with him.

I hated myself for that. Hated that even after five long years I couldn't get over him, couldn't move on. I knew ĺove was strong but I never wanted it to be this strong. I never wanted it to be one way.

I shook my head to get rid of all these thoughts. I wasn't going to think about Carter again. He has a girlfriend, he has moved on, he is happy and contented in his life. I have to stay away from him at all costs.

It took me another five minutes to reach the office. As I rounded the car in the parking lot I saw Blake standing beside his car. Groaning, I parked the car as far away from him as I could.

Taking out my stuff from the car I started walking towards the building, not looking once at Blake. But that was of no use cause within s few seconds Blake was standing in front of me, blocking my way to the entrance.

"THANK GOD your okay!!!" Said Blake loudly. "I was scared you died"

I looked at him angrily and felt the sudden urge to scream or kick him hard. I tried to walk around him but he held my arm to stop me.

"Dont you dare touch me!!!" I said, pulling my hand away.

"Listen, I'm sorry. I never meant for things to turn this way. I really took you there to eat a burger. I didn't know Conor was going to be there-"

"You have great choice in making friends." I cut in hearing Conor's name.

I could still feel his eyes travelling down my body. And I still felt disgusted.

"Conor isn't a friend. He's just an old acquaintance...." said Blake sternly.

"Besides you should have waited for me outside. Running away without a vehicle was more dangerous than staying with me." He said running his hands through his curly blond hair.

"I should have waited for you!? While you played pool and got drunk?" I snapped back.

"I don't drink Eva and I didn't go down there to play pool. I wanted to take them away from you. And I was out in ten minutes." Said Blake seriously.

I didn't know if he was telling the truth. If he really did think of me and wanted to keep me safe.

"I don't care. We are never going to go eat burger again, infact we are not going anywhere together again. Whatever site we select for the articles, we will visit them separately."

Without waiting for him to reply, I stepped away from him and walked towards the entrance. He didn't stop me this time and I was thankful for that.

....................................

It was a lazy sunday morning, I was in the garden just strolling around . As days went by, winter came closer. It was already start of October and soon the beautiful grass would be covered with snow.

I always loved the winter of my city, more than the one in Canada. I had so many happy memories of the snow here.

"Eva" I heard my mom call from inside and rushed towards her.

"Is everything okay?" I asked entering the kitchen breathless.

"Yes, everything is okay. Please stop acting like that everytime I call you" she said with unamuzed face.

She was wearing a brown dress with a pink apron on top. Her hair were held back by a hair clip. She was holding a box then she carefully placed on the counter.

"Sorry" I said, sitting on the counter.

The kitchen was filled with a delicious smell. Mom had always loved baking and I was glad to see her do that again.

"I made some donuts, infact I made lots of donuts. More than you, me and Henry can eat. So, I was thinking maybe you could bring these to Ally?"

"What?" I asked sitting a little straight.

"Its been a while since you have seen her. I think it will be nice for you two to catch up. And what better way than eating donuts?" she said with a smile, closing the lid of the box tightly.

It really has been a while since I met Ally. The last time was when she came to the house to make sure I was okay. I had been too busy with the office stuff to think about her.

I did want to meet her but I hated the awkwardness between us. It was like a huge, glowing sign that so much time has passed and our friendship isn't how it used to be.

I always thought me and Ally would stay best friends forever but I was clearly mistaken.

"Don't think too much, you have a free day go spend it with a friend." Said mom passing me the box.

I nodded taking the box. Maybe I should visit her. She did come to check up on me. And even if Carter had asked her, she could have refused.

A bitter taste came to my mouth thinking about Carter. The memory of what had happened still fresh in my mind. I shook my head and got of the counter.

I wasn't going to think of him.

...................................

I parked my car a few distance away from Ally's house. Holding the box in my arms securely, I stepped out of the car and started walking towards her place.

As I reached the door my eyes landed on the car standing on the opposite side of her house.

Carter's car.

I froze on the spot I was standing as my heart started beating rapidly.

There was no way I was going inside while Carter was there. I cannot be in the same place as him. I didn't want to encounter him after what happened.

I was about to turn around and leave when I heard the noise of glass shattering. Stunned, I walked a little closer to the door. I could hear shouting from inside.

What was happening? Was everyone okay? I grabbed the door handle and opened it slightly after a moment of hesitation. I wasn't sure if I should go inside. It took another shattering sound for me to open the door wider and step in.

