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The past two weeks had been hard for Rana. Having to pretend to still be in love with Zee took a lot especially when the person you’re actually in love with has driven off and not answered a single text or call. She meant to tell Zee that night, she really did but when she seen how happy he was and all her family she couldn’t do it. Just because she’s not in love with him anymore doesn’t mean she doesn’t love and still care about him. When she seen Kate’s face drop in the bar as she saw them all walk in her heart broke. She begged Kate not to go, she promised she’d tell him tomorrow, but it was too late. It had all been too much for Kate, she could no longer live with the guilt and the pain of seeing the woman she loves with someone else. She had to leave to clear her head but also to give Rana some more time.
The distance made Rana realise just how much she loves Kate and how unhappy she is without her. She needs Kate more than she thought. And so, she finally decided that she would tell Zee. He had finally come down from his high and Rana felt ready.
“Hey, what’s so urgent?” Zee asked as she walked into the house. He was obviously worried, and Rana’s heart broke even more.
“Sit down, Zee.”
“Rana, you’re scaring me, what’s wrong?” Rana shifted uncomfortably. Zee has never done anything wrong, he has always been good to her, but he never made her feel the way Kate does. He never looked at her the way Kate does. No man ever has. She wishes she could do this in a way which wouldn’t hurt him but there isn’t one.
“I’m- I’m leaving you, Zee.”
“What?” Zee’s body tensed as he processed the words.
“I’m so sorry, I am. I’m sorry.” Tears began to stream down Rana’s face.
“Why? I know you’ve been acting funny for the past few months but I…” Rana took a deep breath and looked away; she couldn’t look Zee in the eyes.
“I- I have been having an… affair.” Zee’s heart sank as a tear streamed down his cheek.
“Who is he?” His voice now becoming more angry than upset.
“She.” Zee’s eyes widened as he realised who it was.
“Kate.” Rana nodded at the statement.
“I’m so sorry.”
“Get out. I want your stuff gone tomorrow.” Ready for this response Rana grabbed the bag she has earlier prepared and left.
As she walked along the dark and empty street she decided to call Kate again and tell her what had just happened. The phone rang and just as she had expected no one picked up and it went to voice mail.
“Hey, it’s me again. I miss you. I wanted to tell you I’ve finally told him. I’m telling my family tomorrow. You being away has made me realise just how much I need you. I love you so much and I am so sorry. I should have thought more about how much this had affected you and I should have told him sooner. I’m really so sorry. Please call me back, I need to hear your voice and hear that you’re doing okay.” With a sad sigh she hung up.
She realised that for the past hour she had pointlessly been walking around. Rana had no where to go. She never really took the time to make friends since she moved. Going to town to a hotel was going to have to do.
As she got in her bed, she was terrified of the next day coming. And she was right to be.
In the morning she went to see her parents. Her hands began to shake as she knocked on the door.
“Rana! Darling, what a nice surprise! What are you doing here?” Rana’s mother said as she pulled her in for a tight hug.
“I have to talk to you and dad.”
“Well, is everything alright?”
“Is that Rana?” Her father asked as he walked into the hall.
“Hi dad.” She said as she gave her father a quick hug.
“Well, what would like to talk to us about?”
“Um- I have left Zeedan.”
“What?” Her father exclaimed.
“Rana, why? He’s been nothing but good to you.”
“I know, but I- I am in love with someone else.”
“What?” Her parents both said in disbelief.
“With who? Who is he?”
“He’s… um he’s a she. Her name is Kate.”
“A woman?” Rana’s father couldn’t believe his ears.
“You’re gay? You cannot be! We did not raise you this way!”
“I can’t help who I love-“ Before Rana could finish her sentence, a hard hand hit the soft skin of her cheek. Her mother began crying and her father cursed her.
“Get out of my house and never come back!” Rana did as she was told. She didn’t have the energy to argue.
As she closed the door behind her tears blurred her vision and her cheek stung. She shouldn’t be this upset, she knew this was coming but there was still a little bit of hope in her that maybe, just maybe their reaction would have been different. But it wasn’t. She has now lost everyone and maybe even Kate.
Her drive back to the hotel was filled with one thought; I've lost everyone. She had no one. Everyone by now probably hated since Zee has probably already told everyone. She began thinking of where she could move to and start fresh. She couldn't believe that her life had changed from a perfectly normal one to this.
