"I don't know all the details yet, he just asked me to go out with him. He did not specify where or whatever."
"Oh my he likes you!" Kate exclaimed, clapping her hands together with a huge smile on her face. I just rolled my eyes but I hoped that it was true. Because I was too far up in it with him already. My feelings for him grew as each day passed and it was more than just a girly crush.
"Did he say when?" Asked Leah and I nodded.
"Tonight." I replied shortly. We were at Kate's house and school ended a few hours ago. Justin told me that he would fetch me at six if it was okay with me and I agreed, somehow he always asked for permission to do stuff. I simply liked it because it showed that he is a gentleman.
"You need to prepare." I looked at her crazily.
"No I'm fine this way Kate. Besides, I don't even know where he's taking me, what if I dress completely off the occasion?"
"She's right." Leah replied looking at Kate. "But it's okay though, we'll make your hair and face look pretty."
I smiled at them, giving in. I relaxed on the chair as Kate started doing stuff to my hair with products she'd gathered up and Leah worked on my face. "Not too much Leah please, I don't want to look caked up."
She chuckled, "don't worry. I'm gonna make you look pretty"
All of a sudden, I thought back to what happened at school today, almost gagging.
Like she said, Bianca made a brief appearance at our lunch table today. She didn't sit for long though but claimed she was there to say 'hi' to Kate and Leah. She seemed to be looking around, like she was in search for someone and at the same time, not wanting to be seen. I always knew that there was something off about her, even though I can't pinpoint what it is exactly.
After she left, I showed Kate and Leah the text she sent me but they said that they didn't give her my number and agreed that it was crazy that she'd even sent me a text message.
"Jesus Kate! Not too hard." I groaned when she started pulling on my hair to what was considered as hard, meanwhile I had to stay still so that Leah didn't mess up whatever she was doing to my face. When they both finished, Leah stepped back to look at me, a proud smile on her face to show that she was clearly amiring her work.
I got up and walked towards the mirror, my reflection startling me.
"You look beautiful Am." Kate said and I smiled.
***
"Your friends are crazy. They couldn't stop smiling when I came to pick you up, which I don't get why it's a big deal because I was just picking up my girl."
Those two words. My Girl. They made my heart melt into a puddle.
"They are just pretty excited. I told them that you're taking me out." I replied and he grinned, stopping at a red light and turned his head to look at me fully.
"I guess that explains it then."
I smiled and extended my hand to switch the radio on. I wonder what song was playing... Who knows? This might just turn out to be one of those clichè moments in movies where a love song starts playing in the car and matches the feelings both parties were feeling, even though they wouldn't say it to each other.
My eyes widened slightly at what I said. Love song...
Love...
Justin turned back to the road and continued driving again. He seemed so happy and carefree tonight, like he was sure of something I didn't know. Or that he was just generally happy. His window was slightly open and the wind blew at his hair as he drove, blowing some hair off his forehead to the back and to the side.
Some rap song was playing on the radio but my full attention was on Justin. I was leaning back on the leather seat. I looked at the way his biceps flexed as he drove, focussing on the road but would occasionally glance at me and grin.
The ride was cut short when he stopped the car. I immediately looked around and noticed that he had taken us to the beach. I smiled as I thought of coming here a few years back with my dad. He loved the beach and we would swim together and my mother would watch while filming us. I wonder what happened to those videos. We would also laugh as my father did a terrible job at trying to surf. In his defence, he said he used to bunk swimming lessons at school.
We both got out of the car and Justin locked it before taking my hand in his. The sea breeze was hitting my bare arms and I felt somewhat cold.
"You cold?" Justin asked looking at me worriedly.
I nodded "yes but it's okay though." I said but felt the opposite. I just didn't want him to feel bad for bringing me here. It was actually nice, the beach looked beautiful in the night. It reflected the stars above and some city lights, it's one of the most appealing views.
Justin let go of my hand and I took my eyes away from the sea to look at him. He reached to the back of his neck and pulled his shirt above his head with just one hand. My eyes went wide when he held the shirt to me, "I don't have any jacket with me right now but this will help if you put it on."
"Justin what're you doing? You'll get cold and be ill again."
He shook his head, "Never, I'm used to cold temperatures cakes."
I couldn't accept it, it was too cold out here to be shirtless "No Justin I'll be fine."
"Just have it cakes, I don't want you catching a cold because of me. Do you have any idea how awful that would make me feel?"
I sighed "Okay fine." I took the shirt from him hesitanlty. Just by putting it on, I caught his scent that was all over it...and now it would be all over me. I couldn't help but smile. I put it on, keeping my arms in as I hugged myself. It was large so it made me feel instantly warm.
Justin casually put his arms around my shoulders, pulling me closer to his bare chest as we walked.
"You sure you're not feeling cold?" I asked and he nodded, shoving his free hand in the pocket of his blue skinny jeans. His jeans went lower, revealing an Armani waistband. I stared from there to his tan stomach where his six pack stared right back at me.
