“…Sorry.”His voice was stiff,his eyes avoiding hers as though weighed down by unease.“Yesterday,I thought you had bullied Astrid.I misunderstood you.”
Aurelia shook her head,and just as she was about to speak,crimson blood dripped onto the sheets.She pressed her hand against it instinctively,but it was no use.
She had long grown used to such bleeding,yet Santino panicked,his hands trembling as he passed her tissues.
When it finally stopped,she turned to thank him,only to see him frowning,his gaze fixed on her.
“What’s wrong with you?”Santino’s voice carried a tremor he didn’t even notice.Even he hadn’t realized yet that he could no longer live without Aurelia.
Aurelia suddenly laughed,tears glistening in her eyes.“What if I told you I had a very serious illness,one that couldn’t be cured?What would you do?”
She spoke of her terminal illness as if it were nothing more than a joke,yet Santino’s expression grew darker with every word.
She was about to explain,but he cut her off coldly.“You’re still such a liar.Dying would be too easy for you.You have to stay alive and make amends slowly.”
Aurelia let out a real laugh this time,nodding as though she agreed.“Yes,I lie.It’s just inflammation,nothing serious.”
At that,Santino’s already dark face twisted into something even uglier.
Looking at him,Aurelia couldn’t help but wonder.If he knew the truth,that she had cancer,what would his reaction be?Would he feel sorrow,would he grieve,or would he only feel relieved that he was finally free of her?
Her gaze lingered quietly on him.Forget it.Better not to tell him.Let him hate her for a lifetime.
Santino didn’t stay long.After a short while,he said he had a school meeting and left in a hurry.
When he was gone,Aurelia quietly began tidying the room,gathering everything from her years with Santino into one pile.Ten years of being stuck in this swamp had drained her completely,and only in her exhaustion did she finally decide to let go.
The table was covered with safety charms she had prayed for on Santino’s behalf.Back then,when they climbed the mountain to pray to God,she had wished for his safety,while Santino had wished for her long life.But later,everything changed.
Tears slid down her cheeks,dripping onto the back of her hand.
She threw all those memories into the fire,and the flickering flames carried away ten years of love and courage.