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He put me down as we reached the crest of the hill and my breath hitched–not from exhaustion but from the view before
- me.
The horizon stretched infinitely, ablaze with the fiery hues of the setting sun. Reds, oranges, and golds bled into one another, painting the sky with a beauty so profound it made the arduous trek worth it.
“This.” Kaiden said, his voice low and reverent, “is what I was talking about.”
I didn’t reply. I was too busy watching the scenery before me.
The sun dipped lower, casting long shadows over the landscape, while the gentle breeze carried the earthy scent of the hills. My heart, which had been a storm of emotions all day, began to calm, melting down like the orange orb in the sky.
I glanced at Kaiden, his profile lit by the golden glow. He looked peaceful, as if he belonged here, among the heavens of beauty and looking at him made my lips soft curl upwards in a smile of satisfaction.
I turned my gaze back to the orange hues and let the colour and its warmth seep into my wounded heart. “It’s beautiful,” I whispered
“Yeah. It is.” Came his voice and from the corner of my eyes, I felt like that he wasn’t looking at the sunset anymore, he was looking at me.
To confirm my suspicion, I looked aside, at him, but I only caught a millisecond glance of him looking in my direction before he turned his head and looked up. The millisecond was not enough to confirm my doubt, so I looked back at the mesmerizing scene before
ne and brush the matter off.
We found a spot near the edge, where the grass
oft and the view unobstructed. Kaiden settled down first, stretching his legs out and leaning back on his hands. I followed, folding my legs beneath me and letting out a content sigh as I watched the sun inch closer to disappearing.
The silence between us wasn’t awkward; it was the kind of silence which brought the understanding that even millions of years worth of conversation couldn’t bring.
After a while, I shifted closer and, almost instinctively, rested my head on Kaiden’s shoulder.
His body had stiffened for the briefest moment before relaxing. Neither of us spoke. It was like putting my head on his shoulder was a mundane task.
When the sun hid below the curtains of clouds and only soft orange hue was there to see. It was nice, but it wasn’t as captivating as it was while complemented by the sun.
My eyelids grew heavy, the warmth of the sun mingling with the steady rhythm of Kaiden’s breathing creating a lullaby that I couldn’t resist.
The world faded into darkness, sunny days of my life.
ut for the first time in what felt like forever, I didn’t mind. It felt brighter than most of the
The soft rumble of Kaiden’s voice broke through the cocoon of my sleep. It was faint, almost a whisper, as if he was trying not to disturb me.
“Um,” he murmured, his tone laced with something I couldn’t quite place.
The words tugged me from the haze of slumber, my eyelids fluttering open as the world slowly came into focus.
The first thing I noticed was the warmth beneath my cheek. His shoulder.
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10:39 Thu, 17 Apr
Chapter 61
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I froze for a moment, realization dawning on me—I’d fallen asleep on Kaiden’s shoulder. And, incredibly; he’d let me stay
there.
My heart softened as I blinked, trying to fully awaken. But then the series of worries began to run in my mind.
How long had I been asleep? Did 1 sleep too long? Is it night already? Well it does look like night. He could’ve nudged me awake, why didn’t he?
Oh, no! Mom is gonna kill me.
“Yeah,” he said softly to the person at the other line of the phone, his words too low for me to catch entirely.
The curiosity in me piqued and I couldn’t help but shift slightly, pretending to still be half–asleep and bringing my head closer to his neck.
His phone was pressed to his ear, and I strained to hear the voice on the other end, but it was muffled and indistinct, like a distant echo.
Kaiden, however, seemed composed, his responses brief and measured. “Please,” he said again, his voice carrying a note of urgency this time.
I frowned, confusion knitting my brows as I tried to discern the nature of the conversation. What was so important that he’d made the call without waking me? And who is this person who got liberty to the word “PLEASE” from THE Kaiden Sterwalt.*
“Okay. I will. And… Thank you!” He ended the call with a soft beep, his shoulders relaxing slightly as he lowered the phone.
The shadow of a frown lingered on his face, but it disappeared the moment he noticed me stirring.
“Who was that?” I asked, my voice groggy but curious. I sat up, brushing stray strands of hair from my face as I looked at
him.
Kaiden looked back at me, his lips curving into a smirk that seemed forced. “Finally awake, huh?” he teased, deflecting with
his usual charm.
“Yes,” I replied, straightening my posture. “Now answer my question. Who were you talking to?”
The smirk faded, his jaw tightening as though my words had struck a nerve. His hazel eyes darted away from mine, and he let out a slow, measured breath.
His sudden change in demeanour after my question made my curiosity dangerously uncontrollable. My heart was beating faster than before due to the uncertainty brought by the sudden change in the vibe between us. “Kaiden,” I repeated, my tone firmer this time. “Who?”
He clenched his teeth, the tension in his expression betraying the calm exterior he was trying to maintain. Finally, he met my gaze, his hesitation palpable.
“Rubina,” he said at last, the name falling from his lips like a confession.
I blinked, the unexpected answer catching me off guard. “Rubina?”
Why would he be talking to Rubina?
And most importantly, how?
I thought he had ghosted her.
Something about the way he said her name–the reluctance, the tightness in his jaw–made my stomach twist. There was more to this than he was letting on, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that whatever it was, it mattered. A lot.
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10:39 Thu, 17 Apr 1.
Chapter 61
To be continued…..
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