Harper
Snowflakes started falling as we skated together. I grinned up at the sky and watched them fall to the ground.
A cold gush of wind breezed passed us and this moment couldn't be any more perfect.
After hours of skating together and me falling, we finally got out of the skating rink. More and more people started showing up, meaning we got lucky.
We sat on the benches and took of our skates. He brought them back to the rack.
He was so sweet, opposite to how he was yesterday when he got that phone call. This was I side of him I knew I'd do anything to keep around. I loved it.
"What's next baby?"
"You'll see." he rolled his pretty eyes. We walked down the busy sidewalk, watching as cars drove by. He grabbed my hand and my heart leaped.
I smiled to myself as we crossed the road. I quickly spotted the restaurant and led him inside.
"We're here," I stated. And as he looked around the place, I felt nervous. What if he doesn't like it?
Maybe I'm too broke for him. Yeah probably.
To my surprise, a really small smile tugged at his lips. I instantly felt relieved. Walking further inside, we found a table and sat down.
"So, what do you think?" I asked, shrugging off my jacket and putting it around my chair.
"It's nice." Now from anyone else, that would sound very dry and you know rude but coming from him, it was a compliment. He rarely ever said that.
I grinned, handing him the menu. "You've been here before?" he questioned.
I nodded. "A few times. You should try the medium plate. I'm getting that." It consisted of fancy avocado toast, fries and a side of pasta salad. Truly the best.
"Okay." A waitress came by and took our orders then placed two glasses of iced lemon water on the table and left.
Meanwhile, we talked about random things. He brought up some things we used to do when we were younger, I listened intently.
"You know, we used to go skating a lot." he said. I honestly wasn't surprised, at this point.
"Downtown?"
"Yeah." I beamed.
"I think remember doing that with you."
"You do?"
"Yeah. My mom filmed it and showed me once. I kept falling. The little boy in the video was you."he seemed surprised, relieved even.
Now that I think if it, I don't understand why I didn't recognize him. My mom showed me so many videos and random pictures of young me and Ace. I just never connected the dots or payed much attention towards it.
"You pushed me." he stated. I bursted out laughing.
"Because you pushed me first." I blurted. Something flashed in his eyes.
"You remember?"
The memory flashed in my mind for a brief second. Something about us going my there today made it resurface for some reason.
Even the most simplest and most random of things.
Certain things could trigger those memories to resurface. Spending time with him could cause that. Miranda's words echoed in my mind. While the memory was distant, it felt like it was getting clearer and clearer, somewhat.
"What the hell Harper!" Ace yelled as he slipped on the ice.
"What?" I said, standing there cluelessly as if I didn't know what happened, he narrowed his eyes at me, "You pushed me first Idiot." he scoffed.
"Shut up and help me up." I laughed and helped him up, "Can you kiss my hand, it hurts." I rolled my eyes.
"Ew no."
"Yeah." his eyes widened for a brief second. The waitress came back, interrupting our moment and placed our food in front of us.
"Thank you." she smiled and left.
"What else do you think you remember?"
"I don't know." he sighed quietly, "Now enough of being sappy. Tell me about the random things you remember."
His body became less tense and more relaxed. The corner of his lips twitched upwards.
"You spilt your hot chocolate all over a random guy once." I gave him a look of pure disbelief.
"What?"
"Yeah. We were walking back to your house after going to the cafe and you tripped over your own feet and spilt your drink on that guy." I laughed and mentally cringed. That must've been so embarrassing. Not for me obviously but for that guy.
"Over my own feet? How is that my fault?" he shook his head.
"You we're and still are so clumsy."
"Again, that's not my fault. I was born like that."
"You always trip over something and fall and I always catch you." my heart did that thing again.
"That was like three times, only three!"
"I can tell you about other times."
"No. Please spare me from this embarrassment." he chuckled.
We talked more as we ate. He told me about more things we used to do and I added on, remembering a few things he mentioned. It felt good.
Everything was perfect. As it should be. Just him and I. Together in this moment.
We were two souls who got separated for a while then found each other again.
There's a word for that, soulmates.
Soul mates.
