The Choosing

Chapter 15//: A date for two

[E D I T E D]

♕✿~♕✿~Chapter 15//: A date for two♕✿~♕✿~

After we are done filming the Report, I quickly say goodbye to Rose and rush upstairs to my room. My maids are there, waiting for me, and they don't hesitate to help me take off the dress and hand me a pair of comfortable pants and a loose shirt. I just manage to put on some tennis shoes when I hear a knock from my door. Ahren.

For some reason, I find it hard to breathe as I walk up to the door and open it. In front of me, Ahren is dressed in a casual, all-black outfit, with his own casual shoes. I stare at them openly. I haven't seen him wear shoes that weren't dress shoes.

"Hello? Earth to Madison?" He calls out, waving his hand in front of me. I snap out of my trance and look up at him to see him looking amused. I feel heat creep up my neck in embarrassment.

"Sorry. It's just that you never wear casual shoes. Why now?" I ask him as I close my door and accept his extended arm, looping my arm around his. Warm heat emanates from him.

"Well, we're going somewhere tonight," Ahren tells me with a wink. I find myself wanting to know more, but he ignores my curious inquiries, shaking a finger at me.

"Ah, Madison. You're going to have to wait and see where we're going. And while we walk there, tell me a bit about yourself. I really don't know anything about you." We are now reaching the bottom of the stairs and I can see a set of glass doors leading to the outdoor gardens.

"Well, what do you exactly want to know about me?" I ask Ahren, uncertain and hesitant. I don't really talk about my life openly unless it's with someone I've known for a while.

We head to the doors leading to the garden. Ahren nods to the two guards who are standing like stiff boards on either sides of the doors.

"Just tell me anything you want me to know. Your family...Your hobbies...Any past relationships?" Ahren's voice goes to a slightly higher pitch when he asks the last part. The slight wind whips my hair back as I breathe in deeply, feeling content. I definitely needed fresh air.

"Ok. So, I have my dad and my mom. And my little sister, Sydney. She loves everything about the palace, to be honest. Especially Josh Ritter." Ahren laughs at that.

"Back home, I mostly just performed. I sing and playthe viola," I admit. A smile plays on Ahren's lips.

"And, I have been forever alone my whole life, so no past relationships. I'm just an average girl who no one really notices. There's nothing exactly extraordinary about me, you know?" I say pathetically to Ahren.

Ahren immediately stops walking and faces me. His eyes glow under the moonlight. It's a clear night, and the moon and stars shine above us brilliantly.

"You seem pretty special to me," he tells me earnestly. I see Ahren's cheeks heat up soon after, realizing what he just said. My heart starts to beat like crazy, and I feel like my body is overheating, the heat coming over it becoming almost unbearable.

I swallow as I look down at the ground. "Th-thank you?" It comes out as a question because I'm so confused as to what I should say in this sort of situation.

He doesn't say anything else, instead gently grabbing my hand and pulling me towards the metal fence surrounding the whole garden.

When we reach the fence, Ahren glances around before jumping over it casually. I stare in shock at him. What is he doing?

He smiles at me and holds out his hand towards me. I place my hand in his hesitantly, and yelp when he tugs on my arm, forcing me to hop over the gate. I crash into his chest, and he steadies me with his arms.

I angrily hit his chest with my fists, pummeling him. Ahren laughs at my attempts to do so. "Ahren! Why did you do that? You could've just told me to jump over!" I yell at him, but he quickly places his hands over my mouth, silencing me. I mumble in protest, but Ahren tells me that we have to be quiet since we're technically not supposed to be here. I allow Ahren to pull me towards the grassy hills outside of the palace garden gates.

We reach the edge of a cliff, overlooking the harsh ocean beneath. I had to give credit to the architectures, they chose a good spot to place the palace. I stare in awe at the blue currents below me, reflecting the moon and the stars.

"Ahren...this is beautiful," I whisper. He smiles at me as he looks up at the sky.

"I was guessing that there might be reporters in the garden, trying to get pictures of our date. But I didn't want to have our date be interrupted. And I always come here, to look up at the stars. I like the night sky," Ahren admits.

I smile at him, but only one thing he said stands out in my mind. He called this a date. It makes my stomach twist in a weird, but pleasant, way.

We stay silent for a couple of minutes as we both lay on the grass and stare up at the sky together. Ahren points out certain things in the sky once in a while, and I listen attentively. I remember going over stars earlier this year in school back at home. That seems like such a long time ago.

~♚♡♚♡~

I follow Ahren as he jumps over the gate, leaping over it skillfully. I follow more carefully, making sure to not get my pants stuck in the sharp points of the gate. Ahren points to my right, and I glance over to see a "hiding" photographer taking a photo of us. I laugh with Ahren as I notice this; he was right about the photographers.

He leads me back up to my room, and I feel sad that this night had to end so soon. Surprisingly, I had a lot of fun today, and I didn't want to part ways with Ahren.

We are standing in my room, both awkward as we don't know what to do now. I shift my weight from one foot to the next, looking at them as I do so.

"I had fun tonight, Madison," Ahren tells me. I look up at this and see him staring intently at me.

I gulp as I try to find my voice. "Me too," I finally say with a smile. Ahren smiles back shyly and clears his throat.

"Well...goodnight, Madison." And he does something that I would not have expected.

He suddenly swoops down to my height, and butterflies bounce around in my stomach as his face leans towards mine. My eyes widen and I blush wildly as I feel Ahren give the ghost of a kiss on my cheek.

Ahren pulls away and smiles at me, before turning away and leaving my room. I stand in the same spot that I am in and touch my cheek, where Ahren's soft lips were just seconds ago. I feel myself grin stupidly before walking over to my bed and collapsing on it.

♕✿~♕✿~♕✿~♕✿~♕✿~

*Reads that The Choosing has over 500 reads* *Screams excitedly* THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!! <3. I can't believe that I reached this goal and I am just so thankful to all of you wonderful readers. Without you guys, this would not be happening! I just can't express my gratitude enough!

Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I updated early because I wanted to surprise you all to thank you!

Until the next update!! <333333

Glass_Sword