Love Isn't The Way.

Chapter 7

Every time I look at him my breath hitches.This is the millionth time that I am seeing his grey eyes but,they still have me spellbound. I close my eyes when I see him lean in. I can feel his warmth radiating towards me but soon I am left cold.

'Don't worry, I don't want anything right now, I will tell you later'.He said and chuckled lightly.

We roam around the city for a while driving here and there when all of a sudden my stomach growls and heat rushes towards my face in embarrassment. He lets out a small laugh and we go through a restaurant nearby.

I hadn't even realised that it was lunch time, I quickly check the time and almost scream. IT'S FREAKING 3 PM. Seriously where did the time go?

'Is everything ok ?' Alec asks me after the waiter leaves.

'Yeah .....just surprised to see the time, I hadn't even realised that it was 3 pm'.I say while taking a sip of my Sazerac.

As soon as we finish our meal, Alec rushes me outside in a hurry and drives with a big grin on his face.

'Where are we going now ?' I thought we were supposed to go to his apartment.

'It's a surprise'.he just replied and looked my way. He obviously had something going on his mind but I don't know what. He seems so oddly cheerful. Don't get me wrong it's nice to see him this way but it's very odd at the same time.

This is the same Alec who killed people for simply defying him. I sigh internally.

' And I forgot to tell you that I haven't packed any clothes for tonight so we'll have to go to my place first.'

'Oh, that won't be a problem, I-I still have your clothes from before, I am sure there is a set of pyjamas and tee for you or you can just sleep naked, I won't mind' he teased.

'I am sure you won't'.How does he still have my clothes......weird!! I wanted to ask him but decided not to. I don't really want to know why he still has my clothes.

It's 6:30 and we have been driving for almost 2 hours straight, it's almost in the outskirts of Seattle.When we stop,Alec blindfolds me and helps through the forest, soon I can smell lavender( which btw is my favourite fragrance) and a soothing tune somewhere.

'You ready ?' he whispers and I nod. He slowly takes the blindfold off and what I see next takes my breath away because what I see is lights carefully placed around a very small clearing in the forest and above those lights are my photographs since the first time he saw me till the last time he did. Something flashes in my eyes and I see that Alec took my photograph through a camera which instantly produces a photograph and sticks it at the very end of the lights.

'Alec....... ' I wanted to say something but my voice had died.

'You're free to explore if you want'.I could sense the nervousness in his voice which too took me by surprise as he is NEVER nervous. I move forward and look around and see all my photographs which have been taken secretly either when I was walking or eating or just simply reading.
The first photograph was of me in a club somewhere, maybe like a 6 years ago.

When I reach the end of the photographs  I see a small table with a note on it :

'Check your pocket'

I quickly check my pocket and gasp when I  realise what it is. Quickly turning around,I see Alec on one knee. So that's what he did in the car when he was about to kiss me but didn't.

'Are you doing what I think you're doing?' I ask with my voice full of questions.

'Zenda Mellark, you are the love of my life,from the first day I saw you 10 years ago, I knew you were mine, I know it's all confusing but I am ready for you and I need to know if you are ready for me' he said without even once stuttering

'Alec I ...' On one hand I wanted to scream yes and on the other run from here.

'Zenda I am not getting up till I get an answer'. He obviously doesn't want a 'No'and I don't want to say 'yes' so where does that leave me.

I look at the ring which has a sleek but very simple diamond cut which is exactly something I would have chosen for myself. I sit down with him on the ground.

'But, how can I marry you, how can I trust you after all that has been done, how are we going to manage a relationship like that?' I look at him and then at the ring.

'My dear Zenda, this is not for you, this is for me, between the two of us I can hurt you,love you,care for you but I need to trust you, the worst I can do is hurt you but the worst you can do is leave me and before having a relationship with you I need to bind you with me completely with no possibility of you ever leaving me even if I fuck it all up'. The determination I saw in eyes was enough to make me agree to him

' And if you're thinking that If I can't do anything  before binding yourself to me then you should just leave. But don't forget the fact the you are never ever ever getting away from me because one way or another, I will make you mine. Not matter how many times you run away, I will come for you. Even if someone tries to take you away from me, I will come for you and kill that person. You can't leave me, I wouldn't ever allow that. Ever.

In my mind we already belong to each other now let's make it real, love. I am ready to give up anything for you, sure it'll will take a while but at least I am ready to try and it is all for you and in return I just want you, every single inch of you, please give me the honour of becoming yours .....and only yours'. He came closer and took my face in both his hands.

And in that moment I saw all the 10 years go by  in front of me, I didn't know whether to ask for more time or run from him so I did what I thought was the most selfless thing in the world.

'YES' I whispered with a single tear falling down my face.