Just a warning: this chapter might make you cry…..I’m sorry for this chapter. I warned you, okay? Don’t ever ignore my author notes. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.

-Vireen

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Chapter Eighteen: The Mistake

Aesha’s POV

“B-but….you’re lying.” He said, completely shocked as if he’d been slapped.

I shook my head, trying to keep up my acting skills, “I’m not, Cole. I’m sorry, but I just want us to be friends.”

He looked like he wanted to debate further.

And so he did.

“You said you were trying to hide your feelings. I can’t stand you doing that.” He moved closer to me, determined to make me admit my love for him. I wanted to, but I shouldn’t.

I bit my lip in guilt, “That time, I was lying.”

He was speechless so I continued, “I just wanted you to forgive me. I can’t risk you being mad at me.” That was really true because if we fought, it had a lot of consequences.

“I-I don’t want you to be upset, Cole but I just want to be honest with you. I’m telling you this because it’s better you find out now instead of hurting yourself loving a girl who doesn’t love you back. I’m sorry okay? But I don’t like you.”

His eyes clouded up with sadness and rejection. His jaw was clenched and his hands were balled up to fists. He thinks he’s the only one hurt? I can’t even believe I pushed myself to say that to him. I regretted it.

“That’s not true,” he spoke softly, “I know you like me Aesha.” He rested his forehead on mine.

“Just stop hurting yourself!” I yelled and stood up. If he walked away from me that day when we fought, then I’ll do it this time.

“Aesha, wait!” he started to chase after me but I splashed him with ice cold water. I deserved to hate myself, right.

I ran and ran tears flooding my eyes.

Worst.

Birthday.

Ever.

In.

My.

Entire.

Freaking.

Life.

I sat up on my bed, wiping off the tears rolling down on my cheeks. Every night since my birthday, the nightmare played inside my mind countless times. Cole and I haven’t spoken since. I’m willing to apologize…again but will he forgive me this time? Do I still have a chance with him?

I’m not going to call myself stupid for saying those things. It seems like he was the stupid one because he doesn’t see the damn reason why I don’t want to go out with him or be his little girlfriend.

I’m guessing with overprotective Cylene by his side, he never had enough experience of what will happen with his powers. But I knew the consequences and I knew the worst of my powers. Clearly he doesn’t and he just thinks about the two of us, not the people we could hurt.

I lay my head on the wet pillow again, wishing to get some sleep. But as soon as I closed my eyes, I hoped I didn’t get any sleep at all.

Damn you, life.

“Dad!? Daddy!” I screamed, tears clouding up my vision. His face was calm and peaceful in deep eternal slumber. I held his hand, guilt rushing into me. I looked around and saw the storm I’ve caused.

Spikes of cold ice formed a circle around the two of us. A gust wind was stinging my tear-stained face. I kneeled beside my father, who wasn’t moving a muscle.

“Dad, please don’t leave me. I’m sorry,” My voice cracked. But I knew he was gone. Forever.

What could be more dangerous than a naïve innocent nine year old girl with ice powers she couldn’t control properly? I’m more than sure that my story is worse than Elsa’s. She didn’t kill anyone, did she?

They said it was an accident.

They said it was because of nature.

But the truth is, it was because of me.

If my powers were this deadly, then how much more combined with Cole’s?

~~~~~~~~~~

“You think I should apologize to him?” My voice was barely a whisper while I talked to Kennedy through the phone.

“Hell, yeah!” she almost pierced my eardrums out, “Aesha, he came over to my house, desperately asking for an idea of a gift. He’s madly in love for you, jeez, and you broke his heart!”

I winced at her voice, “He won’t forgive me, Ken.”

“Prove to him…kiss him, or something!” Gah, she was dying to get us back together.

“That’s the problem. I don’t want to say that I like him.”

“Why not?”

“Y-you don’t understand.” I experienced the pain of losing someone I love. I don’t want it to happen again.

“Is this about your da-“

I hung up instantly.

It was worth a try, right? I should say sorry, right? Ugh….I wish my life wasn’t so complicated.

I headed out the door.

