Journey of Life.

Chapter 35.

"Was it him, who encouraged you to dance?" He asks curiously. It surprised me. Sometimes when you talk to James, he doesn't seem to be listening to you, but he actually hears everything without losing any single detail.

"Yes. He always wanted to see me in the theatre world, and only when I had the school exhibition was the day he died." I sigh. "So he couldn't assist his wish to come true."

"And was that the reason you stopped dancing?" He has a calm voice now. I don't stare at him, in the sense I don't like going back to the past.

"I understand, don't worry." He says seeing me not responding. We just wait for the traffic light to turn green.

"Actually, it was mainly all caused by insecurities and brainwashing that I did." I respond looking out the window. The people I frame in another car smile with joy, aka a couple. She has bright eyes while he's lost in her laugh.

"Like what?" He asks by lighting a cigarette. From the reflection I see him touching his face, while the finger of the other hand taps on the steering wheel. Which means he's nervous.

"You would think I'm a problematic, full of complexes." I retort touching my hair. His nervousness is also affecting me. I look away as I hear him laughing. "There is nothing funny, James."

"Well. It's you who thinks that, I haven't opened mouth." To that answer I become a rock.

"Which makes me clear that this is how you define yourself." He looks at me seriously. Those green eyes catch me more and more, so I don't look at them that much.

"It is not a question of defining ourselves, but rather refining ourselves." I take big breath. "And you? Have you ever had weaknesses that you had to face?"

"That's really a dumb question Iris." He says with a tone kinda angrily. "I prefer not to talk about it. More than anything else what happened has happened. So I find useless to travel through time."

His coldness highlights more and more with the passing of minutes. When we get to the destination, James orders drinks straight away while I look at the restaurant in amazement. It's really elegant as well as the people are. Where everything is themed between white and gold.

I sigh as soon as I check the menu. Everything is so expensive, I don't want him to pay me. Well, I choose something that is cheapest.

"You can take whatever you want." He says taking a sip of red wine.

"I'm not that hungry." I lie. "I'll get a cheeseburger and fries. Oh, and some tiramisu for dessert. You?"

"Luckily you weren't that hungry." He says laughing silently. "Anyway some wine?"

"I can't drink, remember?" I say embarrassed. I mean I'm still eighteen, so I'm supposed not to touch any alcohol yet.

"You still haven't told me what you intend to study." He asks, cutting elegantly a piece of meat.

His eyes are so intense, they stare at me with profound interest. That's why I stop eating, I think to have looked stupid when I gave a huge bite to the hamburger, it's bigger than my face almost.

"I want to be a teacher but I also want to specialize to become a psychologist. I'll be going to Princeton University."

He laughs silently when I give another big bite to the hamburger. "What about you? Are you a senior?"

I put my hand over my mouth, I'm having a hard time digesting. "Yeah, one more semester and I'll graduate. At Harvard University."

He was about to say something else but he stops himself and decides to drink. "Let me guess, business?"

He sighs. "Thomas wants me to continue with his business, so he has everything already planned for when I'll have to work for him."

His voice doesn't sound happy. "You'll have to stop acting in order to follow your father's footsteps?"

He becomes cold and distant. "I mean, is it what you want?"

He does not reply, rather he just keeps drinking and refilling his glass with more wine. From his tone makes me understand that, no, it is not what he wants. Obviously I felt the need to ask him again what were truly his passions but I think I would have been inappropriate, so I limit myself eating.

As soon as I finish, he gets up and holds out his hand. "Let's dance."

I smile and after wiping my mouth with the napkin, I get up and touch his hand. We end up in the center, in the company of others. Feeling that warmth and holding his hand tight make me rekindle our first dance.

The song is, Unchained Melody. It is a slow dance that allows me to relate everything in slow motion. Also what's around us. I can admire this big chandelier suspended above us. It's beautiful. I will never forget this day. And it's all thanks to him. All I do is smile, this time watching others dance following the voice of love. Some are resting on the shoulders of their lovers, or some on their chests while we prefer to look at each other.

After a few dances, with a smile he takes my hand and leads me somewhere. We move away from the people, climbing various stairs to end up on a large balcony. I can see the beautiful view of New York in the distance. How beautiful the world is. I am happy to be able to enjoy all this. Seeing me tremble from the cold, he covers me with his jacket. Plus he touches up my neck to bring out the hair stuck in it. I think also to give him the chance look deeply into my eyes.

"Iris." He says quietly. "You're so damn beautiful."

I am so nervous, so I move away from his warmth. I still feel my hands tremble, to immediately reassured as his are beside me. Enough to feel again his warmth.