The sound was coming from the living room and as I walked further in the shouting got louder. The door of the room was wide open and from a little distance away I could see Ally standing in front of the fire place.

She was crying, her curly hair running wild. She had lost weight since the last time I saw her and looked extremely weak. I was shocked to see her like this.

"You act like you are the only one who is struggling, the only one who is going through a hard time." She said as more tears streamed down her face.

"Can't you see I am too? You treat me like I am your enemy and do you realise how much that hurts me? How much pain you cause me with this attitude of yours.....?"

She broke down crying again, her head bent as she tried to wipe off her tears.

"WHY DON'T YOU LEAVE ME THEN HUH? If I hurt you so damn much, LEAVE ME"

I jerked hearing Drake shout. I have never heard him be this loud and angry before.

"That's enough Drake" I heard Carter say loudly.

In front of me Ally slid down on the floor crying. I rushed towards her, placing the box of donuts on the chest of drawers in the hallway.

As I entered I finally saw Drake standing on the opposite side of the room. He was wild eyed, wearing a ruffled up shirt, gripping a vase in his hand. Carter was holding him from behind, his eyes showing immense worry.

There was glass on the floor from shattered utencils and decoration pieces.

Carter's eyes shifted towards me, he stared at me for a moment as I stared back, then he nodded towards Ally. Understanding what he meant I walked over to her, she was still on the floor, her head down.

"I lost everything because of you" Said Drake.

I crouched down next to her, placing my hand on her shoulder softly. Startled by the sudden touch she looked up at me.

"I lost my parents because of you"

More tears fell out of her eyes as she stared at me. I moved forward and embraced her in a hug. She hugged me back tightly.

At first, I had thought she would ask me to leave, tell me its none of my business and I shouldn't stay. But she didn't, she only held on to me like her life depended on it.

"Its okay, everything is going to be okay" I whispered to her.

"I should have NEVER MARRIED YOU"

"THAT IS ENOUGH" Roared Carter.

Ally and I flinched at the loud voice. Carter was angry, his eyes showing sentiments at a great intensity. It was rare to see Carter like this, so filled with human emotions. I had seen him like this two times before. Once when Kaiden held a gun to my head and second when I told him I was moving away.

"You are out of your senses right now, you have no idea what you are saying. Calm down and give me that vase" He said to Drake, extending his hand towards him.

"NO!?" Screamed Drake and threw the vase on the floor.

The vase shattered in millions of tiny pieces, scattering around the whole room. I scooted away with Ally still in my embrace.

"I told you not to make me lose my temper" said Carter calmly.

In the next moment he had grabbed Drake and was dragging him out of the room.

"Let me go...let me go-" struggled Drake, trying to get out of Carter's hand but Carter was too strong.

"Can you stay here with Ally for a while?" He asked me.

I nodded my head, unsure of my voice. Carter dragged Drake out of the room then the front door. I few moments later I heard a car drive by.

...................................

After Carter left I helped Ally stand up. She looked weak and exhausted. Her crying had stopped but she didn't utter a word.

Bringing her a glass of water and making sure she drank it all I asked her if she wanted to rest in her room. With whatever happened right now and before I came, I thought sleeping was the best option.

I didn't want to ask her questions, pester her to tell me what was going on. I just wanted her to feel better, to relax down a little.

She just nodded to my suggestion

Ally and Drake's bedroom was upstairs. It was small but cozy, just like her house. The room did look like the combination of both their personalities. Staring at the room I wished they weren't fighting, that they were both happy in their lives.

Ally fell asleep almost instantly. I wrapped her up in a thin blanket and then made my way downstairs. I found the cleaning supplies in a small store room and started cleaning up all the broken glasses on the floor.

This was the least I could do to help her. To help them.

It took me about twenty minutes to have the living room all cleaned up. As I put the supplies away and washed my hands I heard the front door open.

Stepping out the kitchen I saw Carter standing in the doorway. His eyes closed as he placed a hand on his forehead.

"Are you okay?" I asked hesitantly.

His head snapped up and his eyes fell on me. I felt conscious all of a sudden.

"Yeah, just a headache." He replied walking in.

"You should take a painkiller" I suggested.

"Yeah, I was about to" he said standing right in front of me.

I sucked in my breath seeing him so close to me. He was a little too close, I could see the hazel in his eyes clearly. They were just like how I had memorized them.

A few seconds passed of us standing in front of each other, our eyes meeting the other.

