Purple Romance

Lazarus held Carlien's hand back and stared coldly at Lucas as he said, ''Carly, if you leave with him, I will take it that you have chosen to be on his side''

''What?'' Carlien looked at him and chuckled. "I can't believe I liked someone like you for so long without even knowing the kind of person you were. More than been disappointed in you, right now, I am more disappointed in myself for being so blind all these years''

''Do you even know the kind of person he is?'' Lazarus asked and pointed at Lucas adding, ''he is…''

''I don't care who he is. I only care about what I see and right now, you are the person I want to start seeing less off'' cutting him short, she moved closer to Lucas and took his hand. ''Let's go, I'm hungry'' she said and walked out with him.

Lazarus let out a frustrating and sarcastic chuckle as his face turned sinister, he looked at the hospital director saying, ''you had better choose your side wisely, uncle Dexter, because anyone who chooses to be on the side of that bastard will only have a difficult life from now onwards''

…..

Sitting across each other at the Bips Restaurant, Carlien and Lucas stole glances at each other silently.

''I…''

''You…''

They both said at the same time and kept quiet again.

''You first'' Lucas said to her.

''Are you a male Cinderella?'' Carlien asked suddenly taking him by surprise.

''Huh? What are you talking about?''

''Well… you always seem to know what to say when you are with me but, why can't you be like that to your brother? He is the younger one, why do you always allow him to say anything to you?''

''Carlien…'' Lucas leaned closer against the table towards her face. ''There are two people I can never win against in this world; my father and Lazarus''

''Why? Why can't you win against them?''

"Because I am the one who destroyed their perfect family''

When she heard him say that, she didn't know what to say to him. Truth was, she didn't even know what to do with such information.

''So?'' she asked indifferently.

''Did you not hear anything I just said?''

''I heard you but, so what? In this world, who said the righteous one is always right? Do you have to allow him to mock and disrespect you because of that? Listen to me, the world is a cruel place, if you're someone who allows others to tramp on you just because you think only that will appease them, there is only one path for you; depression and loneliness. Even wicked people know how to make sure that a victim doesn't get powerful because it will mean death for them. Allowing him to treat you that way isn't going to make him feel any better. You... Haven't done anything wrong''

''Why did you do that?'' Lucas asked her.

''Do what?''

''Why did you leave with me? Lazarus is going to think that you are on my side''

''I am on nobody's side. If you were the one who treated Lazarus that way, I would have taken him out of that place. No matter what is going on between you two, he has no one to say those things to you''

The waiter brought their food and placed it on the table.

''Let's finish our conversation after eating, I'm so hungry'' Carlien said and picked her cutlery to eat.

''You… don't seem to act courteous around me''

''Why do I have to be courteous around you? It's not like I like you or something, I don't see you as a man. Surprisingly, I tend to eat a lot when I'm angry'' Carlien said as she ate her food.

Lucas stared at her for a while before he also started eating. He didn't know why he was unhappy hearing her say she didn't see him as a man? Did she love Lazarus that much?

….

After the meal, they took a stroll down a park while chatting.

''My mother was the housekeeper and served under the mother of Lazarus, who was the madam of the house''

Lucas said suddenly making Carlien to stop in her strides. She looked at their surroundings and saw a playground near, where there was a bench at the side.

''Let's sit over there'' Carlien said and started walking away but he held her hand and pulled her back to himself.

''Didn't you hear what I just said?''

A few drops of rain landed on Carlien's face.

''So? Do you want us to talk under the rain? I hate it when rain touches my hair''

''Let's go'' he took her hand and they ran towards the bench.

Carlien brushed off the droplets of water from her hair before sitting on the bench.

''My mother used to work under his mother. She was so good to my mother and even my mom could testify to that, but even after been good to her, my mother still betrayed her by sleeping with her husband and even got pregnant. It's funny right?''

Carlien didn't say anything, she just listened quietly waiting for him to continue.

''Even when she found out her housekeeper was pregnant and that her husband was about to make her go for an abortion, she went against it and asked her to stay back and give birth to the child but on the condition that the child will belong to her. So, my mother stayed at a house that was bought by that woman until she gave birth to me. Not long after that the real wife also became pregnant and gave birth to Lazarus.

My mother still worked in that house but then, she lost her right to call me her son because I was adopted into the family after birth. The only way she could remain by my side was to pretend she didn't know me. At first, I didn't even know she was my birth mother'' Lucas sighed and chuckled.

''So, what happened next?'' Carlien asked as curiosity took over her.

''I will tell you the rest later on. If I tell you everything now, you won't have a reason to see me again next time. I want to keep seeing you even if I have to use the sympathy card on you, Carly''

''Why do you want to keep seeing me?''

''Because I feel comfortable around you. You are unpredictable and full of surprises. I don't know how to put it but, you are like an amusement park. Just when I think I have figured you out, I get surprised again''

''What a way to describe me. But, what to do, I plan to leave this place very soon''

''Where are you going to?''

''I don't know, I guess I will go to a place where I can heal my soul. I feel empty lately''

''Why do you feel empty?''

''Should I tell you something about me?''

''I was wondering when you would open up to me but it seems it's happening faster than I thought''

''I don't have a father. I grew up alone with my mother. When I was 3 years old, she moved with me to Cosmos. When I was 6 years old, we came to District C and when I was about to enter junior high school, we finally settled in B-City here. I don't know when I will have to leave this place again but, I feel anxious about where we will be going if my mom told me one day that we will be moving again. Apart from Paige, I have never stayed at one place enough to make a friend.

I don't know what or who she is running away from but I know it has to do with my birth but I won't ask her about it, because my mom has never given me any reason to doubt her love for me. Even when I found out she wasn't my real mother''

Lucas turned to see the tears on her face, he felt a sudden impulse and acted on it. He leaned closer to her and kissed her tears. Carlien's body stiffened as she stared back at him.

'My heart just fluttered, I think I might like him...this feeling is scary'

Carlien's gaze lingered on his lips. Seeing her doll-like eyes on him, he smiled and said to her.

''There is this quote that I love so much, I always recite it whenever I am feeling down. It goes this way;

'everybody has something they never speak about'

'everyone has something they never share with anyone'

'everyone has something they are afraid of'

'everyone has something that they are running away from'

'everyone has something dark inside of them'

'everyone has something they wished nobody saw in them'

'everyone has a past that keeps pulling them back no matter how hard they try to overcome it'

'everyone has a story to tell no matter how little or great'

'Sometimes not knowing the truth about yourself keeps you safe, take it from someone who was forced to face the truth of his life and is still paying for the price of his mother's betrayal. But, know one thing, your mother loves you the most in this world. Maybe that thing she is running away from is because she wants you to have a happy life''

''Whoa, I didn't know you could be so melancholic'' Carlien said and they both chuckled. The rain soon stopped and was drizzling bit by bit.

''Do you know what Paige's mother used to tell us? She used to say that, whenever it's raining, it means that someone is missing us. I wonder who is missing me?''

''Me'' Lucas said and she turned and looked at him. He placed his palm on her hand that relaxed on the bench and squeezed it gently as he stared into her eyes deeply.