Ivy!
No, no, no. I scream inside my head. I drop my guitar and race after her, ignoring all the commotion from the crowd below. A few times I get dragged back by one of the screaming girls, but I wedge my way through and fight them off. Once free, I race after Ivy again.
I don’t care that I didn’t get to finish the song. I don’t care if there’ll be news about me tomorrow on the school blog because of this. All I care about right now is Ivy. I’ve got to catch her and explain everything.
It’s raining heavily outside. The rain pelts my skin, searing it raw. The wind blasts my face, sending my hair into disarray. It’s like the weather is a reflection of my inner soul. Inside, I’m bleeding and crying. But despite this cold weather, nothing could stop my limbs from pursuing Ivy.
Where did she go? Where did she hide? I must find her at all cost. My heart panics when I can’t find her within the vicinity. Did she go home already? She must be freezing.
The wind is at its strongest now, blowing icy air onto my face. I feel pain again. It’s like the prospect of not being able to see Ivy again has paralyzed half my body and I can’t move.
Will this be the end for us? I find myself asking time and time again when I can’t find her anywhere. But I don’t want to give up. I don’t want to wait for another day to confront her. It must be today. I don’t think I can endure this pain in my heart any longer if I don’t get an answer from her.
“Ivy, where are you?” I shout into the dark night as my last resort. “Please come out. Ivy. Please.”
There’s no response. I don’t give up, but continue to call out and search for her, my clothing now drenched from the onslaught of rain.
My eyes adjust to the semi darkness the streetlights provide, and there, huddled in the shadow, is Ivy, shaded from the beating rain under a veranda of one of the shops.
“Ivy,” I call out to her, rushing to her side.
Upon hearing her name, Ivy turns her face to me and once she sees me, she flees again. But I’m faster. I catch her arm, pulling her cold body into mine, hugging her back to my chest.
“Please, stop running away from me,” I beg her, my arm enveloping her, holding her wet body close to mine as if to reassure my heart that Ivy is still here, that Ivy is beside me.
“Zac, please, let me go. We don’t belong together.” She begs me, struggling within my arms, her voice choking with tears.
“We belong together,” I tell her repeatedly, nestling my head on her shoulder. “There’s nothing in this world that could stop our love. I love you, Ivy. I love you. I should have told you from the very beginning. I’m sorry. I wanted to be your boyfriend from the very beginning, but I was scared you might reject me. So I planned to become your friend first. Please, Ivy. There’s not even a day that I don’t think of you. Please, don’t run away from me anymore. I want you. I need you. I love you. I don’t think I can take it if you run away from me again. I think I might die if you’re not here beside me.”
“Zac.” Ivy clings onto my arms that encircle her. Her body trembles and shakes as she speaks. “Zac. You don’t understand. You don’t understand.”
“Ivy.” I turn her around and pull her close to my chest, warming her up with my heat. “Listen to me, Ivy.” I pull aside the wet strands that are plastered onto her face. “I understand perfectly, Ivy. I understand where you’re coming from. You’ve been hurt. I know. But I’m here now. The past between my brother and your family, can’t we forget about it? This is about us. I love you. I want to be with you. Can’t you give me this chance?”
“But I can’t love you, Zac. I can’t.”
“Please, Ivy. Don’t think what people think or what the future will hold or what obstacles we’ll have to face to be together. Listen to your heart, Ivy. What does it say? Who does it beat for? Because for me, Ivy, my heart beats for you. Each day I wake up, it beats for you.”
“Zac… I… I…” She shakes her head and hugs me tighter, not able to say those words out loud. I hug her back, comforting her, knowing I’m asking her the ultimate decision that would change the course of her life.
Ivy doesn’t say anything more, but continues to cry into my shoulder. I hug her close and kiss her wet hair for some time until she calms down. Then I whisper into her hair, “I love you, Ivy. Please let me be the one to heal you.” I pull her back.
Ivy gazes at me with her misty eyes, not sure of what I mean.
I repeat my sentiment again. “I know my brother is the one that caused you this pain. So please, let me be the one who will heal you.”
I pull her long-sleeved dress up to reveal her wrist. I press my lips to her scarred wrist. Then I part her hair to reveal her forehead. At the junction of the scar, I plant a kiss. I rest my forehead on hers then, and now we’re eye to eye. With tears threatening to blur my vision again, I whisper softly to her, “I love you, Ivy. Please let me love you.”
Ivy stares at me, glistening tears like diamond jewels decorating the corners of her eyes. Then with a soft whisper and a strained voice, she speaks, “Zac. We are so young. How do you know in ten years or twenty years time you’ll still want to be with me? The feud and hatred between our two families is too large. We are not meant to be together.”
“I don’t care about the feud between our families. All I know is I must answer my heart. My heart needs you, Ivy. And I don’t know what the future will hold for us either, but what I ask of you is only this.” I tell her this, my palm holding her face gently to relay my message. “Will you love me today? Because right now, when you say you love me, that’s all that matters. Tomorrow, when tomorrow comes, we will deal with it together. So if you love me today, I will promise you I will look after you and won’t ever let anyone hurt you. Not my brother, not anyone. And if you’re scared when tomorrow comes and my heart wavers, then I will ask you again. Will you love me today? Every day I will ask you, until you know I love only you and will never stop loving you.”
