Stay With Me

Chapter 35

~~* Sierra's POV *~~

"Mom, I am heading out for a walk."

"Okay, remember to layer up!"

"I have! Bye!"

Sierra thought she heard her mother reply through the closed door. But her ears were covered with a woolen cap. Ruby had completed her most recent project and was mostly home now. She had applied to a few jobs and was waiting for interview calls. Sierra was glad she could spend some time with her mother. It was a Saturday, and Sierra had been up early studying. She needed a little break. It was not snowing, but the streets were brighter than yesterday. Sierra noticed a child running across the road to reach their parent on the other end, and she smiled. Christmas was near, and the streets felt festive already. Pole-mounted decorations hung from each street light. Sierra returned her gaze to the sidewalk as she walked to the park. Her way was lit by ball lights on the sidewalk. Sierra closed her eyes as the cold air touched her cheeks. It felt like a beautiful moment that she would remember. Taking in a deep breath, she reopened her eyes. Sierra felt at ease after she had prepared for her exams. She had tomorrow to finish her remaining chapters, which were few. Wrapping her fluffy jacket near her neck, Sierra walked into the park.

There were few people on the walking track in the park. Sierra glanced around and saw some children on the swings in the center. Sierra looked at them and noticed a father swaying their child back and forth on a swing. She sighed and recalled her father used to take her to the swings. At the end of each time, Sierra would refuse to return home. Sierra had very few memories from her childhood with her father. But she had seen their photographs. Ruby had often mentioned that Sierra resembled her father. Every time her mother would scold her as a kid, Sierra would go silent. She rarely fought with anyone and often kept herself. It was her father's habit to be the conflict avoider. Sierra had inherited that from him.

Sierra looked at the kid happily swinging as she wondered if her father would be proud of who she was today. Sierra seldom shared her thoughts with someone. Sophia was her only companion. But as time went on, Sierra busied herself in taking care of her. Ruby was always busy with different jobs. After Sophia passed away, Sierra locked up her childhood memories to prevent herself from feeling all the hurt. How much more could a person bear? If she tried to feel the pain, it would become unbearable. So Sierra just brushed it under the rug, as always. But her mental health suffered badly because of it.

Ruby was an open-minded and understanding parent. But Sierra feared to upset her with anything. She was her last family. The losses in her life had prevented Sierra from forming new bonds. Her reserved nature prevented people from approaching Sierra. Sierra would spend most of her time with Sophia, reading, cooking, or sketching. Rebecca was the first to befriend her. Sierra loved her straightforwardness. Sierra admired honest humans. However, her lack of social life had made it difficult for her to communicate her thoughts and feelings. Sierra had no idea she would meet someone like Luke and gain his affection so quickly. He seemed to cherish her, and Sierra wanted to know more about him. But Sierra felt like she needed to be more expressive about her emotions. Luke had confessed his love for her last week. Sierra had not responded to it yet. She had even Googled about the normal time needed for replying to a love confession. The results were overwhelming.

But the only important thing was to know what she felt for him. If only she could figure out what was keeping her from responding. She felt comfortable around Luke. He had always taken care of her when she needed him. Luke had been pretty clear since the beginning that he liked her and her alone. Sierra felt safe and loved when she was with him. Honestly, he had done more for her than she had done for him. He had even cooked her a meal, and he was a brilliant cook. Sierra had decided on a perfect birthday gift for him. But there were around two months until then. Sierra stood as the cold wind touched her face, chilling her nose. Sniffing, she thought about starting today. Turning around, Sierra took determined steps back to her home. She will begin by telling her mother. Sierra could not conceal the truth from her mother anymore. She could not imagine what Ruby's reaction would be. But she was going to tell her about Luke.