I love you

While she was pondering about what to do, someone walked behind her.

She decided to ignore the presence and escape through the crowd. She dugged and tried to reach the other end of the room. But before she could get there a hand grabbed her arm.

She slowly turned around. Before her stood Jackson. He smirked and pulled her closer.

"Hey you. Where are you going? You're one of the main guests. Don't you want to see father again?" While speaking he pulled her to the dance floor.

Devanta sighed, "Jackson I'm tired. Let me go." She tried to get his hand off of her arm but his grip was too tight.

"No I'm not letting you. We need to talk. You said you don't want to have anything to do with us... with him... with me. Why are you suddenly appearing again? Why are you doing this? Do you know how hard it was for me in the past five years? Do you know how often I think about that night again and again? Tell me. Why are you doing all this? Why did you do that to me? You know that I can't hurt you right? Why are you like this? Why can't we be like back then?" After every word Jackson got louder and louder until he finally shouted at her.

That wasn't unexpected for Devanta. She knew that she had used him and hurt him... but to see him this furious now she had to gulp down the guilt coming up.

"I... I know. I'm terrible. I used you... but please understand me. One day you will know why I did that. But I can't do that now."

Jackson looked at her dumbfounded.

"Are you kidding me? You did that all on purpose? I... I really... really hoped that you did that without knowing but now... now you say that you did that on purpose?" He was furious and couldn't hold his anger in anymore. He saw that he got a lot of attention and decided to continue the conversation outside of the room. He pulled Devanta with him.

Outside he continued, "So what now? After you successfully cut your relationship with the Machiavelli family, what will you do now?"

Devanta hesitated to answer, "That... I will move on and live for myself."

Jackson scoffed. "Oh really? Why are you still associating yourself with Andrew Scott then? You even work for him", he mocked.

That made Devanta also angry. "Seriously what is your problem? I get that you are angry at me but why are you asking so much? We aren't related and what I do and what I don't do is not your business. What do you want?"

"I can't not care about you. You... I..."

"I what? You what? Tell me."

"You are my sister of course I care."

"We are not really related. You don't have to care. Even my biological father doesn't care."

"Yeah you are not my sister. And you know what? I am glad that we are not really related. If we were I wouldn't be allowed to...", he gulped.

"You wouldn't be allowed to be what? Tell me!" Devanta crossed her arms.

Silence fell upon them. Jackson didn't dare to answer Devanta's question.

"Answer me Jackson. If I'm not your little sister why do you care so much for me?"

.

.

.

"Because I love you. Satisfied now?"

.

.

.

"What?"

"Do I have to repeat it to you? I love you. I love you since the first day we met and I still love you."

"... " Devanta gaped at Jackson her mouth hanging wide open.

"What? No reply? Heh I thought so. Do you know now how much I had to hold in just for you? Even though I always told myself that I shouldn't feel this way about you I still did. And after you left I still kept on thinking about you. When I saw you with him, I was so close to punch him. I tried to protect you with all my might and now we're here. There is nothing left. We both are like strangers to each other."

Devanta never thought that Jackson would feel like this for her. She never expected him to feel... to love her that much. She was moved to tears hearing his confession.

"Jackson I'm sorry I didn't know. I thought you would see me as your little sister. I'm so sorry."

"Forget. Your sorry can't turn back time. Let's move on. I had enough." He turned around and walked away.

Before he could leave Devanta called out, "Jackson listen. I did all that and will still do a lot of things that might not want to see from me but I have to do that. I must. I can't let this go on like this. Please believe me. I never wanted to do you any harm. You were the only one who was nice to me. You were the only one who tended my wounds after father hit me. I know that it's late to say sorry but I promise that I will end all this very soon."

"Do what you want to do but don't involve me in it. I'm not a lovesick puppy who comes and goes like you want it to."

With this last words Jackson walked into the distance leaving her stand alone.