“Zac,” she cries, hugging me again. “I’ve never been in love, but if feeling like I’m going to die and can’t breathe when you’re not around is it, then this must be love. Because I can’t breathe when you’re not here. I love you, Zac. I love you.” Ivy places the palm of her hand on my cheek, holding me close to her. She looks into my eyes. “Ask me today if I love you, and I will say I love you. Tomorrow, if you ask me, I will still say I love you.” Then she brings her lips forward and seals them to mine, kissing me, sealing the promise we’ve made.
After Ivy pulls back, exhausted from the heat of the moment, I hug her, holding on to her, providing her with the support she needs to hold on, to stand.
Ivy continues to embrace me as the rain continues to pelt around us. I’m oblivious to this, feeling only the warm body that embraces me close. I smile and look heavenward, feeling like I’m alive again.
Thank you, God, thank you so much for allowing us to be together.
Epilogue
IVY
Close Comfort
On nights like these, when the rain is beating heavily outside the window and the wind howls like little lost souls, I huddled myself close to the burning fire.
That was my comfort back then. Now my comfort comes in the form of something else. A body that hugs me close from behind, making my cold heart warm up in a heartbeat.
Zac hugs me close and brings a mug of cocoa to my lips.
“Sip it,” he urges. “Or you might get sick. I won’t guarantee Mr. Smith will let us both live for running away from prom night like that.”
I give him a weak smile, my eyes threatening to shed tears again when I think of Zac confessing to me onstage by singing that song. But I will myself to stay calm.
Oh God, what will the future hold for us? We’re just teenage kids, fighting a destiny that’s structured in stone. How will Gigi react when she knows? What will Clare do if she finds out? And Dillon, what will his reaction be if he knew? And then there are Zac’s parents and relatives. How would they react knowing that he
’s in love with the enemy that accused their son of murdering her family?
The more I think about it, the more my body tenses up and I grip the mug in my hand harder. Dear God, how could two young kids fight this big obstacle together? Please help us, I pray.
When Zac sees me like this, he pulls me to sit in front of him. His big arms circle my small body, keeping me warm, embracing me tighter so those negative thoughts fly away from my mind. Then he nuzzles his face into the nape of my neck and rests his head there.
“Didn’t I tell you things would work out?” he whispers softly to calm me down. “I’ll protect you. I’ll look after you. I’ve got it all planned. We’ll fight this obstacle together.”
Zac takes the mug away from my hand and lays it on the table. He takes my now free hand and presses his lips to it. He kisses my hand softly and then laces our fingers together until we’re holding hands.
He gives me a smile. “Look at our hands, Ivy.”
I look at both of our hands entwined together.
“I’ll hold your hands forever, Ivy. We’ll fight this obstacle together.” And then Zac starts rocking his body, cradling me within his arm, lulling me to sleep. “Sleep a bit, Ivy. Rest a bit,” he whispers into my ears. “When tomorrow comes, I’ll still hold on to your hand and we’ll fight this obstacle together.”
Yes. We’ll fight this obstacle together. Zac is holding my hand, grasping it tight, as if to tell me he won’t ever let me go.
My lips turn up into a smile. Yes, Zac and me, we will face the impending obstacle together, and when Clare or Gigi, Zac’s parents or Dillon for that matter—when they find out the truth, Zac and I, we will be together no matter what. We will fight them together, because today, I have finally admitted I love him. And when tomorrow comes, I will have Zac’s hand holding on to me and we will fight our obstacles.
We will fight for our future together.
THE END
Love Wanitta’s books?
Sign up to get notification on her next book release.
Sign up here
Her Majesty is Here
A Reverse Harem Royal Fantasy Romance
Getting crushed under a monster truck is never a pleasant feeling. If I could relive that moment, I would never have taken that route. But we never really get a second chance at life. Or do we?
I want to say I died a noble death. And for that reason, I was given a second chance at life. I don’t hesitate to take the offering, outlining the criteria on my wish list.
1. Enjoy life to the fullest
2. Fall in love with a man
3. Would like to have a warm loving family
4. Eat plenty of delicious food as I was starved for most of my life growing up
All is well and good, until I open my eyes to a strange new world, with four strikingly stunning men staring back at me. They said they were the four kings, in charge of governing the four nations of Alyria, and I am their queen, the overall ruler of their kingdom.
But it isn’t just pretty flowers and wispy daisies. They suspect I’m not who I say I am. I live under their watchful eyes, as they literally, and figuratively, peel away every layer of my clothing to get to the real me. Trying to keep my real identity under wraps is one thing, but getting tempted by the four kings is another matter, entirely. How am I to survive in my new world?
Her Majesty is Here is a reverse harem royal fantasy romance novel. It is the first book in Her 4 Kings series. With laugh out loud moments, political intrigue, murder mystery and steamy romantic scenes, this first book is coming to you in early 2020.
