Prologue - Evermore
Love.
What is it? How many forms does it exist in? Which ones are acceptable? Which are not? Who decides whether it's acceptable or not? What if the form of love you have is not acceptable? What happens then? Does your God punish you for having an unacceptable form of the purest things to have ever existed? But how can the purest thing to have ever existed since the creation of this universe have an unacceptable form?
Ah! Why is it all so confusing?
"Uncle! Uncle!" A child, perhaps only eleven yelled, running towards a blue-eyed handsome young man sitting on a wheelchair with a big smile upon his face in the midst of a land of green.
"What is it now, Sophia?" The man asked with eyes shining bright like pretty lights as he pretended not to notice the big flower crown the little girl was desparetely trying to hide behind her small figure.
"Hehe... Uncle, I love you! I love you the most." Sophia giggled as she jumped into her uncle's lap and she placed a flower crown on her crippled uncle's head, giving him a thumbs up. "Uncle is the most handsome."
"Am I, Soph?" The man asked Sophia as guilt of feeling forbidden feelings for such a pure hearted young girl made his expression gradually start turning grim.
"Yes." Sophia replied, running her little fingers through his silky, chocolate brown hair as she flashed him her sweeter than honey, innocent smile.
"But Soph, Uncle can't walk. He's defected and old. Moreover, you've never seen my face. I always wear this mask." The handsome man said as his eyes gazed at the ground. Wondering how good it would have been on if only he could walk? This little girl wouldn't ever have a chance to hate him with his blue eyes she liked so well.
As soon as the thought crossed his mind he shook his head. These thoughts were wrong. He couldn't love a little girl who had her whole life ahead of her.
Moreover, he was almost the age of her father.
Twenty. Two years younger but that didn't matter.
"Humph! I know Uncle has a beautiful face. He's just saving it for his wife. One day, I'll marry you then take off that mask. And, Uncle. Mom said you are young so don't bother with the excuses. Don't lie to me again. Okay? Or, I'll beat you up." Sophia asked as a storm of blue brewed inside her ebony black eyes. She was mad. Who dares call her uncle, defected? He's not some goods. He's a human. And, humans naturally have flaws.
"My my! Getting so violent at such a young age. Where are you learning all this from, Soph?" The man was shocked hearing the words that flowed out the mouth of his fragile, little, innocent human but nonetheless he smiled as he patted the head of the little girl in his lap, trying to calm the storm raging inside her.
Upon hearing the question from her uncle's mouth, Sophia knew that she had made a mistake. A grave mistake. Maybe now, her uncle would no longer like her as before. What was she going to do now? As tears piled up in her eyes threatening to fall anytime like rain, the thunder of her voice decreased. "Umm... Tele..."
"Louder, Sophia. I can't hear." The man spoke putting on a stern expression for his little girl who was almost like a niece to him as he put his finger under her chin as he lifted it up but upon seeing the tears in the corner of her eyes something shook inside him. He hated it. He hated being the reason of those tears.
"Television! There. Are you happy now?" Sophia said as she took her face off him finger like a photograph hanged on a nail fixed in the wall and puffed her cheeks. Not daring to look in the pretty eyes of her uncle.
"Looks like we have to reduce your television time." Her uncle said, teasing the little kitten on his lap as he heard her protest in the cutest manners to have ever existed.
"Nooooooo uncleeeeee."
"Then, promise me not to use violence in future." He asked her as he held out his pinky finger for the little kitten on his lap to obediently make the promise. But, little did he know that his kitten was in the mood to show her claws today.
"No!"
"So disobedient today, aren't we?" The man asked in calm yet threatening tone as he stroked the dark, silky hair of his little kitten.
"I'm not!" Sophia yelled, making a look of disapproval cross her uncle's face as she shuddered from fear.
Fear of the chance of him ever hating her.
"Then, promise." He asked again, hoping she would comply. The last thing he wanted was to see his little get hurt because of him. No, he couldn't bear to see her get hurt no matter the reason.
"No." But, Sophia stood firm on her stand. She knew she couldn't back down. No, she couldn't and she wouldn't.
"Why, Soph?" The man asked as he sighed in defeat but the answer he got was only the confirmation of the thoughts that lingered in his mind.
"Because I have to protect uncle. And, to protect uncle, I have to fight. And, fighting is equal to violence. That's why no no. A big, fat no."
"Soph... " How could he tell her he didn't want her to get hurt? How could he tell her he hated being the reason of her injury? How could he tell her seeing her cry kills him on the inside?
No, he couldn't. He just couldn't. Because those words held a different weightage to him.
For anyone else, they would have just been any normal words. But, for him they meant the world.
This little girl meant the world. Even when it wasn't right.
"Uncle! Don't worry. If your legs don't function. I will make sure they do! And till they work I'll be uncle's legs. And, if you feel grateful you can repay me when you are alright." Sophia said as she giggled and stroked her uncle's hair noticing his grim expression.
Seeing, his little kitten trying to comfort him. He let out a sigh as he hid his face in the crook of her neck and asked her the insecurity that plagued his mind. "So, Soph. Will you leave uncle once he's alright?"
"Nope. Once uncle is alright, I'll only laze around. Uncle has to feed my empty tummy. Okay?" Sophia said as she got down from her uncle's lap and flashed him a big smile showcasing her bright, shiny teeth.
"En." The man nodded as he noticed the buldged pockets of his kitten and proceeded to ask her yet another question.
"What else are you hiding in your pockets, Soph?"
"Oh these! They are promise flower rings!" Sophia smiled as she held out the flower rings she had made before for herself and her beloved uncle.
"Oh?" The man asked as he lifted his eyebrow expressing his curiosity in the little flowers that were making his little beam brighter than the sunlight. He didn't like it. He didn't like these flowers taking his little one's attention.
Nope. They had to go.
"Yea! I swear, Uncle I'll be by your side forever and ever. Till death do us apart." Sophia swore as she grabbed her uncle's hand and put the ring on his finger, admiring her work.
"My little girl has learnt a lot of big words." The man smiled, happy about the way how he was the only one drinking his little one's mind.
"Shhh... if I am little you are not that big either. Anyway, this is uncle's. You have to swear first then put it on my ring finger like I did for you. Come on! Quick! Quick!" Sophia jumped up and down as she placed another one of her rings in the her uncle's palm.
"I, Rayn, swear on my soul to take care of Sophia for the rest of our lives. Even if she grows more annoying with time. Till death does us apart. Happy now?" Rayn said, flashing his mesmerizing smile at his little one even when his heart and stomach were twisting.
How could he be taking advantage of her pure emotions like this?
The guilt in his heart was feasting away on his soul.
But, Sophia was happy. Unaware of the storm raging in his head.
"Yes!"
"Now, Go home. Your mom must be waiting." Rayn said as he turned his wheelchair around so that he could head back home.
"Yes, uncle. I love you the most."
"I love the most too, little one." He said, as he gazed at the frame of his little one, vanishing from the side. Running further and further away from him.
Yet, there was nothing that he could have done.
Nothing.
It wasn't right.
These feelings bubbling up inside of him had to go.
He had to go.
And, little did the happy girl know that when she wakes up the next morning her beloved uncle would be gone.
Gone from her life.
Leaving her behind in pieces and tears.