ALL THE LOVE WE LEAVE BEHIND

Chapter 23

The car came to a halt, as I unstrapped my seat belt and hopped out. I felt my bare legs shiver and my hands freeze, as I crossed them over my chest while stepping out of the vehicle. I hadn't had any luck in figuring out where we were headed the entire way, and as much as I wished I could decipher where we were when we reached, I unfortunately still could not.

"This is it?" I asked, looking around at the silhouette pulp of trees and swamp. Nothing was really visible, except a deep line that delicately covered the horizon and a movement of sparrows that flew over the hue.

"Patience, love." Dylan held out his hand, in the midst as I unwillingly set my fingers in his palm, while we tiptoed over the dewy grass.

I jumped over the muddy patches, trying to monitor my movement over the damp ground, to not get my sole muddy. Sadly, my efforts were in vain, as the dirt managed to seep through my slippers, making them drown in the earth.

I really should've worn sneakers.

I thought to myself as my feet buried into the mud, as I decided to sacrifice my slippers since they had already been compromised.

"Ugh." I complained, as I tipped out, and glared at Dylan- who was flawlessly parading over the sludge, as though he was a tightrope walker and this was his area of expertise.

"Alright drama."He left my hand as he hunched and instructed me to climb on his back. Leaving my flip-flops to the captivating ground, I happily complied and twisted my arms around his neck as my legs intertwined with his front.

I felt a wave of relaxation trickle down my spine, as he so conveniently found his way to the patio. There was something compelling about a man that could carry your weight as though it was nothing, and he definitely bore that trait.

My unclad feet touched the wooden deck that he lowered me on, as it gave a little creak- probably due to the wood not being repaired in a while.

By now, the sun had risen to the point where I could see the dirt stuck on my toes. I began rubbing them on the ground, trying to brush off the bits that I could. Dylan did the same, as he slipped his shoes off and smiled.

"When are we gonna know when it's time?" I impatiently asked, staring into the sky- it was a sunrise watch after all.

"It's happening."

His eyes glazed upwards, as he walked towards the edge of the deck and shifted his body weight onto one of the ledges holding the half-cracked roof of the patio together. I stood at the other end of the pole, setting my head on its rough exterior as I stared into the view. It was much clearer now.

The hues were no longer only one color. They were a mix between beige yellow and a line of orangish ash. They had a coat of Prussian blue that only grew brighter as the light touched it, and coated everything else in its path- including the stretched-out lake that stood still- providing a peaceful silence to the organisms around it. It was safe to say that this was picturesque.

"I feel like I'm in a movie."I commented, forgetting about anything else that could matter. The man to my left assisted in making my mind numb. Did I already point out how compelling he looked, standing still?

"-Except, this the part where the couple does something gay."

"Can you not ruin the moment?" I rolled my eyes and ignored the attraction, but as I did, he came over and pulled me into an apologetic hug.

Feeling his grip take over my arms was enough to make my body fall into a trance. That single touch caused something inside me to kick, as I wondered what it would be like to have his hands all over me.