In your Arms

Chapter Sixty

"Ready or not here I come!" Amity heard her brother Andrei shout while she and Quinn hid behind the bushes in her mother's garden. She couldn't help not to giggle as she took sight of Andrei walking towards the opposite direction from where they're hiding.

"Ssshhh.." Quinn whispers to her and gestured for her to be quiet. She clasped her mouth and nod her head. Quinn takes a peek making sure Andrei was far gone before he chuckled himself.

The three of them are playing a game of hide and seek. She was just six and Quinn was nine, almost the same age as her brother. He was a son of a family friend her mother had told her. He'd been staying at their villa for quite sometime now since his parents left the country for awhile. For whatever reason, she doesn't know. All that matters to her now is that she had made a friend in him and that she's always happy just by playing with Quinn.

"Come." She took his hand and shuffled silently behind the bushes towards her secret place, the secret garden her father had made for her. Although it wasn't a secret anymore because she'd taken Quinn there for a couple of times whenever they hid from Andrei or simply just to play.

When they reached the wooden door leading to the secret garden Quinn tugged her hand and she looked at him. He walked right past her and he opened the door for her like a gentleman and have her walk inside first before him. She giggled again with his gesture and the both of them went in.

She ran towards the swing hanging in the tree branch. She sits on it and Quinn followed. He stood behind her and began to push. She giggled as Quinn pushed her continuously making her swing higher and higher. He only stopped when he was tired and they both sit on the bench near the fountain.

"That was fun!" She happily exclaimed. Quinn looks at her smilingly and pinched her nose. "So, what are we going to play next?" She asked him with gleaming eyes. She always thought of Quinn as a nice boy and a fun playmate. She likes him, just like how much she likes Andrei.

But then she noticed something strange about Quinn. He was usually perky but not today. And he doesn't talk that much. Unlike the past few days wherein he has lots of stories to tell her.

"Quinn? Are you okay?" She asks him sounding worried.

Quinn just stared at her and smiled afterwards. But even in her young mind she can tell that something is bothering him. Amity reached for his hand. "You look sad, Quinn.. What's wrong?" She asks.

Quinn pressed his lips. "Amity, I have something to tell you. But promise me you won't get mad." He says to her.

Amity looks at him innocently. "Why would I get mad?"

Quinn took a deep sigh and held her hand holding his. "Just promise me. Before I tell you what it is." Amity nodded her head obediently. "My parents are coming back from the states and they're going to pick me up tomorrow. They're going to take me home, Amity. I'll be leaving."

Sadness filled her heart as she heard his words. They were having a good time here at the villa and all of a sudden he'll leave. "You're going back soon right, Quinn? You're going to visit me again and then we'll play." She asks him.

"I'm afraid I won't be back here soon as what you expect. My parents are sending me to the states and I'll be staying there for quite sometime. I feel sad leaving this place, most especially you.." Quinn tells her with doleful eyes.

Tears welled up in her eyes and Amity began to cry. She doesn't want him to leave. He's her friend, and she's happy everytime he's around. She'd been more close to him instead of Andrei to think that he and her brother are almost the same age and they're boys.

Amity cried harder and Quinn had to hug her and make her stop crying. "I'll be back. I promise." He tells her.

"W-What if you w-won't?" Amity asks him, her shoulders shaking.

Quinn pulls himself away and held her chin. Amity wiped the tears in her eyes and looks at him hopefully.

"I promise I'll be back for you." He tells her smilingly. "But until then you have to wait. And when I come back," He took hold of both of her hands. "I will marry you."

Amity gasped in surprise. "You'll marry me? Like a prince asking for a princess to marry him?" She asks innocently.

Quinn chuckled then nodded his head. "Yes. I'm the prince, and you're my princess." He smiles at her.

"I'll wait for that time to come, Quinn." She sniffed. "I promise I'll wait for you and I will marry you."

Quinn pinched her nose again. "Stop crying now, Amity." He took her closer and hugged her again.

"Amity?"

She flinched a bit when she heard Quinn call her name. The memory of him during her childhood came back to her and she now remembers him clearly. She looks at him as he stares at her.

"Are you okay?" He asks afterwards. "Maybe we should head back--"

"I remember now." She cut him off. "I remember everything, Quinn.."

Quinn looked a bit surprised and glad at the same time. He smiled slowly at her. "You remember?"

Amity nods her head. "I-I do.." She must've forgotten about all of it because she was still young and a lot of things have happened. She never visited this garden maybe because she was too sad that he left, and right now he's here in front of her again. She does remember him now but she had to admit, she doesn't feel anything special towards him at the moment. She just kept the thought to herself. "A lot of things have happened, I.. I forgot all about it.." She looks away.

"Yeah I know.." Quinn anwered her. "It was a long time ago, and a foolish promise between two innocent kids." He laughs, though she thought she heard a hint of bitterness in his voice.

Amity tries to smile. "But we'll be married soon." She doesn't know but she felt like she had to assure him.

Quinn smiles a little. "That is if you want us to."

Amity didn't respond. She couldn't. Even if she wanted to answer him yes she just couldn't do it. It was overwhelming. Everything was just so overwhelming.

Quinn must've noticed her silence so he broke it off. "Let's head back at the mansion. They might be looking for us now."

"Yeah I think we should." She let out a half smile and the two of them went out of the secret garden and walked back towards the mansion.

Both of them are silent as they made their way back. It was confusing for her. She loves Simon, but before him there was Quinn. And they made a promise to marry each other when they were kids. Given that they were still young then, a promise is still a promise. And she would've not done that if she doesn't feel anything for him back then. Either way she doesn't have a choice. She still has to marry him.

Amity looks at the man walking beside her. This isn't the man she dreamt of spending the rest of her life with. But now that she knew who he really is and that he became dear to her once before she thinks she should give the both of them a chance. Maybe this is the love story intended for her. Maybe Quinn is the man who is destined for her to be with in the first place.