The First Curse of Love
40. Griefs

"When you manage to drag someone to the point of destruction in his life, even with the most understandable reason, as long as you choose to keep quiet and not explain anything, you don't deserve to be forgiven at all –no, you don't even have the right to apologize. So, be quiet for the rest of your life as before and now. If you need to drown in your regrets, and just die with your guilt secretly."

...****...

"Hallo's? Who'sis this?" Say hello to someone via a phone call.

Pricilla just received a call from an unknown number that turned out to be Celine's. Danny who was helping put some of Pricilla's stuff in the bag just listened after he looked at Pricilla for a moment.

"Tell the same jerk next to you, if he has to go home immediately, or at least tell him to activate his phone. If he didn't do it now, he'd be sorry for a lifetime."

That's Celine's voice. Pricilla is sure. Although years of never listening to Celine's voice, Pricilla still remembers her very well.

"Celine?"

Danny was stunned as he listened to Pricilla mention Celine's name. He immediately raised his face. Must be something really urgent going on, which is why Celine called Pricilla. After all, it had been a few days that Danny had deliberately turned off his phone, so that Celine or the others could not contact him, he said, because that way he can focus on keeping Pricilla and keep his promise to Mama Pricilla to stay with Pricilla until the girl can recover.

Seeing the look on Pricilla's face that began to turn uncomfortable, Danny stepped forward and took over the phone from the hands of Pricilla. In Danny's heart was already getting ready if Celine berate him.

"Yes, Cel. It's me Danny." Danny said with courage.

"BASTARD LO!" Scream Celine. His voice sounded hoarse. "Where are you going? From yesterday in contact can't continue." Celine then. Back then, Danny was able to catch a kick solved by Celine.

"Cel, I'll clear up later after coming home, I—"

"There's no later! You're late. Lo know? Mama Qiara's father died in a car accident. In a day Qiara and Brother Ray were orphans, and you weren't here. You're the one who needs the most Qiara, but you're not here. You even matainin your cell phone, Danny. Lo evil!" Celine's cries began to sound.

While Danny, he felt as if a pitch-black cloud was moving slowly over his head, then a lightning force of two hundred million volts struck him just like that, it caused a burning and poignant sensation all over his body upon hearing what Celine had just delivered while sobbing.

Danny was numb for a few seconds. Some refused to believe it, but others knew that it was not a lie when Celine's voice was clearly heard.

"Cel, gu—gue... I'll be home now j—also! Qi—Qia's chat... How is Qia?"

Thou shalt! The phone connection was turned off by Celine just before Danny could finish his words. Danny's chest was rumbling. Both his legs and hands seemed to no longer have the power to support his body weight. Slowly, her tears came.

"Dann, why? What's the same with Qiara?" Pricilla approached Danny, and when Pricilla was about to touch his shoulder, Danny immediately showed a gesture of rejection and stepped back.

"I'm going home right now. Papa Mama Qia died. Qia needs me and I'm not there." Danny said with a blank look, his two eyes continued to run like someone who was scared.

And just as Danny was about to step towards the door, Pricilla hurriedly restrained her shoulders. "Danny, wait! I'll come with you. Hm?"

...****...

On the way home, Danny opens one by one messages sent by his friends Dean, and Ray, and both parents. But of all the messages and calls that came in since yesterday, none of Danny found out of Qiara. It made Danny's chest feel tight. Qiara seemed to affirm that he was desperate and gave up on Danny.

Danny let out a heavy sigh, turned his face away and came back with tears. He was perplexed at the thought of how devastated Qiara was right now, and Danny was not by his side after disappearing for days.

While Pricilla who sat beside him, was unable to take out a single word. A sudden feeling of guilt haunted him. Until this moment, he still did not even have the slightest courage to tell Danny honestly, that on his birthday, Qiara came to Shanghai to meet him.

After a long, silent and stifling journey, they arrived in the morning. Danny hasn't said anything to Pricilla. Danny was not even aware as the girl faithfully kept up with her every move, until they finally arrived at Qiara's house, greeted by an atmosphere of grief that was so thick and devastating.

Inside the house, Danny finds Arga, Celine, and Windy who from yesterday did not come home to accompany Qiara. On Celine's side, there was Ray who was bowing listlessly. Ray's appearance, which usually looks neat, now looks shabby and haggard, as if he wants to convey to anyone that he is being hit by such great sadness now. But even so, his face still looks strong.

It never crossed Danny's head that such a huge change had happened to them in just ten days. At first, Danny thought that he would go through ten days smoothly. After finishing his job, Danny will be home. Qiara picked her up at the airport with a flowering feeling, they would hug and get busy with preparations for their wedding day. But the reality that he found now, completely overturned all his hopes.

As soon as Danny's steps stopped at the door, Arga suddenly raised his face. And how furious Arga was when he found out Danny was back with Pricilla. The veins on Arga's face seemed tense, if not remember that the current atmosphere is grieving, maybe Arga has lunged at Danny and showered him with relentless blows.

