Wing Of Change
Chapter 63

Henry’s POV

My face hurt like i have just been hit by a moving truck. I think it’s broken even but everything is worth the pain.

No pain no gain right?

You might think am a psychopath for doing all I have done but what choice do I have? In life you fight to get what you want and everything is fair in love and war.

Did I feel pain when Frank had hit me? Of course I did and it took everything in me not to fight back. I could already see how it will all end for the both of us.

I let him win in order to claim the prize. He made it easier than I thought he would. All I had to do was provoke him enough to hit me and it worked like magic.

Aria showing up right when she did was the universe way of patting me on the shoulder.

Yes I do deserve it no matter what you might think or say_even though I feel like shit with my swollen face_my heart is gladden beyond doubt because I know am this close to winning her over.

Aria will be mine.

The thought of having her in my life like I have always imagined is enough to brighten my night as I sat in the dark with a pack of ice against my nose.

The more pain I felt, the more adrenaline pumped through my veins. All my life_I have gotten whatever I set my heart upon and am not going to fail now.

I was still high up in my horse dreaming of a future i can already foresee coming true before I heard my phone ringing which kinda pulled me out of my dreamland as well.

I let the phone ring away when I realized it wasn’t who I thought could be calling me. The phone began to ring again and I was forced to pick on the second ring.

“What is it cousin” I asked in annoyance.

“Good evening to you too dear cousin” I heard her taunting voice over the receiver.

“I’m really not in the mood for your sarcasm cousin so let cut to the chase shall we?” I bite back before adjusting my full length on the couch.

“You sound like you have been bitten in the a*s” Sandra had reasoned.

“Beaten in the face would have been the appropriate word for it but that will be story for another day. Right now we have something that is far more important to talk about”

“Like what?”

“Like you continuing what you left off”

“What I left off?” She had asked back demanding that I elaborate further which am obviously not going to do.

“You know what I mean dear cousin so stop acting like the clueless girl you are not” I snapped causing the pain in my jaw to contrast and hurt even more.

“Okay”

I was still talking to Sandra when I heard a knock against the door.

“I have to go now. I need feedback tomorrow”

I didn’t let her answer before I went ahead to end the call before switching on the light causing the once darker room to brighten up in an instant before strolling towards the door with my pack of ice in one hand to unlock it.

And there she was; standing before me the moment I pulled the door open. Aria has an unsure little smile decorating her face when she looked up at me and I couldn’t help but smile back.

Her beautiful smile is that contagious as I stood staring at her but before i could say something to compliment her, the smile was suddenly wiped off and now replaced with a deep frown.

Her brow is furrowed making her usual radiant face seemed gloomy.

“Hey?” I smiled.

“Hey!” She smiled back.

“Do you want to come in?”

“No _I just came to give you this”

She handed me a small bottle containing what I don’t know.

“What is this?” I asked not sure of what I was holding.

“It’s a healing ointment. It will help with the swelling” she explained calmly.

“Thanks” I said simply.

She turned to leave but paused before looking back at me.

“Can I come in for a minute?”

I rose my brow at her request as I stood staring at her. she seemed bothered and withdrawn.

“Of course you can” I finally found my voice and replied.

I moved aside to enable her walk through before locking the door from behind.

She walked into the living room but didn’t seat as I had expected so I offered.

“Do have a seat Aria. You look nervous” I tried to jest and it worked as she began to chuckle a little.

“I won’t take long so I will just say what’s on my mind real quick and I will be gone”

I felt my heart sink within my ribcage at her word. I mean_i have no idea what she was about to say but I suddenly found myself becoming uncomfortable just thinking about what she has to say.

“Okay”

I watched her suck in a reasonable amount of air into her lungs before looking at my direction

“Henry!…” She began “…i just wanted to say am sorry about how Frank treated you earlier today. I know what he did was uncalled for and wrong and it’s all my fault because i never should have gotten you involved in the first place but I did and am sorry for your pain”

“And?” I asked with a raised brow urging her to continue.

“And what?” She asked back staring at me wildly.