I was a strong believer in those. Because fate was real and things happened for a reason, including two people crossing paths. It wasn't a coincidence him and I happened to be there at the bridge, at the same time, that night.
Fate somehow found a way to bring us together.
A soulmate doesn't have to be your lover or anything like that. A soulmate simply means two souls bounded together by nothing other than love, a sense of platonic friendship or both.
And in each life, they always find a way back to each other, no matter what.
I think that's beautiful. The thought of having one is absurd but it's something to look forward to.
And I think that he's my soulmate.
Nobody has ever made me feel this way before and ever since we met, I felt a sense of familiarity and comfort. A connection so deep, it scared me.
I thought back to the night we met, once again, and I couldn't help but feel like laughing. That night I was coming home from work, exhausted, and there he was, standing there, watching me like a creep.
Who would've thought. Who would've predicted that after that night, after we crossed paths, after a complete coincidence of us being there at the same time, that we would've ended up together. Definitely not me.
Fate has such a funny way of bringing two people together.
In this case, Ace and I, complete strangers with memories only he remembered, our souls collided with each other's and here we are simply because I had a shift that night and happened to walk there at the same time as him. Fate brought us together.
There's a reason we ended up this way. I didn't know why but I was more than grateful. I don't know what I would do without him.
We finished up and I paid. I know, I know. It took a lot of convincing from my part. He's so stubborn.
After all, I'm taking him on a date not the other way around.
I slipped my jacket back on and held out my hand to him.
"Let's go?" he nodded and took my hand. We exited the restaurant and walked down the streets towards his car. It was snowing, a lot.
I smiled then it dropped as realization hit me like the snow hit the ground.
I couldn't take him to the beach to watch the sunset like I had planned to. So when I fake propose to him, it won't be aesthetic.
No.
Wait.
I have a better idea.
I'm sure he'll love it.
He wrapped his arm around my shoulders, pulling me closer to him as he noticed I was a little cold.
Despite liking cold weather, I didn't like feeling cold. As in my body shivering and all. I only enjoyed that feeling of cold wind on my face, breezing through my hair and not when it makes me uncomfortable.
"You're not driving." he stated. I gasped.
"Why not?"
"You had enough."
"No! I only drove your car once!"
"Exactly." I gave him a look.
"I thought you trusted me."
"I do but I care about my car more."
"Asshole. You don't even know what I have planned next. I should drive." by the look he gave me, I knew that the discussion had ended.
"What else do you have planned?" he asked, opening the door of the passenger side for me. I got in and he went around to his side and got in.
"No questions, just drive to my house." he rolled his eyes and reversed out of the parking lot, driving off down the streets.
"Stop copying me."
"I can't help it. We spend so much time together."
"And is that a bad thing?"
"It isn't."
"Good answer." I laughed.
"Don't worry though, I'm not planning on killing you. Why would you think that?"
"You won't be able to anyways. I'll do it first."
"All bark and no bite." he scoffed.
"We'll see about that."
"I don't want to, thank you." he laughed and I couldn't help but smile. His laugh was so pretty.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" I quickly shifted my gaze out the window, pretending I wasn't just staring at him.
"I'm not even looking at you."
"Sure you weren't."
"Don't flatter yourself."
"Ouch." I shook my head in amusement and looked back at him.
"But you like it when I stare at you."
"Yeah." he admitted. My confidence had just been boosted.
"Why?"
"I don't fucking know. It just makes me feel special."
"Special?"
"It makes me feel like I'm enough. When you look at me that way or in general when I'm with you."I felt that exact way.
"You should always feel like that." his lips twitched upwards.
"Only you can make me feel that way."
"I sure hope so." his laughter reached my ears and filled the car as I said those words. I smiled and admired him, noticing every detail.
The way his eyes crinkled slightly, the way they brightened, emotion evident in them, the way soft dimples appeared on his cheeks, the way his cheeks had a the tinniest tint of pink when he laughed.
Eventually his laughter died down, making me frown. He cleared his throat as if apologizing for it.
"Sorry." he muttered. Now it was my turn to laugh.
"For what?"
"I haven't laugh like that in a while and you were staring at me weirdly..."
