Contracting Love

He was not the same person anymore who cared for me when i was a stranger. I knew in my heart that I'm the reason for this drastic change. Days were passing by and i was nowhere near to his heart. We were living like strangers under a roof; we were actually but i wanted this to be nothing like this that was sure. Amanda and Chad were pressurizing me to won the deal but that was not the concern for me now.

Three weeks passed after that. There was change in his behaviour; it got worse. His eyes were blank whenever i looked in them. I never saw a smile on his face around me. I was sleeping with Amy when i hear some whisperings. I stood up and followed them to the kitchen. There was a women with Kent. I don't know her but seeing Kent , one thing was sure that he doesn't like that women very much.

"I'm not going anywhere. Leave me like you are supposed to." He snapped at her.

"Kenny please, come with me." She requested her.

"Don't call me that. You have lost your right to call me that many years ago." He shouted.

"Kenny, I am your mother, please l am sorry." She said.

She is her mother. But he told me she is dead. Why did he lied to me? Did he not trusted me to not tell me this?

"You left me and my father for some rich prick when I was ten, do you really expect me to forgive you for that." He trailed off with hate in his voice.

She left him alone at that age. I know what is mother's love and care and he was deprived of that his whole childhood. She was still standing there and Kent was dying to ground. She's so cruel that he can't see that his son is dreading. How could she? Actually she can, she never cared for him back then why would she now? Tears were forming in his eyes, if she continued like that he is going to break.

"Hey bitch you are going out in a second or i am calling the police." I barged in with my phone in my hand. She looked at me and left with a defeating look.

He looked up at me wiping his tears with confusion. I sat down near him and caressed my finger tracing the line of his dry tears to his lips. My finger went on his lips outlining them. They were parched. I was controlling myself not to make them wet but it was too late. My lips were damping his. My tongue went in his mouth and soon they were dancing with no barriers. I was not going to pull out this time as somehow i knew this is the right thing. I was panting hard when we stopped. I saw him blushing. This has never happened before to me. Butterflies were roaming my stomach. I held his hand and took him to his room. I was leaving when he tighten his grip, i felt a little pain but that pain was causing me to smile. Silly me, i laid to his side and buried my face in his chest as i was finding myself unable to meet his gaze. He didn't moved from there. I can hear his heart beating in my ears like a lullaby making me to sleep.

Next morning i woke up in his arms wrapped around me. A smile widened my lips when i saw him sleeping. I brushed his hairs from his forehead and gave him a little kiss there.

"That's a very good trick to say good morning to someone." He said opening his eyes. I pinched his cheeks moving out of his bed.

"I owe you this." He whispered. I tried to understand his words but they were not sticking in my mind. After that day life was so much easy. He changed back to that caring and loving person that he actually was. I now knew the reason why he hate people from my society so much and i can't blame him for that. Guilt was also sprouting in me because i will be making his hate stronger in the coming future.

Today was the day i was supposed to be leaving. I was packing things when Amy came in crying.

"Meo don't go." She said.

"Amy i have to." I replied. Leaving her was making me sad but inside i was happy that from this day onwards Kent will not be a part of my deal. I was saved from the guilt of breaking his heart. Amanda came to pick me up. I bid them goodbye. My heart felt heavy on leaving them, My little family.

'My little family' the voice in me came forward.

'Shut up. I'm just sad' i trailed off.

"Meo stop." A familiar voice came. I moved to see Kent looking at me.

"What happened?" i asked him in confusion.

"I have something to say." He said coming near me.

"Okay. Tell me." I told him thinking what was he going to say.

"I uhh iloveyou." He babbled. My eyes widened in surprise but i was not believing myself.

"Whaa" he cut me off.

"I know it's kind of weird but i really really love you." He said walking to the stairs.

My heart started beating faster. Butterflies used to fly in my stomach but this time they felt like elephants. I ran to him and hugged him from his back jumping on him. He held my hands around him. Then i realised what was i doing. I am making him a victim of this deal again. My smile dropped.

"Kent i" he cut me off by his kiss. I lost my words

"I know you love me too." he said broking the kiss.

Amanda jumped in happiness. But only I knew why was she happy. From that day, we dated for a whole week as Amanda didn't want Kent to get doubted when he meet my father. Yes, this was the next phase of our plan. The whole week i wanted to tell him about the deal but circumstances were not allowing me to. Every time i tried his sad face came into my mind; i intentionally avoided to tell him knowing that I'm doing wrong.

Tonight was the night when he was supposed to meet my father. My father was surprised and suspicious when i told him about Kent. I picked up Kent and we reached my home. He was happy to meet my dad and unfortunately or fortunately he did too. They both went into my dad's study. They came after half an hour with smile on their faces.

