| Mia |

2 : 10 AM

I had no plans to sleep.

I had my Netflix on and I was proud of myself for choosing positivity. And choosing me.

It would have been so easy to be negative and plain sad . .but I chose me.

I had to.

And I had plans for nights  to keep me occupied. My head occupied so I was watching the Queen's Gambit. I always selected the ones with complicated plots because then my mind would be busy solving them—

The doorbell rang.

And I rolled my eyes.

Just when the scene was building up, someone had to interrupt. Glancing at the wall clock, I knew it was mom.

Putting the bowl of popcorn aside, I got up. Barefoot and hurriedly walked towards the door.

I unlatched the door and then I turned back, eager to go and watch the season.

I heard the door clicking shut and footsteps moving in which kinda sounded weird because mom didn't walk like that. Her footsteps were light and—

Dread started to settle in my bones.

Did I just. . .let a rapist in?

That thought stopped me in my tracks . I didn't dare move when I heard his heavy breathing.

A very male heavy breathing.

Effing shit! I let a burglar in!!!!

I let a—

"Mia."

That deep voice was enough to make me whirl around at the door with the speed of light because. .no. .it wasn't mom. No. It was him.

Yes . .it really was him.

The shadow of a person I used to know. The dark circles under his eyes made his eyes look gaunt.

When was the last time he slept?

Who cared?!!

I didn't!!

"What the hell! Get out!" I snapped without caring. He didn't belong here!

He raised a hand in the air as if asking me to be patient.

"Hear me out ." His voice was empty. A silent plea in it.

"No! You hear me out! Get the frack outta my house or God help me. .!" I looked around wildly for a weapon I could whack him with .

"Mia. . Please . I'm begging you." He said it softly. Like he used to.

It did affect my heart. Seeing his eyes begging me..

Didn't my eyes beg him that day?

Did he notice them?

"I swear Zack!! I don't care about a single word you have to say. You're done and dusted . Get.Out." I gritted my teeth.

Seeing him was opening back the wound I had healed a bit. It was raw again.

It hurt again!

And it drove me nuts!

He swallowed hard.

"Mia. .fix me." He whispered.

But it felt like a yell.

It jerked me. Hit my heart. He looked vulnerable. .ready to break at the slightest  of touch.

I wish I was as cruel as he had been to me but I was me. I wasn't Zack.

I sighed. .the steam in me getting out.

"What do you want ? " My voice was dry.

His blue eyes wouldn't look away from me and it was unnerving me!

"Can you stop looking at me?!! Just tell me what you want!!" I snapped.

The smallest of smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

"I missed this. "

The way he said it. .like he was reminded of a sweet fond memory. .

But then. .it was a memory.

Not the present.

My patience was running thin.

"Zack, I have no time for this. You need to get out—"

"I tried so hard to move on. Tried everything . .," He shook his head helplessly ," nothing works. "

I bit my tongue from saying something bitter.

"Why are you telling me this ? "

"Because I want to. .I want to let you know . .I'm sorry—"

"No!!"

My voice rose on its own.

I had to stop him right there.

"Don't you dare!! Don't you dare make that crappy face at me and tell me how sorry you are!! You're not sorry! You never were!!! The day you stepped all over me is the day we died!! Buried things should remain buried!!"

I was breathing so freaking hard. .

And it skyrocketed when I saw him stepping towards me. .a careless look on his face. His signature careless look.

"If you got near me—back off!!"

"Make me."

He moved in towards me and I stepped back calling him every bad word that I had imagined saying to him. Cursing his lineage. His face.

His entire existence.

Nothing fazed him.

I kept going back until my back hit the wall and when I realized it—he had reached me.

Reached me and he was in my face.

I tried to move but his hands shot out and he captured me between his arms.

Up close his eyes . .

His lips. .

His nose. .

The nostalgia was overwhelming.

"I'll leave if you stop being Mia. I'll leave if you don't feel like Mia. " He whispered. .breaking in my heart.

"You're no one to decide. ."

"I know ...forgive me and I promise if you don't want to see my face , I would move continents away. All I'm asking for is forgiveness. I'm ready to forget what you did—"

I lost at that.

"What? What I did?"

His blue eyes looked away from my face. A shadow falling over his eyes.

"I don't want to talk about it—"

"You have to! I repeat you don't get to decide for me." My voice was dangerously low.

And his eyes fell on my face. . looking around .

"I know . .what you did."

My brows knotted together.

"I saw you in the class with Rad. I know you cheated on me with Conrad. "

At first I didn't hear him.

And then my mind proceeded it.

And then his sentence flashed in my head.

Have a nice ride with Conrad. .

The puzzle fitted in. All the whys answered .

All this time. .

He thought I had been. . .

I looked him dead in the eyes.

Without showing him any emotion.

"You want my forgiveness right?"

He nodded. . watching me carefully.

"Talk to Conrad."

His eyes twisted in disbelief.

"I don't want to—"

"Talk to him. And when you talk to him. .ask yourself if I should forgive you or not."

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