Cherish Love

ANNE ALEXANDRIA CHLOE's POV

I just got home from school and as soon as I entered my room, I immediately went on my bed and lie down as I stare at the ceiling. Today is friday and it's been a week since my brother suddenly becomes indifferent towards us. I really don't get him especially that day when we finally arrived home...

=====FLASHBACK=====

"Brother, what exactly is wrong with you?" I asked my brother as soon as we entered the house but still, he's ignoring me. Oh my gosh! This is so annoying!

"Brother, talk to me! Because I really don't understand why did you suddenly yelled at us and dragged me home without telling us why!" And I couldn't control myself anymore and my voice suddenly raised up that made him stopped from walking that made my heartbeat increases more. I-is he mad?

"Brother, tell me what's happen---" I was about to ask him once again but this time, a bit calmer than a while ago when brother suddenly turned to look at me with those scary eyes of him...

"Just shut up!" My brother yelled that echoes in our house hat made me stopped as I started to tremble.

"B-brother?" I called him while still looking at him in confusion. W-what's happening to him? Why is he so angry at me right now? D-did I really do wrong? W-what did I do to make him so mad like that? I don't know how long I'm already standing here while still staring at my brother when we suddenly heard sister Lily's voice coming from the staircase.

"Charles!" Sister Lily said while going down the staircase and approaches me.

"What are you doing, Charles?" I heard sister Lily asked that to my brother before she turned her attention to me.

"Are you okay, Chloe?" Sister Lily asked that made me just nod but to be honest, I'm really not sure if I'm really fine right now...

"Why are you yelling at your sister, Charles? What's wrong with you?" I heard sister Lily asked brother who's just standing there in front of us while his breathing becomes so fast with a blank expression. B-brother is really mad right now...but why?

"None of your business, Emelie…" Brother Charles said before he glared at us that gives shivers on my body. H-he's really mad at me… I saw brother diverts his attention as he starts to walk towards the staircase.

"Charles, wait!" I heard sister Lily said as she was about to follow my brother but was stopped when she suddenly turns to look at me once again and wiped my...cheeks? Wait… A-am I crying?

"Please don't cry… Are you really sure you're okay, Chloe?" I heard sister Lily asked worriedly that made me just nod as I wipe my tears on my cheeks. I didn't notice that I'm crying already. Maybe because I was too shocked on what my brother just did...

"Yes, sister Lily… I'm fine…" I said as I finally calmed myself. I saw sister Lily took a deep breath before she hugs me tightly.

"I'll just talk to your brother, okay? Go and have a rest in your room first." I heard sister Lily said before she distance herself with me and smiled at me. I just nod at her as I give her a weak smile.

"Yes… Thank you, sister Lily…" I said before I saw sister Lily walked towards the staircase and follow my brother upstairs.

=====END OF FLASHBACK=====

And that's what happened that night.Until now, I really don't know what's really happening to my brother… No, let me rephrase that, we still don't know what's happening to my brother until now because ever since he suddenly appeared at the park that time and dragged me back home without even explaining anything to me… Brother has been ignoring all us including his wife, me and his best friend for I don't know what reason! I just sighed once again. Okay, if he gets mad at me and Dylan because we hadn't informed him that we will be going somewhere then he could just talked to us nicely but yelling at without giving us a reason on why he suddenly did that… Isn't it a bit too much already? Especially when he is also ignoring his innocent wife who doesn't know anything about what happened that day! I just sighed once again before I sat up and stood up. I need to get changed and just focus myself on studying than to worry about my crazy brother.

I just went out of the bathroom when I noticed that my phone is vibrating on top of my study table. I walked closer to it while drying my hair using my towel and the moment I saw the caller ID… My heart started to beat so fast.

"Hello? Christian…?" I said as I answered the call immediately. Oh no… My heart can't calm down…

[Yes, it's me…] Christian answered that made my heart jump with so much happiness.

"I miss you so much, Christian… Thank goodness, you finally called me… How are you? Are you eating well? How was your work?" I asked excitedly and continuously. How long has it been since the last time he called? I think it's been a long time since I heard his voice and to be honest, just by hearing his voice makes me want to cry… That's how much I miss you, Christian...

