Rejected by Claude
Next afternoon, Claude had returned back to their neighborhood. I was quiet disappointed about this but I couldn’t do anything further when something disappointing me was bringing happiness in Allison’s life.

That evening, while Claude was out and up from his rest. Allison excitedly went to their common garden where he was found with his friends and company. Allison took me along with him, I rather refused to be there but she wanted to introduce him to me. She asked me to stand afar until she would go and say hello.

I saw her going towards him and suddenly meeting him from behind, as he turned around he got delighted seeing her that they both hugged each other, as if two lovers were reuniting after a long holiday or vacation. I couldn’t stand the sight of them making love openly making me hurtfully possessive. So I just turned away my face and looked aside for five minutes.

After a couple of minutes, I saw them in a different state, sort of trapped in an argument. I could see tears in Allison’s eyes so I went nearer to them to settle their problem.

Allison cried angrily:

‘You can’t do this with me Claude, I won’t let you do this!’

‘Allison look here, you know I never promised you about getting married’

‘But when I asked you, you said sure why not’

‘Come on Allison you can’t take my words seriously’

‘Look you gave me a word, you can’t cheat on me like this…I’ve been waiting for this day since an year’

‘Allison get a grip’ he said gently, ‘I do love you but I’m not prepared for this, and marriage is not always an impact of every love’

‘Shut up!’ she cried pushing him on chest, ‘I hate you for what you just said, I hate you’

‘Well I honestly thank God for that’ he said in attitude, leaving her.

‘Claude stop! Come back please! You know I was just…’

Claude left her and went to his home. She continued crying.

I came towards Allison and consoled her by touching her both shoulders from behind, taking her away,

‘Come on Allie let’s go’ I walked aside with her, ‘Allie you said you hate him, did you really mean that?’

‘Of course not’ she cried, ‘I still love him, I just angrily said that without any senses’

I didn’t like hearing this.

‘What’s happening with me Kenny? Why doesn’t he love me anymore, why did I get rejected?’

‘It’s nothing Allie, he will accept you and you both will be same as before’ I said comforting her.

I kept on comforting her, but for the first time in my life her tears didn’t depress me, instead I was happier with her sorrow this time.

A Sacrificing Promise

Later that evening Allison and I were walking in her house’ terrace, where she was only weeping and I was soaking her tears. I couldn’t see her cry too much so I was thinking of convincing Claude someway, but that would only give me loss.

As Allison stopped walking, she looked at me and said:

‘Kenny you’ve always supported me, you’ve always shared my sorrows with yourself and made me comfortable. But why are you not supporting me now in a way that I would feel better?’

‘…Allie I don’t know whether to say this’ I replied after a break, ‘you are actually wasting your tears for someone who doesn’t really deserve you, you should prefer someone who is capable of your precious love’

‘Kenny I think you didn’t love Jenny as much any true lover does’

‘You’re right, because I love someone else more than her, and as a true lover’

‘Sorry?’

‘Forget it, I’ll try for you. I’ll go to Claude and convince him’

‘Will he agree?’

‘I’ll keep on struggling for you, just like all the time’

Allison kept her fore head on my shoulder and kept on weeping, feeling sort of nervous. We walked for few minutes and later I left her home.

Next morning, as I left home, I went straight to Claude’s home on my friend’s bike. As I met Claude as his new neighbor, I persuaded him by making him realize about Allison’s emotions for him. He was rather convinced but he still not agreed, and instead he asked me to join him at lunch in his home. I left his home and finally decided to do something for Allison, which might be a last favor on her.

That afternoon after 2 o clock, I went to Claude’s home without any second proposal by him and knocked his door. He came out and seemed a little surprised,

‘Already?’

‘Yes, can I come in?’

‘ Yeah sure’ he said by leaving a way for me to enter inside.

Few moments later, we both were seated at the dinning table having pasta as the lunch. I started the conversation:

‘So Claude what did you decide about her?’

