Sparks of Destiny

XVII ~ A

Ashley

To see him dance with her, to see him happy with her, it broke my heart.

I ran to wherever my feet took me until I reached the sky garden. I stopped when I heard footsteps and someone shouted my name. "Ashley!"

I turned and saw Elly. "What are you doing here?"

"I need to tell you something."

"What? That I should stay away from you? Sorry, I can't do that. Sorry, Elly. I would rather die than to spend a single day with the knowledge you hated me because..." I hesitate.

"I am not here because of that, Ashley. But what? Because of?"

"Because I am in love with you."

He walked closer to me. "Remember that time when I asked you how to ask a girl to a dance?"

I nodded because there was no other thing to say. He would probably hate me now. I hated myself for being so uncontrolled and gave it up.

"Can I have this dance?" He knelt on the ground and offered his hand to mine. I was shocked, then I remembered he was just acting.

"Yes." I said. "Now go tell it to her. Tell it to that girl very important to you. Maybe she deserves you more, unlike me."

"I just did."

"What?" I asked confused. "Tell it to her now. Go back inside before it's late. Or you just danced with her? Jane? You were happy in your dance. Congrats."

"I told her two minutes ago." He stood and took both of my hands with both of his. I let him. "Ashley, it is you. The girl I meant was you. I never had a chance to tell you because I was afraid of rejection. I love you so much I thought it was better the way we were.

But this promenade... I think, I wasn't contented. I want more. Maybe this time, I won't be rejected and we can go to the next level.

I love you, Ashley. I am willing to wait for you. This isn't a kind of proposal, not yet; I can't assure you destiny will bring us together forever. What I can assure is that I won't let fate, destiny, or whatever you call it set us apart.

I think it wasn't destiny at all. It was our choices in life. It is always about choices." He smiled warmly.

"So I will ask you again." He took a deep breath, and knelt on the bare ground in front of me again. "Ashley, can I have this dance?"

"Yes. It will be my pleasure to." I took his hand and tried to raise him up. "Now, stand because I can't help to see your pants get tattered. You look gorgeous tonight... as you always have."

He turned pink. "Stop flattering me!" he complained.

I just laughed because I still couldn't believe what was happening. I was afraid maybe I was dreaming again. "Actually, you are the one who looks stunning."

It was my turn to go pink. A giggle escaped. I wanted to go shout loud just to release the feels I had inside me. We were holding hands! "Are we still going to dance or...?”

"Oh yeah." We danced under the moonlight. The stars shimmering above us. The music filled the atmosphere with delight.

"I know that song!" I said. We could still hear it from here.

He listened then realized why it was familiar. "It was my song! The song I wrote for you."

"For me?!" The song was played in keyboard so the sound was soothing and smooth. Perfect for a slow dance.

"Absolutely." he said. Raindrops started to fall. "I think it is better to dance inside."

I nodded and followed him. He proved that there were always hidden forever within every momentum. 

They have said it maybe the sparks of destiny—étincelles de destin—but I said, maybe it was because of the decisions we made and the chances we took, that brought us to wherever we're at and whoever we're with.

It's when he decided to ask me that question, and when I took the chance to say yes.