Get Off Me

Her heart melted down in relief. Like she just heard something emotional, she hugged him around his neck, taking him by surprise. A tear rolled down her cheek from her right eye.

"Thank you. I...I promise not to break a rule again. I'll try harder next time. I promise." She said and her hug around his neck tightened and her face buried in his shoulder. She became more and more emotional.

Because her last moment on earth were fast approaching, she made up her mind to do this with him no matter how difficult it get. Even if her all wishes could not be fulfilled, at least this one in her bucket list would be. If he could not love her back in return, she decided to go on. At least, to feel this thing called love that her dad would always tell her. 

Francis remained in that position, frozen not hugging her back. No one had ever dared to be so close to him apart from doing his job with his little buddy with a woman. He can't remember the last time he hugged someone. His face and his dark eyes burned with fury. The eyes burning with fury looked like it could burn anything to ashes that came it came in sight of.

"Get off me." He said tearing the hug and anger fueling in his voice. 

Jane heard the sound of anger in his voice as he said that and the look in his eyes made her worry, creasing her brows tight in confusion. She didn't understand what she did wrong this time around. After examining his cold face for a while, she cupped his face gently, and for a second she didn't see the angry look on his face as she did that. But in the split of a second, it turned back burning with more fury. She knew in those eyes that the cause of his anger wasn't because of her, but something else. To her surprise, even if the angry look he gave surpassed his brother Felix at the party, she didn't flinch in fear.

"What's wrong?" She asked staring intensely at him.

"Get off me." He said in a gritted teeth.

Noticing the deadly look on his face and the seriousness in his voice, she gently removed her hands off his face and slowly got off. The look he gave her looked like if she made him repeat himself again, she would be six feet below, even before her time on earth ran out. He rose up quickly and was about taking his leave, when Jane's soft and gentle hands held onto his, stopping him from moving.

"What's wrong?" She asked even though he wasn't looking at her. "Did I do something wrong again? What is it?" Her voice was gentle.

"It's getting late now Jane. You should go freshen up and have dinner." He said gently but trying to surpress down what was eating him up outside.

She slowly raised her hand to hold his chin to make him look at her but he stopped her.

"Don't.." He said really cold.

What he said made her hand halt in mid-air. Her lips wobbled inside like she was about to break down .

"D...did I do something wrong." She asked confused as she doesn't know the reason to his sudden anger. All she wanted was for him to talk.

She saw him clenching his other hand into tight balls gritting his teeth inwardly. His veins were popping out. "Let go of my hand Jane." He said trying to control what he was feeling inside.

"No. Just tell me if I did something wrong to you. I need to..."

"This is not about you Jane." He said yelling at her as he flipped his head to her. His loud voice echoed in the room.

The look in his eyes triggered a memory of hers. After the incident took place years ago, her father acted like he was right in front of her. Sometimes, she felt like her dad was mad at her but he never scolded her for anything and he made her feel like nothing was her fault. She saw the anger in his eyes then, but he tried to hide it in front of her. She had heard her dad cried so many nights and destroying a lot of things in his room but he always came out like nothing had happened.

Without letting her speak, he shrugged off his hands from her hold and stormed out from the grand parlour. She fell on her knees and broke down completely. It was here again. That feeling she always felt, that her presence, no matter where she went, brought nothing but bad luck and pains to the people around her. Guilt started surfacing on her skin as she cried.

"It's my fault. Everything that had happened to the people around me is all my fault. I'm nothing but a bad luck. I bring nothing but pains. I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry. Please forgive me."