We Shall Meet Again

Part 32

Xavier and Alice stood in silence, their eyes locked for a moment longer than seemed necessary, before Alice's curiosity pushed its way through the thick, comfortable quiet between them.

"Why are you sitting up there?" she asked suddenly, her voice laced with an innocent curiosity. "Isn't it dangerous?"

Xavier didn't respond right away. Instead, he studied her, his expression unreadable as memories bubbled up from a place deep inside. He remembered when Sabrina had asked him that very same question when they were kids—her laughter ringing in his ears, her fearless spirit a mirror to the girl standing in front of him now. That memory softened the intensity in his gaze, and his lips curved into a gentle, almost nostalgic smile.

"Because the view up here is beautiful," he said quietly, his words carrying a tenderness that made Alice pause.

For a heartbeat, she was frozen by the simplicity of his answer, the way it seemed to hold more meaning than she could grasp in that instant. But her excitement quickly took over, pushing past any hesitation. She straightened, her face lighting up with eagerness. "Really? Can you help me up?"

Xavier's smile deepened, and without a word, he extended his hand toward her. His fingers were warm and strong, a stark contrast to the cool night air that clung to her skin. She placed her hand in his, feeling a quiet assurance in his touch as he effortlessly pulled her up onto the roof of the bus.

The surface was rough beneath her bare feet, slightly rusted and weathered from years of neglect, but steady and solid. Starlight, the little cat who seemed to have bonded with her so quickly, hopped up ahead of them and settled between them, purring softly, as if this moment was something that happened every night.

Once seated, Alice turned her gaze upward, and her breath caught in her throat. The stars—she had never seen them like this before. They were scattered across the night sky like shimmering diamonds, their light so bright and pure it was almost overwhelming. It felt as though the entire universe had unfolded just for her, stretching out endlessly, whispering its secrets in the stillness of the night.

For a moment, Alice forgot where she was, forgot about Xavier beside her, forgot about everything except the sky above. The stars blinked and sparkled, and she felt an inexplicable pull toward them, like they held some piece of her she hadn't realized was missing.

"They're beautiful," Xavier's voice broke through her reverie, soft and low, as though he didn't want to disturb the magic that seemed to hang in the air. He wasn't looking at the stars, though. He was watching her, his expression gentle and contemplative.

Alice could feel his gaze on her, but she couldn't bring herself to look away from the sky. "They really are," she whispered, her voice carrying the awe she felt deep in her bones. "I've never seen them like this before."

The night air wrapped around them, cool but not uncomfortable, carrying the scent of damp earth and pine. The world felt impossibly quiet, like they were the only two people in existence, floating beneath a canopy of stars that twinkled just for them. Time seemed to stretch, each moment lingering as they sat together in silence, sharing a connection neither of them could fully explain but both felt deeply.

Alice let herself relax, the tension she hadn't realized she'd been carrying slipping away. Starlight shifted slightly, her soft fur brushing against Alice's leg as the cat purred contentedly between them, completely at ease. The presence of the little creature only added to the strange comfort Alice felt sitting next to Xavier, as though this moment was fated, as if she had been meant to be here, on this rundown bus, with him and Starlight under the watchful eyes of the stars.

The quiet between them wasn't awkward—it was full of something unspoken, an understanding neither of them needed to put into words. Alice felt a strange peace settle over her, the kind that comes when you're in exactly the right place at exactly the right time. It was a rare, beautiful feeling, and she wanted to savor it for as long as possible.

But as the moments stretched on, Alice's body began to remind her of the late hour. A deep yawn escaped her, and she stretched her arms above her head, the exhaustion she had momentarily forgotten creeping back in.

"I should probably head back," she murmured, her voice soft, reluctant even. She didn't want to leave this moment behind, but the pull of her bed, the promise of sleep, was growing stronger. "It was nice meeting you," she added, her lips curving into a soft smile as she glanced over at Xavier.

He returned her smile, though his was quieter, tinged with something that felt almost like longing. "It was nice meeting you too, Alice."

The way he said her name made her pause for a second, something in his tone making it feel more significant than a simple farewell. But she shook the thought away and carefully climbed down from the bus, her feet landing softly on the cool grass below. As she began walking back toward the path, she couldn't resist casting one last glance over her shoulder.

Xavier was still sitting atop the bus, his form outlined by the faint glow of the moon. His eyes followed her, the quiet intensity of his gaze lingering on her even as the distance between them grew. There was something in the way he watched her, something that made her heart beat a little faster, though she couldn't quite place why.

As she turned and continued walking into the night, the grass soft beneath her feet and the cool breeze brushing against her skin, Xavier remained still, his eyes never leaving her retreating form. And when she finally disappeared into the shadows, swallowed by the darkness of the night, he whispered softly to himself, his voice barely audible above the whisper of the wind.

"I will never let anything happen to you, Alice."

His words were a promise, one she would never hear. But they carried a weight, an unspoken vow that lingered in the night air long after Alice had gone.

For Xavier, this moment wasn't just a chance meeting—it was the beginning of something much deeper. And as the stars continued to shine above, he knew, with a certainty he hadn't felt in years, that he would protect her at all costs.

The night seemed to agree, the wind picking up just slightly as if carrying his promise into the heavens, where it would be kept safe among the stars.