Celine and the others looked at Danny. Celine wiped the remaining tears in the corner of her eyes before finally getting up and walking over to the two people. And in one quick move, Celine landed a slap so hard on Danny's face –his cousin. But Danny just accept it, because he realizes that all this is his fault.

"Kalian—" Ogre Celine.

Celine suddenly did not have the strength to continue her words. He also thought, how could Danny bring Pricilla with him in times like this? Danny must have lost his mind because he was lulled with this destructive girl. Bathin Celine's.

"We're all grieving, and you take him? Where is your conscience? Aren't you ashamed of Om and Aunt? What are you gonna tell them, huh?" Celine's tone was quite slow, but she emphasized emotions very strongly in each sentence.

Dean sighed, along with a sharp pain.

Feeling that the situation would not get any better, Windy immediately took on another initiative. Windy held onto Celine's shoulder, pushed her slowly and then stood in front of her, "Cel, this is not the time to blame anyone. Let Danny meet Qia first. Hm?"

"Windy..." Celine's voice sounded unwilling, but Windy decided not to heed her first.

From Windy's point of view now, it's best that Danny meets Qiara first and leaves everything in Qiara's hands.

"Qia is in her room. Since then he has not come out. You better meet him first." Windy turned his attention to Pricilla for a moment, "and elo, Priss. You must be tired, right? I'll take you to the nearest hotel so you can rest. For now, you really can't be here just yet."

Pricilla said nothing. And he let Danny walk with his eyes still seem empty like yesterday. And when Danny passed Ray, he stopped his steps for a while and looked at Ray with a look of guilt. Ray just nodded his head slowly as a sign that Danny could find Qiara.

And just as Danny was about to climb the stairs to meet Qiara, Qiara's figure suddenly came down and made Danny's step feel dead. Qiara's face at that time looked extremely pitiful. Both of his eyes were puffy and not glowing at all, his lips were dry and paled. A few strands of her hair slipped out of her bindings and made her look a little unruly.

As soon as Qiara stood before her, Danny was already preparing to hug her, but before Danny could do so, Qiara dodged her blankly. Danny's heart suddenly slipped. There was nothing more painful than this; qiara refused to embrace him.

"Qi, look at me. I'm right here. I came by." Sneaky Danny. When once again he tried to grab Qiara's shoulder, Qiara reflexively brushed his hand away. Danny's chest is now not only tight, but also sick.

"Qi..." Danny muttered in a pleading voice, hoping for at least Qiara to be willing to look him in the eye.

Qiara then targeted her gaze at Pricilla who was still standing at the door. His face was so flat, too, tired. However much he wanted to spit out all his anger now, he realized that he did not have the energy to do so.

"You're coming with me!" Qiara said to Danny as she passed up the stairs first to invite Danny to speak four eyes in his room.

Danny followed her from behind.

...****...

"You're the same with me, Danny! You're evil!" Qiara finally spilled out everything that was held in her heart for these few days. A tear fell on her cheek.

"Qi, I'm sorry that I'm late, sorry that I killed my phone. But before this, I had already intended to explain everything to you guys, mainly to you, Qi. I—"

"On your birthday, I came to Shanghai. And you know what welcomes me?" Sela Qiara before Danny finished his words.

Degh's! One very hard blow suddenly Danny felt in his heart. It freezes in a pacemaker beyond normal. He later recalled that the night of his birthday, Pricilla suddenly kissed him. Danny thought fast, and tried to connect everything. He was finally able to draw a conclusion; that night Qiara saw it all.

"Qia?"

"That night I saw it for myself, the man who promised to marry me, the man who had made me give up everything, kissing the other woman before my eyes. Not only did you get there, after that night, you didn't even give me any news, when I asked, you didn't want to be honest. And when both of my parents died, you disappeared, you were hard to contact. It's the most devastating moment of my life, but you weren't there, Danny. You leave me, you—" Both of Qiara's eyes were ten times hotter than before. His eyes blurred before his tears finally spilled like rain.

"Qia´s... Qia.please. I can clear it, Qi! Hm?"

Danny this time managed to grab both of Qiara's shoulders and hug her. Although Qiara rebelled, Danny was not willing to let go and was even stronger to grab her.

"Deliver! I'm not hugging you anymore, Danny. I don't want to. OFF!!" Qiara screamed quite loudly. But Danny didn't care even as Qiara grew stronger rebelling in his arms.

"It's okay, Qi! Take out all your anger. You can berate me until you feel better. But please, let me hug you now."

Qiara, who was exhausted, finally gave up. He did not fight again, and let Danny hug him.

Qiara closed both her eyes. As the storm within her began to calm down in Danny's arms, the memory of Pricilla kissing this man again flashed across her head and inflamed all the cells in her body.

"I hate you, Danny! I hate you so much. From this second on, I will continue to insult myself whenever I remember that I love you so much."

"I don't care how much hate you have on me, Qi. But I beg you, please stay by my side."

"Silk!" Curse Qiara with a trembling voice.

"If being selfish can make you stay by my side, then I will take the most selfish action to keep you. I will be the most selfish human being who will force you to stay with me until the end."

^^^To be Continued...^^^