Lina has been acting strange lately, since our date, I have noticed she is a little bit different. I have shared my thoughts with Nick but he brushed it off saying that I am over-thinking because he doesn't find any difference in her behavior.

I can't help but grind my teeth when I watch her talking with some guy who came to the shop. A sudden possessiveness grips my heart when I watch him being a little too friendly with her. However, what makes me almost lost my temper when I watch her laughing with him as if they are some friends.

Since I am only able to see one side of her face I can't even read her lips to know what they are talking about. Although it would have been a downright cheap thing to do, at this moment I don't care.

She shows him around the shop, which seems useless as he seems to look more interested in her than the damn things. Sometimes when she stops by the shop she volunteers to help me and Nick with the shop. Normally, I really appreciate her help but today I just want her to go and sit in the break room so I can deal with this too friendly customer in my own way.

I am about to throw him out of my shop when he places his hand on Lina's shoulder while she is not doing anything about his advances when Jessica shows up at the shop.

"Hey." She walks towards me and greets me with a quick hug.

"Hi." Tearing my gaze away from them, I forced a smile on my lips as I look at her not wanting her to feel bad.

Things are getting better between us, there is no resentment or hatred inside my heart for her anymore. Although sometimes, I still feel hurt how things turned out to be, now, these feelings are not as strong as before.

Her lips lift in a smile while she slips her hand in mine and almost instinctually my fingers curl around her hand. For a moment, I just feel like nothing had changed between us... like we have traveled back in time where our lives were perfect.

Looking into her eyes, I can tell even she is reliving the same feelings which I am going through as tears gather in her eyes, along with a hint of guilt.

A small smile appears on my face, and I briefly tighten my grip on her hand reassuringly. I don't want her to live with any kind of remorse, somethings are not meant to happen and our relationship was one of them. What happened to me was not her fault, so I can't blame her for everything bad happened in my life. Everybody deserves to be happy, and she wasn't happy with me so she chose to walk away instead of leading a life with me in which she could have never been content.

She rolls her bottom lip inside her mouth to stop it from trembling as she tries to stop herself from crying.

"Shhh..." Before I can stop myself, I wrap my arms around her pulling her in a hug trying to comfort her because I hate seeing her cry, "Everything is fine now." I speak softly as she holds me.

Things are now different between us, but I can never wish bad for her, neither I can ever feel happy to see her sad.

Jessica and I talked for a while then she leaves after inviting me to a party which will be at her father's restaurant. Although I am not interested to go since she insisted I agreed to be her date for the party as I don't want her to feel that still, I haven't forgiven her. She even told that mom, dad, and Caleb are also invited, along with Nick and his family so I don't think it will be as bad since everyone will be there.

I have indeed forgiven her, but another truth is that I may not ever be able to forget what she had done. So things will never go back to the way they were, but maybe we can give a fresh start to our friendship.

While talking with Jessica, I nearly forgot about Lina as soon as I realize this my eyes quickly move around the shop to search for her, but she is not here. Maybe she left when I was talking to Jessica.

Walking towards the front of the shop, I take out my phone to message her but then I remember she doesn't have a phone which makes me groan in frustration. Deciding to gift her a phone as soon as I can, I am about to turn when my eyes shift to the beach to find her and that same guy on the beach.

I feel like breaking something when he says something to her making her laugh. I know it is stupid to think like this, but suddenly I feel like she is going away from me.

Not wanting to see her talking with him anymore, I walk back inside the shop trying to ignore the hurt which is piercing my heart.

**********************************

Nearly after one hour, not that I am counting or anything, Lina comes back inside. I prepare myself to stay mad with her and not talk to her for a while, but instead of coming to me, she heads to the break room.

Breaking my earlier resolution, I follow her inside and nearly bump into her when she turns around.
Her body tenses momentarily then she relaxes to see it is just me.
"What were you doing outside?" I ask her, and with the way her eyebrows raise I know she can hear the harshness in my tone.
"I was doing nothing." She shakes her head.
"Lina, stop flirting with my customers." I clench my jaws and anger is bubbling inside me, "I don't like it when you get too friendly with my customers."
"I was not flirting with anyone." She glares, "Even if I was you are no one to tell me what I should do and what I shouldn't. I will do whatever I like and you can do nothing about it."
Her words ignite my fury even more. How can she say that I am no one?
"Lina, I am serious," I warn her, "Stop throwing yourself at random people like some-" I stop in my mid-sentence realizing what I have said in my anger.
The flicker of pain which passes through her eyes is enough to make me want to kill myself. Being blinded by my anger and jealousy I have not realized what all shit was coming out of my mouth.
Her face turns stoic, while all the emotions vanish from her face.
Without saying anything she picks up her bag, storms out of the room.
"Lina, please, listen to me." Hurriedly, I follow her, but she doesn't stop. "Lina..." I grab her arm trying to stop her, but she harshly yanks her arm, freeing it from my hold.
And then without even looking in my direction, she leaves the shop while I stand in the middle of the shop thinking about the damage which my words have done.
I just pray that my mistake doesn't cost me my friendship.

*****************************************

Glancing outside the window, I sigh as the familiar building comes before my sight where my hope died within me little by little every time I had walked outside this building.
However, this time I am not expecting anything as finally, I have learned to be happy with the way I am. I can't change my life, so instead of crying about it, I have decided that I will try to make it better in every way I can.
Dad parks the car in the hospital's parking then he turns to me.
"No matter what, I love you and will always love you." He pats my shoulder reassuringly because he knows how devastated I feel every time I return from my check-ups because for the past six months nothing fruitful has come out of these visits.
"Thanks, Dad." I smile at him, "And I love you too."
Stepping outside the car, I draw in a breath and walk towards the hospital. Each time I came here I had hoped for some miracle that would help me give back my hearing as I used to feel this would make everything right in my life.
A miracle did happen in my life, not the miracle which I was expecting but a miracle that I needed, and the name of that miracle is Lina.She changed my life and my perspective, and now I don't care if I will never be able to hear again. I know my happiness doesn't depend on that. If I start hearing again, I will be glad but if my hearing never returns I will not let this affect my life.

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Thank you for reading.