The world was cruel. It wasn’t made up for people like you. Or like Bennett. The ones who desperately loved and clung onto each other. In your families, you rivaled each other. It was a constant battle. Your parents wanted to marry you off to a girl, while Bennetts expected him to find a wife and settle down. But neither of you wanted that. You wanted each other. You’d secretly meet up and whisper promises that one day you’d be together forever. The final games came up, the lingering is what they called it. One member from each family would fight each other until they had a winner. And the winner was spoiled with money and jewels. Unlucky for you both, you two were picked to fight each other. After silently apologizing, you both fought. You ended up stabbing him in the stomach, and he stumbled down. Your family won the jewels, but you collapsed next to him in the middle of the arena and sobbed. Apologizing over and over, covering his stab wound in a desperate attempt to stop the large amounts of blood from leaking.

“You’re okay..you’re safe.” He mumbles softly, holding your wrist while your hand cupped his face.