A Silent Hope

Chapter Thirty Nine

Thalia smirked slightly. "You're grumbling the way you do when you are."

"I could eat." I shrugged and sat up begrudgingly from my comfy position.

The shorter woman closed her book and stood, her left hand held out for me. With the goofiness smile my whipped ass could give, I took the hand and followed her out of our apartment. She didn't ask what I wanted, and I didn't care enough to ask where we were going.

We strolled through the small town hand in hand. The sun was already setting behind the trees ahead of us. I stroked Thalia's hand with my thumb and in return she inched closer to me as we walked.

I wasn't complaining about the past couple of months with this woman. I'd gotten to see what it was like to know the real her. The unguarded and unafraid version of her. It wasn't easy at first, even after those three little words were said. But Thalia was getting better at letting me in without overthinking her every move.

She led us to the same restaurant where we had our very first meal together and I grinned down at her as I reached for the door. An eye roll and soft punch to my upper arm was her response before she walked in. As we sat down at the same table we always did, I glanced around at the posters they had up.

Thalia was looking through the menu when I gazed over at her. I watched on as her brown eyes, with the hint of green around the irises, scanned the pages. My own eyes zoned in on her full, heart shaped lips and the way she bit into the bottom one. The slow release of it slightly aroused me, and the pink of her cheek begged to be kissed.

"You're beautiful." I whispered, as if it were a secret.

It wasn't a secret. Thalia's beauty was so defined and prominent that it demanded attention. I'd seen it whenever we were out or in times when she was oblivious to everything around her. Eyes followed her, but she had an aura that kept them at bay. An aura that would scare most men or women who didn't dare approach.

"So you keep saying." She responded with a light teasing tone.

I smiled before clearing my throat. "There's something I've been meaning to ask you. To talk to you about. A request. Suggestion? It's not really necessary,  but an idea, if you will. Well-"

"Kenz,"

"Huh?" I looked up from the table cloth to see her staring at me.

"What did you want to talk about?"

"Right." I cleared my throat again. "You mentioned last month that you didn't see life going much further in this town and I wouldn't mind a change. Or another change, I guess. So, I was wondering, the city where I'm from has so many opportunities. And your poetry. Thal, they're good and I think you should pursue that."

Thalia had granted me permission to read some of her work recently. The letters and short stories were still off limits, but I was lucky enough to read the poems. She'd also mentioned that being a writer was a dream as a child. A dream she'd given up on as life dealt her too many bad cards.

"Is there a question in there?" She asked. Her expression wasn't blank as it once was, but it wasn't exactly happy either.

"Would you consider moving to the city with me?" I asked quietly.

The brunette exhaled slowly. "Zac,"

"We'll visit as often as you want to. Just because you leave this town, doesn't mean you leave him. You carry him wherever you go."

"And if I say no?" A question that held the tiniest amount of fear.

"Then we stay." I answered immediately.

She was the reason I suggested it in the first place. I already had my career figured out, and I'd be happy anywhere as long as it was besides Thalia.

"Can I think about it?"

"Sure."

We continued on with our dinner which consisted of a steady and light conversation. It was something I also got to enjoy now. A frequently laughing Thalia.

"Kenz?"

"Mhm?"

"Thank you."

I scrunched my brows at her. "For what?"

The woman smiled, small and beautiful. "For being a persistent, annoying pain in my ass since the day I met you."

"Well, that smile I longed for was worth it."

-

Hello,

This is going to be the last chapter of A Silent Hope since I've decided to end Thalia's and Kenzie's story here. The epilogue will be up next with a glimpse into their future.

I wanna say there's gonna be a new book out soon because there mayyy be... 👀

Or not🙃

-For K♡