Click on the link below to preorder your copy today
Her Majesty is Here
Have I enticed you yet? Turn over the page to read 4 chapters of Her Majesty is Here.
Prologue
The End and the Beginning of My Life
I would like to say I died a noble death. But some might say it was my own stupidity that led to my ending.
It was on December 24th, Christmas Eve. Snowflakes fell in wisps as the wind blew from north to south. I was shivering under the blue jacket that was puckered with holes, and the green scarf I’d knitted myself out of discarded wool from the school craft club a year ago. I was carrying my text books, equivalent to four blocks of bricks, waiting for the bus to arrive to take me back to my previous home.
Delta Orphanage, my home since I was put in there at the tender age of eight. A place filled with hunger, hunger, and... more hunger.
I was always hungry. Guess there were too many kids to feed. Maybe that was why I had died. I was too hungry to think straight. Too hungry to even formulate a plan. And when I saw the big red monster truck come careening into the park where a little girl was playing, I did the only thing I could think of. I jumped straight in and saved her.
I was whipped the second my body collided with it, and landed with a hard thud on the ground. A crushing pain seared at my heart until...
Nothing.
I was standing on the sidewalk again, watching people crowding over in the middle of the park. I saw the little girl I thought I’d saved, in her mother’s arms.
Did I really have an accident or was this just all a dream?
My thought was disrupted by sounds of sirens. Possibly an ambulance. Paramedics were running toward the big crowd. I twisted myself aside to get out of their way, but wasn’t quick enough.
Dear Lord. They’re going to run into me.
I shut my eyes and held my breath, waiting for that oncoming collision. But it never came. The paramedics were already crouching down at that busy crowd. I got curious and waded my way in. And I saw the person who was lying on the ground.
Me.
I did die. I really did die. I wasn’t dreaming after all.
I looked down at my body. Bile crept up my throat. I couldn’t recognize myself. My body was all messed up.
I didn’t want to look at myself when I was in this state. Instead, I turned to look at the paramedics who were trying their best to revive my body. I cheered them on, asking only for one more chance at life.
I wouldn’t ask for much this time around. Just the standard, good, loving family, good food, and a man to fall in love with. I was so lonely growing up in the orphanage. A few friends would be good, too.
As I gave them my full support, standing on the sideline, I was also waiting for some sort of chemical reaction, some sort of magic, whereby I’d go back into my body, with each puff of air or thrust of the chest they were instilling in me. But the more they attempted to perform CPR, the more I felt detached from my body, until I realized I was floating.
I looked down at my feet. Yep, I was no longer on the ground. I was dead for sure now. There was no way I was able to return to my body.
A little piece inside my heart screamed out in regret at all the things I hadn’t done in my short life span.
No! I don’t want to die. Well, not yet, anyway. I want to have my first kiss. I want to eat steak at a fine dining restaurant. I want to finish my degree. And most of all, I can’t leave my little sister, Amy, behind.
I closed my eyes, feeling my body spinning out of control. I took a deep breath, and then a split second later, my body stilled.
I opened my eyes. I was in a white room. There was one couch. It was white. The walls, floor, and ceiling were also white. The florescent light above only emphasized the color white even more.
A small Christmas tree stood at the corner of the room. I was a little relieved at seeing it. It did give me some consolation that I was not alone in this empty white room devoid of all living things. I went to touch the white ferns of the Christmas tree and almost choked to tears. The tree was plastic.
My reality bore down on me. There was absolutely no living thing in this room, me included. Empty of sounds, empty of living things around me, my thoughts on life turned grim. I was at my lowest point and no consolation could get me out of this mentality.
Throughout my life I’d worked hard and studied even harder.
Wanting to reach a better life I’d encountered many low points, but none could compare to the feeling I felt right now. I did odd jobs and sometimes had to skip classes for that extra cash that could get me food on the table. Once I had turned eighteen, I was free to live on my own. But without support of any family or friends, I was a lone bird, learning how to flap my wings in this cruel world, which I now had left behind.
I had never managed to totally starve myself, just living on one cup of noodles a day, but there were times I wished I’d had the luxury of eating proper food.
What could I do? I was only a university student. At least I wasn’t living on the streets. But my little sister Amy, with whom I had grown up in the orphanage... how was she to survive if I were not there for her? The girl was only eleven.
I’d made a promise with mom and dad that if anything were to happen to them, I’d take responsibility for her. Their sad ending came the moment I turned eight, and Amy two. They were both involved in a car crash, leaving Amy and me with no living relatives. And now I had also passed on.
I wanted to cry, but no tears would come out. I tried to force them to but they refused. Those damned eyes. Why won’t they shed any tears?
I buried my face in my palm. I had to think. Although I was dead now, there must be something I could have done. Maybe I’d return to her in my ghost form and watch over her that way.
But she hates ghosts. The last time we watched Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, with that little ghost girl hanging about in the bathroom, she clung to me until I put her to bed. So, if I were to return to her in my current form, wouldn’t she just send someone to exorcise me, or even worse, faint to death?
Let Me Love You: A Novel Page 22