"So Meo what are your plans about marrying Kent?" my dad asked on dinner table.

I choked my food on his question. My cheeks started burning when i looked at Kent. I shoot my dad a killing glare.

"What, you love him, so what's the problem in marriage?" he asked me. I remained silent as i knew time was coming when i will be doing the most staggering thing of my life.

"What about you Kent? Don't you want to marry my daughter?" he asked him.

He nodded his head. The smile appearing on my lips was taken over by the thought of the deal. After he left my dad called me to his study. He opened his safe and pulled out a box. I was seeing that safe for so many years and now it's secret was revealing on me. He gave it to me. Tears fell down my eyes when i opened that box. In front of my eyes was the most beautiful thing i've ever seen. It was my mother's locket. She used to wear it all the time. I thought this was lost, this was his precious. He had it for all these years. I hated myself for thinking that my father never loved my mom, he did love her. I felt so much guilty.

"Dad i" he hugged me before i could say anything.

"Meona i know you hated me because you think i never loved your mother. Truth is i never valued her love for me until she was gone. I love her now more than anything. Meona this will help you when you will need. I was fool to let my love go, don't repeat my mistakes ever." He said leaving the room. I didn't sleep that night. I was so wrong about him. All these years i hated him and he. Next day when i woke up i walk to my father and apologised to him so i could take off some of my guilt.

In the evening I got ready to go to Kent's with Amanda to pick up my things from there. When we walk out my father barged in.

"Where are you going now?" he asked.

"She's going to Kent's." Amanda popped up.

He nodded his head and went to his room.

When we reached his house i saw the door was open. We barged in quietly to surprise them. We heard some voices from his room.

"I know Rosie, she's so stupid that she fell for me. Now I'm going to marry her and all her money will be mine." A familiar voice sounded.

I stood froze there. I prayed God to make me deaf. I don't want to hear that voice. Amanda looked at me with sympathy. She hold my hand and barged into the room.

They both were shocked to see us. Amanda slapped him hard. She was going to hit him again but Rosie stopped her.

"Meo i uh, this is not what you think." He muttered with his gaze down.

"Stop it you bastard. You played with her. All this time you were" she stopped clenching her fist.

"Amanda." I said to stop her. She grabbed my hand and pull me out of there. Tears were forming in my eyes. If Amanda wouldn't be there I will not be able to handle this. He was playing with me all this time. He was acting to care for me. He never loved me. '

I didn't love him either but why was this hurting so much.' I asked to myself. It was killing me to know that i was just a prey to him.

We reached my house. She told everything to my Dad.

"Meona I'm sorry. This wouldn't have happened to you if I were to reject that deal." He said consoling me. My words were failing to come out.

"I will not interfere in your matters again." He said.

"Amanda call Chad." He told her. She dialled him.

Next day when i woke up i saw Amanda sitting beside me with my bag in her hands.

"What, i wasn't going to leave your anything with that bastard." She said giving me that bag. I remembered of tomorrow. My head was hurting from his thoughts.

"Are you okay?" she asked me. I shook my head.

"Okay get ready for shopping." She told me. My marriage has been fixed for this weekend with Chad. I was tired to go out. I refused her but being that stubborn which she was, she towed me to go shopping. When i came home i jumped into my bed.

The whole week passed and today was the day i was going to be married. When i got ready i walked into the chapel with Amanda. All people were staring at me with a smile. My hands went to my mother's locket in my neck. I cuddled it. I wanted to be happy at my wedding but i wasn't able to. I was standing beside Chad facing Father. Father was conducting rituals for the wedding. I wasn't listening to what he was saying. My mind was still occupied by his thoughts. I was snapped out of my thoughts when Chad elbowed me. I looked at Father.

"Do you MEONA JOHNSON?" he was asking me. That's when i realised that what was i supposed to say. I was supposed to say 'I Do' but i wanted to make sure that this was what i wanted to say because after this there will be no going back. All my life i was doing what my family and friends were telling me. I closed my eyes and embraced the locket for its help. My mind was circling around my whole life hysterically. I wasn't able to see anything, but then it stopped.

I love him. A smile embraced my lips. I opened my eyes and looked at Chad. I heard the whisperings of all people behind me. I moved behind and started walking. They were all looking at me but this time i was not going to care anymore. I got in my car and reached my house. I love Kent despite of all his doings and the pain he gave to me, i love him. I know he doesn't love me but i was not going to marry anyone whom i was only attracted. Everything was clear in my mind. I never love Chad, it was only my hatred for my dad that was making me fight with him to marry Chad. I made that deal only to take my father down not because of Chad. i packed my bags to go to Kent's. He doesn't love me but this time i am going to make him fall in love with me for real. I am never going to give up on him like my father did. I will never lose my love for anything. O opened my closet and started pulling my clothes. A hard thing came in my hand, i moved to see a diary in my hand. This was not mine. I opened it and see 'Kent' written on it. How did it get here? That bag, i memorize. I opened it and started reading it. His all life was written in these pages. I flipped pages and i stopped when i saw my name.

