There are many ways to kill a rat without seeing blood. ~ Anonymous
As Sydney strolled through the school park, which the students named Love Point, she gave a slight smile as she saw lovers engaged in different games. Years ago, she and Edmund had been just like them, playing at the park.
Love Point was a date venue for most of the students, as it was spacious, with beautiful scenery, and the different groves gave privacy, when needed. The benches were always enough, no matter the flood of lovers, and it was free.
She avoided the park like a plague since the day she saw the picture of Edmund and Rita’s wedding. Rita, her best friend whom she thought had her back, and so had pleaded with her to care for Edmund since he moved into her area.
She had been a fool, and that hurt more than the betrayal she felt. Her best friends broke her heart, but what hurt her more was that she had been oblivious to their relationship which had been going on for about three years according to the interview Rita gave the tabloids. Edmund had actually moved to be closer to Rita, not because he got a better offer, as he had told her. It had been all planned out, first Rita moved, set up house, and prepared for Edmund’s arrival, and then Edmund had gone ahead to meet her.
Sydney had been so blinded by grief, over her mother’s sudden death, and so she didn’t question everything her friends told her, she just nodded, needing happiness in whatever form she could get it, even if it mean her friends’ advancement in their careers. She figured she’d miss them, but she was happy for them. If only she knew what was actually happening.
Sitting on a bench in the park, she took out her novel to read before heading home. This was her idea of leisure, reading a novel in the park. No clubs, parties or drinking for her, no sir! She just wanted to be on her own and graduate with great results from school, and a part of her knew that with the deep longing to embrace anything which will make her forget the pain, she would be overwhelmed if she tried to indulge.
She felt it in her guts, and her guts were never wrong. Never.
Even when deep in grief, she had known there was something wrong with Rita’s sudden ‘good news’ about her career, which needed her to move. Rita usually told her about applications, interviews and anything which could birth advancement, but she hadn’t remembered her ever going out of state for an interview for the new job. She had let it slide. Then Edmund’s similar news too, about the opportunity waiting for him yonder. For a minute, it had seemed more than a coincidence that her two friends had moved to the same state, leaving her behind, and she made plans to join them after school, wishing for the first time that she had not started school so late.
She had known that there as something she was overlooking, but she had ignored the feeling, and it ended up making her feel foolish. So after a good cry in her room, she promised herself never to doubt or ignore her guts again, and so she knew she would keel over should she as much as indulge in one drinking spree or partying. She decided to read novels until the season of grief and longing passed.
Just as she opened her novel to continue reading, she felt her phone ring, and knew who it was even before she looked at the caller.
Edmund.
Since the day the news spread that she had been jilted, he kept calling, and left tons of messages which Sydney never picked or read. She didn’t need his apology or explanation, or whatever it was he called to tell her. She just wanted to heal in peace. Looking at the ringing phone, she saw she was right about the caller. Keeping the phone aside, she went back to her novel.
Several rings later, the phone stopped vibrating, and Sydney, acknowledging that her mood had been sullied, packed up her things and headed to her room. She was going straight to her fridge for ice-cream after which she would sleep. She had barely left the park when she heard her name.
“Syd!”
Only one person called her ‘Syd’, and that was James, Edmund’s best friend.
Could it be?
She turned and before she could decide how to react, she was enveloped in a tight hug. She tried to end it as quickly as possible, but James held on until she relaxed in his embrace. Then he let go.
“I have been looking for you!” he exclaimed, a wide smile on his face, but his eyes held what she could only interpret as an apology.
“Why?” she asked.
“I needed to know how you were doing,” he replied. “Edmund messed up, and I was away when your mother died, so I needed to be sure you are fine.”
“I am fine,” Sydney bit out. “I don’t need your pity.” She turned to keep walking, and mentally decide that she was taking two cans of ice-cream instead of one. She would jog out the calories later.
“Syd, come on! I’m not the enemy here. I warned Edmund, but he wouldn’t listen, and –”
“I don’t want to hear it!” Sydney shouted, covering her ears and drawing the attention of some passing students. “Just go where you came from. Leave me alone.”
“I can’t. I feel responsible for you.” James responded in a calming tone which made Sydney feel less agitated. “You are a good friend, and though Edmund couldn’t see what he had, it doesn’t mean I am equally blind.”
“So what do you want me to do?” Sydney asked after a few deep breaths. “Dance with glee that you are back?” she ended with sarcasm dripping from her words.
“Let me be your friend,” James said, ignoring her sarcasm. “You can call me any time, any day, for whatever reason, but please let me be here for you. You have been good friend to me.”
Sydney knew he said the truth.
She had known James before Edmund. In fact, she had known Edmund through James, when he had introduced them on the first day he accompanied James to her house. James had been a regular visitor at her house, where her mother cared for him like her own son, since he was all alone in the world. Her mother had also seen him off when he left for his long course abroad, and asked Sydney to always keep in touch with him.
James was like the son she never had.
Sydney nodded, and suddenly she was trying to hold back the already flowing tears. “I don’t know why I am crying, I have been so strong,” she explained, wiping the still flowing tears. Suddenly she found herself drawn into the most comforting hug she’d ever felt. James rubbed her back, speaking softly to her.
“You will be fine. You don’t have to be strong all by yourself anymore. I am here now.”
Returning the hug as more tears flowed, Sydney let go of pent up anger, regrets and pain. She was shaking so hard from the wracking sobs, people were beginning to gather, and James gently led her back to the park, choosing a secluded bench for them to sit.
“I wish I never introduced him to you. He never appreciated you enough,” he said as she slowly calmed down, her head still on his chest. They sat in an awkward position, but neither of them cared. One was grieving, the other was comforting. At that point, they needed each other.
“He lost, and he will realise it at the right time, but his loss is my gain,” James continued. “I was a fool once, but I won’t let it happen again; I am keeping you for myself.”
Hearing these words, Sydney stiffened and slowly, disengaging herself from the embrace, raised her head to look at James’ face. She could see hope and hesitation.
“No. No. No.” She said, shaking her head, and quickly took her things and ran off, before James could blink.
James watched Sydney run off, he was rooted on the seat she had just evacuated.
When she looked up at him, he had seen stark fear. Not anger, not love, not wariness.
Just fear; Stark fear.
This was going to be tougher than he thought. Well he was here to stay, and he came prepared.