"Did you miss me, my hubby?" I asked him once again because he's been so silent for a while now as if he's just listening to me but he still didn't answer me that made me worried.

"Hello? Hubby? Are you still there?" I asked once again. Why? What happened? Why do I feel like Christian is somehow sad right now? Is he okay? Did something happen in Japan right now? I was about to ask him once again when I suddenly heard Christian finally speaks.

[Tell me the truth, Chloe...] I heard Christian said that made me stopped. What?

"What are you talking about, Christian?" I asked him in confusion as I walk towards my bed and sat there. What does he mean by that?

[Chloe, just tell me the truth!] I heard Christian suddenly shouted at me that started me. Wait… Did he just yelled at me just now?

"W-what truth? I really don't have any idea with what you are saying, Christian…" I asked him while I'm still shocked on what he just did… This is actually the first time that Christian yelled at me because ever since we first met… I have never heard him shouted at me like that...

[Still playing innocent? How great… I really don't know you anymore, Chloe…] I heard Christian said sarcastically. What? Why is he talking like he's totally a different person? W-what's happening to him?

[Are you really still the person that I love, Chloe?] I heard Christian suddenly asked that made me stopped. W-what?

"Christian, what exactly are you talking about? Why can't you just get straight to the point?" I asked him once again as I tried my very best to calm myself. What is he talking about? What did I do to him that made him so mad like that?

"Christian, what's happening? Did I do something wrong?" I asked once again when I didn't hear any answer from. I don't know why but I feel like any moment from now… My tears will definitely start to fall down in my eyes if this conversation still continues.

[Why did you do that to me…?] I heard Christian asked that made me even more confused.

"Do what, Christian?" I asked him because I'm totally confused right now. After all that had happened to me these past few days...

[Stop denying already and tell me the whole truth, Chloe!] Christian suddenly yelled at me once again that made my heart skip a beat. Christian...

"I-i really don't know what you're talking about, Christian! What's happening to you?" I asked while still calming myself. No, I can't let my emotions to take over or else, we will definitely fight over something I still don't know...

[Chloe…] I heard Christian said so seriously before I heard him took a deep breath as if he's trying to calm himself.

[Did you ever loved me?] I heard Christian suddenly asked that made my whole body froze. W-what? Did he just doubt my love for him?

"What kind of question was that, Christian?" I asked and the tears that I'm trying to hold on ever since Christian starts to ask me these questions finally falls down in my eyes.

"More than anyone else, you should know that I only love you…" I said as my tears continues to fall down on my cheeks. It hurts… My heart is pounding so hard that it hurts. I don't know why did he suddenly asked me that but for goodness sake! I have never loved anyone else other than him so why is he asking me those things right now!?

[If you loved me then why did you lie to me?] I heard Christian asked. What? I can't take this anymore. I was about to ask him once again on what exactly he is talking about when he suddenly speaks that made my whole world crushed.

[Why didn't you tell me that you're getting married!?] I heard Christian said that made my whole body froze and as if my heart suddenly stops beating for a second… How…? How did he know about that?

"C-christian…" That's the only thing I can say because I can feel like there's a huge lump in my throat. N-no way… How? How did he know about it? Who told him that?

[Am I still not enough for you, Chloe?] I heard Christian suddenly asked when I suddenly heard him sobs. C-christian… He's also crying!

"N-no… T-that's not it, Christian… T-that's n-not i-it…" I said as I tried to find the words that I wanted to tell him but I don't know why I couldn't think of anything else!

[Y-you… D-didn't… D-deny it?] I heard Christian suddenly said that made my heart torn into pieces. I could clearly hear from his voice how hurt he is right now...

"Christian… I'm sorry… Christian…" I said as I tried to calm him down while my tears continues to fall down on my cheeks. I don't know why but no matter how many times I wipe away my tears, it still continues to fall down from my eyes. I was about to speak to him once again when I suddenly heard a loud bang like some thing just got hit on the other line that made me even more nervous.

