INAMORATA: Before Our Heaven Turns To Hell

Chapter Sixteen - Under The Gun

The car's engine filled the silence between us with a consistent hum. In a way, I'm grateful for it because it helped me think about Daniele for the past few minutes. The photograph still bothered me and I can't stop wondering about who those were, and also I have to admit that that burned picture looked like one of those evidences in a mystifying arson. It's just so ironically amusing that on my flight back, I have discovered something that added up to one of Daniele's mysteries.

I leaned on the window and stared at the commercial structures that lined the streets of Las Vegas. They seem dead whenever it's daylight but when the night takes over, that's when they'll come alive with all their bright colorful neon lights, inviting you to enter and lose yourself.

"Rosalie." Daniele said softly and I hesitantly turned my eyes to him like I was enjoying the view. But to be honest, it was only an excuse to not look or talk to him, because since last night, this stuffy cloud seem to hover around us.

When he told me about the flight, that's when it started. It's almost like he's sulking over my departure like a five-year-old child that doesn't want his mother to go to the office. But right now, it seemed like the cloud has left us for a while. He's back to his old self or rather, to the Daniele I know.

"I wanted to thank you." He said and that made me sit straight from my lazy position as I listened to what he had to say. "For everything."

He smiled then he reached for my hand that was resting on my lap. "I just want you to know that those experiences are memories that I'll treasure forever."

I just stared at him like an airhead that couldn't understand what he had just said as my heart palpitated uncontrollably. But after a few seconds, my brain finally processed the words and my mouth curved into a smile. He smiled back then I turned back on my window, letting the cloud hang over us once again. But unlike before, it wasn't as uncomfortable because he was still holding my hand.

Daniele is a sweet guy and he's the first and so far only person that told me things like that and called me endearments like dolcezza and sweet Rosalie. In fact, I've gotten used to it like it was my own name.

Still, I know it's wrong to feel this way for someone you've just met a few days ago. But when I think about it, he has treated me in the same way Wei has. The only difference was, I never thought that Wei's actions meant a lot more and whenever I'm with Daniele, I always think of things I've never even thought before. Maybe it's because I have this feeling that I know him and that it had always been there since he first kissed me at the ball. Maybe that's why my heart let him and my mind didn't. My heart remembered him but my mind can't.

I tried to think of anything, anything at all that would connect the dots for my brain and ultimately recall something that it can't on its own but failed. Then I thought maybe it's just the feeling of deja vu.

I turned to Daniele and saw that he was busy gazing at the buildings like I was before. I looked down and there it was, his hand holding mine. My heart throbbed at the sight and I know I needed to know why.

"Why did you bring me here?" I asked with the most sincere voice I can.

He looked at me nonchalantly and spoke, "I thought you have already figured it out but I guess I was wrong."

I continued to dwell in silence to let him speak.

"You did me a favor. I was merely returning it by doing all of this for you." He said, then slowly he removed his hand from mine. The unpleasant miasma was back once again.

"I can't remember doing anything for you, Daniele." I confessed.

He eyed me with lucid disappointment and then he sighed and turned back to the window. For a while there, I thought he was going to ignore me but then finally his lips moved to form the words I've been waiting to hear since I've arrived here.