Cross the road

Think carefully. What you contemplate will shape your long-term future. That's no lie. Your ex-girlfriend, Chantal's future, hangs in the balance. You gaze at her again, wrestling with your divided thoughts as if they are phases of an hour. You don't want to involve Chantal in your turmoil. She left you over a triviality, no longer wanting to reconnect. This has left you both isolated.

Though brief, you'll never forget the moments of joy shared between you two. Now, she has returned, albeit not as the same person you once knew.

Chantal, shy and gentle, with a love for horse riding and music...

But now, she is unrecognizable. A different person who broke up with you over dissimilar tastes...

This new Chantal, this unfamiliar person, sits next to you, pleadingly gazing at you with expectant, tear-filled eyes. You feel the immense pressure from those eyes before making your decision.

"This is… not right. This isn't right!" You declared before standing, catching her teary eyes still fixed on you.

You wipe your nose and take a deep breath. You remember, yes, you used to love her, you loved Chantal, and she rejected you.

You question the person in front of you. You look at her, gaze at Chantal, and think.

This isn't her at all.

Not the Chantal you fell in love with.

"Bianca.... Please, do it for me. I've developed feelings for you. I'm starting to like you, really. But it wasn't you who did this..." You said with a trembling voice, tears streaming down your face.

“Can you… can you revert to how you once were, Bianca? I trust that you're rational. I trust you had good reasons for what you did, and I trust you. Please, Bianca...this isn't you. Not you at all. You're merely...wearing the skin of the one who used to love me. Please, Bianca, for my sake, shed Chantal. Please...please."

Regret washes over you as your words echo like a malfunctioning robot. You feel as if you've returned to the heartbreak of when you first separated from the girl you loved. Chantal rises from the sofa and slowly approaches you, her face filled with sorrow. She brushes the tears from your cheeks before placing her palm against your chest and embracing you gently.

"I'm sorry, darling...please forgive my selfishness. I only wished to be suitable for you, to be the right partner, a deserving lover...not a young woman caught in the judgmental gaze and harsh words of others. I wanted to be that person for you...Please forgive me, my dear, please.." She clings to you, her body shaking. You stare up at the ceiling, returning to your thoughts before finally giving in. You caress her trembling hand and stroke her long brown hair, embracing her in return.

"I'm sorry too...and I understand," you say, your voice barely above a whisper. She looks up at you.

"I love you, darling. I love you so much, do you know?” She tells you, her face wet with tears.

"I know....I know.. and I love you, Bianca. I truly do," you tell her, before lowering your head to tenderly touch her lips with yours. It was a gentle kiss, the most tender one you could muster, given to the girl you love. You caress her cheek gently while holding her close, under the sound of pouring rain outside and prying eyes that peered at both of you in the kitchen.