The Miles Between Us

Braden's Perspective

It was really hard telling Claire about keeping us a secret and all that but it's even harder facing my parents right now.

At lunch, we sat together. She barely touched her food. When her mom asked her if she was going to eat something, she just answered that she wasn't hungry. We stay a while sitting and chatting in the dining room. I took her hand under the table and she immediately takes it back. I feel relieved and I think that we can make this work.

The next day we go to the city. We are all walking together and talking. Claire is awfully quiet. She is walking alone all the way back. I wait for her and finally we are a little bit alone. I mean everyone is at least a couple of meters in front of us.

Braden: Why so alone here in the back?

Claire: Just thinking.

Braden: About?

Claire: Everything and anything.

Braden: Wow that was deep.

Claire: I know right! Hahaha

Braden: You should become a poet.

Claire: In that case, you'll be my muse.

Braden: And that's already a fact.

Claire: Of course.

We keep walking and talking. I tell her some interesting facts I know about the city and some lame jokes, but she laughs without thinking. We kind of share some secrets and play some games just to get to know us better. We get to this tower and we climb it (just kidding, we took the elevator). On the top we can see the entire city and make some comments about it. Then we walk into this crystal floor and she gets scared. I grab her hand and together we walk all the way through the glass floor. I glance back and I think I kind of saw my father smile just seeing Claire and me together.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Days passed and it's almost Christmas. We had been having secrets dates everynight at midnight. It's been hard and tired but it's been worth it. Everydaythat passes; I fall a little bit more in love with Claire. And for the firsttime, I'm afraid of losing her.