Elena's POV
"Diego tonight was so much fun and it did get my mind off of things." I say and go in for a hug which he happily returns. "But I uhm can we go somewhere, please?
"Sure where to?" He furrows his eyebrows.
"Can I go up front and steer this time?" I ask and he cocks an eyebrow in disbelief. Little does he know that I'm actually a really good rider.
"Uh princessa as fun as that sounds I'm not getting into this death trap with you driving." He shakes his head and steps away from the bike.
"I can ride Diego," I whine and my face quickly lights up with an idea. If he won't believe me, I'll show him. "Watch me."
I take the keys out of his hand and revv up the engine. Taking the helmet I wink just before putting it on. If only I had a leather jacket instead of this innocent comfy jumper now that would be badass.
I shift my hand and take off in the empty parking lot. I don't need to see him smirking for I already know. He thinks I can't do it so I'm going to prove him wrong. I ride better than half of the guys down at the track anyway, let's see what this baby can do. I revv up the engine and bring the bike on its back wheel. Diego looks flabbergasted. Dumbfounded. Shocked. Hah pretty boy this is just the opening act.
I notice a couple of heavy duty planks nearby and I debate whether I should go for the construction site. This bike is bigger than the ones I usually ride. Hopefully I'll manage.
I crank up the bike and quickly process my route. Ride up the planks, do a spin to leave him speechless and walk away like a boss or you know end up in flames. There's always that possibility. I've done this a lot and I dont doubt I can do it now. His bike will hold up, I'm sure. It's all up to me right now.
I gather more speed as I near the planks positioned perfectly in place for my little act. Adrenaline pumps through my veins and my heartbeat skyrockets, it's now or never. Soon enough I'm thrown high into the air and that's when I make magic, I near in for the kill, I do a 360 horizontal spin and land impeccably! Fuck yeah! I still got it.
I make my way towards Diego who looks totally dumbfounded. Yeah I can ride so what?
"If you and your sexist little ass are satisfied, hop on." I grin through the helmet and he nods, still speechless.
"Where did you learn to ride like that princessa?" He questions from behind, not grabbing onto my waist. That's a shame since I enjoy his touch, it's calming. I crank up the engine and the bike slowly starts going up higher onto its back wheel. Diego hastily grabs my waist and once satisfied I bring the bike back down chuckling.
"What was that for?" He smirks.
"No reason, now I'm taking you somewhere special so you can't tell anyone alright?" I reply.
"Alright princessa as long as I make it out alive by tomorrow." He says chuckling and I decide to give him a little scare because why not? Let's just say he won't ever doubt my riding skills after tonight. Though he may high key doubt my sanity.
"Hold on tight." I smirk and get the bike close to top speed. The greenery passing by us lightning fast and the wind whipping my hair back and forth as I cut the curves of the empty road. I take a shortcut through the woods and the bike hits an elevated area of ground causing us to go up into the air. Classic for motorcross but not for Diego.
"Jesus Christ woman! Are you trying to kill us?" Diego shouts and I ignore him. I know what I'm doing but he doesn't need to know that.
"I don't know it's only my second time riding." I lie and smirk as we near the asphalt once again.
"God please if you're listening," Diego states clutching onto me, digging his hands into my rib cage. "I'm too young to die, I'll go to university just please let me live."
I chuckle and speed up down the road, it's straight so no, there's no way of us dying just yet. I tighten my hold on the handgrip speeding up enjoying the wind in my face. I've been ranked amongst the highest so there's really nothing to worry about, but of course Diego doesn't know that just yet.
"Please good lord." He starts again but before he can continue I burst out laughing and slow down the bike, "We've reached our destination."
"Oh thank god!" Diego hops off the bike in two seconds and kisses the ground gratefully.
I chuckle at the sight and he gives me a warning stare, "You almost killed us."
"Uh no, I didn't. I've been here hundreds of times and I know what I'm doing Diego. I know this place like the back of my hand. It's not my second time riding that was just said to keep you worried." I smile and bring the bike closer into the woods.
"How long have you been riding for?" He questions before adding. "And how come you don't have a bike?"
"3 years and it's down at the motorcross track that my dad co-owns." I state and he looks impressed.
"Aw, is it all pink and sparkly?" He mocks.
"No, black with a flame pattern going down the sides actually." I smirk before tugging on his arm to go into the woods.
"You scare me princessa." He chuckles.
"Yet here you are following me into the woods." I add.
