40. LOVE IS BLIND

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ACT SEVEN

FOR I CAN'T HELP FALLING IN LOVE WITH YOU

ACT SEVEN SCENE ONE

LOVE IS BLIND

third person

PERSPECTIVE

SAHAR MAKES HER WAY towards the hospital room Luca laid in. Tears cascaded down her beautiful face as she sat in front of the silent boy. Wires were connected to his frail body, bruises were scarred across his alabaster skin. He was fine a couple hours ago, but now he was laying motionlessly.

Asher watches from the door, he didn't dare to enter. After Sahar's pleading to see Luca, he felt he needed to let her see Luca for who he really is. Luca isn't as perfect as she visualises him to be, although the bruises on his skin fade, it didn't mean the mental scars faded along with them.

"What happened to you?" she whispers, she felt like screaming but the boy laid on the bed sleeping peacefully.

She turns to face Asher, her pretty face was painted with dismay. "Asher, what happened?"

Asher stiffens.

Who was he to spill Luca's truth? The one where his own father hurts him about his skin condition, the one where his parents see him as a product of capitalism. The truth that Sahar is the only person Luca can physically touch.

"It's not my secret to tell."

Sahar could feel her heart churn with immense guilt, how could she not tell, how couldn't she understand how much pain Luca was going through. All she ever did was nothing as the poor boy lost his confidence every day.

She places her hand on top of his cold ones, her warm touch, the touch Luca craved the most in this world.

Asher could only watch. His lips quivered, the dirty taste of jealousy, he felt ashamed to even watch with envy — but his silver heart had a passion for someone else's desire. It's such a shame fate decided that their story shouldn't continue, he knew that Sahar and Luca were meant to be and yet to this day he struggles to remove his feelings.

Luca laid peacefully, he looked like an absolute angel with no flaws, the light glistened on his face, ethereal, that was what Luca was. Asher couldn't compete at all, and he knew that he couldn't. How could he take someone like Sahar away? Even after knowing that she's the only person Luca could touch.

She's Luca's key. His key to absolute freedom.

The perfect person to fool Luca's parents. The moment he recovers, he should walk into his house with Sahar by his side — fooling his parents to believe that he no longer suffers from human touch. After that, Luca will be free from the toxic grasps of his heinous parents.

"H-He's awake." Asher snaps out of his daydreaming, only to find Sahar watching Luca with wide eyes. He notices the caramel haired boy slowly open his eyes, he notices how the boy glances up at Sahar with pure shock, of course, he didn't expect the one girl he truly loves to actually see him.

"Luca..." Sahar trails, her hand still on top of his.

"S-Sahar."

Sahar smiles, her tear stained face still looked beautiful.

Asher couldn't step into the room, he would ruin the moment. He felt a huge stone lift from his body, as long Luca was awake, everything should be fine now. Right? Well that's what he believed, everything was slowly returning to normal but his heart, his heart was yearning.

He takes one last glance, envy. He hated the feeling, the feeling of being second best.

But who was he? Who was he to say anything? At this point he wasn't sure if he was considered a human being. Life has done nothing but treat him cruelly. Perhaps it was his punishment for accidentally killing his sister.

"Asher was here-" the sound of Sahar's soft voice causes him to stop. He hated every moment of this, he hated how guilty he felt for feeling envy. Why is he still feeling so jealous? Wasn't he supposed to stop feeling this way?

He continues walking, leaving the two alone, it was just him and the lonely sound of his feet echoing against the hospital hallways.

Sahar helps Luca sit up. "He was just here, I'm not sure where he went." she purses her lips, she could've sworn he was just here a second ago.

Luca smiles weakly, "I'm sure he'll be back soon."

"So how do you feel?"

"Alright." he whispers. He couldn't admit to her that he wanted to die. He finally thought he'd have the peace he yearned for life but once again, he returned to this hell on earth.

"What happened Luca? Who did this to you?"

Luca couldn't speak. Not because he couldn't, because he didn't want to recall the horrible memories. He knew that after he's released from the hospital, he'd have to return his ordinary life filled with misery.

"Sahar could you leave me alone for a while."

She furrows her eyebrows. "Luca, you know you can tell me anything. We've known each other since we were kids and I'd do anything for your own good." she runs her hand down his arm, he shivers at the warmth of her touch. The physical contact was driving him insane, the serotonin boost from human comfort was just enough to drive him into pure bliss.

He diverts his eyes. "I'm tired Sahar."

She strokes his cheek gently, her eyes blending into his. His cheeks burned at her touch, his heart felt heavy as she gazed deeply into his eyes, it was eunoia.

"How could someone hurt you?" she whispers, her touch never leaving his cheek. Luca could feel his heart pounding loudly, he wanted to tell her so badly, that she was the only person who could touch him like this — how she was the only person in this world who had complete authority over his skin.

But he couldn't.

She'd find him weird. And then, she would make sure to never see him again.

And he couldn't let her leave just like that, he wanted to hold on to her until he was cured.

Sahar leans her face closer towards Luca. His heart was beating undeniably fast now, he was captivated by the slightest look from her eyes.

