Overlap

Chapter 63: Amber Sunset

<09/13/2011 - 19:34 | Link Street, Marietta, GA, USA>

It goes without saying that I've been extra excited and happy since the return of Lumina in my life. As I strolled down the neighborhood streets of this wonderful evening, arms behind my back with a gentle walking pace, I felt more serene than ever before. To everyone who could look upon me, they'd never know I'm walking as two people instead of one. Another full-day of cold set in through this evening, allowing me to spend another great moment with my girlfriend.

The view of the sky around us was most amazing! The sun was still trying to set against the horizon, casting new colors we rarely get to see. The darkening blue sky reached all the way to space without a single star visible, panning infinitely through our wonders. As the sunbeams and speckled sun spots cast their radiance on us, I cherished how well my sensitive eyes could see in the lingering brightness. "Hey Lumina? I bet you've never seen a sunset this beautiful before."

"Not really... I mean, I have, but I never really paid attention to it until now."

"It makes me wonder sometimes, what do Karnak sunsets look like? At the same time, I'm not really dying to know, with a view like this." I couldn't take my eyes away from the sun's grace. I've always hated that blinding sphere of heat, but right now, it's so gentle and docile.

"Huh... Didn't I hear you utter earlier that you hate the sun for all it's done to you?"

"Yeah, but it's obviously not warm now, is it? Besides..." It took me many days of reflecting to figure something else out about this planet. "I don't think that the Earth itself is an ugly looking place, at least, if we only had this exact intensity of sunlight all the time, and of course, excluding all human activity on the surface." If it were not for the people, Earth would be closer to a paradise.

"So, only during sunrises and sunsets, you tolerate the view?"

How could she not? "Of course, and at night too, since I get to see all those stars. If the sun didn't rise so high every day, the weather would be perfect, visually at least. But once that sunlight gets intense, it just hurts my eyes, and scorches everything. And that's a real waste."

"Hm..." I wasn't sure what bored Lumina when I first came outside, but I could sense her attention shifting further through my eyes. She was taking in all the sights and sounds patiently, trying to match her breathing to mine. "It does look nice, now that I think about it."

"Oooooooh?!" I let a powerful grin hog my expression as I paused the walk with a hand on my lower cheek.

"What was that about?"

All this time, I rarely get this opportunity to tease Lumina, but she's left herself wide open now! "You think the view looks beautiful – now that you think about it? Or, do you just like the view because you're here enjoying it with me?" Part of me couldn't believe what I was saying, but knowing how much Lumina loved me in return made me realize that I was more than some average guy, at least to her. I'll embarrass her any way I can, until she's blushing red in the face.

"Why you... Go trip on a ladybug!"

The scene she asked me to describe had me laughing for a few seconds, the absurdity of actually tripping my shoe over a tiny little bug.

"When did you get smart enough to understand my feelings anyway?"

I knew what Lumina was asking, indirectly addressing how oblivious to her I used to be. She was in love with me from the start, yet I never realized it until she said something about it. "Since I fell in love with you, that's when." A few seconds of silence stood between us, indicating to me that my simple answer wasn't really good enough to convince her. I really have been understanding her more than I ever did before, how she feels about me in return. "For instance, when I think back on things now, there were signs that you had been falling for me for a while, even at the very beginning. I wasn't as bright back then, and was too oblivious to see it."