| Mia |

I wasn't normal.

I had abnormal tendencies.

For instance, I felt at peace. . .at a graveyard.

There was just something about this place that put my mind and my soul at peace. I had humans all around me. Buried . Listening to my footsteps. My breathing. My words.

I was sitting beside my father's grave. A thin tendril of the plant was  curled around the tombstone . The statue of an Angel erected behind my father's grave had its eyes shut as if in deep thought.

It's index finger raised in warning.

It's wings dropping down as if it Just landed on earth.

I . . .had to come here every week .

It was like my therapy session hosted by my dad. Where I could spill everything without the feeling of being judged or something . It sounded mad but deep in my heart, I knew he was listening.

And the strange thing was I never cried.

I just. .talked.

Like I normally used to do. As if he's sitting on the couch and listening to me babble away about all the bitches at my school.

Yeah , I talked about everything under the sky. I didn't wanna cry.

"—and Mrs Folsom had to be the worst of them all. I swear she is Mcgonagall incarnate!! You should see her , Dad! I hope you scare her in the next world when her soul passes into the underworld or whatever. " I rolled my eyes.

Birds chirped somewhere on the tree.

"I wanted to buy some flowers but," I sighed softly ," I can't afford it right now but no worries. I brought something for ya." I said while patting my jean's pocket and yes! I felt the wilted fat rose that was slowly dying .

Bringing it out, I placed the rose on top of  the grave. .

"There." I smiled happily and then . .I glanced at the tombstone and saw my words etched on it.

The smile on my face fell away. .as if it was never there.

Seeing the words I wrote. .it teared me up.

"Dad, you do know that if I had the chance I would give up my life for you right? I would exchange my life for yours. I would—," I bit my lower lip hard.

Shit. I was about to cry.

My vision turned blurry and hastily I took off my glasses and wiped the stupid tears away fiercely.

But once the dam breaks, there is no way you can stop it.

The tears ran down freely.

My nose felt full and I gulped in lung full of air but it didn't help either. The tears kept on slipping down. .

"I'm sorry." I whispered. " It's just— sometimes I can't help but wonder . .why me, dad? Why us? I see Gloria's dad and I feel my heart crack—," I placed my hand on my chest as if it would calm my burning heart. "And it's so hard to act like it's not affecting me. It so hard to act like I'm okay when I'm not. It's been five years . I should— should get over it. Heal but it still feels like yesterday. .," I gulped the ball of tears in my throat ," Dad, they think I'm a strong person when—i am not. I feel so much. .so much."

May be for the first time in ages , I poured my heart out.

Through tears.

I wept like I had never before.

Wept until I was gasping for air. Wheezing.

And the  silence was soothing me slowly. . blanketing around me. .the soft breeze reminding me it's gonna be okay. And I was . . . feeling okay. .kind of. And—

"Mia?"

That sound froze me to my core.

No way! No freaking way!

"Don't act like you didn't hear me."

How come I didn't hear him come?!!

I was in my worst state and Zachary Smith was here! Standing over me!! Watching me!

I sniffed hard.

And then I heard a sigh—

A white tissue fell on my thigh. . .

I didn't say anything. I needed it anyways!Quietly, I took the tissue and blew my nose in it. I didn't care he was seeing all that.

No one asked him to!!

And then I heard the crunching of fabric while I was in the middle of blowing my nose—

My blood spilled over my face when he sat down right beside me. Crossed legs. His knee cap grazing  mine . . reminding me of how real he was.

"That's. .my rose. " He said softly.

I nodded. . tossing the tissue somewhere. .I patted down my face . .all the wetness had dried out. .it was safe to look at him.

And I did.

His side profile was equally gorgeous. As Gloria said gawjuss . And why the hell was i noticing that? Just moment ago I was balling my eyes out and now I was noticing how hot Zachary was?

"Do you mind if I ask—"

"Don't ." My reply was instant.

Now he glanced at me and . .my heart strangely flipped when he looked at me. His blue eyes going from my eyes to my red nose and then dry chapped lips.

"This . .person was close to you right? Otherwise you wouldn't look like you went to hell and came back ." He said in a sure way.

And I said it out loud.

To the one person I wouldn't trust even if my life depended on it.

And here i was telling him—

"Yeah. That's my Dad." I said looking away from him . . at the grave and the dried out rose .

I could feel his eyes burning hole on the side of my face.

"Now you would want to know the hows and the whys right ?." I mused dryly.

"Only if you want to."

Maybe I was being vulnerable and he was just there. . listening to me. .sitting by me. .I couldn't stop myself. .

I was a human. Not a robot.

"He was shot at point blank. " My voice was empty. Mechanical. I had said this line a million of times.

When the teacher asked me. .

Mia, how did your father die?

He was shot at point blank.

When the friends asked me. .

Mia how did he die?

He was shot at point blank  .

Now it felt like I was talking about someone else and not my Dad.

"I'm sorry to hear that. " He said gently and I was about to give him a snarky remark when I jerked!

Because—

His big hand was covering mine!

He was touching me!

And I didn't pull my hand back!

I just. .stilled.

"My father died from liver cancer and I was visiting him . . .then I heard a . .cry and well I followed it. . " he trailed off.

I forgot about his hand over mine.

"I'm sorry to hear that." I said as sincerely as i could and I felt like. .he could feel my pain . Feel what I had been through or what I was going through.

He shook his head and then stared ahead at . . nothing particular.

This black moment was stretching way too far for me. And his hand was still on mine!

I thought to break this ominous moment.

"I was crying pretty loud huh?"

Zack glanced at me, a barely there smile on his handsome face.

"Damn straight."

" You could have ignored me, you know." I blurted out.

He kept  staring at me until I shifted around.

He gaze was too intense for me.

Too probing. .

Piercing.

"I couldn't. I saw myself in you. "

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