"Tell me Luca, I'll do my best to help you with anything."

"Anything?" he whispers.

She nods her head.

Luca shuts his eyes, he couldn't look at her longer. "I have to tell you something Sahar, please don't freak out when I tell you this."

"I promise." her words were just enough for him to look her deeply in the eyes. He gulps, unsure whether it was okay to finally tell her the secret he has been dying to say since the day he recognised her as his childhood lover.

"I have a skin co—" but before he could finish his statement, someone interrupts.

"You were here this whole time?" it was Helius Gray, and beside him stood Silas, who failed to look Luca in the eyes. He was drowning in guilt for what he did to Luca, so he came to the hospital room to apologise for everything he did. But Helius was here for another reason, his reason was not to see Luca but to see Sahar. Quite selfish, but as they say, love is blinding.

Luca frowns, he failed to tell her again. Perhaps this was fate telling him to keep his mouth shut.

Sahar glances at the caramel haired boy, she really wanted to know what was bothering him so much. Instead of questioning Luca further she focuses her attention on to Helius. She was still angry at him for punching Luca, she found it completely uncalled for.

"Sahar could we talk?" It was clear Helius had no intention on speaking to Luca.

Sahar turns to face Luca, as if to ask for permission to speak to Helius.

"Just go." Luca murmurs. He felt the warmth of Sahar's touch leave his body instantaneously as she followed Helius outside the hospital room. Once again, he felt the emptiness he usually felt.

"Take it, it's your favourite."

Silas tossed a bag on to his lap.

Luca opens the bag hesitantly, only to find his favourite biscoff milk cake. "You travelled five hours way from town just to get me this?" he murmurs, glancing at Silas with wide eyes. "You didn't have to."

Silas takes a seat beside him. "I can't explain how sorry I am Luca, all this time I thought you were responsible for my sisters death when you had nothing to do with it." he felt the guilt slightly dissipate when confessing. "I just wished things could be different right now, it was wrong of me to even touch you knowing— damn it, I really am a jerk."

"Thank you."

"What?" Silas widens his eyes.

"I completely understand your reason, you had every right to hurt me, and it gave me a really good reality check." Luca smiles, opening the container filled with the delicious milk cake.

"Oh there's no fork." he mumbles, checking the bag.

"I'll get you one!" Silas says, jumping up.

"It's okay I found—" but before he could finish his sentence the boy had already left the room.

As Silas leaves the room, he makes his way towards the receptionist desk. But he notices two figures speaking incoherently in the corner, it was Helius and Sahar.

"Sahar you don't understand Luca is using you."

"Please Helius, don't do this."

"I'm trying to protect you, that's what I've been doing this whole time, please just listen to me just this time. Luca is not a good person, he's just using you like he has done with everyone else in this stupid school."

"And why would he be doing that?"

"Because you have something that no one has." Helius says, gazing deep into Sahar's eyes.

Silas clenches his fists. His brother was about to reveal Luca's secret.

"What is it?" Sahar questions, curious to know why the golden boy hates Luca so much.

"Touch."

"What?"

"Helius!" Silas exclaims, rushing towards the pair. His eyes gleaming with anger as he grabbed the golden boy by his arm, nearly cutting off his blood flow.

"We have to go." he grits his teeth, dragging Helius away from Sahar. She watches with confusion as Silas pulls Helius towards the exit.

And that was all that took Sahar to realise.

Touch.

Gloves.

Luca.

She widens her eyes. How couldn't she have realised all this time. Luca's secret, his inability to touch others. She was the only one he could touch, why was it her?

"Oh my God." she whispers, not wanting to believe the truth at all.

She felt regret. Being the only person he could touch, he must've yearned her touch just for comfort. She never knew how much he must've wanted to hold her just for the sake of comfort.

She wasn't disgusted. She was sorry. Even if Luca was using her as Helius said. She wouldn't mind at all, after all, she would've done the same if she was in his place. She saw how much sorrow lays within his eyes, she wanted to be there for him and protect him with her life because she truly admired him.

Sahar makes her way towards Luca's room. Only to find him scrolling on his phone.

She wraps her arms around his body swiftly, she could feel his body stiffen at the contact. She rests her head on his shoulder as she tightens her hold around his body.

"S-Sahar, w-what are you doing?"

"What else does it look like Luca? I'm hugging you."

"Why?" he whispers.

"Because, I-I wanted to."

"Oh." he melts into her embrace. It felt like an epiphany, for once in his life, he felt complete.

He could feel wetness on his shoulder. "Sahar, what's wrong?" he pulls her away, only to find her face stained with tears, he widens his eyes.

"I'm sorry Luca, you must've felt so lonely." she says, wiping the tears away from her eyes. "I can't imagine how you must've felt all these years."

"What do you mean?" he was confused by her sudden sadness.

"Nothing." she places her hand on his cheek, caressing it slowly. "As long as you're with me, you won't ever feel like that again, I promise."

It was this moment Luca realised he didn't like Sahar.

He loved her.

-

well that was an overdue chapter, this book will be ending soon stay tuned! thank you for all the love and support when i was gone. i am so grateful for all the attention this book has received :)