"Stop eye raping me cakes jeez." I blushed as I tore my eyes away from his Greek God body.
"Whatever."
We laid down on the sand and I placed my head on Justin's chest, hearing his fast heartbeat. My hand traced muscles on his stomach. His one hand was wrapped around my waist as one was behind his head.
"This is nice. The sky looks beautiful, the water as well. Thank you Justin." I smiled looking up at him. He kept his gaze on the sky, not saying anything that I started doubting if he heard me.
I was about to call out his name when he started speaking "I can't help but think of the last time I came here at night. I was alone and needed to be far from everyone."
His voice was low and emotional as he spoke, almost like he's back to that night again in his head. "What had happened?" I asked in a voice that matched his, hoping that he would tell me but doubted it as well.
He didn't reply for a while and I heard his breath hitch "It was a few years back, after being adopted by Nick's family. I was coming back from a fight that I lost and everyone was blaming me at the gang, saying that I was weak. I just needed to be with someone close to me, someone I loved so I decided to not go home but go to her house instead. I didn't even care that it was late at night. I remember climbing up the trellis to try and get to her bedroom window, eager to see what she looked like tonight because her presence always made feel better no matter what. I was about to enter when I heard her talking with her mother, Daisy. She was crying and my heart clenched at that... I couldn't get inside because her mother was in the room so I decided to keep hanging until she was gone...although I didn't know how long I would last."
I could hear it, the pain that laced his voice, the heartbreak that was still evident and never really healed or disappeared.
"They were talking about... She was telling her mother that she was pregnant and I almost fell straight to the ground when I heard her utter those words. A million thoughts and worries came to mind, what was I gonna do? I was still too young, a sophomore at school and was no way ready to take care of a whole baby. My heart was beating fast as Daisy spoke...my heart shuttered as she asked her daughter if the child was mine...but she said no. I loved her so fucking much but she said no. She had cheated on me...she fucking broke my heart, she broke my love. So without thinking, I opened the curtain and stepped in with anger and rage controlling me. Their eyes were wide as they took me in. I was so angry, I started shouting, telling them that I heard everything. I shouted at her for breaking my heart, for cheating on me. I yelled at her and she kept crying more and more. She was walking towards me and all I was seeing was red. I didn't want to see what I would do if she kept coming closer to me, so I quickly went out the window and slid down using a nearby pipe. But she was begging me to not go, she was crying and kept saying she was sorry...she wanted to go after me but I wanted to go as far away from her as possible. I looked up to her window one last time as I began to run. But stopped in my tracks when she attempted to climb out the window...her mother was trying to pull her back in but she slipped. She slipped and fell down to the ground."
My heart was beating faster than anything as I listened to him. I didn't even know what to think except to just listen. I had started crying when I saw the pain his eyes were so raw of.
"My eyes went wide as her mother screamed and I saw neighbors starting to gather around. She was not moving but I didn't know what to do. So I ran...I ran away and came here, to this beach. I almost drowned myself in the water because I was so upset about everything. I was hurt and heartbroken...but I started blaming myself too."
I wiped my tears and looked at his face. "What happened next?"
"She lost the baby because of me. She was on crutches for a month and had a possible brain injury due to how hard she hit her head." I held his hand and squeezed it in a sort of comfort. He finally looked at me and smiled weakly.
"But then why is Daisy still okay with you?" I asked and he sighed.
"Her daughter left to go live overseas after that and Daisy started making contact with me a few months later. She said she wanted to make peace and said she was sorry about everything. So I just forgave her but I never wanted to see her daughter ever again."
"Are you still angry with her today?" I couldn't help but ask.
He took a while, seeming to really be thinking about it. And then he shook his head...
"No. I forgave her a long time ago, I just don't want to see her, she never even got to explain what happened. We never talked or seen each other after that night."
"I'm sorry." I breathed out and he kissed my head.
"Don't be cakes, I've moved on from that. It was a long time ago and I just...you're my world now."
I simply smiled hearing that, because I knew the hard work it took for him to move on from all that. And I was grateful for him, all that he was. I leaned up and planted a small, soft kiss on his lips. "Thank you for telling me." I whispered against his lips and he held my waist with both his arms and pulled me closer to him. He pressed his lips back against mine and kissed me in a heartwarming kiss that melted my heart but it stopped right after.
"Cakes I...when I met you, I really didn't see you any different from any other girl to be honest. But as I started seeing you more and more, I noticed that there was something very different about you. You were always like a mystery, a mystery I all of a sudden felt like exploring, as cheesy as it sounds. You've become really special to me, I've never met anyone as real and kind as you are. You are smart, real, generous and not to mention very beautiful. It took me a long time but I realized that you living with me has been nothing but a fucking blessing. Slowly, I started feeling with my heart again. There's no other way than to just blurt it out right now but...Amara I really like you so much. I really do because you make me feel like myself again. And I... I've waited long enough not knowing how to ask you this but...please be my girlfriend cakes."
******