The Concession

Chapter Twenty Nine

Hope was asleep now. She had crashed again, as soon as the lights in the Park started coming on.

He exhaled. Currently, she was resting on his shoulder as he stared into the distance. The night sky was beautiful.

The stars were twinkling wonderfully as though oblivious to what was currently happening on the Earth.

On top of the current pandemic, there would be an evacuation soon.

Seth glanced down at the petite woman beside him.

He sighed closing his eyes.

"Hope we have to leave now," Seth said steering her gently.

Groaning her eyes fluttered open.

Seth saw as her eyes adjusted to the darkness till they found his.

"Seth."

"Yeah?"

"I fell asleep?"

Seth nodded.

She sat up resting her head in her hands.

"Must have been really out of it."

"Yeah, you were." Seth smiled, "How were we ever friends in Uni? You never liked staying up late, not even to study. It's like a taboo for you."

Blushing red, Hope glared at him mumbling under her breath.

"What Hope, I couldn't hear you." His lips tilted up a bit.

"Never mind," Hope mumbled.

She chanced a look at the sky above and it warmed her heart.

"Things were simpler then." The wind blew her hair gently across her face and Seth felt that feeling again.

This time when he tried shoving it down, it didn't budge.

"Yeah, they were."

"You were like the smartest kid in our year, you were like a star I kept ogling at."

Seth chuckled.

"I was in Public Relation, but you didn't look down on me. The first time I saw you, I knew I just had to meet you. You seemed...different, like in a good way, like you didn't belong here."

"You're special Seth, you always have been." She looked up at him and he saw the sincerity in her eyes.

"I'm nothing special Hope, I just have a great Dad."

Those words brought a priceless smile to her face.

"You went through all that Seth and still you became stronger for it. Your parents will be proud of the man you've become."

Seth looked at her,

"As will yours."

"I'm happy we met. I didn't see anything worthwhile in myself but you told me otherwise. I was a kid in college trying to get by, I didn't have any friends, but there you walked up to me one day, in the library, " she glared at him when he chuckled.

"During the only time I stayed up to study, there you were. Your eyes, " She smiled remembering,

"Your eyes felt like the sun. You saw through me and I felt bare. You carried this aura around you that makes everyone want to be associated with."

"I was drawn to you, "

Hope didn't know what Seth was thinking, but his face was tranquil giving nothing away.

"I became the second cherished because of you. You showed me what love was, true love, the kind of love that gives and expects nothing in return."