"Speaking of, what are we doing here exactly?" He furrows his eyebrows, his eyes shining under the moonlight. His jawline ready to cut and his hair ruffled from the ride. So effortlessly attractive. Even when he doesn't try to look good he does, I can't even begin to imagine what he'd look like if he put some effort.
"I have to confess some things and so do you." I look at him blankly and he takes a deep breath.
"Sorry, what?" He asks looking confused as hell.
"I did something I wasn't supposed to and I have questions." I state the truth and remove a branch out of the way. I read someone else's journal and that was wrong but what if it's his? He's hurting deep down, it was obvious in his eyes. Those hazel grey-eyes I'll never forget. I could've sworn they looked identical to Lucas'.
"Alright...and what does this have to do with me?" He inquires and I duck under the low hanging branches to reach the clearing.
"You'll find out in a bit, we're here." I say as I look around. A small clearing by the edge of a cliff where the waves relentlessly strike the rocks. It's been my special place for years now, ever since my mom left us. There was a big log in the center, ideal for sitting. I used to make campfires here all alone where I could be one with nature. The place is truly breathtaking.
"This is amazing, wow." Diego is turning around in circles before pointing at a spot in the sky, "That's Orion!"
"Yeah there's no light pollution so the night sky here is quite the sight." I reply and take a seat on the log bracing myself for what I'm about to say. I could've gotten it all wrong but I need to know the answers to my questions. It's a chilly night and I'm glad I dressed warm. I realise Diego has been looking at me the whole time and he had taken a seat beside me but I was too absorbed in my thoughts.
"Elena whatever this is about, it's bothering you. You can always talk to me, you know that right?" Diego looks at me cautiously not knowing what conversation to expect. I'm slightly disappointed he didn't call me princessa but this is and indication that he's serious. He takes my hand in his and squeezes it giving me a reassuring smile.
"Alright," I take a deep breath praying for the best before I continue. "That day when I got suspended and punished at school I headed to the lost and found right?"
He nods and I continue, "My phone was confiscated and I was bored so naturally I grabbed one of the books to keep myself entertained. A book from the recent box." I look down and back up at Diego who is staring at me with wide eyes that are dancing wild with fire. His whole composure changes and he tenses up.
"Continue." Is the only thing I hear from him. I gulp and proceed, "I grabbed a book or more of a journal. I grabbed the pirate story. Daniel is an only child, Diego." His breath hitches and he runs his fingers through his hair still managing to keep himslef in check.
"And, did you read it." He asks, body fuming with anticipation.
"Not all, is it yours?" That's where he snaps. He slaps his hands against the log and stands up pacing around to the cliffs edge. He shakes his head and kicks some rocks down the cliffs edge.
"Diego is it yours?" I try again.
"Yes it's mines goddammit Elena how much did you read!" He looks at me, but not entirely filled with anger. There's concern in his voice and he lowers his tone repeating, "Elena how much did you read?"
"Not much, I swear. Just the last entry. But it's your expression I didn't understand, that's why I'm here to ask." I reply honesty and he nods gulping.
"What do you want to know princessa?" He sighs and shuts his eyes.
"You're suffering." I reply.
"What?" He scoffs like I'm talking gibberish.
"Diego you looked hurt. Your eyes screamed pain. Diego talking helps, you can talk to me." I say and look at him with the slightest bit of hope.
He shakes his head before going to swing his legs of the ledge of the cliff and I quickly join his side.
"Diego," my voice is soft despite trying to get myslef to speak louder. "If you're hurting deep down, which I know you are, I'm here if you ever want to talk. I just needed to tell you that I read it and I'm sorry but that look of pain in your eyes I won't forget. Whatever this is, you're not going through it alone as long as I'm here. You've helped me a lot through these past few days and I want to try and make whatever it is you're going through a little easier. I'm not forcing you to tell me tonight, but you're going to have to at some point." I stand up and turn around to leave when he says "wait."
He stands up brushing off his jeans looking at me with caring eyes. "I'm going to tell you everything as long as you promise me you won't leave me," he looks at the sky before adding, "again."
Again? No, it can't be.
"Elena I wouldn't go out my way just for anyone I had met recently." His eyes bore into mine and he's radiating heat like an inferno.
He grabs a stick and bends down to draw something in the dirt. He pulls me inside the drawing and he stands in one of the two loops. Infinity.
He looks at me uncertainly. He takes a deep breath before turning to face me again.
"Elena, do you remember this? Our symbol. Do you remember that night?" His eyes shining brightly like stars in the night sky. He cups my face in his hand and croaks out, "Do you remember me?"
