Denver had gone to work, he had insisted on not wanting to go so that he could spend time with Rhea but after much persuasion he finally left while Rhea sat on her table , what happened yesterday was a whole new chapter opening in her life that meant she had taken a step closer for herself, when she had said she wanted to use him , what did she actually mean , was it for self actualization or....., she sighed in frustration as she laid her head on the table , there was no turning back for them now , it all felt like some fever dream that she could wake up from at any moment but....it was her reality, her bittersweet reality.
She could still feel that warm sensation , a feeling that she will probably and eventually have to get used to. She looked over at the open book on her table, the title reading like that of a death note, " the riding lyre.....", for some reason she remembered Denver words this morning, it wasn't her duty to make anyone happy , it wasn't her duty to do what others wanted her to do....so far it didn't make her happy.
She crinkled the edges of the paper with those written words and before she knew it she had roughly torn it of, that piece of paper with the bondage stricken title " the riding lyre", she looked at the piece of paper on her hand , slightly rumpled, her eyes slightly widened with relief and disbelief , she had been a hostage to this piece of paper , the chains that had felt quite untouchable for a somewhat long period of time could finally be moved each step she took felt like the chain was loosening off.
What gave her the courage? , why did she tear it?, she slowly looked over at the pen sitting at the side if her books , liberation?, she slowly stretched out and picked up the pen , she needed to break free, if she wanted to be free with Denver , if she truly wanted to be with him....she had to free herself from her own chains , that fresh page with the slightly crinkled edges if a once existing note revealed itself barely clinging to the pin of the notebook which at the end welcomed her with something new ..., she sighed softly as she closed her eyes, her fingers delicately holding the pen,her hand still outstretched mid air, her breath slightly shaky , if she wanted to write , she should think, feel and know what she wanted to write . If she started with the first thing that popped into her mind , it will all come through. With her eyes still closed she gently lowered her pen to the paper which barely made contact but a faint ink spread through, then she wrote one word , her delicate writing staining the white sheet, her handwriting elegant yet encompassed one single word....." love?", Rhea slowly opened her eyes and saw what she had written....love ?, that was the first thing she had felt, she tilted her head a little, some of her hair falling unto her shoulder, when she felt it.... ., she bit her lower lip as her pen touched the paper again, pressing the tip lightly, " Denver", she wrote his name , she looked at what she wrote like it was something foreign then se looked at the slightly crumbled piece of paper on her hand, this was another burden she wanted to let go, this...was her final resolve.
************************************************
Denver was humming as he fried some green onions, the choking yet mouth watering aroma spread through the kitchen , but Denver mind was vague, everything that had happened felt like a dream , he couldn't believe that he had....., he scoffed , Thompson walked up to Denver as he leaned unto the counter folding his arms , " seems like things are going well with your woman ....", Denver smiled giving Thompson the answer he had already guessed, " hmmm.....bring her tot he resturant sometime, it will be great to see the woman who had made you loose your mind all these while...", Denver just continued humming , he never thought that moving in near Rhea will bring them closer.
***********************************************
Diah was sitting inside her car, a small smile evident on her lips, she stared at her phone once more at the message Rhea had sent this morning, " let's meet.....", she scoffed, she knew she knew she would be the one who would end up reaching out first, seemed like she had finally come back to her senses , a soft knock at her window broke her inner monologue as she saw who had tapped her window, it was Rhea. The window was tinted so only Diah could see Rhea , she stared at her , to her Rhea seemed....brighter from the last time she had seen her , her radiant complexion had returned back , her hair had grown longer and fuller, and most of all she no longer had that look of emptiness in her eyes, that longing of death was no longer there....what happened?, Diah frowned , her eyebrows knotted together in confusion , she rested her head on the back seat, she shouldn't be anxious , thsi was just a phase right.....right?.
The car door opened as Rhea entered and sat down , the ominous silence and that deafening yet daring tension was very much visible to Diah, she shouldn't be nervous , she should calm down , she rummaged through her bag and brought out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter, she placed the cigarette in her mouth as it hung loosely, she tilted her head as she flicked the lighter while she used her hand to form a shield over while she lighted the cigarette , she took a long drag in and puffed it out , the scent of burnt paper mixed tobacco , a smell which she had gotten quite used to since she had been with Daniel.
" I see....you still smoke ", Rhea said clearly not surprised , in their early days of writing Diah smoked to relieve stress, it was a lot then because of constant publishing errors , writers block and low sales in books . Diah sighed as she rested her head on the car seat, she looked relaxed , " I do....but.. ", she looked over at Rhea with a bored expression , " not as much...", she had finally achieved everything she had wanted, , fame, wealth and.... respect, puffing up this cigarette was just for fun.
" You were quite rude to me when we met at your home...you are probably still mad at me because of Daniel right ",said Diah while she sat up moving closer to Rhea who was oddly silent, " hey Rhea....you seem brighter now , you are more.....", she extended her hand and touched a strand of her hair as she felt the texture, her eyes fixated on her as if trying to read her , looking at her now after all these years brought back memories she had tried so hard to suppress, " pretty.....", she completed the sentence , her voice softer almost like she wanted to say more.
"Aren't you tired.....,", Diah tilted her head purposely looking confused, " tired?....., am I meant to understand what you mean or...", " let's stop this.....this game that you have set up....isn't it getting boring for you, why don't we...", she leaned in closer to Diah, her eyes unwavering , not a hint of fear, and though Diah appeared to be calm something in her seemed to vanquish, a fear that had been long forgotten seemed to resurface , what was it , why was she always freezing up when Rhea spoke to her , she clenched her fist..., Rhea pulled out the crumbled piece of paper from her pocket, she took hold of Diahs hand and opened up her palm , then she slid the crumbled piece of paper onto her palm , Diah gazed at it curiously before se looked up at Rhea who just looked at the paper on her palm, her hand still holding her palm, then she spoke her voice cold yet softand it somehow made Diah anxious because this time she couldn't predict Rheas next move .
" it's time....", her habd gently grazed under Diahs hand as it left hers ,Rhea finally looked up at her, Diah bit the inside of her lips till she felt a certain warmth spread through,
" You write your own story".