Detour

13: Falling Heights

"Wear this." Astrid throw the dress straight to my face after I mentioned Cole will treat me to somewhere he knows.

I asked her to come with me when we came back from the grocery store but she refused. She had "more" important things to do. What more important things to do aside from sitting here in my flat or Cole's, or just watching movies indoor all day? Do please explain As.

"What the hell is this?" I groaned seeing the black backless glittering in all its shining glory. "I know what this is but," I rolled my eyes and lay my back against my matress. "We're not doing something As. It's never a date, it's just—"

"Romantic." She sighed dramatically as she made a thump, laying her back beside me. "My brother is soooo lame. If he wants a girl like you, he could've just asked a back-up—which is his gorgeous sister by the way. I'll be a so much support and he don't have to be so lame in preparing dates." I chuckled and rolled my eyes again. "...I can help him get close to you—"

"STOP." I laughed, "There's nothing going on like that. We're just...hanging out." I faced her, "And besides, your brother can get any girl he likes and, I got mine on mind already." I giggled, don't even know who i'm referring to. Crazy, Vince isn't the one who i'm referring to—and absolutely not Cole!

She shrieked, "Damn! What did Cole do to make you like this?" There are hearts everywhere in my room now. But of course I broke them with my laser eyes.

"Shut up. It's not Cole and it's not even cool." Smiling, I shook my head and stood up. "I should get dress now so pick me something less "showy"." I winked and head to the bathroom. "God, I shouldn't have told you about our plans." I joked, my voice echoing.

"OUR PLANS?!" She bursted before I could get my ears removed.

"WOW. What is this place?" I almost whispered, caught breathless after seeing this heavenly place only he knows where. My eyes can't even stop twinkling! Can't even look at him! I'm not really fond of cliffs but the cliff he just taken me is...woah.

"You ready to die?" He chuckled.

God, I've never been this ready to die with someone like you—

"What?" Cole, looking puzzled as ever.

I hit my head and jumped off the cliff in my mind as I realized I said those words out loud. What are you doing?! "Ha!" I supressed a laugh, "I'm joking." Stupid mind. Don't you dare. "If dying means to see this beautiful view in my whole life, then yes," I saw and felt home in his eyes. Those warmth and its temptation of leaning in. "...take me home."

"Take you...what?" He had this boyish grin like i've told him to take me home with him!

Holy shit. Did I...

"I-i mean, the view." Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. I hurriedly faced the cold view of Amsterdam, shore of city lights, and the part where it shines just under the moon as my face starts to heat up. "It felt like home. Yeah." I smiled shortly.

Way to go Jess. Good job. Really.

God, I don't know why his eyes had this effect on me! Or his...looks or whatever it is! This is me getting weirder! I hate it how I embarass myself when I can just jump the cliff right now and stop torturing myself.

He's not Vince but why the hell is he trying to make me a fool out of myself?
No, he's not even trying and that's what he and Vince have in common!

I just sighed and closed my eyes for being an ass.

"I see." He chuckled and went back inside his car to get the chips and beer we bought before heading our way here. I opened my eyes as I felt him leaned in the front of his car just two inches away from me and hand me the chips for us to start eating.

"...I was just beginning to ride a motorbike back then when I started to join the motocross here in Amsterdam." He started as he gulped down some beer, glanced shortly in my direction and got lost in the view again. "I was proud to make it to the finish line as the top three but," he paused, "somewhere along the game, a kick has made contact straight to my left waist, lost my control and accidentally let myself sprawled broken eight meters away from where we stood now." His voice came low as I felt him looked at me.

A guy telling a story about his past is really something.

I looked back at him and found those hazel eyes sad. "W-what about it? Did they...took you to the Hospital or what? Sure you're broken as hell, aren't..."
Holy shit. He's taking off his shirt from the back without breaking the eye contact! "...you."

Is the earth burning or just my face? Can anyone tell me why is this gorgeous guy is stripping in front of me? Front!

"Jess open your eyes." I realized I closed my eyes as soon as his shirt is off.

"This is happening too fast Cole—"

He laughed so hard that I have to put both of my hands in my face. Shit. Go and embarass yourself more Jess!

"C'mon, this is not me seducing you or anything." His breath is fanning my hands, which I presume, he's really in front of me.

Oh, too bad.

"I'm just going to show you something." He even laughed harder!

I don't trust you on what you're going to show me Cole. That better be good.

I heard his steps shuffling like he turned his back to me. "Jess, open your eyes now."

That's it. I opened my eyes, seeing his bare and broad shoulders in front of me. Rated PG, I should never look at it but what's there to lose right?

Nothing trivial, the guy had muscles everywhere. Shit, even his back looked like Vince's. "W-what is this? Why are you—"

"Calm down." He chuckled, "Below my left shoulder, you'll see a cliff and a star." I roamed my eyes carefully—you know, maybe I'll get lost and be seeing something I don't want to look at— "You see it?"

I gasped when I saw something is drawn in black ink. I slowly nod even though he's just seeing the half of my face as he look past his back. "Is this...permanent?" Unsure to ask if this is a real tattoo! Unsure if you can trace his tattoo with your fingers? This guy has a tattoo!

Oh my God, how cool is that?

He put his shirt back on after and went back to his position before he let me see his tattoo. I was confused, but he started talking before I could ask. "Permanent as the scar used to be." He went back to his place and drank his beer again, "I know the scars won't be forgotten even though you chose to, but the memories will always be there." He smiled.

I'm going to retort a "Too deep, huh?" But it's not a good time to insert so I just eat my chip and listen to him.

"...but I've never been that proud Jess." He look at me.

We're both now facing each other. I look back at him, heart thumping. What is this thing?

"Nobody got me but myself." He smirked, "Broke my limb, got scars, permanently," he paused, shrug. "But I never gave up." Looking back at the sea of lights below us, he sighed. I can feel he's sad. "And after all these years, this is all i've got. This place and the memories attached to it." He faintly smiled, my eyes never leaving him.

I know there's something in there. I know it's private. And I can feel it.

I stayed quiet, letting the wild beating of my heart consumed my hearing.

"I've been lonely for so long Jess, and this place," sadness creeping in every word, he just smirked it off. "I just can't give it up."