TO DIE FOR

chapter 9

Anikka endlessly waited for Jay to return after she told him what happened between her and Manuel, but Jay was nowhere to be seen.

She waited some more but to no avail and decided to go take a walk in the park.

The park stretched away into distant flower-beds, trees, and heavy shrubs. Near the main gate was a large boating pond. A number of brighty painted boats rested at anchor in the middle of the pond. Tennis courts to the right of the pond were deserted.
It was now sunset.

If it had been a weekend, no doubt even at that hour, the park would have been crowded, but it was only Friday, and most people had work to do.

So, at this hour, she only found not more than ten people at the park, and most of them were love birds, busy having a great time and doing what lovers do.

Feeling completely out of place, she went and sat on the beach, which was left  abandoned and far away from the rest.

'I guess nobody wants you either, huh?' she said to the bench and started sobbing mildly.

She raised her legs on the beach and hid her face in her hands, and sobbed a little more.

Then, as she started to wipe the tears off her face, she thought as if she was dreaming, when she saw someone just like Manuel coming in front of her.

She didn't know what prompted her to stand up with her mouth half open, because she couldn't believe it, she thought she was just seeing things that weren't really there.

After all, Manuel was so absorbed with his life as something that mattered to him. Not being here, coming close to the woman he'd never wanted to love and never learned to trust.

Full of surprise, she asked, "Manuel, is it really you? I mean, what you doing here, I don't feel like talking to you."

No sooner has she tried to walk away from him than he got hold of her hand.

"Anikka, please don't go just yet, just hear me out, it's very important."

"How did you find me?"

"Well, the first time we met, it was in this park, on the very same beach, so I figured, in this kind of situation, this is the first place you would decide to come. And Jay told me I'd find you here."

"You mean you had everything planned out, huh? You are dumping me and knowing that I am going to be here so that you can finish me completely. Isn't that your brilliant plan?"

Manuel shuddered with remembered agony.

"I am really sorry, Anikka."

"Don't you think it's rather late for that?"

He groaned, hugged her, and buried his face in her pale and fragrant hair.

"My darling Anikka, I know I'm an idiot, inclined to jump to all the wrong conclusions, but that doesn't mean I'm fool enough to think I can manage without you."

Manuel cupped her face tenderly in both his hands as he said; "forget about what I said and listen to what am going to say, I stopped listening to my head and paid attention to my heart, for a change."

Anikka thought that there had never been anything she'd ever wanted to believe quite as badly as she wanted to believe his words.
 
"I'm not sure I know what to make of that, Manuel." Anikka said.  

Manuel pulled Anikka down on the bench beside him and leaned over her.
    
"I mean it when I say that I love you, Anikka, and there's no use my fighting it cause it's a war I can't win and I don't like to lose."         

She shook her head. "I don't know. It's just that I find it hard to believe that this is really happening. I keep thinking I must be in shock...that we both are...or that you're being impulsive and that you'll wake up in the morning and wish you hadn't said you -"
     
"I'm sorry," he whispered objectly. "Sorry for hurting you, for ever having doubted you, or my feelings for you. I probably don't deserve your love or your forgiveness, but..."

With painstaking care, she outlined her mouth.
   
"I don't have all the answers, Manuel, or maybe I'm just not ready to face them yet. All I can tell you right now is that I've always loved you, and I'll always be fixed with you to the pointof dieing for you, and from where I stand, that's a beginning, not an end. Despite all your hash and hurtful words, I knew you would come round and think straight again, cause this isn't the first time this has happened to us, so I am kind of used by now. "
            
His fingertips stole down her throat to her breast, a gentle touch that set her blood on fire and melted all her reservations. Her mouth blindly sought his, she closed her eyes and sank against him, desire swarming over her skin in tiny electric impulse.

"How slender and lovely you are." he muttered, his mouth tasting each nipple, caressing the span of her waist and then sliding with unconcerned hunger over the fragrant skin that swathed the gentle flare of her hips.

"All I need is your love. My heart is bleeding for you." she said, twining her arms around his neck and holding him close.

"Thank you for giving me another chance, Anikka. I promise I won't let you down this time, I swear."

When it was two hours to midnight, they decided to leave the park, and Manuel drove Anikka home.