Until Then. // denis shapovalov - sascha zverev

3.0 - i feel the same way

Willow's POV

"A pool? In the middle of a park?" Alex asks as I listen to the dry grass crunch beneath my feet as we walk up to the railing. "Seems a bit out of place."

There are a few people swimming in the pool as I squint through the bright lamp posts that light the park. "Come on," I say, jogging down the staircase.

Alex follows behind me as I reach down to dip my arm into the pool. "Oh, it's warm!" I exclaim.

"Really?" Alex asks, reaching down beside me. He suddenly splashes a little water up at my face.

I squeal in surprise and splash even more water on Alex.

"Okay, okay!" Alex says laughing and jumping back from the pool. "You win, you win!"

"That's what I thought," I smirk, standing up and walking over to him. "Oh, gosh, I got you good," I chuckle as he wipes off his face with the bottom of his shirt. He looks so clear, even in the dark. I guess it's a weird observation, but I feel like, even though we're a foot apart, I could see every detail of his face, as if I had studied it for hours beforehand.

"Am I glistening from the water?" Alex laughs as we walk out of the pool area and back on the walking path.

"Oh, totally," I nod. "Glowing, glistening, everything in between."

"Good," Alex says.

Alex's POV

She was so beautiful in the moonlight. We're walking right next to each other, and I can feel her side sometimes bump into mine, kinda hoping it was every step that we touched, instead of every few steps. I look over to her and softly smile. Even though the path was lit by lampposts, it seemed like her face was only naturally lit, softly by the moonlight.

Her hip bumps into mine.

"Do you believe in aliens?" She asks as we slow down walking, nearing a view of the waterfront and the Robert Kennedy Bridge that hummed in a distance from the cars. The bridge was well-lit, and despite the darkness, I could see everything from the glowing water to blinking city.

"I think so," I nod. "There's gotta be something other than us out there... Right?"

"I believe in them too," she says.

We take a couple steps onto the sandy area and sit down synchronously.

Her hip bumps into mine again.

"Oh, sorry," she says, scooting away.

"No," I say. "Come here." I wrap my arm around her waist and scoot her back into my side.

She lays her head on my shoulder and I lay mine right on top of hers as we watch the waves of East River climb onto shore and then retreat, over and over again.

The waves talk for us.

-

"Onto the trolly," I call out. "My lady," I say as I hold out my hand for Willow, helping her up the stairs onto the red train.

We swing through the poles to a seat in the middle of the train.

"I saved a spot for ya," I say, pulling Willow to sit onto my lap.

"Thank you, kind sir," She smiles, snuggling up against me.

We were the only people on the train, watching the streetlights go by.

Willow sits up and looks out the window, pointing, "Is the Statue of Liberty over there?" She asks, pointing in a random direction. "Or... over there?"

I chuckle and take her hand in mine to guide a little further upwards. "It's riiiight over there," I whisper.

"And the Brooklyn Bridge is..." She hesitates. "That one?" She asks, pointing towards a random island.

I take her hand in my and guide it over to a different direction. "There," I smile.

"Over that hill?" She asks.

"Mmhmm," I say, nudging her with my head.

"What about the Big Apple?" She asks.

I take her hand and slide it across the window to point towards the city lights. "Over there."

"How do you know all this?" She asks me, turning to face me in awe.

I chuckle. "I'm guessing."

"Hey!" She exclaims, playfully hitting my shoulder. "I believed you!"

"I'm sorry!" I laugh. "I'm just as lost as you are!"

"You stink!" She rolls her eyes.

"Yeah, but you like it." I smile.

"Sometimes," She winks back. My heart jumps a little at her playfulness.

"Where are you two headed tonight?" The driver asks us as he comes to a halt at the next stop.

"Back to Queens!" I respond.

"Then here we are," the driver responds, coming to a slow halt.

Willow and I both get up and jog to the door to walk off. "By the way, do you know what time it is?" I ask, curiously. I left my phone back at the hotel.

"Three thirty," The driver smiles.

"Thank you!" We both jump off the stairs and wave him goodbye. We hesitate as we look around at the new area. The train station was quiet and everything seemed unrecognizable in the dark.

"Let's go this way," Willow says as she's already walking off towards a random direction, but for some reason, any direction with her felt like the right one.

Willow's POV

I'm out of breath from excitement as Alex and I climb a grassy hill, feeling the wet grass underneath our shoes, squish from each step.

"A little more," Alex smiles as he extends his arm out to me to hold my hand as we finish the last uphill part to near the view. We were on the outskirts of Flushing Meadows Corona Park and despite the darkness of the night, the moon still lit up every corner of the park.

"Is this it?" I ask as we approach the top of the highest hill in the middle of New York... or so it felt.

"I think so," Alex breathes as a vast sight of twinkling, city lights, comes into view. "This is beautiful," he says, taking my hand and leading me into a slow spin before pulling me into his arms. I feel the cool breeze on the back of my neck as he does so, letting my hair glaze through the breeze. The night was warm, but I felt ten time warmer with his arms wrapped around my body. I breathe softly, scared that any noise would disrupt the silent peacefulness.

"Willow," Alex whispers.

I hum in response.

"I wish I could spend every night with you, like this," Alex says.

I hum in response, again. With every ounce of my body, I wanted to scream I felt the same way he did, but for some reason, I couldn't.

"What's that? Over there?" I ask, pointing to this large-looking exhibit with gravel weaving in and out of it.

"I think that's a zoo, maybe?" Alex responds, squinting in the distance, trying to make out what it was. "Should we go check it out?"

"Hm," I shrug. "Sure, but I like being here, with you, like this."

"As do I," Alex twirls me out of him and bows to me, "But Willa Martin, the night is young and so are we," he says, taking my hand to lead me down the hill, towards the mysterious land.