Unexpected Encounter: A Second Chance at Love

"Last night was a mistake." Ben looked at her. "It shouldn't have happened."

"What do you mean?" Tina frowned.

Without saying anything, he picked up her dress from the floor and kept it beside her.

When he tried to walk away, she grabbed his hand. "Wait—"

She wrapped the sheet around her and got down from the bed. "What do you mean by it was a mistake?"

"What happened last night shouldn't have happened." Ben sighed. He was supposed to stay away from her, maintain his distance from her. But when she kissed him all of a sudden, he lost all his self control. And when he held her in his arms, he forgot everything.

Tina tightened her grip around his hand. "Do you regret what happened last night?"

When he did not say anything, her eyes welled up. His silence broke her heart.

"I really don't mean anything to you, right?"

"Tina—" When he tried to touch her, she took a step back.

"One moment you treat me like I am your everything but the very next moment, you make me feel like I am nothing." She lowered her head as tears streamed down her cheeks. "I am tired Ben, I am so tired of this."

She sat down on the edge of the bed and sobbed for a while. What had happened between them last night was so wonderful and she was so happy. She was looking forward to what would happen between them and their relationship, but for him it was just a mistake.

A mistake that shouldn't have happened.

Ben's heart ached when he heard her sobs. He was the reason behind her tears and he hated himself for that.

Without wasting any time, he quickly squatted right in front of her and was about to say something when she interrupted him.

"You want it to be a mistake, right?" Tina wiped her tears away and looked at him. "Then let's treat it as one."

"Tina—" He grabbed her hand..

"No—" She retrieved her hand back. "I am sorry for initiating the kiss and forcing you to commit such a big mistake. I shouldn't have done that."

She then got up and grabbed her dress. "We both are adults so let's treat it as a one night stand and move on. Let's not talk about it ever again and stay away from each other."

When she walked away, he grabbed her hand.

Tina looked at their hands and then him. "Isn't that what you want? You want me to stay away from you, right? That is what I am doing."

"Maybe what happened between us last night was a mistake for you but for me, it was something my heart wanted," she remarked. "And I don't regret even a second of it."

She shrugged his hand away before turning around. But to her surprise, Ben hugged her from behind and buried his face on her neck.

"You don't wanna let me go but you also don't wanna keep me in your life," Tina mockingly chuckled. "You can't have it both ways."

"I just can't keep loitering around you with a false hope in my heart that one day you will give me all of you, when I know you won't. Not because you can't but you don't want to," she added.

Ben did not say anything, he just tightened his grip around her and kept embracing her with no intention of letting her go.

He wanted to be with her but at the same time, he was reluctant. A deep rooted dark feeling in his heart stopped him from taking a step forward towards her.

"Maybe you are right," she smiled. "Maybe I do deserve someone who will willingly accept me and my love without making me feel like a shit."

"I love you but—"

"Don't continue," she interrupted him.

She then turned towards him and cupped his cheeks. "Where there is love, there is no but."

"Just go, Ben—" She took a step back. "Feel free to leave."

Without waiting for his reply, she made her way towards the washroom.

Ben balled his hands into a fist as he watched her leave. He wanted to run after her but he couldn't. He felt helpless and useless.

As anger and frustration crowded his heart and mind, he barged out of the room.

…..

[Outside]

As soon as Ben stepped out of the room, the first person he bumped into was Andrew.

Andrew looked at him and raised his brows. "Is everything okay?"

Ben nodded before walking away.

Andrew helplessly shook his head and sighed. When he did not see Ben on the couch, he assumed Ben had woken up early and was out on a walk..

But now when he saw him step out of Tina's room early in the morning, it wasn't hard for him to guess that something had happened between them.

...

[Andrew and Rachael's Room]

Andrew gave her the phone and sat down right next to her.

"Does Tina really like Ben?"

"Why are you suddenly asking me this?" Rachael found his question very weird.

"I was just wondering." He pulled her in his embrace. "Both of them seem to be in a mess."

"I know right?" She sighed. "Tina likes him, I can see it in her eyes."

She looked at him. "Tina is not someone who falls for just anyone. I mean, she rarely starts a relationship with anyone. She takes a step forward only when she is very sure about her feelings."

"Hmm, I know Ben is being hard on himself but we can't just ignore what the man has been through," Andrew remarked. "When something like that happens, it's very hard to move on."

Rachael nodded in agreement. "I understand." Not only had he been cheated and abandoned by the woman he loved, he also lost his unborn child.

"I saw Ben coming out of Tina's room."

"What?" She widened her eyes in shock. "Like, right now?"

"Yes," he nodded. "I think you should talk to her."

...