"I....need to get the medicine" said Carter then and my heart fell.

"Sorry" I said stepping away from the door so he could enter the kitchen. He went towards the kitchen cabinets and took out a medicine box. I stood in the doorway, wrapping my arms around myself, embarrassed of what had happened a few moments ago.

"How's Drake?" I asked trying to distract myself from the embarrassment.

"Asleep. I took him to my place, knocked out like a baby the moment he hit the bed" he replied pouring himself some water.

I wanted to ask him what happened? Why were they fighting? Why did the matter looked serious. But I wasn't sure if he would answer.

"Is Ally sleeping?" He asked after taking the medicine, turning towards me.

I nodded, my eyes going towards the staircase. Carter walked pass me into the living room.

"You really didn't have to clean it up" he said looking at me after seeing that the room was clean.

"Its okay, I wanted to help" I replied.

He didn't say anything just walked over to me.

"Well, since you're here, I'll leave then." I said finally, my heart beating fast again due to his close proximity.

"You can stay for a little while" he said.

There was something in his eye, something I couldn't read, I couldn't decipher and suddenly I felt like the high school Eva. Who would spend nights decoding what Carter meant by a certain look.

"Its fine, Ally was really tired and you must be too, I should leave" I said turning around and walking towards where mu purse was.

But I wasn't able to reach the purse as Carter grabbed my arm. A shiver went down my body, I looked back at his hand holding my arm and then back up at him still wearing that unreadable something.

"Stay." He said simply, looking at my eyes intently.

I didn't reply. Why was he asking me to stay? Has he forgotten what happened that night? Has he forgotten the status between us?

"I know you have questions" he then said, finally letting go of my arm.

He was right, I did have questions. And I did want to know the answers to them. I looked at Carter and nodded. He turned around and started walking back to the living room. As I followed him I saw the box of donuts I had brought. I had completely forgotten about them.

I grabbed the box and stepped inside.

"I brought donuts for Ally and Drake. Do you want to have some?" I asked.

"Yes, that would be nice. I didn't have breakfast this morning." He replied.

We both sat on the couch, my mind instantly went to when I came here for the second time, when I met Kaisey for the first time.

I placed the box on the table and opened the lid.

"You still don't eat breakfast?" I commented casually, remembering how in high school Carter would always skip breakfast in the morning.

"No I do now" replied Carter, I could feel his eyes on me.

I brought the box to him so he could take out one.

"Drake didn't come home last night, I was searching for him the whole night. I had to skip dinner too." He said.

He took a bite of the donut and closed his eyes.

"These are good" He said, taking another bite.

"Thankyou, mom made them" I replied taking a bite of my own.

The donuts really were good. Mom's baking never disappointed.

"When did you find him?"

"An hour before you came, he was drunk. Came home and startes throwing things around. Then they started fighting"

I was shocked to hear that. It pained me to see Drake this way. He always used to smile, always laughing and joking around. Where had that Drake gone?

"Drake never drank, what happened to them Carter?" I asked carefully.

Carter took another bite of the donut. He took his time swallowing it.

"Drake's parents weren't happy with Drake marrying Ally. They wanted him to marry someone from an influential family just like theirs."

Drake's parents were successful business owners like Carter's parents. They were the richest students in our school hence the reason they were popular. Ally's family on the other hand was middle class like ours. Her dad worked in an office while her mother was a house wife. They were ordinary.

"After the marriage Drake's father cut him off. He used to work in his father's company but was kicked out from there too. He was jobless and also lost his family."

My heart ached for him, for them. I couldn't even imagine what it was like to have your own parents cut you off. How can a father punish his son for falling in love?

"I asked him to join me, he didn't need to worry about anything but he constantly refuses. Say's its unfair, he doesn't want to use me, doesn't want to have a job just because of connections."

They must have struggled alot, I wish I was there to help them in some way. Even to just tell them that everything will be okay. I felt a rush of anger towards Drake's parents, how could they do that?

"Last night was the first time he got drunk. Losing his parents, his job and not getting a new one took a toll on him. That and-" suddenly Carter stopped talking.

I looked up to him.

"And?" I asked.

"I think its better if Ally tells you" he said looking at me.

I nodded to what he said. My mind drifting back to when Ally told me Drake had asked her to marry him. How happy she was, how happy they both were.

How could world be so cruel to love?

"I'm sorry about that night" said Carter bringing me back from my thoughts.

