Rachel Stanton and The Darkest Night

CHAPTER 5: THE DREAM

5. THE DREAM

Jared went on his heels and beckoned me to stand as well. He lent a hand to take me up, and I threw my hands on his with a huge grin spreading across my face. Just then, he flung his arms around my neck, squeezing me tight I could not almost breathe. Once he had released me, I heard him say “I love you” under his breath.

It took me a second or two before I said the same words. He let out a huge smile. His cheeks were turning tomato-red now. Then he planted a kiss on my forehead.

“I should have done this before,” he muttered. I tried to remember the thing. Then it came inside my head. When he was leaning forward into my face, he was supposed to kiss me that day. I just didn’t know if it was on my lips or my forehead. “Well, I don’t want kiss you on the lips even though I wanted them before. I just want to do it on your forehead first before I get there.” Then he leaned forward to kiss my forehead again.

We didn’t eat the pizza anymore. I stared at him with joy rising onto my chest. He was staring at me back. You could see his eyes glinting by the sun.

Suddenly, my phone rang. I didn’t even know that I brought it here. Then I stood up, trying not to break my gaze at him. Someone just sent a message. It was Mom asking me how I was doing here. And at the end, she reminded me of going home before lunch. I typed my reply saying I was really having a good time with them. And I went back to the carpet and gazed at him again.

Silence fell. We spent the whole minute staring with each other. I loved wasting my time looking at his eyes, and his were clearly directed into mine.

He cleared his throat loudly. My head made a keep-on gesture then he barked, “Can we talk?” I gave a short nod. “Well, I just want to know more about you.”

“I still have an hour to stay,” I muttered quickly.

He ran his fingers through my hair. I touched his hand, and they stopped for a while.

“Thank you.” I was not sure what his words meant.

“For what?” I asked.

“For coming into my life, turning my world so wonderful, making me smile all the time.” He continued to stroke his fingers down my hair to the tip. I rested my palm on his forehand, feeling the warmth of his skin.

“How did you like me by the way?” It was my turn to ask. How did he fell in love with me while all of these things were so rarely to happen? We had just meant. And that was more than seven days ago. “I just want to know.”

“It’s strange.” He took a deep gulp of breath, sighing through his mouth. I inhaled the air that came from his exhaled—fresh, lovely. Then he began. “When I saw you the first time at the cafeteria, I started to make a feeling with you. I wanted to follow you as you get to your classes. You know, I always appear in the hall, pathway and cafeteria. This made me think that I was already in loved.”

I tried to remember the things he stated. All of them seemed to fit on the story.

“I was love at first sight with you when you were on the rice bowls’ lane.”

There was a pause. He inhaled loudly and let out a huge grin at me. It was perfect, matched into the situation.

“I’ve also wanted to catch your attention. You know, when we went into your house. You have given me glass of water, right?”

“Oh, that? I remember,” I chuckled, bowing my head.

“You know, if you’re in my case, for example, you would do everything just to make your crush notice you.”