“

sometimes,

the hardest thing and the right thing are the same.

”

THE wallpaper of Ariel's phone was a photo of Nick.

He never liked taking pictures with Ariel but he loved her taking pictures of him. It was another thing about him that drew her to him. He was different.

Maybe it wasn't always in a good way.

The day after Ariel got into a quarrel with Agape. She went for a walk.

She walked with herself dressed up in Agape's warmest clothes. Her clothes were never the prettiest. Nick loved her wearing clothes that covered every inch of her pale skin, but couldn't keep her warm.

As she walked and did her best to avoid bumping into people on the street. She looked at her wallpaper.

Nick was always beautiful. An addiction of hers that she couldn't get enough of, he managed to swallow her whole and absorb her in him, until her heart wouldn't let her leave.

Because her heart and her mind were never on the same page.

Her heart yearned for familiarity. Nick's absolute dominance. The way he was always so good at dictating her life, how she lived. The way he smelled, the sweet and comforting smell of lavender and the way his lips tasted like honey.

Those were things she tried to forget about him. But she couldn't.

Ever since yesterday whenever she closed her eyes, she saw him. Smiling at her, picking out her outfit for the day. Lecturing her.

And when she slept, he was there too. Telling her she was beautiful and that he would always love her.

Things he never said to her.

Maybe she was too hurt to accept he had said them to her, he just never meant them.

His rejection had left an irreplaceable emptiness in her heart, that she was sure no matter how long her heart tried to heal. It wouldn't fill up that blank space.

She arrived at the park. It was empty and deserted. As usual. No one ever comes to the park.

She enjoyed she privacy though.

She sat on a bench and kept to herself. Looking at her phone wallpaper.

She admired his blond hair that was always perfectly tousled. His blue eyes that managed to captivate hers. His tall figure that managed to make her feel weak and small. Or his ruby red lips that she had kissed so many times that the memory seemed common.

Lips that had spoken nothing but lies to her.

She shut her eyes at the painful realisation. Was this what it felt like? That painful heartbreak from someone you loved? If it was Ariel couldn't imagine what Agape went through after her mother kicked her out.

Agape. Her best friend that had always been there for her, that had always given her the painful slap called reality.

Her best friend that she hurt with her foolish words.

"Hey, there. This spot taken?" A smooth voice asked and Ariel looked up to meet a cheeky looking guy. He was probably older than her with a few years, with brown hair, brown eyes and pale skin.

"No, you can sit down if you'd like to," Ariel shrugged. Sounding robotic.

Her lack of enthusiasm didn't seem to stop the boy, though. When he sat beside her, she couldn't help but look at him.

He wasn't muscular or a bodybuilder like Nick was. He was lean and thin and almost looks malnourished. He wasn't gorgeous with deep eyes that could swallow you whole. He was just a cute boy that looked like he had a hard time becoming a man.

He didn't have a dark aura about him that could make Ariel swoon. He seemed genuinely happy and nice. There didn't seem to be an motive behind him.

But when did there ever seem to be one behind anyone?

"Bad day?" He asked her with a crooked smile that reached his eyes. A genuine one that she thought was reserved just for her.

"Bad life," his smile widened even more than Ariel thought was possible, a small laugh escaped from his lips.

"I know a thing or two about that. Trust me, it gets better," Ariel didn't want to trust him. Not after she had trusted Nick with everything. But anytime she would lock eyes with this stranger, her guard would drop.

"What do you know about that? Because I'm pretty sure no one's going through as much hell as I am. At least I hope no one is."

"You'd be surprised," he said with a sigh, "lots of people I know don't exactly have honey and sugar lives. Most of them are going through inner struggles. Some think there's no hope for themselves."

"So how are you ever sure there's hope?"

"When you're still breathing."

It all made sense. It all made perfect sense because he was right, and seconds later tears were present in Ariel's sour eyes. She didn't want to cry anymore, but there was nothing she could do.

"You know, if you ever feel down I know just the place you can go. It's a group counseling service just down the street. It's completely free of charge and a lot of people have come there for help. Some of them got it, most of them are still getting it and some have learnt to live with it."

"You included?"

"Myself included. My mother was a drug addict, my father was a drug dealer. When I was ten, daddy left, it destroyed my mum, but I don't think it was the lack of his presence - it was the lack of drugs at her disposal.

"Five years ago she fell into debt after getting drugs from suppliers. She commited suicide that same year."

Ariel gasped at that, her eyes widened as she looked at the boy beside her. How could he seem so happy, so strong, when his childhood had been cruel. She couldn't imagine it.

"I'm so sorry-"

He waved her off with a smile. It was a bit sad and not entirely reaching his eyes, but it was genuine. She knew it. "It's fine, I've seen worse happen to other people. That's why I started the group counseling service. I don't want people believing there's no hope - when really, hope is abundant."

He had started it. He had been brave enough to use his gruesome past to create a door of hope and opportunity to people of the society.

Ariel immediately looked up to him. He searched the pockets of his oversized coat and finally pulled out a pamphlet, placing it in Ariel's hands.

Ariel looked at the pamphlet. Happy Counseling Centre. She hadn't heard of them before, but then again why would she? She never thought she'd ever have a reason to go for counseling. Back when she was with Nick, everything was okay. At least, she thought it was.

And there the founder was, looking as modest as anyone could.

She shook my head immediately, wanting to go home as soon as possible. "I can't do this. I know you-"

"Please go. I'll wait for you tomorrow. I wouldn't live with myself knowing you didn't get the help you deserved."

Ariel gulped, her throat was burning. Her muscles ached and her eyes suddenly felt heavy. "I'm a mess. I just left a sick relationship and I'm not ready to go sit down with a bunch of people and act like I'm okay. I don't have a job, not even a life. I'm nothing."

"And that makes you even more worth it. Take up my offer please, Miss. . .?"

"Ariel," she croaked out, "I'm sure I don't need help or counseling. I'm happy."

"Then, Miss Ariel, if you're sure that you are happy, come with me. You can talk to other people without talking about yourself. If you truly think you are fine then come, if you don't you should still come."

She didn't want to go, but she didn't want to stay and laze around either. She needed to pick herself up and stop being so. . . worthless. Her throat had dried up and her lips felt stiff, chapped.

"I'll be there," she surprised even herself by saying, "but please call me Ariel."

"And call me Francis."