"Christian, stop it! Stop what you are doing right now… Stop it! You might get hurt!" I said as loudly as I could because after I heard that, I suddenly heard glasses being broken from the other line as well and Christian… He's just living all alone in Japan right now! I don't think I can take it if something happens to him...

[Is there anything or anyone in this world who can still hurt me more than what you have done to me, Chloe?] Christian said full of anger and frustration in his voice. I could no longer stop my sobs anymore as I start to get emotional.

"C-christian… P-please l-let m-me e-explain… Please…" I said while begging him. No… You have to listen to me, Christian… Please hear me out… Please...

[No… Please let's stop this already, Chloe…] I heard Christian said that made me stopped...literally, my whole world stop when I suddenly heard that coming from him.

"N-no… Please give me a chance to explain this, Christian. Please, Christian…" I said while shaking my head. No… No, you can't… No, we can't, Christian! Please listen to me… Please...

[I have never asked you anything other than to wait for me, Chloe but I never thought that you're the type of person who can easily marry anyone just because your family has this damn tradition!] I heard Christian said angrily before I heard a loud bang on the other line once again.

"H-how did you know about it?" I asked while my other hand is on my c.h.e.s.t because it hurts… It hurts so much...

[So you really don't have any plans on telling me all of this, Chloe?] I heard Christian said in an authoritative voice that made me shake my head.

"No! Of course not! If only you knew how much I really want to tell you everything but you're always busy that I can't even talked to you in those times that I needed you the most!" I couldn't stop myself anymore and told him that. I don't know why but why do I feel like this is all my fault?

[So you're blaming me now?] I heard Christian suddenly asked that shocked me. No… That's not it!

"No! Christian, please listen to me first… Please, listen---" I said but was interrupted when I suddenly heard a loud bang from the other line once again.

[Listen to what!? That your family was just forcing you because you have this tradition where you have to get married when you reached 18 years of age? For goodness sake! Chloe, I have never thought that you are the type of person who can get easily persuaded by other people...] I heard Christian said with bitterness in his voice. What other people?

"They are not other people, Christian… They are my parents!" I said and I could no longer stop myself from shouting. Yes, I know that what my parents are doing is against my will but no matter what happens, they are still my parents and I can't just let anyone speak to them like that.

[Parents who likes to control the lives of their children…] I heard Christian said before I heard him took a deep breath. What?

[I am so disappointed with you, Chloe… After all that I have done just to protect you all this time… I never thought that I will regret loving you someday...] Christian said that makes my heart break into pieces. No...

[You are no longer the person that I love, Chloe…] I heard Christian said as my tears continues to fall down my cheeks and my heart starts to pound even harder than a while ago.

"C-christian…" I said as my tears continues to flow down on my cheeks. Please don't say it… Don't say such things, Christian!

[Good bye, Chloe and this time, this will really be the last time…] Christian said that made my whole world stopped. No, please… Don't do this to me… Please, Christian...

"Chris---" I said as I tried to stop him when he suddenly ended the phone call. No… Please don't, Christian… I tried calling him once again but I could no longer reached his phone anymore as if...he already blocked my number. No… Please don't, Christian… I can't take it… I don't want to lose you!

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh!" I said as I throw everything that I can hold onto everywhere as I continue to shout as loud as I could. No, I can't, Christian… Don't leave me, please!

"Chloe… Chloe, what's happening? Chloe!" I'm still throwing everything that I could hold onto including the lampshade and everything when someone suddenly stops me and hugged me tightly.

"Stop it already, Chloe!" And there I suddenly heard my brother's voice...while still hugging me. Brother… And there, all the feelings that I have been hiding since a while ago burst out as I cried so hard on my brother's shoulders while I'm still hugging him.

"Chloe, what's happening? Hey, what's happening?" I heard my brother asked as I continued to cry. No way… This can't be happening… E-everything… Everything that we're doing...is now useless… I don't think I can live without you by my side, Christian… I'm sorry… I'm willing to do everything just for you… J-just please… I don't want to lose you...