Steal my Heart.

38

Alastair's Point of View

Fuck no. I wasn't supposed to blurt that out. It's official now. I'm a bloody fool. I regretted the words the minute they left my mouth. But you can't take spoken words back. The damage has been done. She looks so pale, it's like she's seen a ghost. It starts to drizzle on cue and I want to dig a hole, crawl into it and die.

Her eyes are still on mine and I hold eye contact with her. The rainwater drenches her hair and runs along her forehead, before a drop of water hangs on her eyelashes, like a leaf hanging by a branch, waiting to fall. And it does drop, along her cheek and lands on her lips, the ones I want to kiss so bad. And then it drops quickly and gets soaked up on her collarbone. I want to be that raindrop.

"What?" Her voice is barely above a whisper. Her eyes darken and it looks like she'll fall any minute. There's no use even lying now.

"I love you Gracie. I think you stole my heart the very first day I talked to you. And there's nothing I can do to change it. I swear I'm not even lying. I..I just..I want to... Dang it! I just know that I love you." I stutter and the next minute, she has jumped into my arms.

It takes me a while to understand that the girl I thought I could never have is now in my arms, hugging me tight like her life depends on it. The scent of her hair hits my nostrils and I inhale it, taking her in. My arms find their way across her waist and I press her closer to me. This feels so intimate, so surreal, but so good.

"Why don't you steal my heart too?" She breathes near my ear. At that moment, I forget my angst, my problems, my fucked up thoughts, the fear of rejection; I forget everything. And I smile. I grin like a fool into her hair and I want to laugh. Because I never thought this would happen. Fuck, this is too good to be true!

"Wouldn't that be a crime?" I whisper, still holding her, feeling her heart beat against my chest. The fast thudding, is it her heart or mine?

"I won't sue you." She says and I laugh. I hold her tight near me, I don't want to let her go. The heavy rain has once again turned to a drizzle and the smell of mud wafting around is heavenly. Combined with Gracie and the happiness, I'm feeling right now, life couldn't be more perfect.

Only when Gracie starts to wriggle out of my grasp, I let her go.
"You'll strangle me with your hugs Alastair." She laughs, a slight blush tinging her cheeks and I scratch my head.
"You love me too?" I ask like a lovesick puppy and she looks down, her wet fringes sticking on her forehead.

"It's been a while since I fell for you." She says and I feel like my heart will burst. I didn't know I was capable of feeling this way. I thought I didn't have a heart, I thought I was undeserving of love; but here is a girl claiming that she has fallen for me. This is unreal.

"Tell me you love me." My voice comes out a bit too firm.
Gracie frowns but says it anyways. "I love you.
"Again."
"I love you."
"Again."
"I love you."
"Again."
"Alastair, I can write letters to you about my love all my life, but I'm freezing right now." She gives me a small smile and I notice her shivering.

"Let's go." I say and start walking towards the parking lot.
"But the fest?" She asks half heartedly.
"Fuck it." I say and she smiles before coming towards me and holding my hand.

The simple touch sends sparks through me and I smile to myself. This is what I want, her hand in mine and a beautiful place to get lost.

Gracie's Point of View

This can't be true.
This can't be happening.
But I'm so glad it did.

When he burst out saying he loved me, it was like I got hit by a storm. I'm not his type, nor is he someone I imagined myself to be with. He's nothing like the dream guy I often fantasized about.

But I wouldn't want to be with anyone else. I'm too deep into this. I haven't known him for long, heck, only one month. But my feelings are true. I fell in love too fast, too soon, but that's what makes it so special. It doesn't matter that we don't know each other. We'll figure ourselves out, we'll find out about each other, there's time.

Hugging him was so much better than I had anticipated. It was like I was safe, like I was in my own personal haven. It should have felt awkward, strange, but all it felt was nice and warm. Maybe Alastair will become my favourite place to stay.

"Where are we going?" I ask him as I hold his hand. He stiffens visibly and his eyes dart to our interwined fingers. His biceps flex.

"To a place." He answers shortly and sits on his bike, revving it up.
I hop on, keeping my hands on his shoulders without hesitation. He watches me from the rear view mirror and as he drives, I watch his neck. How his hair stick to his nape and his wet shirt clings to his body.

I am lost in my thoughts when he jerks the bike forward, causing me to fall upon him. He winks at me from the mirror and I smile shyly at him.
"Are we there?" I ask him and he nods.
"Come."

I walk behind him towards the door of a small cottage. He rings the bell and an old man of around fifty years opens the door.
"Uncle Tom. This is Gracie, my-" he pauses and I smile at his uncle.
"Girlfriend."

Uncle Tom smiles widely and gestures us to come inside. He is really sweet. Alastair holds my hand and takes me inside.
"Welcome to my world Grace."