seasonal change || graire ✔️

Chapter 27

C L A I R E

      Since it's the last day of summer and everyone is busy with the festival later, I decided to ship only a few items and also prepare for the same event. This is the first time I'm actually watching a fireworks display with another person not being my brother, and the first time actually joining the Fireworks festival annually held here in Mineral Town. The Doctor invited me to join him tonight in watching the spectacular display, in which I had accepted, thinking that this can be a form of a stress reliever. I've been quite troubled lately, and I guess that even just a night of watching a beautiful fireworks display would be enough to relieve some stress I've been feeling for weeks— months, actually— already.

      I transferred the contents of my basket into the shipping bin, letting out a sigh of relief realizing that farm work is finally over. I entered my house and took out some clean overalls and a white shirt, and changed. I fixed my hair to a neat ponytail, leaving only my bangs hanging. I looked at the mirror and checked if I just looked fine. Well yeah, I looked just fine enough, so I decided to start my little adventure to Mother's Hill before heading to the festival proper.

      The waters looked still when I arrived at the lake. The wind blew softly and created some ripples on the water, as I looked down on it and stared at my reflection. The figure on the waters becomes slightly distorted whenever ripples would hit it, but I can still see how her eyes still holds that crestfallen expression in them. I've been getting better as the days pass, with my friends, and Doctor Trent being their as my support, but my heart knew that it's still very wounded until now. I'm trying to heal myself emotionally, and I'm hoping that I'll be able to find what happiness actually is after all these things that took place recently.

       I enjoyed the sceneries; watching the sunset as the breeze passed by helped me clear my mind a bit. Soon, it was turning dark, so I stood up and strolled towards the beach, already feeling the happy vibe surrounding the place whenever there would a fest to be held in the small town.

     When I reached the beach the townspeople were already having fun watching the first set of the fireworks display. I tried to search for the Doctor, walking to the docks as he told me to meet him there. I made my way, only to spot Gray standing there all alone by himself. My mind was hesitant about staying, but he already had noticed my presence and his eyes were already focused on me.

"Hey," he mumbled out, as I tried to keep a deadpan on my face. "Just stay here. I'm cool with it."

My mind kept on overthinking about what he said, but in the end, I still chose to remain here. "Okay. Thanks."

      There was silence, and it felt more uncomfortable as time went by. He just gazed at the night skies, admiring the colorful sparks lighting up the dark canvas, while I stared at their reflection on the waters, finding how they seem to brighten up the dark skies very aesthetic, very pleasing to the senses. Silence ensued until he spoke up, breaking it.

"So, I know I've been an idiot," the blond said, a small glum smile appearing on his face. "I pushed you away when I actually wanted you by my side. I've hurt you so much, and that's because I was selfish."

I kept quiet, just listening to him.

"I'm afraid to feel pain once again. I'm afraid to undergo the same thing I've undergone for years. I'm scared to be hurt by you, but those were all just my excuses," Gray continues. "I've always put the blame on you because I don't want to admit that it's all my fucking fault why this happened. If I have just accepted the truth before, that you like Trent, or rather, if I have just fought for you, then this wouldn't have happened.

"I was such a coward, Claire, and that's what made me lose you."

      My chest started to feel heavy at his words. My eyes started to sting, but I tried to hold on my tears from falling. I let him continue with his words, hearing him out.

"But I knew now. I've learned from my mistakes. I may be late, but I'm going to take you back. I'm going to do what I should've done way back before everything."

"I'm going to do my best, to show you how much I love you, Claire Adams."

     I wasn't able to control it anymore. My tears flowed down my cheeks, and I found myself being nuzzled by him, as he tried to comfort me awkwardly.

"H-hey," he stammered, as he uneasily rubbed circles on my back. "Please stop crying. D-did I say something wrong?"

"Why now, Gray?" I asked him, as I sobbed on his chest.

"Why now when I'm starting to move from you?"

"I love you. I love you so much that it hurts to stay away from you. That two years I've been gone, all I can ever think is how would life be for me if I just realized that I love you as well much earlier. It hurts so much that you've shoved me away, and it pains me to think that all I can do was to grant your wish, to stay far from you, because I don't want everything to get worse between the two of us..." I cried, pouring out all of my emotions. "I love you, too, Gray Williams. I really, really love you, too."

"So would you be my girlfriend, Claire?"

His eyes were passionate, as he held my dainty hands tightly, like he was telling me that everything he's saying right now is a promise he'll never ever break. "I'll do everything to show you that I love you. I'll prove myself, I'm going to prove that I won't hurt you anymore. I'm going to prove how much I really care for you, how much I love you. I really do, Claire. I really—"

But before he could even finish everything he was saying, my own words cut him off.

"Yes, I'll be yours, Gray."

-
Ok so I know I haven't been writing for this story, but that doesn't mean that I've forgotten about it. Sorry for the lack of updates, and this isn't even satisfying. I'm going to do my best in the next chapter. Thanks for reading and voting! Love you all... ♥

~namjinnity
06.24.18