Rana’s thoughts were all over the place as she walked across the street to the hotel. She hadn’t paid attention to anything else but the overwhelming fear that was taking over her. Until she heard a voice. A voice she had missed more than words could describe.
“Rana.”
“Kate.” Rana let out a sigh of relief. Kate was alright and standing in front of her.
“What happened to you?” Kate asked immediately as she noticed the bruise forming on her cheek. She couldn’t stop her hand from cupping Rana’s cheek and her thumb lightly tracing the bruise.
“My father. I told them.”
“I’m so sorry. I should have been there with you. I shouldn’t have left.”
“No, don’t be sorry, this is all my fault. I pushed you to leave because I was taking far too long to tell Zee and my family. I’m the one that should be apologising, and I am. I am so sorry.” Tears began to blur Kate’s vision as she pulled Rana in for a hug.
“I love you so much and I promise I will never leave again.”
“Thank you.”
“For what?” Kate asked with a loving look on her face as they pulled apart.
“For everything; for being so supportive, for sticking with me, for coming back.”
“As your best friend and girlfriend,” Rana couldn’t help but smile when Kate called herself Rana’s girlfriend; it brought butterflies to her stomach and sounded so right. “it’s what I’m here for; I will always support you and be by your side no matter what. That is a promise.”
“What did I do to deserve you?”
“Hmm,” Kate replied as she pulled Rana towards her by her waist. “I don’t know.” Rana couldn’t help but smile as she kissed her girlfriend. They no longer needed to hide and were free to show just how much they love each other in public.
Intertwining their fingers Rana led Kate up to her hotel room. They got a few puzzled looks but neither cared.
As Kate sat down on the bed, Rana looked down at her hand and realised she was still wearing her wedding ring. Slowly, she slid it off her finger; she longer needed it, she now fully belonged to Kate.
“I need to go by the house to get my stuff today.” Rana said as she sat down beside Kate.
“I’ll come with you, I need to apologise to Zee and this is not something you should face alone.”
“Thank you.”
“I’m assuming Luke and Alya know.”
“Probably.”
“I’ll guess we’ll need to go by mines as well then.”
“Yeah, you can stay here with me tonight, if you want obviously,” Kate couldn’t help but notice how cute Rana looked when she got shy. “I’ve paid for three nights.”
“I’d love to stay here with you tonight.” Kate said as she put her hand on Rana’s knee in reassurance.
Later, silently, Zee let Kate and Rana into the house. He didn’t even look at Rana as she walked in with Kate behind her. “
Zee,” Kate began.
“No, I don’t want to hear anything from you; you’ve done enough.”
“You can’t blame her for this Zee, I was also a part of it, neither of signed up for this. You want someone to blame, blame me.” Rana quickly said in Kate’s defence which got Rana a very loving look from Kate. Rana noticed it from the corner of her eye, it definitely wasn’t the time or place for it but Rana absouelty loved seeing Kate looking at her like that.
“Fine! How could you do this? To us, to our marriage, to me?! someone you’re supposed to love. Since, when are you even gay?!” Rana’s heart broke, she could clearly see the heart break in Zee’s eyes; he never deserved any of this.
“I didn’t mean for it to have happened, believe me, and I do love you Zee, I’m just no longer in love with you. I’m sorry.”
“We really didn’t mean for it to have happened, I am so sorry.” Kate added.
“Just go get your stuff and leave.” As he wished they did.
When they went by Kate’s luckily no one was in, they both had enough awkward and angry conversations for one day.
As they lay in bed together, Rana couldn’t help but think about the future.
“What are we going to do?”
“What do you mean?” Kate asked looking down at Rana who was lying on her chest and tracing circles over her stomach.
“Well, we can’t stay in the hotel forever, we need to find somewhere to stay.”
As Rana looked up a scared look came over her face; she was terrified that they would have no nothing and no one.
“We could stay at my dad’s or we could find… a place of our own.” Rana couldn’t help but smile. “
Seriously?” “I mean yeah, if you want to obviously. We don’t have to if you think we’re moving too-“ Before Kate could finish Rana’s lips crashed with hers.
“I’d love to move in with you.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah, I love you.”
“And I love you.”