"Your laugh is pretty."
"Stop saying that."
"Never."
"I won't laugh again."
"Yes you will, I'm so funny."
"No one has ever done that to me before."
"Then the people you've been around were really boring." And they weren't me. Amusement danced in his dead eyes.
"You're really something else. Why did I even start hanging out with you again?"
"I don't know, at some point, you just started stalking me and following me around. Fan behaviour." he chuckled under his breath.
"I think it's the other way around."
"No. You're obsessed with me."
"Perhaps." a cage of butterflies was opened in my chest and fluttered around.
Soon enough we arrive at my house. Phase two of our date is in development and going into action.
I thought about the place we met, how perfect it would be if I brought him there tonight.
The perfect date.
Well, the second perfect date to be exact.
I smiled to myself and got out of the car before he did and rushed inside my house, leaving him standing by his car both confused and amused.
"I'll be right back!" I didn't bother closing the door and ran upstairs to my room. I grabbed the box of ring pops and took out two, shoved them in my pocket. I rushed back downstairs and went outside, closing the front door behind me. I was breathless.
He was leaning against his car, raising an eyebrow at me. I waved him off and grabbed his hand.
"Where are we going?"
"Just trust me."
It was getting dark out, the stars started to cover the night sky, the sun was already almost fully down and I couldn't be more amazed.
"Isn't it pretty." I mumbled.
"Yeah."
We walked down the sidewalk in comfortable silence, I held on to his arm as we walked further out of my neighbourhood towards the bridge where we met that night.
A place I hadn't been to in a while. A place that gave me a sense of comfort. A place I was positive only we knew about. It was very hidden and old. It was a shortcut that I didn't know about until I took a wrong turn and found my way there.
I've lived here for a long time and not once have I came across it until then.
And somehow there, we found our way to each other, again.
"Wait is this-"
"It is." I cut him off. He took in a sharp breath of air and looked around. It was peaceful and quiet, just how I liked. I walked over to the bridge and drank in the view. He stood beside me and took out a cigarette from his pocket, lighting it using his lighter and placed it between his lips and took in drag.
"What are we doing here?" I sighed.
"I wanted to ask you something, I thought this place would make it even more special."
"And what do you want to ask me?" a smirk played at his lips. I bit my bottom lip, suppressing the smile that threatened to break free as I grabbed the ring pops from my pocket. I turned around so he couldn't see what I was doing and opened the small packages. I held them and turned back around to face him.
He raised an eyebrow at me, probably asking himself why I was so weird and why he ever made the decision to hang out with me.
"What are those for?" I shook my head and got down on one knee. I held the ring up to him and smiled brightly. He stared back down at me.
"Be the sweetness to my coffee?" I said, laughing. I couldn't talk without interrupting myself, I thought it was funny okay. Since he doesn't like the coffee I drink and prefers black coffee, it was the perfect line.
A smile found it's way onto his face. A smile, a real one, not just his usually smirk or half one.
A smile.
His smile was so pretty, his dimples deepened and his eyes glimmered with an emotion I couldn't read for a second.
I loved his smile.
Then his smile dropped, as I was looking at it for too long. Again, I ruined the moment we had.
"No! Keep smiling! Yours is so pretty." Now I'm the one that's obsessed.
"Shut up." I laughed.
"Okay okay sorry! Whatever, what's your answer? I need one." he chuckled.
"No." I frowned.
"Oh." I pretended to be offended and saddened by his answer, I knew it was false. And well apparently, my acting was so good, he bought it.
"Fuck. Don't cry, I was joking. Of course, I'd fucking love to." he rushed to wrap his arms around me. I bursted out laughing, not being able to hide it anymore and it took him a moment to realize what was going on.
"What the fuck." I poked his chest.
"Careful mister, the opportunity may not stand anymore."
"I'm so very sorry." his voice laced with sarcasm.
"You're forgiven." he squeezed my hip.
"The sweetness to your coffee?" he mused.
"Yeah what about it, I thought it was funny."
"It wasn't."
"Liar." he dropped his cigarette to the ground and stepped on it as he was finished with it.