KENT'S POV:

I was more than worried when i took Meo to hospital but my worry was no more when i saw her laying on bed looking at me. I left the room when her friend came. I was sitting outside when i heard then talking about something. Her friend was shouting i stood up to stop her as Meo was not okay at that time but i stopped when i heard what they were talking about. My heart broke when i realised she was just using me to win a deal. My anger started boiling in me. Amanda called me in. I was controlling my anger. I didn't want to hurt Meo. She asked me to took Meo in. I was trying hard to say no and leave but then i thought of hurting her so i agreed. I was so angry at me that i was letting her stay with me when i knew what she was doing. I don't wanted to see her, i knew if i saw her i will not be able to stop myself and hurt her. I wanted to hurt her by making her lose the deal but something in her was stopping me.

My control broke when she defended me against my mother. My heart felt a warmth in it. I was confused at her reaction. Why is she helping me? Is this part of her plan to make me fall in love with her? No, this was not her plan. I felt something when she kissed me. I was hoping that she will back out anytime but she didn't. I wanted to know what was going on in her mind. When i woke up on her kiss i realised that this was the first time i haven't had any memories of my childhood. I slept normal for the first time after all these years. I owe her my peace which she gave to me. It was more than precious to me. My anger for her started fading. I decided to help her win this deal. I realised that she is a good person. She was doing this for her love only. She was nothing like my mother.

So i disclosed that i love her. I was shocked on my words. They were real. I don't want that to happen so i moved away. But when she hugged me i looked in her eyes. My heart melt. She opened her mouth to say something but i stopped her. I was afraid that she might tell me about the deal. I don't want her to lose her love. I know what it felt like to lose someone we love, i had suffered that bane my whole life. She didn't deserve it. I met his father one night. I realised he loves her so i told him that i know about the deal. He was shocked but then i told him that she had to back out of this deal for Meo to marry the person she loves. It took a lot of effort to convince him but he agreed. Now all i had to do was gave a reason to him for backing out. He called me that Meo is coming to my house. I made a plan. I called Rosie and asked her to help me. When they came i saw nothing but Meo's eyes filled with tears. A slap was coming towards me but my senses were struck to her. It was hurting me to know that i am hurting her more than that slap. My heart was aching more than the time when i memorize my mother. I was thinking and thinking. I love her, it struck me like lightning. I tried to stop her from leaving but then i remembered that she loves someone else. She was not mine she never can be. I was not able to live with this guilt but i befriend it. This was my punishment for hurting her. I was used to this pain.

I snapped out of my thoughts and looked at Amy. She was sad too when i told her that she is not going to play with her anymore. We were back to our life like it was before Meo came to us. I left for work after leaving her with Rosie. I was tired after work when i reached my apartment. When i opened the door i heard nothing. There was silence in my apartment. It was dark in here. I moved to Amy's room without thinking much.

"Amy, Are you here?" i whispered. I entered the room to switch on the light. Someone jumped on me instantly. I become afraid it to be a burglar, i was going to shout when something closed my mouth. I pulled the person out off me and switch on the light.

I stood froze when i saw them both standing there and laughing. I moved to see the burglar when i sae her.

"Meo, what are you doi.." she cut me off by kissing me hard. This time i didn't tried to pull out. I kissed her back. I felt my heart going all bungy-jumping. When i pulled out i saw her panting.

"Momma and Kent sitting under a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G." AMY sings again.

I looked at Meo but this time she wasn't blushing, she gave me a wink and came near me making my heart beats faster. I closed my eyes thinking that she is going to kiss me but when i felt nothing i opened my eyes.

"I love you Kenny and i am not going to leave you ever no matter how hard you try. So, look my knees are hurting just say yes that you will marry me." She said getting up from the ground.

I hugged her hard pulling her into my chest.

"I will Meow." I told her giving a peck on her neck.

"Just so you know, Amy is going to call me momma for the rest of our lives. And what's with this MEOW." She whispered in my ear.

"I just wanted to call you that for a long time, my kitty." I told her.

*

Thank you for reading everyone. It means a lot more than a lot to me. I was thinking to write about their honeymoon too but as they had took Amy with them so i thought that nothing much is gonna happen there. And as a last epilogue- MEO will give birth to a boy. Kent will open his own restaurant without any help of Meo's father. And in future they will be finding a Kent for Amy. Ups and downs are part of life but when you are with the love of your life you will never afraid to ride those ups and downs.