My head is spinning as I look into his eyes. It's all coming back. The way we stood exactly the same way a few years ago. The way we were both breaking down because life threw us off course, the way we held each other that dark night. We both had problems at that time and we didn't know what to do with ourselves. We promised we would keep trying to look at the bright side, he's the one I made the promise to. Diego is Lucas.
"Diego you're Lucas?" I ask as a tear slips out of the corner of my eye and he hastily wipes it away.
"Yeah," he looks at me as the intensity in his eyes increases. He gulps and adds, "I am."
I let out a sob I didn't realise I was holding in and bury my face in his hard chest. He wraps his arms around me tightly practically shutting the rest of the world out. He's rubbing circles on my back trying to soothe my crying. It's not before long I feel a tear of his on my back. I pull away and we look at each other, completely in tears. All the pent up emotion from the years is being released right here, right now.
"Diego I never got to tell you something I've wanted to since the day I left." I whimper and he gazes right into my shiny blue eyes.
"What is it princessa?" He asks wiping the tears off my face before doing the same to his.
"Diego that night," I croak and he takes my hands into his. "That night you saved me. You're the reason why I'm here today. I never got to say thank you."
I wrap my arms around his neck as his connect to my waist. I've never cried this much in years. It's all the overdue feelings and tears that are being shed. The ones I fought so hard to keep inside, the walls that protected me from my past, Diego shook them down and I shook his. We both need each other right now. We both understood each other's situations perfectly. I bury my head in the crook of his neck and tears freely trickle down my face. I can't believe it's him. I cant believe we ran into each other again.
"Princessa I should be the one thanking you," he pulls away from my hug and the proximity leaves my heart rate plummeting. He leans his forehead on mine and continues. "You are the one that saved me." He croaks out the last few words and tears fill his eyes. Our heads are pounding and still processing the delicate information. That night, we both saved each other.
Foreheads still attached, he leans in and whispers. "I have been thinking about you for the next six months after that, through every hard time and through every good one because you told me to keep going. Elena, I didn't give up because of you."
He lifts my chin up and our lips brush accidentally. Sparks start shooting through every inch of my body and I flinch away. I shouldn't be feeling like this. My breath hitches and my heartbeat accelerates up to the point where I think I'm going to have a heart attack. Diego runs his fingers through his hair nervously.
"I'm sorry I-you you don't need this, not right now." He goes back to sit on the ledge, head in his hands.
"Diego," I begin to talk and he turns around to look at me with an unusual expression. He's troubled with something and he won't tell me what so I need to start guessing. "How has your mother been?"
He closes his eyes and smiles widely, "She's been better, the cancer retreated. No signs for a year."
I sigh in relief, "That's great, that's really great!" Diego's mom had discovered she was a victim when he was 14, at that time his parents were divorcing and he was loosing his sister as she was to stay with her mom. His dad refused to finance his mother's treatment and it took a great toll on Diego, they are so very close. His whole family was tearing apart and the prospect of loosing his mother made things even worse. Eventually it seems like his sister and he convinced their father to pay for the treatment and fortunately it worked out.
"Yeah it is!" Relief and happiness take over his body and he leans back, extending those long arms of his to use as support. His shirt stretches revealing his well defined back muscles and I almost choke on air. His happy expression shifts into a grimace and knowing that his mother's situation isn't what's bothering him I take another wild guess.
"Wait what about Violet? You moved." I ask curious about what happened to his sister now that he moved away from LA.
"I miss her a lot but I still see her every other weekend." He says and stares out in the distance looking at the stormy sea below.
"A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor." He remarks and I take a seat next to him.
"A smooth life never made a tough person." I chuckle and he looks my way with a huge grin.
"I'm glad we're finally back into each others lives, I've missed you." He says and scoots in closer.
"I've missed you too." I lean my head in the crook of his neck as he swings an arm around my shoulder hugging me tightly. I smile up at him and he smiles back down placing a gentle lingering kiss on my forehead. I savor the moment, I've reconnected with one of the most important people in my life and I couldn't be happier.
"Hey Diego," I pause and he looks at me. "I'm taking this cheating thing a lot better than I should. What's wrong with me?"
"Nothing is wrong with you, in fact I'm glad you're taking this better than I did. I just want you to keep one thing in mind." He stops talking and looks out into the distant sea, tossing and turning. Wild spirited and free just like us.
"Everything happens for a reason, princessa."
What's that supposed to mean?
Well things are a lot clearer now!
I don't have much to say so thank you for reading!
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