Chapter hundred and twelve

Oliver

I stood there staring at the spot Dallas was standing, long after she was gone. I didn't know how much time had passed. Seconds, Minutes, it could have been hours, but I didn't move. I couldn't bring myself to move or do anything except stare.

Maybe this was all just a bad dream. Maybe I'll wake up from it soon if I stare hard enough. It has to be. Because there's no way I just lost the one person that matters to me most in the whole world. There is no way Dallas had just left me. It didn't just happen.

I continued staring. Just like I had done that day when the ambulance arrived and moved my father's body away from me. I had continued staring at the spot we were lying on. The spot he had fallen on top of me and I couldn't push him away. Not because I wasn't strong enough, but I just…couldn't. I'd just stared till his blood dripped on me, knowing he'd taken that bullet for me.

This situation was not in anyway similar to what happened then, yet it felt like it. I felt as helpless as I did back then. I felt like I was screaming for her to come back but my lips weren't moving. Maybe if I had screamed, if I had called out to her, if I had tried to stop her, she wouldn't have left. Instead, I just stared.

I stared and let the only woman I've ever loved walk away from me. I'd let her go. I shouldn't have.

I heard someone calling my name from a distance, or maybe it was in my head. The voice sounded like Dallas's. She was calling out to me in that beautiful voice I had come to love so much.

“Oliver!”

She was near now. She was coming back. She didn't leave. She would never leave.

“Oliver!”

The voice was louder, rougher this time. It didn't sound like Dallas. It wasn't Dallas. She had truly left. She wasn't coming back. Another wave of sorrow washed over me. The realization hit heavily this time. I felt every nerve in my body breaking down at the moment.

“Jesus fucking Christ, open the fuck up!”

A loud bang jolted me out of my trance. I turned to where the noise came from to see Ethan and Xavier banging on my car window.

Car window?

I dragged my gaze around, confusion stirring in me. I was sitting behind the wheels and the car was parked in front of my house. My seat belt is still buckled in. My confusion deepened, but I didn't have time to dwell on it before another bang came.

Groaning, I opened the car door and stepped out. I was really in front of my house. How did I get here? I was just standing in the parking lot at the academy a few seconds ago.

“What was that about?” Ethan was the first to speak.

“What?”

“Driving like a freaking maniac and almost running over someone. Are you drunk?” Xavier spoke next.

I didn't remember driving at all. Not to talk of almost hitting someone. But I didn't say that. It made me sound insane. I do feel like I'm going insane right now.

“I wasn't in the right frame of mind.” I said instead.
“How long have I been here?” I hoped the question sounded as casual as I wanted it to be otherwise I sounded like a lunatic.

“About five minutes. We've been knocking on your window like crazy but you seem to have spaced out.” Ethan said.

I nodded. The drive from the academy was about 30 minutes which means I've been out for almost forty minutes. Is that even scientifically possible?

“We were about to come look for you. Everything has gone shit.” Xavier said.

“What do you mean by that?”

Xavier turned to Ethan.
“You wanna explain?”

Ethan rolled his eyes.
“Why does it have to be me who does the explanation everytime?”

I arched an eyebrow at him, silently urging him to speak up.

He groaned, mumbling some words that I didn't care to listen.

“My mother is still pissed about what your mother did. Your mother is pissed that my mother is pissed about it. She is also worried that you stormed out and basically vanished. Your mother-in-law is worried about her husband's disappearance, your fiancee is worried about the same thing. Long story short, the reception is ruined, and everyone is high on emotions.” he exhaled when he finished.

“You do realize you could have summarized that in just a few sentences, right?”

“Trust me, that's the best way he could summarize it. The situation inside is indescribable. It's complete chaos.” Xavier said, shaking his head.

If only they knew how chaotic I was actually feeling right now.

“Hold up, didn't you go to get Dallas? Where is she?” Ethan asked.

The image of her walking away from me flashed across my mind making my heart clench even tighter than it was. It didn't sting any less each time I think about it.

“She left.” I said simply and headed for the door.

I heard their footsteps following closely, but I didn't slow my pace. I needed to get this over with. I needed to end this.

“What do you mean she left? Left how? With who? To where?” Ethan bombarded me with questions that I didn't bother to answer.

“I think he meant they broke up.” Xavier answered on my behalf. He glanced at me as if looking for some confirmation of his words. I don't know what he saw but he nodded to himself.

“Broke up?” Ethan sounded both shocked and confused.

I didn't slow my pace to explain anything to him. I didn't have the time. There's no need to for me to keep this up when I've just lost the one person I love more than anything.

Ethan kept his questions to himself when I didn't answer him. Our heavy footsteps echoed in the silent hallway as we made our way to the banquet hall.

I saw Heather pacing by the door, a worried expression on her face. I knew what she was worried about. I wanted to tell her to stop worrying that she's not coming back but I didn't.

She stopped pacing when she saw me. She opened her mouth to say something but was stopped. I didn't know if it was Ethan or Xavier this time.

I walked straight into the hall. All the guests have left now. The only people left were my mum, Suzy and her new husband, and the remaining of the Jang family. Xavier was right. The place is chaotic.

Everyone had a worried expression on their faces. Some were pacing around. Others were yelling at each other. Jenna was the only one who seem a bit calm out of everyone in the room. But I could tell from her tired look that she had done a fair amount of yelling and pacing.

“You’re all here. That's good.”

They all turned to look at me as I strolled in. All of them stood up from their various seats and started walking towards us.

“Oh my God, where have you been? I was so worried about you.” My mother was the first to speak.

“Have you seen my husband? His cellphone is not reachable.” Julianna rushed towards me as if she was going to grab my shoulders. Jenna yanked her mother back, probably reminding her that I don't like to be touched.

“I want everyone to listen carefully.” I started, dipping my hands into my pocket.

“Mum, congratulations, Dallas and I are no longer together.”

The words sounded so false that if I hadn't witnessed it myself, I wouldn't have believed it. I guess that's how it sounded to everyone else.

The whole room fell silent as if they weren't expecting it. I expected to see relief on my mother's face, but she just…stared. Like I did minutes ago. The only person who appeared relieved was Jenna. The emotion was gone as fast as it came.

“The engagement between Jenna and I…” I paused, scanning each of their faces.

“... is off.” If the room was silent before then it's gravely silent now. It seems they all stopped breathing altogether.

I faced my now ex fiance,
“Jenna, you can keep the ring. Payment for the damages caused. And get the hell out of my house.”

I turned to her mother who looks so white as if she's seen a ghost.
“Mrs Jang, sorry for the inconveniences. Apologize to your husband on my behalf.”

I didn't wait for any of them to recover from their shock. I strolled out without another word.

“And people say I'm the dramatic cousin.” I heard Ethan snort behind me.