WINGLESS AND BEAUTIFUL: Episode 71 to 80 - Page 10 of 10

?WINGLESS AND BEUTIFUL

?
?EPISODE 80?

“Why? What did you see in her? She was nothing likeme! She was nothing like what your father would expect youto bring home to your family.”

I raised a haughty brow at her. “Exactly. She wasnothing like you,” I told her truthfully.

I had no choice. I had to be honest, even if it breaksTania’s heart. Maybe it’s for the best. So she would stophoping there will ever be a future for us.

“She has a boyfriend!”
I shrugged. “Yes, she does. Me.”
“What?”

“We met at the center where I lived when I was blind.We fell in love. She was the reason why I agreed to undergothis transplant.”

“Oh, now, I get it! You fell in love with her when youwere blind. And you didn’t see what she looked like.”

“Yes!” I replied without even blinking. “And now that Icould finally see, I thought she looked even more beautifulthan how I imagined she would be when I was blind.”At that moment, Allison walked in front of us, withAnderson and Denise.

I stared back at them, resisting the urge to hit Anderson black and blue. But I doubted thatwould help me score points with Allison.

“Our fathers are expecting us to get married,” Taniasaid. I could hear the desperation in her voice.

“I guess they will be disappointed,” I murmured.
“Don’t tell me, you intended to marry her instead? Noway, you would know she was the one!”
I stared at her for a moment.

Then I nodded. I held thependant of my necklace in my hand. “I already bought aring.”
“God damn it, Hunter!” she shouted at me “Why?!”

“You know why!” I bit back at her. And in a calmer voice,
I whispered. “I never told you I loved you. Because I neverdid.

You were nothing more than an acquaintance. But her…I love her, Tania. The way I have never loved anybodybefore. I’m sorry.”

Tears welled up in her eyes. “I swear, I will tell yourfather about this!”

I shook my head. “I don’t care. Knock yourself out.”
Then I turned to walk away, leaving Tania with the rest ofher friends.

I sighed at the memory of that night. Tania didn’t evencomplete the immersion program.

She went home earlierthan the others. And true to her word, she told my father.My father immediately called me the next day. I wasprepared for his long monologue.

There was nothing hecould say that would make me change my mind. I would justsit there and pretend I was even listening. Garbage in,garbage out. It was like he never even called.

But what he asked actually surprised me.

“Is this the girl that you requested your uncle to buy anecklace for? The necklace with braille at the back.”
“How did you find out about that necklace?” I asked himback.

“Because I was the one who bought it, son,” he replied.
“And I know, whoever that girl was, she must be special. So wonderful, she gave me a chance to have my son back.”

“So… you’re not going to talk me out of not marryingTania?”
“You’re an adult now, Hunter,” my father said gently.

“You’re very smart… sometimes, too smart. And you haveall your mother’s money and properties.

You are rich enoughon your own…
“You’ve lost a lot in that accident. This is your second life. I want you to do whatever it is that would make youhappy.

I have hurt you so much in the past. I have taken somuch from you. The choice of who to love and who to spendthe rest of your life with is a choice I will never take awayfrom you. I love you, son.”

That was something I never expected from him at all.And even though the wounds still hadn’t healed completely,I was glad we had that conversation.I don’t know how long I sat there in the garden, readingthe pages of Allison’s diary. I was on the last entry shewrote.

It was the night of the concert when I hit a tree in theparking lot after seeing her perform on stage, after seeingher carrying a rose from Anderson, after my conversationwith Tania.

I was trying to channel the pain I felt somewhereelse because I thought I could no longer endure it, live withit.

Dear Hunter,
If I could shout at you now, I would.

If I could hit you over and over so you would feel thesame pain I feel right now, I would.
If I could show you how angry and hurt I am, I would.
But I couldn’t…
I couldn’t…
I couldn’t…

The boy I used to know has gone to a place I couldn’treach him. And I was reduced to a memory he would rather forget.

Before we come to an end, I wish I could shout at you,hit you, show you how mad I am right now. Even if I could, Idon’t think you would hear… or feel… or see.

A tear rolled down my cheek again when I read thewords she wrote. I wasn’t the only one hurting. She washurting too.

And it wasn’t fair that she thought she meantnothing to me. She was everything to me. She was my love.She was my life. My past. My present and my future.Oh no, angel. You didn’t have to hit me or shout at meat all.
Because I hear…
I feel…
I see.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps approach until it stopped afew feet behind me. The air felt charged and a familiarfeeling crept through me.

I felt exactly the way I didwhenever she would come and find me in this gardenbefore. And I knew… this was my chance to make everything right.

I closed the diary in my hand and climbed down from the table I was sitting on.

Slowly, I turned around to face her. She was looking at me with a wildly confused expression. Slowly, I removed the hood that concealed my face.