I will

Elena.

I had spent hours, erasing all traces of him around me, in my house, and in my heart, and when I was nearly done, he had the guts to show up.

Yes. Marco Reids stood outside my door, wearing a dazzling smile, and a gaze sharpened by pride.

Well, it would have been less insulting if he were alone, but he was not. He was with Chloe, and she had her head resting on his shoulders. What a display!

" What do you want?" My voice came out hoarse and dry as I asked.

" I...Elena I..." He started, but I had no interest in listening to anything he had to say.

"It's good that you are here, because I have something that belongs to you..." I informed, and just as I was about to go back inside the house, his hand firmly held mine, hoisting me in place.

"Can you stop it, Elena?" He asked, pure disdain painting his face, and all along, Chloe stood there, silently, a victorious smile plastered on her lips.

" I already don't love you...And no amount of convincing will make me change my mind, " The self-absorbed fool stated and as his words sank in, a bitter and mockery-laced laugh escaped from my lips.

So, in his heart, I was desperate to get back to him? What did he take me for, exactly? A love-starved puppy? A spineless fool?

"Who said I wanted to beg you, Young master Marco?" I questioned, my tone super sarcastic as I called him that, and I watched with satisfaction as his face darkened with what looked like anger, fury.

" You have an inflated sense of importance. " I mocked, before I confidently walked back in the room and seconds later I came out, dragging a suitcase and an emerald green ruby necklace in my right hand.

" Take your things with you " I spat, as I pushed the suitcase his way.

" Also, take this with you. I no longer need it. From now on, nothing is tying us together " I added, as I shoved the necklace on his chest.

I appeared strong, composed, but hell, I wasn't as composed as I parading. I thought I was done grieving, but somehow, parting ways with that necklace was way harder than I had thought it would.

It wasn't just a necklace, at least to me, after all.

To me, it had been more than a symbol of our union. It had been a promise of forever, a token of our love.

When did he give it to me? I almost couldn't remember but the images of that day were vividly painted in my heart, in my mind, and that alone was enough to bring tears to my eyes. But I held them at bay. I had promised myself never to shed more tears for Marco. He was simply not worth it.

I was not going to cry in his absence, and neither in his presence.

So, I did what I knew best. I took my inner cheek in between my teeth, bit on it so hard until I became clear-headed as I took a memory lane back.

I was around ten. And Marco was around eleven. He was older than me by one year. Back then, we used to be neighbours. You can call him the cute boy next door that I never noticed until I was ten.

That day I was very depressed after my parents had an impromptu business trip, bailing on our planned Sunday outing.

I was sitting somewhere, in our garden, little sobs accompanying me when he showed up. He wore a sweet and concerned smile.

" Little princess, why are you crying?" He had asked, and when I lifted my eyes to look at him, he hadn't just captured my attention. He had stolen my heart too.

" Here. Sweet things are known to chase away sadness. " He had flushed me a toothy grin before he handed a piece of round chocolate to me.

That day, my love for chocolate started, but so did my love for Marco Reids. And for the years that came, we were always together, always playing computer games, watching anime movies that he loved, going to school together, surrounded by the same circle of friends, and the world knew that I was in love with him.

On my fifteenth birthday, he had clasped the emerald green rudy necklace around my neck as he whispered,

" Elena? By now it is obvious that I love you, okay? We were promised to each other, so, by our family traditions, I am your fiancée."

" But I want to make it official, and this necklace, is my proposal necklace, but I would love to call it a ruby of promise."

" I promise to marry you when you become of age, probably, on your twentieth birthday. ' He had whispered, promised, and those around us had heard, witnessed.

I had been so touched that I had cried.

' I promise to wear it, always.' I had whispered, amidst tears. I had kept my promise. For six years, I had worn the necklace.

And now, as I gave it back, I felt like I was giving away a part of me, a part of my heart. And I was unwilling.

"You can pass it to your fiancée. Use it to promise her a grey-hair promise. Till death do you part!" I mocked, the bitterness in my voice hardly concealed.

I promised not to cry. I didn't promise nonchalance, and so far, I was doing a great job. He had hurt me so much. Bitter jabs here and there won't hurt, no? It was the least he deserved.

" Also, I hope you can keep your promise to her...." I added, bitterly, too.

When he saw what I had just given him, his expression froze. He looked visibly enraged, in disbelief, and hurt.

But hurt? How could the villain feel any pain? I must have seen my things.

" You...You..." He stammered, his words failing him, and I laughed, really laughed. The ever-so-proud Young Master Marco was stammering, that was comforting.

" Why are you so unreasonable? You promised to always wear this necklace. Why are you giving it to me?" He questioned, ripples of disappointment accompanying his voice.

" Can't you accept that I don't love you anymore? Why must you throw tantrums?"

" Be happy for me and keep the necklace. " As he said that, he tried to hide the panic in his voice while trying to shove the necklace back to me, but he failed, miserably.

He had made promises to me, but he broke them. And he expected me to be thrilled? Not even in hell.

" We can still be friends, you know?"

" You have to come to our wedding." He added, without any shame, any guilt and as his words sank in, my mind was already reeling.

" Yes, Elena. You promised to be my bridesmaid, remember? I am still looking forward to you being my maids of honour. " For the first time since they came, Chloe spoke, and with each word she uttered, my composure was snapping..

" Yes, Elena. You have to come, we still need your blessings." Marco seconded her, and he wore an expectant smile as he looked at me.

Chloe wore a knowing smile.

They were waiting for me to fall apart, to cry, but I didn't.

I wore the most beautiful smile ever, my eyes gentle as I held theirs.

" Yes. I will, Marco. I will attend your wedding but," I paused, my smile widening.

" As your sister-in-law. "