58- Chance

"See. When you can do this, why not April?" He taunted. "Lucifer. Stop." April whispered, holding his shirt, hiding behind his back, trying not to cry. "No. What do you think of yourself, Red? You are hurting everyone here by hiding your real emotions, why are you choosing pain rather than sorting everything out?" Red grit her teeth, averting her gaze with no reply escaping her lips because his words were the bitter reality. "Enough, Lucifer. Stop it." Erich said. Lucifer looked at Erich and let out a short laugh, "And look at this poor guy, Red. Contemplate his condition, it was all because of you." Lucifer scowled. Red curled her hands, drowning in guilt for what happened to Erich by her unintentional words. "Stop it." Red managed to say. "Why? Can't-" Lucifer was cut off by April this time. "Please Lucifer. Stop." "No, Let him speak. What are you trying to show anyways, huh? Do you care? Don't give me this crap now." Red mocked. "Leave my house." April managed to say. "I am leaving and will never come back. And remember one thing April, I would never forgive you for what you have done. Never." Red snarled with a tear which fell on her cheek and left with Erich. After Red left, April began to cry out loud, "I told you let me leave before Red knows everything but you didn't!" April sobbed tears of repentance glimmering on her face. "This day has to come..." He tried to say, turning to her. "But I could have avoided it if I ran away!" She shouted, letting out hiccups from her cries. "I just wanted you to help me." He said softly. "And what would you do if she actually moved on from you?" April asked, calming down a bit, shaking and wiping her tears. Lucifer's lips curved upward sadly as replied, "Then it would be the defeat of my love." "Can you move on?" "How can I gather myself when I will be scattered completely?" He asked, biting his lip. They remained silent after it, trying to muster their lost selves. To Red who left her home furiously with tears releasing from her eyes, Lucifer's words echoed in her mind and disrupted it. Erich came after and pulled her back, "Red, listen." "Am I that bad?!" She asked, breaking into roaring sobs with tears flowing from her eyes. "What?... No. You are not." He said, leaning in close, his voice coming out smooth. "I have been bad to everyone. I treated you so badly, hurt your emotions countless times, you never said anything. I am hurting Lucifer for something he never did... I don't understand what's happening to me.. When did I become like this? I am hiding my emotions. Please forgive me for hurting you." Red cried, putting her head over his chest. Erich hugged her tightly with the purpose of providing comfort to her devastated form. "Shh. It's okay. You don't have to cry." He whispered. "No! I hurt you. You were destroyed because of my one sentence. I took everything away from you. I am sorry. I am so sorry!" She wailed. "You are not at fault, Red. Please don't put the blame on yourself, anyone would do it." He tried to soothe her by his sweet words, cupping her cheeks, "Your very presence is the tomb of my love, you are not the one to blame." He said, sincerely, staring deeply into her eyes, with their faces so close, feeling each other's breath. "I am with you." Red's grip on him tightened as she closed her eyes and whispered desperately, "Please don't leave me alone, Erich." "I promise, I will stay by your side." He smiled, kissing her forehead and pulled away. Red nodded and he wiped her tears as they left. Exhausted by the day, Red lost her mind. It was late night and she was drained from her sleep, everything was slipping from her grasp and she was losing it. The things she held on to cherish eventually began to fade away and hurt her, facing the bitter reality where the condition of Erich was done by her, she was the culprit of his devastation. She was sitting on the bed, lost in unwanted thoughts as Erich came and sat beside her. Red couldn't even meet his gaze, nervous by his presence. Erich hesitantly put his hand over hers and asked softly, "Are you alright, Red?" She replied, biting her bottom lip, "No. I am not." "It's okay, I am sure you will overcome it." he smiled, assuring her. Tears brimmed in her eyes, she turned to look at him. "I don't know what to do anymore, Erich." She whispered sadly. His smile grew wider and he gave her hand a squeeze, "It will pass." "It's hurting me to think I did to you all because of my best friend. The person close to me led to the day I considered you a stalker while you were not. Gave you so much pain even though you don't deserve it." Red sniffed and wiped her eyes before a tear could roll down anymore, drowned in penitence and guilt. "I am sorry." She whispered, putting her other hand over his and putting her head over his shoulder. "It's okay." he whispered back. "No it's not. I was so wrong." "Red, don't be vexed about it, I don't want you to drown in guilt because of me." Erich said, tracing a random pattern over her hand as they closed their eyes and remained like this, receiving an eerie soothing by the closeness which put the raging heart at serene for a brief moment. "But-" He cut her off with a hush. "Shh. Don't worry about it anymore. I am with you and there's no need for you to be repentant." He tried to make her understand. She didn't reply to his words and said,"Everything seems like a blur." "I can understand." "It's so hard." "You can do this." "Erich.." Red called him, shifting and turning to look at him, not wanting him to get hurt because of her anymore, "I want to give us a chance." She said in a low tone, looking at him. "I don't need it, Red." He said, pulling away and turning to her. "I know you don't love me and what you are saying is out of repentance." "I don't know but I truly want to give us a chance. Love could blossom as well. We should give it a try." Red tried to say. Erich opened his mouth to say something but closed it and kissed her hands. "You said it... it's enough for me. You cared, that's all that mattered to me." "It shouldn't. You deserve to be happy." Red reasoned. "And it's in your happiness which is not with me so please don't force it. I think it's about time you should stop punishing the one you truly love." Erich's voice came out smooth and loving. "But-" He cut her off, tugging a strand of her hair behind her ear, "No buts. Think about it." "I want to start things over between us."