Her
This Guy's In Love With You by 101 String Orchestra
I N HER DESPERATE NEED to keep him safe and protected, to keep him alive, Diana had gone as far as meeting with her lawyer and having him write Matthijs a gentle warning. Respect my client's request or a restraining order shall be filed against you, for which we will be obliged to cite your illness as basis for harassment.
To which the professor had simply turned the letter over and scrawled back in reply, Lamentations 3:28-33.
Let him sit alone in silence
when it is laid on him;
let him put his mouth in the dust—
there may yet be hope;
let him give his cheek to the one who strikes,
and let him be filled with insults.
For the Lord will not
cast off forever,
but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion
according to the abundance of his steadfast love;
for he does not afflict from his heart
or grieve the children of men.
lawyer had recited the words out loud, his voice filled with puzzlement. "What's that supposed to mean? I don't get it."
But I do, Diana thought, and the urge to laugh and cry was upon her once again.
Oh, Professor.
Who would've thought this was possible, for a scoundrel like you to quote the Bible just to woo and entice a girl to come back?
Seeing that her poor lawyer was virtually scratching his head at his cryptic response, she said softly, "He's saying he's going to wait me out."
"Oh." lawyer fell back against his seat. "And, uh, you're okay with that?"
She could only smile and shrug, and after that she left in a hurry.
She made it as far as the backseat before despair engulfed her, and her tears flowed endlessly.
I love you, I love you, I love you.
It had been five days, four hours, and ten minutes since she had last laid eyes on him. And then it would be just a few hours more until tomorrow's final defense, and she would see him.
One last time.
She knew she was doing the right thing. She knew that. But somehow, she just couldn't make herself move on, couldn't even make herself stop taking her medications even though there shouldn't be any need for it.
Because they were over.
Weren't they?
I love you, I love you, I love you.
And suddenly, she could no longer stop herself, her fingers scrambling for her phone, and then she was typing the words even as the tears continued to splash over the screen.
I love you so much.
The professor answered right away, and her shoulders started to shake, laughter mixed in with tears.
Songs 4:9.
Oh, Professor.
It was almost as if he was playing with her.
Songs was the one book in the bible that didn't speak of laws and teachings but instead expressed the yearnings of the heart. Songs, however, was also one of the few books that she rarely read, and so she found herself clicking on her bible app just to read the verses.
Thou hast ravished my heart,
my sister, my spouse;
Thou hast ravished my heart
with one of thine eyes,
with one chain of thy neck.
She covered her face with her hands, but it was not enough to stop herself from sobbing.
She gasped for breath, but it was not enough to drown the sound of his words drumming inside her mind.
She begged for help—
Please.
Saint M, please.
Please.
But all the angels and saints seemed to be on the professor's side, and comprehension forced its way to her heart, and the words he quoted were so, so clear it was almost as if he was whispering them to her ear.
I loved you from the moment I saw you.
I love you still.
And I always will.
She closed her eyes, and God, oh God, she could almost swear she felt his knuckles grazing her cheek—
It's my turn to fight for us, my darling.
Could've sworn she felt his lips brushing against her hair—-
And you won't stand a chance.