‘I think I’m confused, I cannot make my decision’

‘What is there to decide? You love Allison and she loves you. You both have been in a relationship. Now it’s time for you both to get together, before someone else offers a marriage proposal’

‘You’re not getting it Kennedy, it’s not that simple she seems changed, before I left her she wasn’t so persevere sort of girl but…’

‘…Look you’ve got to admit this’ I interrupted, ‘you cannot find a girl absolutely perfect for you. Every one is defective in one way or another’

‘I’m still not sure about her’

‘There’s one thing you won’t find in any other girl but in her’ I started lying, ‘She is hundred percent faithful, in your absence I asked her many times to make love with me, by saying that I would provide her with better luxuries and better romance. But she always said that she would never cheat you, in return of any cost’

‘Really?’ he said looking surprised, ‘Well I still need your opinion, like what would you have done if you were not ready for marriage, but still in relationship with a girl you love’

‘You know a stitch in time saves nine. You’re in that sort of situation. If you will take the right decision now, then you won’t regret later. And secondly, no one is asking you to get married. She just wants you to get engaged’

‘A stitch in time saves nine?’ he said admiring the phrase, ‘I liked it very much, we will get engaged and that’s my final decision’

When he was finally convinced, I got a little satisfied for Allison, but for me this was like making myself suffer. Claude and I continued our lunch and had other conversations.

The Last and Unsatisfactory Conversation

Two weeks later, I was standing at the airport of San Diego with my luggage and suitcases. I was leaving San Diego for San Jose as I had decided to put my miserable romantic world and it’s memories behind. I was not feeling comfortable while leaving so I decided to at least tell Allison that I loved her, as she was coming for a farewell.

An hour later, I saw Allison coming alone with a bouquet of blue flowers, looking very disheartened. So I waved my hand to her so that she could see me. As she saw me and came closer, I said to her:

‘Allie thanks for coming’

‘Kenny I don’t know why do I feel as if I have not thanked you, because of you today I’m engaged to Claude. If it weren’t for you, I might never had’

‘Well there is something else I have to tell you today, but right now show me what you brought for me’

‘Yeah sure’ she said taking out a bouquet of blue tropical flowers, ‘These are for you, you love them right?’

‘Oh thank you so much’ I said taking them, ‘they are so beautiful and fragrant, but not as much as you are’

She smiled feeling nervous. Then she took out a photograph of hers and mine, which was taken at the art gallery along with the portrait behind.

‘Wow!’ I claimed looking at the picture, ‘This picture will be more worthier than my life itself’

‘Anyways you were going to tell me something’

‘Oh yeah, I wanted to tell you that since long even before you told me about Claude, I’ve been in love. I’ve always loved you. More than anyone else, honestly speaking’

‘Shut up’ she said getting shockingly astonished, ‘you are lying…if you would have loved me you would never have allowed this engagement to take place’

‘That’s no point Allie, I knew you would never have loved me if I had tried to propose you once Claude was in your life’

‘You’re wrong!’ she exclaimed, ‘You should have given this a chance, at least should have tried once’

‘Yes you’re right’, I said making regretful expression, ‘I wish I had tried when I had the chance’

‘What have you done Kenny?’ she said feeling bad for me, ‘Is this what you wanted? Now I’ll never be happy in my perfect life with Claude’

‘No please don’t say that, I had to leave you one day, I was nothing in your life. Fate had written yours and Claude’s name as husband and wife’

‘I don’t believe it, there are still such selfless people like you’

She held my hands calmly and said softly:

‘Kenny please don’t leave stay here with me. You won’t be able to survive without me, if you’re really in love’

‘Come on Allie’ I said resisting my arms from her hands, ‘I’ll be ok, really…but there is one thing I would like to tell you, if there is anyone very lucky or at the top of all blessings in this world, then that person is not any royal luxurious king with entire wealth or power. But that person is Claude, only because he has a lover like you. If you love any person, that person is the most gifted person by God’

‘Please stop it Kenny, you’re hurting me by such words’

‘But these flowers and this photograph are going to be your beautiful memories, no matter what happens, I promise you I’ll always keep these precious gifts with myself, because when I’m going to miss you I’ll have these souvenirs with myself’

‘Kenny I’ll never forgive you for sacrificing your love without even letting me know’

‘Allie we can keep each other’s contact numbers, so that whenever one’s in need of other, a phone call communication can help’

‘Kenny Kenny stop, please don’t go, we can still be friends’

‘Allie my love, who said we are not friends?’ I said with tears coming in my eyes, ‘we are and will always be’

Seeing me cry, Allison got even disheartened and went away on the opposite direction without saying final goodbye.

This was the last time I ever saw Allison in my life, the girl whom I purely loved with sacrificing emotions.