~~~~~~~~~~

“There’s nothing to talk about,” he said. I stepped inside the house.

“Just leave, Aesha!” He spat out my name with hate and disgust. “Cole, please.” I said.

He sighed, “I don’t need to make up again. You’ll lie about having feelings for me all over again and then after that, there’s another fight.”

No, Cole. You don’t get it. I don’t want you to be mad at me. My siblings are fighting and one of my friends left me, I didn’t do much about that. Now, you’re mad at me, I’m here begging and pleading for us to make up. I don’t want to lose you.

“Could you just hear me out?” I asked, following him into the living room. Please, just give me a chance.

“No. Get out.” His voice was stern.

“Cole, listen!” I had no choice but to yell. Is head snapped at my direction but the scowl on his face didn’t disappear.

“I’m sorry I had to say that. B-but I was serious. I’m sorry you fell for me and I rejected you. I don’t want to ruin our friendship…just please forgive me.” I said. See? I had to sacrifice.

He rolled his eyes, “You make it sound so painful.”

I ran a hand through my hair, “Cole, I’m really sorry, okay?”

“You’re not forgiven.”

“Come on, I’m here, pleading for your forgiveness! All I want is us to be friends again.”

“I want to be more than that.”

I stomped my foot, “Stop being so demanding!”

“I just wanted you to admit the truth, Aesha. Is that so hard to do!?”

“Fine! I. Don’t. Like. You. End of story. That’s the truth, are you happy now?”

His fists clenched as he turned to me with anger and hate, “Just leave! I hate you!”

That stopped me. Tears threatened to escape my eyes as I stormed off the house. I can’t believe he said that. I can’t do anything about it now. It's all over.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Cole’s POV

 Just leave! I hate you!

Almost as soon as it slipped from my mouth, I regretted saying it. I looked at Aesha, and she looked heartbroken and hurt. Then just like that, she left me. I’m not even happy that I managed to let out a single flame.

I wanted to forgive her, really. But if she’s going to put me in the friend zone each day we hang out, I’d rather not. But shouting at her like that made me feel really guilty. I can tell she was close to tears back there.

Frustrated, I went to my room and crashed on my bed. I didn’t mean to hurt her. I just wanted her to love me.

“Cole,” someone burst into my bedroom.

Damn, I forgot Cylene was here. But it didn’t matter if she found out.

“Did you hear everything?” I asked while she sat on a chair beside my bed.

“Yep,” she said, not really looking that mad.

I ran a hand through my hair, “I just really love her.”

“I know.” She said. I sat up, confused, “How?”

She let out a little chuckle, “I’m your sister and I’m her friend. Why wouldn’t I know about your ‘relationship’?”

I sighed, “There was never a relationship, Cy. I was friendzoned.”

She took a seat beside me and gave me an encouraging smile, “Don’t worry. She just needs time to sort it all out. Someday, she’ll realize that she loves you.”

I cocked a brow, “And you’re not even mad? You’re going on with us being together?”

She nodded, “What could stop me? I’ve never seen my brother so in love with a girl. She finally knocked some sense into you about a thing called ‘true love’. Though, I’d  still expect you to be careful.”

I smiled at her, “Thanks, Cy.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

Aesha’s POV

I sat hopelessly on the sofa, crossing one leg over the other. Tears were already streaming down my face. I shut my eyes closed and bit my lip. I hate it. I hate it all.

“Aesha,” Shaelon sat beside me, squeezing my shoulder.

Okay, I really didn’t need someone comforting me right now. Especially Shaelon.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

I rolled my eyes, “Just great.”

She frowned at me, “Look, Aesha, if you have a problem with me, just say it. Don’t act like you don’t.”

“Have you tried doing that to Sean?”

She stood up in frustration, “At least I’m the one comforting my sister when she has a problem! Seriously, are you gonna take that gay’s side!?”