"I shouldn't have gotten angry at you, you were already scared. And I should have never left you there all alone. I did come back but you were no longer there."

He was looking at me directly, his gaze not shifting a bit.

"Seeing you at a place like that, I just got scared. What if something happened to you?"

Carter's eyes widened a little after that, as if he just realized what he had said, as if he said something he wasn't supposed to. But soon his face was a blank canvas again.

"Its okay, I'm sorry too. I shouted at you too much, I shouldn't have. Also I called a taxi soon after." I replied.

He nodded to what I said. A strange kind of silence engulfed us, I wasn't sure if I should break it or let it be.

"Your mom, her surgery is next Friday right? Which hospital is it?" He asked after a few minutes.

"Yeah, Saviours Hospital" I replied.

"Will you stay with her the whole weekend? Or could it be more?"

"The doctor said if everthing went well we can go back home Monday morning." I replied.

"Take care of yourself too while your there, don't stress too much, she will be fine." He said taking another donut from the box.

A small smile appeared on my face seeing Carter's concern. Realising what I was doing I instantly pushed the thoughts away.

"Thanks but Henry would be with her most of the time. I couldn't get a holiday from work. I asked Kaisey but she said it was too early for a leave." I said.

Carter's eyebrows furrowed together at what I said.

"I didn't tell her about my mom" I quickly added, I didn't want him to think I was talking against her cause I really wasn't.

Carter didn't say anything. Thinking imI have been here enough I got up.

"I should get going, its been too long. About Ally....."

"Give me your number, I'll tell you if Ally is okay or not" said Carter standing up too.

He took out his phone from his pocket and extended it to me. I stared at the phone, contemplating whether I should give him my number or not. Finally I took the phone from his hand and typed in my number.

...................................

I was sitting in the office, editing my article when I felt someone standing over me.

I was surprised to see it was Kaisey. I had come early to the office today, most of the people weren't here yet.

"Hey" she said.

Today her smile wasn't intact as it used to be.

"Hi, you need something" I asked. Unsure about why she was here.

"I didn't know about your mother, if I did I would have given you the leave. I just wanted to tell that you don't have to come on Friday and Saturday."

I stared at her stunned. Did Carter tell her about my mom? Why would he do that? Did he not understand that I did not want to share that with her.

"Thankyou" I replied to her cause I didn't know what else to say.

I was still thinking about how Carter could do that? Did he think I was asking for his help? Cause I wasn't.

"Also Eva, I would really appreciate it if you talk directly to me instead of relaying it to me through Carter" said Kaisey, still rooted on her spot.

I looked up at her again.

"I didn't ask Carter to get me a leave and I did come directly to you about my holiday. I didn't want to share about my mother with you and I don't appreciate Carter telling you about. Also I would really like it if you stop thinking of me as someone who is taking favors from Carter."

"Yes, of course" said Kaisey after a moment, surprised at my sterness.

'I'll leave you to your work then." She said and left.

I leaned back in my chair, closing my eyes. My mood was already ruined and it was just morning. As I was still brooding, I felt someone sit next to me.

Opening my eyes, I saw Blake next to stretching his hand towards me which held a shopping bag.

"What is that?" I asked.

"Sorry.......gift" he replied after thinking a little.

Sorry gift?

I didn't take the shopping bag from him and went back to work, ignoring him to my fullest.

"Oh come on, at least look at it. I spend the whole sunday searching for it."

Rolling my eyes I took the bag from his hand. Inside was a box which opened to revealed a snow globe music box.

It was beautiful.

"Thankyou" I replied wrapping the globe again and placing it at my desk.

"So.....am I forgiven?" He asked hopefully.

"I don't know. Now please I'm doing my work, don't disturb me."

Blake didn't say anything, just sulked like kid for a while and then got over it.

....................................

Hello everyone. Hope you are all safe and happy.
Here is another update for you all, I have been really consistent and that makes me really happy. This is by far the longest chapter I have written. (4000 plus word) hope you enjoy it.
My online classes have finally started. So the updates might be a little slower since I have load of work to do now. But don't worry, I will keep on updating as much as I can. I am really enjoying writing this and won't give it up. It will be like my stress reliever (your comments too)
I want to add one thing before I end this rather long author's note. Drake is not abusive towards Ally, they are struggling right now and fighting like a struggling couple but he is NOT physically abusive towards her.

Comment and Vote.

Love,
S. Maham Fatima