Between Love and Hate - by Obikaeze Precious

PART TWO — The Boy Who Made Her Feel She was right. She saw him again. And again. And again. His name was Joshua,or Josh as she likes to call him. Soon, going to the library became more than a yearly ritual. It became something she did every day. Because he was there. He always seemed to be there. He would sit with her and initiate conversations, and somehow, Grace didn't mind. She knew he knew. He knew something about her that nobody else seemed to notice. Yet neither of them ever voiced it. There was an understanding between them. A quiet one. The kind that didn't require explanations. Grace loved watching him smile. She loved the way his eyes twinkled whenever he laughed. And somehow, his smile always made her smile too. She had known him for only three months, yet she felt as though she'd known him forever. Something strange was happening to her. Her mind was learning the art of silence. For once, it wasn't arguing with itself. With him, Grace only seemed to feel one emotion. Peace. He never gave her a reason to feel uncomfortable. He sat close to her, but never too close. He understood boundaries she had never even explained. He gave her space without making her feel abandoned. And Grace began to realize something she wasn't ready to admit. She wanted him beside her. But not too close. She wanted him to be hers. But not completely. He made her heart soft and hard all at once. He made her cry and laugh in the same breath. He made her feel safe while somehow making her afraid of how much she was beginning to care. And then came the question. The one Grace had been secretly terrified of. He wanted her. Not as a friend. Not as someone he simply met every day in the library. He wanted her to be his. Grace wanted to say yes. She really did. But another part of her wanted space. There it was again. That damn emotion. Always going around in circles. Stay. Go. Leave. Come. Love. Hate. She wanted to accept his proposal. She wanted to belong to him. But she was terrified of belonging to anyone too completely. Because what if she lost herself? What if loving him meant giving away control? What if opening her heart meant giving someone the power to destroy it? Grace hated that her mind could turn something beautiful into something frightening. Yet she couldn't deny the truth anymore. She had fallen. And he knew it too. But Grace wanted a love that didn't feel like scrutiny. She wanted a love where she could breathe. A love where she could be herself without constantly wondering if she was too much or not enough. She wanted to open her heart without feeling as though she were giving away control. And somehow, he understood. He didn't force her. He didn't rush her. He respected her. For once, someone wasn't asking Grace to become something else. And that frightened her more than anything. Because she was beginning to realize that perhaps she didn't want to run. Perhaps she had finally found someone worth staying for. But Grace still had one problem. She didn't know how to love without being afraid. And sooner or later, she would have to decide whether fear was going to control her, or whether she was finally going to let herself feel. ---WATCH OUT FOR PART THREE!!

Other insights from Obikaeze Precious

Contributor Points

Points-to-Coupons

Referral Earning