MILES AWAY

Chapter 9

Terrence's POV

After almost an hour of driving, the time now is exactly 7pm, we arrived in our destination and I parked near the cliff. She fell asleep along the way and as I looked at her side, I can't help but smile as I hear her soft breaths, the rising and falling of her chest, her lips slightly parted, so tempting.

I removed my seatbelt and leaned closer to her as I gently caress her cheek with my hand.

"Miles? We're here." I whispered and she stirred, slowly opening her eyes, she looked around.

"Where are we?" She asked, confused.

"You'll see." I smiled and get off the car to gather the blanket and some food from my compartment. I open her door and offered my hand. A smile in an awe formed her lips as she looked around from the outside.

The cliff where we are right now is surrounded by different kinds of trees, not that far from the mainroad. Its facing the beautiful view of city below , lights in different colors scattered from the tall and small buildings like fireflies, and above, the sun has completely gone to the other side of the world, replaced by the moon shining brightly so full, the sky so clear in darkness, stars flickering in various patterns.

I started to lay the blanket on the hood of the car and the food I bought earlier.

"How did you know this place?" She asked as I gently support her to sit on the blanket.

"I just happen to discover it when I was taking a jog in the morning lately." I answered as I joined her in the hood of the car.

"You ran this far?" She asked, shocked on her face instantly. So cute, I laughed richly with her reaction. I just nodded.

"Its beautiful here." She said and gave me her most genuine smile.

"I know, and its my cheat night tonight so, let's start with our dinner." I said excitedly and winked at her. I opened the big box of pizza and Icecream.

"Ohh!! I missed this weird combination!" She said happily and started to get a slice of pizza and shove it in her mouth carefully. I can't help but laugh in amusement. Then as she swallowed, she scooped a spoonful icecream in pistachio flavor, our favorite and ate it, giddily. This woman will be the death of me, and that's for sure.

I started to eat also as I lay my back on the windshield staring at the sky full of stars. She followed and now she's holding the container of the ice cream.

We ate in silence for a moment as our eyes completely admiring the view, and me, constantly glancing at her each time.

"When my mom died, dad was so depressed like he almost forgot he have me. So I took care and raised myself alone during those years, I'm glad you we're there for me," she pause and smiled at me. "The last words my mom said to me is that "Be a strong woman". And so I worked hard on it. I forgot to grow properly as a kid, forgot how to be carefree and acted being independent early with my age because I felt I did not have a choice. Until Carolina and Aurora came to the picture. I felt very happy, but the 'woman like' I raised with in me stayed like that. And then dad recovered overtime, he felt sorry. He said to make it up to me, we'll spend more time together. He always take me with him during business parties, with his clients, investors and other professionals in the same field. He taught me how to always act composed, that I should be like one of those women there, looking so elegant, sophisticated, to have a fine personality, classy... I thought we will have a fun bond together, but it got worst. I just want him to be proud of me. To feel his love and attention." She heave a sad long sigh.

"And so I forgot how to live carefree like I used to, the ways I wanted it to be. The way it should have been." The sadness of her voice shattering me. I hate to see her this way.

I cupped her cheeks and tuck some strands of hair behind her ear so I can see her face clearly.

"Why you didn't tell me about this?" I asked worriedly. I did not know that she lived like that with her father. I thought everything she was doing was because she wanted it.

And now, I felt I was the one who is insensitive. That I did not notice she was already hurting deep inside. Pretending that everything was fine.

She held my hand on her cheeks, her eyes pleading.
I felt selfish, just focused with my own feelings that I wasn't able to descern the things she went through.

"Terrence, I don't want to drag anyone with my own misery. You we're there for me and that was enough. But I'm sorry for pretending I was fine, I'm sorry for keeping secrets. You we're a happy kid back then, and I dont want to take it away from you." Her eyes became glassy but her emotions kept restrained. Imagining she used to cry alone without any shoulder to lean on, right now, I just wanna punch myself. But I know we can't go back to those times and change things.
I thought I've been protecting her enough but I thought wrong, there we're deeper wounds and all I wanna do is heal it, take all the pain away from her.
"Can you please promise me, that from now on, we won't be keeping any secrets?" I asked, but more of a command.
She looked at me for a few seconds then a bitter smile drawn to her lips. I saw her nod.
"Ok." She said shortly, so soft, almost a whisper. She lean closer to hug me.

"Thank you for everything Terrence." She heave a sigh that felts like she was relieved.

I didn't respond, but I hug her back, tighter, wrapping her gently, I planted a soft kiss in her hair, making her feel safe in my arms, to make her feel that she can be vurnerable in front of me.
My body screaming to protect her and to never stop loving this woman because that's what I was meant to do.
She owned me.