Cannes | H.S

Unpredictable

Layla

I can't believe this is actually happening. I fear it all may be a cruel, yet beautiful dream. One in which I'll awaken in tears, wishing it was all a reality. He kisses me with great passion and honesty, tasting the night upon my lips, silently asking for more. Because when I shut my eyes, I see our past. I see him, holding my hand along the golden coast of Cannes, breathing in the ocean, the salt in the air, and me by his side. I remember his curiosity and hunger for adventure, wanting to steer me in that direction. I admire his knowledge of the world, admiring his way with words, adoring the way he would look at me as he speaks so, so genuinely. A man filled with passion, a man with the kindest heart. Too kind for such a cruel world. Far too kind for the likes of me. I want to be selfish in this very moment. I want to kiss him dearly, hoping he'd never leave my side, wishing he would stay the night. I want to witness the sun stretching out of the white clouds, welcoming all in the city, touching his bare skin as he remains laced in my warm sheets.

I want him all to myself, to admit to my mistakes, and carry on freely into the future. I want to kiss him the way he should be kissed; to feel what love tastes like coming from another. I want him to get lost in the thrill of it all, pleading for ultimate release as I care for him greatly. Unfortunately, I know that isn't fair. A night of bliss isn't worth a lifetime of sorrow and pain. For that reason, the tears do continue to slide down my face, touching his thumbs as he quickly wipes them away in the process. Mesmerizing and tormented eyes meet mine as we both are cautious, unsure how to proceed, attempting to float back down from the stars that remain up in the night sky.

"Please, little darling, please, don't cry. Don't do that to me."

"You have to know Harry, I never meant to hurt you back in Cannes. It was such a stupid mistake accepting such a deal with Roland. I wanted to tell you, I should have told you..."

"Yeah, you should have. But, I should have listened. I should have known that a man like him would have said anything to wipe the smile from my face."

His statement baffles me as I frown before him, unclear of the past. "What are you talking about?"

He sighs heavily, leaning against the wall in the middle of the hallway. Never in my wildest dreams did I think, I'd meet him in the hallway, conflicted as to where we go, where we stand from here on out. "That morning, I had brought you some flowers. I was so, so happy Layla. That night, was so special to me. I'm not the man the world thinks. I don't open up so easily.I keep to myself and the music. It takes time for me, but with you. Don't know, I just felt so comfortable. Like I had known you all my life."

"I know how you feel, I meant what I said to you back in Cannes."

"Three words. Those three fucking words little darling, have been the cause of many sleepless nights." He takes a step forward that I'm not brave enough to take, requesting to hold my hand in his own. "I shouldn't have believed Roland. I should have stayed and listened to you. In the moment, I just felt all the pain I had experienced in the past. But I should have known, should have known you weren't like the others."

Deep down, I fear like I don't deserve him. Perhaps that's the reason I've always preferred my own company. Maybe that's why I'm such a silent introvert, shying away from the spotlight when it's not pointed at me. Maybe I don't know how to keep one's heart safe. He realizes this, tilting my chin up softly, tracing my skin. "Did you really mean what you said just now? Do you, do you really love me?"

He smiles grandly, dimples exposed, stepping out of the shadows for the first time in years. He's my golden man, the best hour out of all hours, squeezing my hand, requesting another taste of my lips. "No words or songs could do you justice Layla James. And even though it scares the hell out of me to say it out loud, to be so open, you should know that I love you truly. From the moment I found the gum on your behind, I was stuck to you as well."