“C’mon Aria. I know you came here wanting to do more than just apologise for your boyfriend’s little assault on me earlier so spit it out because I want to hear it”

I leaned away from the comfort of the couch and sat at the edge staring back at her. I can see the hesitation in her eyes as we just kept looking at each other while the silence between us just dragged on until she finally gave in with a sigh.

“Look Henry_i like you a lot and that’s why am going to be really honest with you. I know you are a nice guy and so funny but I can’t be what you want because I don’t feel the same and am sorry if I had led you on without realizing it”

she ended her little speech and just looked back at me with those eyes filled with the one thing I hate!

Pity!

I hate to be pitied like a worthless person. It makes me angry but am not going to allow myself be angry at her.

I can never be mad at her so i let her word circle around me as i leaned back against the couch.

“Okay so why are you telling me all this?” I asked faking nonchalance.

“Because I love my boyfriend and I will like for you to understand what that means”

“No I don’t_ to be honest. Please explain” my voice was undoubtedly raised at this point as I stared at her with pain in my heart. But I doubt she can see it because she crushed it a little bit more again with her next word.

“It means we will never happen. You and I can never have a relationship” she stated in finality before turning towards the door to walk out but am not done talking.

“Does he feel the same as you? Does your boyfriend feel the same strong emotion for you like you do him?”

She answered with a shrug before turning to look at me…”It’s doesn’t matter if he does Henry. What matters is the fact that i feel this way about him and I’m okay with it”

“Isn’t that like a one sided love affair?”

Well that didn’t come out right because she snapped at me almost immediately.

“Look Henry! Am not here to talk about my relationship with you so good night”

She was already at the verge of walking out when I called at her again.

“Wait!”

She came to a halt but didn’t turn around so I couldn’t see her face.

I took a step closer to her and stopped an inch away from her.

“I’m sorry Aria. I didn’t mean to get you upset or ask about your relationship. I’m just a neighbour and that’s enough reason not to meddle”

“Good night Henry. I will see you tomorrow”

I watched with wide eyes and balled fist as she slipped through the door_leaving me to deal with my own unrequited feeling.

I let the bottle within my grasp fly across the room in one swing as it shattered into tiny piece just like my heart.

This isn’t over yet.

Not until I say it’s over.

Aria will be mine.

I walked over to the couch and settled back down against the first one as I allow my aching muscles to relax bit by bit.

You will be mine Aria…

I kept chanting my mantra with my eyes close while I pushed her words out of my head.

The shadow of her words were still lingering around even though she had walked out a while ago.

My mind won’t stop reeling as it kept running wild with her words waging war in my head like a hurricane.

‘Look Henry_I like you a lot….

My mind whisper those exact words at me for the hundred time and I couldn’t help but crack up a bit. I mean_ It’s funny how she could tell me she likes me that much but yet doesn’t feel the same love as I do.

I’m just Henry the next door neighbour who is nice and funny and only good for the friend zone and not for love.

Well_am not buying any of those shit because for starter, words like love and likes are one and the same in my dictionary. They make no difference to me when matters of the heart is involved.

Her like is still good enough for me.

Aria will learn to love me in due time but for now_ I have all the love we will need to last us a life time._just the two of us in love and life will be a lot easier_ i refused to be toss aside like a worthless piece of rag because I can’t think of a single reason why we can’t have a relationship._ I mean why can’t she pick me when I have all the love she will ever need.

I’m the one who comfort her whenever she is hurting. The same one who could see the pain behind her cheerful smiles so do save me the bull crab and the little lectures of Frank being in the picture before me because relationship is much more than the I love you nonsense he feeds her with.

We all know she feels something for me too. I have felt the chemistry between us, the unsaid words that is always left hanging and the fight she had to win to not give in to just how much she truly feels about me.

I can feel it deep within my heart and soul because even when I close my eyes_ all I see is her smile and there is no denying what I feel for her.

Absolutely no denying it.

If only she knows just how much I love her_then she’d realize how far we could go together.

Just the two of us.