“At least I’m not the one freaking out when someone kisses my crush!” I yelled back.

Now Shaelon was furious. Could this day be anymore better?

Note the sarcasm.

“You deserve to be brokenhearted like that, you don’t understand that Sean being such a prick!”

“You think your life is bad!?” This time, ice blasted from my fists and my eyes turned blue. The ice exploded and went higher until it reached the ceiling. It – unfortunately – landed on my sister.

Turns out I released more ice and cold than I expected so now my sister was lying on the floor, not moving. No, please, no. It feels like déjà vu. No, I don’t want it to happen again.

I was crying already and was down on my knees. I wanted this be all a dream. I didn’t want to be heartbroken by someone I really liked and I didn’t want to see my sister lying on the floor with her lips blue and her body shivering.

“Sean!” I screamed. My brother went down from the stairs a few seconds later.

“What happened?” he asked. I was already panicking of what’s happening to Shaelon. It was my entire fault.

“W-we just got into an argument and I accidentally..released my powers and….just call a damn ambulance!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Where is she?” Mom asked. I pointed to the door I was facing and followed her inside. We rushed Shaelon to the hospital and from there, we called mom from work. The doctor said it was serious and cannot be cured easily.

Mom shook her head in disappointment as she saw Shaelon lying on the hospital bed.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, “the powers were really out of control and…” I felt my voice crack.

“Your powers are getting uncontrollable.” Mom said, crying, “Steven was right, we shouldn’t have gotten together.”

I cringed a little on my dad’s name. It brought back memories…

“Your father wouldn’t have died because of you,” she said. I felt guilt piercing through my heart. I thought I was the only one who knew. But mom knew.

“I-it was an accident,” I couldn’t control my cracking voice.

“And you say this is an accident?” she gestured at my sister. I’ve never felt hurt emotionally in my life.

“Y-yes.” I replied.

She breathed deeply, “You already killed your father, are you going to hurt my kids, too?”

My kids? What was she talking about?

“W-what?” I asked.

She brought out a white envelope from her handbag and gave it to me, “Read it, Aesha. Just read it.”

And reading it was added to my list of ‘things I regret’.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Cole’s POV

It was already afternoon and I was still in my bedroom, sulking. Cylene didn’t do a good job cheering me up fully. But she did manage getting me out of my bedroom right now and making me sit on the couch.

“Just forget about it,” she said.

I scowled at her, “Do you think it’s that easy?”

She sighed, “You’re not going to spend your life grumbling about she broke your heart.”

I grunted, shooting her a dirty look. She didn’t understand. No one did.

“I might as well do that,” I said.

Cylene’s phone began and she picked it up. “What? What about Aesha?” My ears perked up instantly as Cylene put the phone on loudspeaker.

“Is she with you?” Kennedy asked from the other line. Cylene pouted, “She was here a few hours ago.”

 I can sense worry in her voice, “Well, we were supposed to meet up a while ago. Nobody’s at her house and she’s not answering her phone.”

“Did you try calling one of her siblings?” Cylene asked.

“Yeah. I called Sean and he said Shaelon is in the hospital.”

Cylene’s eyes widened, “Why? What happened?”

“There was an accident with Aesha’s powers. He has no idea where she went.” Kennedy said.

“What!?”

“And that’s not even the worst part. I’m here at their house and found an envelope lying on the couch. I’m suspecting this is really important.”

“We’ll be over there,” Cylene hung up.

I have to admit, I was worried of Aesha. Wherever she went off to, I hope she was safe. She didn’t do anything stupid, did she?

But I hadn’t realized that was the day I lost her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mwahahaha….awesome chapter, right? Haha, for me. I’m so evil. I warned you.

I bet you’re all wondering what’s that in the envelope, right? Yeah, you are. You’ll know, alright ;)

And just a heads up, this story won't reach 30+ chapters. It'll end maybe chapter 23-25

-Vireen