Max took Rose to a deluxe café. They ordered hot drinks and sliced cakes.
"Where do you plan to study next year?" he asked.
"I'm not sure yet. My first plan was to move to another place after my contract with Dylan." She paused. "But now that things has changed... I can't tell what will happen."
"If you choose me, I will come with you anywhere." he told her.
She felt awkward hearing him talking about his feelings again. "Is that really how love works? You'll do anything to be with the person you love? ...Even if it requires you to sacrifice important things?" she asked in a curious tone.
He smiled. "Yes, but you can only do that if you truly love that person."
"It sounds sad to me." she replied.
"No, Rose. When you're with someone you wanted to be with, you will never feel sad. Especially, if you both share strong love for each other." he explained.
She thought of it again. "I guess I'm really stupid when it comes to romance." she said, chuckling.
"I think you're not... You just need someone who will open your heart and show you how love works between two people." he replied.
She noticed the deep looks in his eyes. She shrugged. "We'll find out." she said, then she took a small piece from her cake and ate it.
He chuckled seeing her childish, yet honest side.
"Oh, by the way" She took something in her bag. "Here, for you" She handed it to him.
He took it. It was a small paper bag. "Is this a gift for my birthday?" he asked, opening it.
"Yeah, I remembered you when I saw that in a store in Norwich." she answered.
When he took it out of the paper bag, he saw it was a black baseball cap with a 'Max Out' print on its front panel. He smiled and put it on. "Thanks"
She smiled too.
After an hour at the cafe, she noticed it was beginning to get dark outside. "I have to go home now." she told him.
"I'll drive you home, but before that, can I take you to another place? I promise it'll be quick. I just want to show you something." he requested.
She was hesitant, but she could not refuse seeing the pleading look on his face. "Okay" she agreed.
He took her to a newly opened photo gallery near town square. She was amazed when they entered the first room. Countless of incredible photos from famous photographers were displayed on the walls.
"This place opened while you were in England. I know you would be interested, so I took you here." Max said.
"One day, I'll make my own gallery, and I will fill up all the walls with my photos." she claimed, smiling.
He was staring at her as she was daydreaming. The yellow lights coming from the ceiling were adding glow to her face. "Will you close your eyes for a while, Rose?"
She looked at him. "Why? Do I have something on my face?"
"Yes" he answered.
When she closed her eyes, he gently held her face and slowly put his lips against hers. She was surprised. When she opened her eyes, she saw his face was only half an inch away from hers. His hand on her back was pulling her closer. She tried to close her mouth, but he forced it open. She could feel his tongue trying to invite hers and his teeth brushing against her lips. She held his jaw and forced her head down.
Finally, he released her.
"I thought you would only remove something on my face." she said, looking down.
"Sorry, it's um... When... When you're in love, sometimes you really can't resist the urges." he reasoned in a guilty tone.
When she raised her head, she saw embarrassment all over his face. She grabbed her sling bag and hit his arm with it. "Your love will give me a heart attack." she complained, pouting. "Stay there while I walk around. Don't even take a single step. I mean it." she bossed firmly.
Max got confused at first, but he later found it funny. At that moment, he only fell deeper in love with her.
At eight in the evening, he drove her back home.
"I'll call you often." he told her.
"I'll try to answer them." she replied.
He smiled and nodded.
After they exchanged goodbyes, she got out of his car and headed to the front door. She let out a deep breath before she opened it. When she got inside, she found Dylan in the living room. She knew he was waiting. "I'm back."
After he heard her voice, he got up. "I told you not to stay late outside... and why I couldn't call you?"
"My phone ran out of battery. We just... took a quick look in a gallery." she reasoned.
He walked towards her. "Don't lie to me. Did he do something to you?"
"Um... no" she denied.
He sensed she was not being truthful. He'd been using his ears to communicate with her for so long. He could already read her tone. "He tried to kiss you, didn't he?" he asked suspiciously.
She was suprised by how predictive his suspicions were. She sighed and gave up pretending. "All right... Yes, he did, but it's not like the kind of kiss you're thinking of."
He was angry, but he forced himself to calm down. He held her face and traced her lips with his thumb. When he found them, he gently rubbed them with his finger.
She was confused. She grabbed his hands on her face and seized them. "What are you doing?"
"I don't want to taste that guy's mouth when I kiss you." he reasoned, then he forced his thumb back to her lips.
She rolled her eyes and let him do whatever he liked to do with her. She thought that was better than seeing him throwing things around the house.
After a minute, he finally stopped.
"Are you done? Can I go to my room now?" she asked in a tired voice.
"Not yet. Let me have a taste first." He pulled her close and kissed her lips.
She already got used to his kisses. She could no longer find a reason to stop him.
When he felt satisfied, he released her. "There, I cleaned them for you."
She gave him a light slap. "You just want a kiss, that's all." she said, then she left.
"Are you going to your room? Can I come with you?" he asked.
"No!" she yelled.
☆•••••○○●○○•••••☆
The next day, after Dylan's visit to his doctor, Rose helped him find the house of the woman who lost her child from the accident.
"Aren't you cold?" she asked him as they were walking on the sidewalk.
"No" he answered.
She looked at him and observed his face. "Are you nervous?"
"Honestly, yes" he admitted.
"Oh, we're here." she said when she saw the number of the house on their left.
"Are you sure that's the right house?" he asked, sounding a bit tense.
"I'm positive." she asserted. "There's a woman outside."
"Okay, take me to her" he said, fighting off his fear.
Rose took him near the woman. She was busy doing something in her small lawn.
"Excuse me?" she called.
The woman raised her head and looked at them. "Yes, may I help you?"
"Hi, we're looking for Elise Andersen." Rose said.
The woman stood up. "That's me. What do you want?" she asked, showing a troubled look on her face.
Rose nudged Dylan.
"Um, good morning, Mrs. Andersen. We just want to ask for a few minutes of your time. I'm... I'm Dylan Walton." he told her nervously.
Rose saw the woman's expression changed upon hearing his name.
"We have nothing to talk about. Go home and don't come back here." she replied coldly.
Dylan felt hatred in her tone.
The woman turned her back and walked to her house.
"She's leaving." Rose whispered.
Dylan released her hand and walked on his own. "Wait! I just want to apologize for wh..." His right foot hit a brick on the ground. He fell down.
Rose quickly helped him stand.
Elise saw what had happened. She noticed there was something not right about him. "What's wrong with him?" she asked.
"He can't see... since the accident." Rose answered.
☆•••••○○●○○•••••☆
Inside the house, Elise offered them seats at the table. Rose watched her as she boiled water in the kettle and prepared tea cups.
"Allow me to speak first, Mr. Walton... I'm a woman who's living alone now. My father died a few weeks ago... One day, I met this man whom I thought would stay with me, but when he found out I was pregnant, he disappeared. I was very devastated, but I convinced myself to forget him, and I promised I would never accept a man in my life again, and just give all my love to my child... Do you have any idea what I felt when the doctor told me my daughter was gone?" she asked calmly, but with bitterness. Then, she turned her back and faced him.
Rose saw tears in her eyes.
"I was about to give birth to that beautiful child... Now, it's never gonna happen. I will live my life alone until I die." she said heavily.
"I will not deny it... I know it was my fault. I know I did a terrible mistake, but I didn't intend to kill anyone. I really regret what happened that day. I'm very ashamed. It bugs me every day." Dylan paused, then he raised his head. "I'm really sorry... I hope... I hope I can still have your forgiveness. If not now... maybe someday."
Rose felt his guilt and eagerness in his voice.
*
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To be continued....
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