The Devil's Love

||. Chapter 19: Million Reasons .||

Love had always been complicated. 

Her inexperience about this topic left her wrapped in a large wisp of cotton candy clouds. 

Ansel's fingers traced across the page of the current book she was reading, pondering over what Angelo had confessed an hour earlier. Unlike certain books where the lovers go on and on about their love towards each other, Angelo's confession had been rather blunt, detailed and sharp. She admitted that she was taken aback by it, yet it warmed her heart a little to know that there is someone who could still love her for who she is. Lifted her head from the page, Ansel closed the book, settled it by the side before turning to face Angelo who seemed to be distracting himself with the silver-plated book.

"Angelo," Ansel called out softly, stirring his movement which had been a little too stiff for her liking. "About what you said, I..."

"I admit it. It's stupid. It's too blunt. Is there any possibility that you can forget it?" Angelo questioned with a shaky breath, his book tossed aside despite the wet soil that caked the edges. "I hope it doesn't destroy our friendship. Demanding for your friendship when I first met you was already too much since you barely know me. This is similar to asking you to dive into the ocean and get me a diamond fish."

Ansel chuckled. She noticed the pink hues covering Angelo's pale face. His palms clenched onto his dark shirt tightly as if he was about to rip it apart. She could make out the trembling lines against his fingers when he shook them gently. Carefully, her black eyes studied his features. Their eyes both travelled in various directions since he confessed. She didn't know Angelo would be a shy person even though she understood that he would do anything to avoid major attentions even the slight compliment on his naturally pale skin. Wiping her palms at the back of her shirt, Ansel placed her palms atop Angelo's shaky ones.

"You are not asking for too much. I must say, I am impressed about what you did," started Ansel and their eyes finally met as she smiled, wrapping her palms assuringly around his. "What you said earlier Angelo, that is a start of something. Thank you for loving me even though I can be hard to handle at times. You would have noticed it anyway. Is there a possibility we can take things slow? You said it so abrupt that you love me and I had no idea which direction you were choosing."

The male hung his head low with tiny nods. Dark fringes covered his rosy cheeks. He placed his other palm on Ansel, gripping onto her fingers tenderly and brushed them. Her acceptance for him was his own bliss. Even though it was the slightest percentage, Angelo savoured it. He swallowed the gathering lump in his throat before studying Ansel's determine gaze with adoring eyes. Casually, he nodded at her words. 

"Sure, we can take things slow, a path that you will be comfortable with," admitted Angelo, his fingers reached up to brush Ansel's fringes away from her face gently. "I know truly that I love you, so, Ansel," he said with a pause, sucking in the air around him. "Will you be my girlfriend? I promise I will be by your side regardless of what is written in your future."

Ansel went silent for a moment. Her left eyebrows arched at the boy's question only to chuckle when Angelo began fiddling around his seat like a six-year-old child whose toy had been snatched away.

"I might say yes," she teased, earning his full attention before placing her finger in front of his lips, just a few centimetres from touching it. "I just want you to answer me truthfully. Why did you choose me?"

She did not expect the wide smile on Angelo's face. It was hard to see him smile, let alone this huge. It looked as if his face could crack into a million pieces. She regretted not having a phone with her or else she would have captured it.

"You are different in many ways," started Angelo as he looked up into the stars. "You don't care what others think about you. The way you react around people doesn't look like you are begging for attention even though I am aware that in the human age, it seemed to be standardized that it is the age for dating. You hold your ethics strongly even though you work a hard path. You know what you are doing and has a kind heart. I love your laughter, smile, and words even though they seemed too harsh at times. Despite your adoration for fantasy books, you leaned onto reality when you are away from them. I can't put in more words Ansel if that is what you want, but I do know you are you and you are not fake. I love you for you."

Ansel tilted her head up to look into the shimmering stars in her skies. She found no words to reply for the moment. Needing the time to register what he had said, Ansel shut her eyes recalling the similar words her mother had told her when she was younger. Biting onto her lips, she blinked back the threatening tears and breathed out a short sigh of relief at the satisfying answer.

"Thank you, Angelo," she finally replied after steadying herself, not realizing that both of them had been holding hands as the time passed. "I'll be your girlfriend. That's a start. We'll just work things our way up with time."

When the gentle breeze swiped across their figures, Ansel leaned forward, her fingers tangled with Angelo and planted a soft kiss at the corner of his lips. She smiled, looking up at Angelo who blushed. The pink colour fit his personality because through her attentive eyes they seemed to be something missing from his delicate features. Something that made him looked human. Ansel reached out to pick up her book, gesturing for her boyfriend to return to their home since the wind was getting chilly.

"Yes!" Annika's voice broke the intense silence when Angelo wrapped his arms around Ansel's shoulder, kissing her cheeks. "It's about time they both of you talk it out!"

Ansel looked up to the window to see Annika placing a high-five too excitedly to the two brothers. She shook her head, stopping her tracks and crossed her arms.

"When did you guys return? Didn't even bring me supper, I assume?" Ansel teased only to have Annika disappearing from the window. "Yea, I guessed that. Go get a bath you three stinky squids."

Ansel laughed, seeing the brothers disappeared as she headed back in to settle the book on the table. She headed towards the stairs only to stop when Angelo followed her. She crossed her arms, turned around and peered at the boy with a raised eyebrow.

"I thought we might be you know..."

"Real funny Angelo," declared Ansel, a sly smirk on her face. "You are not coming into my room yet. Those books you have been reading from my shelf, they are just books. Don't get them wrapped around your brains, will you?"

Angelo giggled at her words. He acknowledged, lifting his palms in defeat and took steps backwards.

"Sure, I respect that. I will keep that teaching in mind too. Sleep well then, princess," he said, heading back to his room and Ansel swore she saw him skipping like a kid.

Shaking her thoughts away, Ansel headed back up to her room and laid down on her bed as she stared at the moonlight window by her left. Her dark eyes glanced at the stars dancing alongside the moon. 

She questioned her readiness for this new step in life. 

Taking a new challenge and committing herself to a relationship sounded too much for her stubborn self, but she trusted her feelings and judgement towards Angelo. Draping the blanket across her body, Ansel smiled picturing Angelo's perfect features in her mind.

"Love you too, stone-faced tapioca."