Thousand Paper Cuts

Twenty-one : thousand city lights and stars

Skye :

Love isn't just a word. It describes a feeling, that makes us convict that loving someone profoundly will be the greatest reward of all.
Even if you get nothing in return. Because love isn't about taking. It's about giving all you have.

As she slowly drank her champagne that tasted somewhat sweet, she said,
"Thanks for such a remarkable night."
He looked at her. It was an amazing vista to see beautiful green far-away fields in his eyes. "Come here" was still playing in the background.

"And", he spoke, "thanks for wearing this sexy dress."
"Hah, but..the night isn't over, Mark."
"So now what?"
She smiled because she knew exactly what to do. The musicians were now playing some song of Stardust :

If I told you I loved you
Would you love me too?

"Jesus!!!!", Mark shouted out of the blue.
She confusingly looked and asked,
"What happened? Are you okay?"
"Skye....", he continued, as his face was red, "I forgot my wallet on my bed. I'm so sorry. Shit. Shit. Shit. This is embarrassing."
She started laughing, because he was such an idiot sometimes.
"It's not even a problem", she said, "I don't have money either. We're even."
But he still worried. She realized he worried alot. About everything.
"Okay, listen...", he spoke, "you just wait here till.....I fetch my wallet and will be back in a moment."
Skye couldn't help but laugh loud enough for everyone to hear, and her laughter was smothered with the song playing.

You are brighter than Times Square
And darling, all the stars you stare

"We don't have time", she replied, "I need to show you something."
He shrugged.
"Yeah, but, probably they won't let us go without paying, so maybe we'll have to do the dishes. Either way, it'll take time. Jesus, I'm such an idiot. I swear, I have all the money in the----"
She cut him off, saying,
"Mark, not everything comes from money. Specifically happiness."
"What are you talking about?"
Beneath the table, she slowly took off her red shoes, and said,
"You have to trust me, okay?"

Mark :

Whole world was a fraud for him. And he only, completely, profoundly, believed in her.
"I'll always trust you, Skye, but what are you doing?"
He could see her bare feet, white and fragile, as if they only deserved to be touched by dew-grass and butterflies. Nothing else.
She leaned in towards him.

You are so beautiful, honey
It makes me forget myself

The candle light was flickering in the air, as she whispered,
"Run."
"Uh, what?". He was half confused, and half hoped he'd heard her wrong.
Their seat was right next to the exit, and Skye held his soft hand, which was all sweaty even in the cold. Slowly when they reached towards the wooden door, she again whispered,
"Run!"

So they ran.
And it was a terrible, terrible idea.

She was two feet ahead of him, running like a barefeet ninja, with her shoes in her delicate hands. He knew he was committing a crime in New York (the city of blinding lights and hopeless alcoholics), but he couldn't stop following her, as if there was some invisible string dragging him towards her madness. (All the best people in life are mad ones)
So while they were running along the footpath amid thousand city lights and stars, he thought maybe love reveals to you a new world--the one that has been hidden yet in front of you all the time.