What truly was love for her?
“Elsa... Please answer me,” Her heart must have clenched too hard when she heard how desperate and weak his voice had grown. And once she blinked, tearful beads of green were present, nearly glossy.
She could have sworn her nails can wear a hole in the leather of the book as she clutched it like it was her only life source, and pain was visible in Aiden’s moist lids. His non-existent pride may have been bruised as he internally scolded himself to be seen like this alike of a wreck, nonetheless by her... but nothing had ever felt so right.
Love dug its own grave and died with her parents in that car crash.
Love took away the only person left sticking around and it’s been two years ever since.
Love is something that is repeatedly taken away from her without leaving any opportunities for her to do something about it.
Never had Aiden known that the silence between them could break him so much. He knew it was pointless; being forward and finally admitting what has grown but now has crumbled. Destroying things and putting them into chaos was his best doing—like now.
Green irises focused on her, as if he’s trying to read what she had in mind for a reply. A thrilling guessing game he pursued fearlessly, and he’s simply afraid his guess can come out wrong. He had the urge that it had always been wrong.
“No... I should ask you something myself,” Elsa hissed and she shivered, she hoped her voice didn’t sound too frigid and cold like how other people discerned her to be.
“What are we, Aiden?”
She wanted to know. Badly.
The words he wanted to say died in his throat. He shuddered and he tried to move an inch, but warmth pooled in his cheeks after he felt dainty contact envelope his wrist just like what transpired between them earlier.
He attempted to regain his voice and prayed that he would successfully, but oh no, his soul felt like it had a mind of its own and the more seconds passed the more he looked like a frozen fool in front of the woman who had dragged her into her mess.
Not that he didn’t voluntarily dive in the chaos.
His mind went blank when the woman holding his wrists moved—leaned closer to his still figure. Elsa’s hands remained locked around the tense muscles he had in his wrists, and wordlessly, she laid her head on his chest, took something from him on her own, and he was happy to give it anyway.
His worries of looking like a nervous wreck washed away when she already knew how nervous he is just by the evidence of his erratic heartbeat.
She just stood there, ears pressed against the soft fabric of his office shirt, against his heart.
His tone was sad, and he brokenly mumbled, “We aren’t real.”
The intoxicating scent of vanilla made his nose drunk, and he felt like he could just get paralysed by such an addictive aroma. As his chin weakened on top of her hair, he found himself wrapping his arms around her as if he was ushering her to just stay where she is, because later on he’s going to have to let go and it would be so hard.
He can’t have a lot. He’s already led a life of twenty four years living with that.
Elsa withered relentlessly under his clutches, all questions in her head being answered at long last. She frantically read his gentle grip, until his warmth was too infectious for her to not move forward and convince him that everything can be real.
Her arms then took their turn to hold him captive, hesitant at first. The more she tightened her embrace, the more relaxed she became. One of her hands clambered from the nape of his neck to his hair, and the itch by her fingertips was finally sated when she found out it was as soft as she thought his locks would be.
Elsa struggled to lift her head from where it was, she wanted to stay this way but she had to speak. She took his face in her hands like she’ll never get to hold it again, and she wryly chuckles, the wafting noise sending shivers down Aiden’s spine.
“You’re beautiful. You’re astonishing, Aiden. But the way we’re holding each other like this right now—do you think this is still pretending?”
She never did like using the word ‘fake’ since she thought the word didn’t fit. It felt so dirty, so informal. Her rugged breaths reached his ear and they both shuddered in anticipation, Aiden mostly with her palms still grazing the sides of his face. Her hands... They were supple and soft just like her voice. Her pale skin contrasted to his olive and warmer tone.
Damp lashes blinking warily, the mixed scent of Chanel and citrus mingled in the air while Aiden didn’t give a damn to the salty tear stains printed on his white shirt. His eyes flickered from one place to another, counting the few pale freckles scattered throughout her cheeks. She is so beautiful... Flaws and all.
“No,” And he meant it.
His answer sent Elsa’s mind reeling. Something sloppily erupted within her, leaving her lungs struggling to function properly. Her brain pounded against her skull, willing her to seal all of this off with what they both seek.
Aiden’s breath hitched when the CEO inched her head closer, nearer. He knew what she’s trying to do. But he needed clarification first.
“Elsa, w-wait, are you alright with.. With this?” He stammered, although he couldn’t deny the excitement he had as well.
She blinked, and paused idly as if to ask what he really meant.
“Look, I’m.. I’m just your secretary. I’m nobody, and you, you’re.. I don’t–” A slender finger brushed against his lips, hushing him from his blunt statements all suddenly. The blue eyed beauty had the prettiest smile he had ever seen, and he shut himself up since how could he know better when they’re both clueless at this point?
“You are someone... Like me.. Like everybody,” Elsa whispered, “So please. Just let me have you.”
Before Aiden could surrender to her plea, Elsa then sealed her words of closure as she guided his lips to hers. Their collision started off innocently, until the ticking seconds of their lips pressed against each other slowly sinks into prolonged passion.
Feeling bolder, Elsa’s tongue prodded for his lips to part. Aiden granted entrance, thus deepening their kiss. The world seemed like a mere dream when their lips met. Everything felt like a promising collision of two worlds, two worlds that became one the longer it lasted.
•••
Unfortunately, it didn’t when the two immediately tore themselves from each other’s embrace when the doors bursted like a path to a livid nightmare.
Elsa was still clutching her presumed lover’s hand so tightly when Heine unexpectedly walked in, the odor of expensive cigarettes lingering before his mouth.
Arendelle Co’s most favored Executive Director blinked, befuddled for a minute as his hands froze in his pockets. His archangel jade eyes seemed clueless and startled, clearly he is having a difficult time trying to process what he shouldn’t have seen.
Epicurean black loafer heels tapped down on the marble floors all suddenly, and the unsolved clickety-clack went on and on as if it was teasing and bantering towards the flustered pair standing only a few yards away from Heine whose head looked like it is lowered and bowed.
Casually, the Executive Director lifted the sleeve of his suit to unravel the Montblanc clasped around his wrist, taking a cursory glance at the time.
“H-heine...”
“Is this what you really want?”
A small grin twitched the director’s dimples. By the expression on her dear friend’s face, Elsa could tell that this wasn’t the swift, keen Heine Schmidt she usually meets five o’clock sharp in the morning by the primordial halls of the building, nor was he the man she’d always find crowded by ladies dressed in cocktail dresses.
“Who you really want?” He echoed, again.
This was the Heine who found her in one of her whiskey nights; looking like a mess of sorts as she unleashed all the why’s she had in life.
Ever since then, he became a friend more than a colleague. It’s also the night she found out Heine wasn’t entirely the cocky guy who gets all the proposals approved faster than a blink of an eye. He’s human too.
Something each and everyone on the planet has the moment they were born.
An identity.
Every momentous strike of the clock made Elsa and Aiden’s heart pound in sync as they tried to make their reply vocal. Heine just wanted his friend’s answer, nothing less and nothing more.
“Yes.”
And that was all Heine needed to know.
Looks like you’ve earned yourself quite a game over, Davis.
To be continued
on the next chapter...