Golden Melody

Chapter 10.1

Zatariel Wov

His Pov

I accompanied Mimi to her room, and she pulled me inside, her eyes filled with a mixture of longing and despair.
As she locked the door, she spoke, her voice barely a whisper,

"Riel? Thank you."

I faced her, my heart pounding with a mixture of confusion and concern.
I held her cheeks, my thumbs gently tracing the contours of her face.

"Why are you thanking me?" I asked, my voice a low murmur.
"I should be thanking you," I whispered, my voice a low murmur that barely broke the surface of the music,
"because you chose me to be your date tonight." My words with longing I couldn't quite express, a yearning that echoed in the silence between us.

I saw her smile at me, a fleeting flicker of joy that quickly faded.
She suddenly hugged me, her arms wrapping tightly around my waist.
I couldn't move, my body froze by the intensity of her embrace.

"Riel, thank you for the happy memories. I'll never forget them," she whispered, her voice choked with emotion.
I heard her sniffling, and a wave of panic washed over me.
Why was she crying?

I broke away from her hug and held her cheeks again, gently lifting her face.
Her eyes and nose were red, her cheeks flushed with tears.

"Mimi?" I asked, my voice filled with concern.

"We're going to graduate soon. We won't see each other anymore," she sobbed, her words a desperate plea for a future that seemed impossible.

"We can still meet even if we go to different schools..." I tried to offer reassurance, but my words felt hollow.

"I'm going to Amerina with Thyron because that's where our marriage is legal," she whispered, her words a confirmation of the fate that awaited her.

"Oh, I see," I said, my mind racing back to the conversation with my father.

"I-I don't want to," she sobbed, her body wracked with despair.
"To be honest, Riel, I still have many dreams. I want to change my fate and I've already started. I'm in the finals, but lahat Yun mawawala!."

I stroked her back, my heart aching for her.
Shit, I don't know what to do.
I'm the reason she's going to be tied to Thyron.
I need to find a way.

She suddenly hugged me again, her grip tight, her body trembling.
"Please, Riel! I'll go with you! I don't want to marry Thyron! After graduation, take me away from here. I want to perform in the finals." Her voice was a desperate plea, a cry for freedom.

I hugged Mimi and kissed her forehead.
"I promise, I'll take you away..." My voice trailed off as she leaned in, her lips meeting mine in a soft, warm kiss.

It was a kiss of gratitude, of longing, of a love that transcended words.
When she pulled back, her eyes were filled with a mixture of gratitude and despair, a silent plea for understanding.

"Thank you, Riel," she whispered, her voice barely audible,
"for coming into my life."

"No, thank me after I help you escape for your finals. Sleep. I know you're tired," I said, kissing her forehead again, my heart heavy with a mixture of love and determination.

She nodded at me, her eyes closing slowly as a wave of exhaustion.

We sank onto the sofa, our bodies seeking comfort in each other's embrace.
I held her close, the warmth of her body a welcome contrast to the chill of the evening air.

I was still wearing my suit and she was still wearing a gown, a reminder of the night's events, but all I could focus on was the weight of her head resting on my shoulder, the gentle rise and fall of her breath.

"Aren't you uncomfortable in your gown, Mimi?" I asked gently.

She just shook her head and hugged me tightly.
I stroked her head, her hair soft and silky beneath my fingers.

After a while, she stood up, her eyes still closed.

"Sorry, Riel. I know you're tired and need to rest..." Her voice trailed off, a hint of concern in her tone.

I didn't let her finish.

"I'll change first, and I'll be right back," I said, my voice filled with a reassuring warmth.

I gently kissed her cheeks before leaving her room, eager to return to her side.