Hephaestion- Survivor

Chapter 15

I decided to go to our place, that clearing near the lake. On the way there, negative thoughts were bothering my mind. I knew that in the beginning, every relationship seems perfect. But I've never thought that the obstacles would appear so soon. After I passed the last row of trees I could finally see the free space and to my surprise Hephaestion was already there, standing on a log, near the shore.

"I won't tie the bridle to the tree, if you promise me you won't run." I told Mousse.

"I guess great minds think alike." I said approaching him. He jumped a bit, startled by my presence.

"If you want I can go on the other side and pretend we didn't see each other." I joked.

"Have a sit, Ella." He moved.

I sat down and took my shoes off, putting my feet into the water, just like him. We stood for a few minutes in silence. I kept touching his feet with my own, trying to cheer him up.

"Hephaestion... I don't care what anyone says. I love you and I trust you." I said.

"I know that it's not the first time you hear about my past. It's just.... I'm afraid I'll hurt you. I'm afraid that it will come a day when you'll see me differently. In a bad way." He said.

"I'm not that easy to hurt. And I'm just curious." I said.

"About?" He asked

"How many women have been before me?" I asked.

"Ella..."

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want."

"A few..."

"I won't judge."

"Before you, I was in love twice. When those relationships didn't work I gave up and just had fun. I didn't start to sleep around with every woman I saw, don't get me wrong. I had a few 'friends' with whom I would sleep when I felt alone. Calliope was one of them. And two or three one night stands. I've never had a stable relationship after those two." He took a brief pause and looked at me. "If it's too much for you, I completely understand."

"I don't care about your past, Hephaestion. As long as it doesn't interfere in our present and future. If we do this, then I want to be the only one."

"My Ella. Don't ever doubt my love for you" He cupped my face and ran his thumb across my cheek.

A question was standing on the tip of my tongue.

"Hephaestion?...What makes me different from the others?"

"Do you really need an answer?"

"I was just wondering. I mean... I saw them, Hephaestion...the girls looking at you. I saw Calliope. I have to admit that they're extremely beautiful. I don't say that I consider myself ugly but I'm not something special, either. I'm just me... " I said.

"And yet you have me while they never did."

"Why?"

"You gave yourself the answer, Ella. You're just you. They always tried to pretend. Those women never challenged me. But you...you are genuine, you don't pretend to be something else. You're the same Ella, I've met a few months ago. You didn't change your behavior for me or for anyone else. For example when we were in the arena to buy Mousse. I told you not to do that. You could have obey just to go along with me. But you stuck to your beliefs. You didn't step back no matter what everyone said."

"So you love me because I'm stubborn?" I laughed.

"Let's say you're determinate to do things your way." He chuckled "And I also love you because you wanted to get to know me. I chose you because before being a lover, you were my friend."

I smiled at him and stroked his cheek tenderly with my knuckles.

"I love you too, Hephaestion." I leaned my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes, enjoying these moments together. He wrapped one arm around me keeping me close.

"For you." I moved so I could see him. He was holding a little daisy between his fingers.

"So I can do that 'he loves me, he loves me not' thing?" I laughed.

"Don't do that to the poor flower. It did nothing wrong, to have it's petals picked."

"I'm going to press it in a book so it'll last." I said.

"The memory of a lost summer." He said.

"That's so sad... I don't want this moment to get lost in time." I said.

"Unfortunately everything passes, Ella. That's why we have to make the present count. It's all we have."

"I know..." I said and pressed my body closer to him. "Do you think that the history will remember us?"

"Maybe they'll remember you. I can already picture the title.The extravagant designer that changed the ancient fashion forever. Her clothes were a turning point from everything the past civilizations ever knew." He laughed.

"Shut up." I playfully nudged his shoulder.

"Let's leave the melancholia aside and do something fun." I finally got up from the log.

"I want to swim." I stripped from the clothes and got into the water urging Hephaestion to do the same.