"I don't lie." I scoffed.
"Yeah and I'm taller than you." he chuckled and another small smile tugged on his lips. I grinned and he gave me a look.
"Don't push it. I'm only like this with you."
"As you should be."
"Somethings very wrong with you."
"Perhaps." I grabbed his hand.
He shook his head in amusent and stared down at me and said, "I do." as I slipped the ring pop onto his ring finger. I then put the other one on my ring finger.
"You may now kiss the bride!" I exclaimed happily.
"As you wish." he leaned down and brought his hand to my face, gently cupping my cheek and pressed his lips against mine, slowly and passionately. I kissed him back.
He broke the kiss and rested his head in the nape of my neck.
"Thank you, for tonight and all."
"Did you have a good time?" I felt him nod.
"The best." my heart leaped.
Suddenly, I felt something bump my leg, I immediately looked down and saw a tiny moving figure. I squinted down at it, trying to get a better look.
Then, my eyes widened.
A black cat.
Tiny, cute and squishy looking. I immediately knew it was a her. Her bright green eyes stared up at me.
My eyes lit up. I gasped excitedly and pulled away from him and picked up the little cat. Completely disregarding the moment Ace and I had.
The cat was so adorable, I hugged her close to my chest while Ace looked at me like I was crazy yet I didn't care, I was so ecstatic right now.
"Hi there." I petted her gently, careful not to startle her more than I already was. I lifted her up towards him, "Isn't she cute!"
"Yeah." I squealed and an idea popped into my mind. I checked for a collar, there was none.
"I'm going to name her... Jelly!" she made some kind of noise, it sounded happy so I took that as a sign.
"Idiot." he mumbled.
"Be quiet. Let me have my moment Acey."
"My bad." I paid him no mind and hugged Jelly even closer to my chest, she didn't seem to mind.
"I fucking hate cats."
"I want a divorce!" he placed a hand over his chest.
"Already?"
"Yes. I don't trust anyone who doesn't like cats." he chuckled.
"I like cats, just not this one." Weirdo.
"Why?"
"It's stealing you from me."
"Don't be such a baby."
"I can't help it." I laughed and finally turned my full attention to him.
"We should go home now." Home.
He nodded.
"I'm taking her home with us." I stated firmly.
"If that makes you happy." It does, but I'm already happy.
"Admit it! She's adorable."
"A little."
"Can you hold her, my arms hurt."
"No." I groaned.
"She won't bite." and as if on cue, Jelly made a hissing sound at him. His eyes flashed with an unnecessary amount of fear. I cackled loudly at his reaction. I swear I've never seen him look so terrified of something.
"Fuck that, I'm not going anywhere close to it."
"It is a her and her name is Jelly."
"Whatever." I rolled my eyes.
"You're just jelly." his face remained expressionless, and that only encouraged me, "Get it? Because Jelly-"
"Now I want a divorce."
"No, because we're already done."
"After everything I've put into this?"
"Yes." he narrowed his eye at me and wrapped his arm around my shoulders.
"Not a chance. You're not leaving me."
We got back to my house in no time, with jelly and all I could think of was how perfect our date had turned out. My face hurt from smiling so much.
I couldn't be happier.
Let's just ignore the fact that I literally kidnapped a cat.
Home felt more like home now that he was here with me. And Jelly made it feel even more complete.
We headed upstairs to my room. I placed Jelly on the ground and gathered a bunch of pillows from my closet, don't ask why they're there, and set them neatly on the ground in the corner of my room for her to sleep. I found a small blanket and picked her up, placing her in the bed and covered her with the blanket. She snuggled into the bed and I wanted to awe out loud.
I grabbed my phone and took a few pictures of her.
"I feel like you care about that cat more than you do about me." he told me as I put away my phone.
"Jelly! I care about Jelly more than you." I corrected.
"Fuck you." He wishes he could.
"Shut up. Now, be nice, I'm going to take a shower." he wetted his lips, "Don't even think about that."
"Oh and don't you dare hurt Jelly." I threatened.
"Or what?" he challenged.
"No more kisses!" I said, and rushed into the bathroom and locked the door behind me before he could protest.