However Absurd

Chapter Seven

The sun was weakly shining from behind the clouds as they pulled up in the driveway. The house was large and white with a blue door. It took three hours to get there so as soon as the car stopped, Darcy jumped out of the car. She ran to the boot and pulled out all her stuff. She then ran to the door and bounced on the balls of her feet as Paul walked over with his stuff and the keys.

"Come on," Darcy whined at his apparently slow pace and he chuckled. Darcy sensed nervousness in his laugh but ignored it. He eventually got to the door and unlocked it. Darcy stepped inside and smiled at the lilac walls and carpeted staircase. The walls had two framed pictures of flowers on them and the stairs were on the left and cream. There was a bit of wall before the stairs that had coat hooks on them. They took off their coats and hung them up.

Darcy ran upstairs and dropped off her bag in her favourite room. That one had a bay window facing the countryside behind. But she noticed something. There were only three bedrooms and John was bringing Cynthia. Was she sharing with Cynthia? Not likely - John and Cynthia are a couple, she thought. She shook her head and  walked back downstairs to Paul. He was still in the corridor.

"Paul, who am I sharing with? John would share with Cynthia, right?"

"Well, erm, I..." He stuttered. "D'you want to go for a walk?"

"Er, okay."

They pulled their coats back on and stepped outside. They shut the door behind them and they walked to their right and towards the mountains and trees. In their minds, they decided on taking a hike up the hill as it was evening and they had a chance of watching the sunset. They began to walk up the grassy mound and Darcy began to speak.

"Paul, what did you want to tell me, or ask me?"

"Er..." he sounded nervous. "Wait 'till we get to the top of the hill. I'll tell you then," he said and finished with a slightly more nervous chuckle than before.

"Paul, are you okay? You seem nervous."

"What? Oh, I... everything's fine. Everything's fine. I'm fine. " He said this all very fast. Darcy gave him a worried and questioning look, but decided to let it go for now.

They reached the top of the hill as the sky began to turn orange. Darcy's eyes widened and she gasped in awe. It was beautiful. As though someone had stolen a picture of the wintry sky and dipped a paintbrush in all sorts of shades of orange, pink-ish and red and brushed it along gently, as though caressing the paper. Only this was not paper - it was life. 

Paul plonked himself down on the dewy grass at first, but jumped up at the realisation that it was wet. He pulled off his jacket and placed it on the ground. He sat down on it and made room for Darcy. She smiled gratefully and sat on his right. They sighed at the orange sky.

"Come on, Paul. You've got to tell me what you wanted to tell me now," Darcy grinned playfully. He sighed.

"Well, Darcy, this is harder to say than you think. I...I..."

"You what, Paul?"

"I love you, Darcy," he said shakily and you could hear him gulp. He looked down at his feet then lifted his head up and looked at Darcy. His eyes were wider than usual. But they were anxious and pleading, as though he was begging for forgiveness.

But Darcy could see nothing to forgive. All she could see was someone deluded, he didn't know how horrid she could be, but it seemed he was sure. All he'd seen of her, from the ugly, starving girl on the streets to now. Only she pushed past this, something was telling her yes. Now she was sure. After days of debating it, she was certain. 

Slowly, she planted her lips on to his. It was gentle and brief, for as soon as he began to kiss back, she pulled away. He looked at her, shocked beyond belief, but relieved and immensely happy. She blinked and shot a little smile at him, then looked away. She stared at the darkening sky and brought her knees up so she could rest her chin between them. She sighed and turned back to Paul. As soon as she did, his lips made contact with hers. She kissed back and tilted her head slightly, deepening the kiss a bit. He cupped her face with his hands and brought her closer. They broke away.