I had a dream , a dream where I was staring at the ocean and a man with such sincere eyes stretched towards me.
As I held his hand , a certain warmth spread through me then he lifted me effortlessly, I was a little startled as he had suddenly lifted me up , I instinctively wrapped my hand around his neck , " are you okay...", he asked tenderly , I said I liked him and he said no one asked for better people , it made me question a lot of things, who was I trying to be better for?, why do I want people to like me ?, I keep on saying I deserve pain, suffering and their hatred because I believed I was the one who had made their lives miserable , they blamed me and I ended up blaming myself, what had I been doing this time.
I tightened my grip against his neck and buried my face into his chest , if he saw me now he will know something was bothering me , I didn't want him to worry. He gripped me securely and then I ft him move, his steps steady the I heard a splash, rythm of water , we had entered the ocean, his pace seemed slower now that we were on the water, " Rhea...look at the sky...", his voice softer , calm despite us being in the water , I didn't panic and I didn't hesitate either as I looked up at the sky , the sunset, glistening waters , everything that had seemed faraway was now closer.
I tilted my head back to the shore, we didn't seem so far but ~ ~ we were closer to the sky, it was like if I couldn't just stretch out my hand, the sun will be at the palm of my hand, it was ~ ~ ~ beautiful.
"You know Denver ~ ~ ~ ~", I couldn't help but look up at him, for the first time, an undefensive smile that I didn't have to guard, he looked down at me rather curious, "why?" this was relaxing, " when I first heard your name back in highschool, I thought it was weird...", "weird," he cocked his head sideways almost in disbelief, how was his name weird? did she still find it weird?, should he go change his name then ~ ~?, his thoughts was like an open book and I almost laughed at how his face had morphed to that of confusion and I couldn't help but giggle, he was adorable, "so ~ ~ ~ I kept scribbling it on my note till I got home, I looked it up and Denver meant green valley ~ ~ ", I looked up at him and his cheeks were flushed, and then we collapsed into the water.
He hurriedly went over to me, he looked worried, paniced?, I didn't know, "my legs gave out ~ ~ ~ I don't know why ~ ~ ~ are you okay Rhea, I'm sorry for dropping you in the water, are you ~ ~ ~ ~ ," his words started to muffle up and his eyes, the way the looked at me, his hands, how gentle I tender ~ ~ ~ how tender it was when he touched me, his voice ~ ~ calm, tender, I could feel my head racing unbelievably fast, and then ~ ~ ~ a burst of realization, I wasn't dazed, it felt too real for me to be dazed, I knew what itwas... "you talk too much..." I whispered, not allowing him to process it. I pulled him down and kissed him, just a peck, a slight kiss on the lips before departing almost as quickly, and when I did, Denver was beyond flustered to an amusing level. And without wasting much time, I splashed a handful of water on him, his hair sticking on his face. I stood up almost immediately. "Rhea!" he called out in disbelief or surprise, for some reason I felt cocky. "Come catch me then—" I replied in something that I couldn't recognize as my own voice. It sounded like a tease.
A crooked smile appeared on his lips as he effortlessly pulled his hair back with his hand. "You will probably be the death of me, you know," and with that, he slowly stood up, and before I knew it—we were chasing each other from the sand to the shallow part of the ocean. Careful not to slip to the deeper part, I was laughing, he was laughing. It felt strange. I couldn't remember the last time I laughed like this; it was strange yet—pleasant.
We played till we were drenched. Denver carried me and twirled me around, and for the first time, my world that had seemed so stagnant for a long time seemed to move again.
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The elevator chimed open and, both Rhea and Denver stepped out. Rhea was draped on Den's jacket. It was just as familiar as when they had finally met at that restaurant.
The halls in its usual flickering lights, and those doors opposite each other that served as a discontinuity to this night, once they entered their respective homes, this night---just like a fleeting flame will end. Denver turned to Rhea---they were both still drenched, "go inside now, take a hot bath and drink some hot tea, I will be busy tonight but I will still text you------or you can text me." He said, then he turned almost quickly---like he was in a hurry to leave.
Rhea felt that feeling again, that feeling she could define, the feeling that felt like she had been holding back... Denver..., and on instinct, she held his him by his wrist. Denver looked back at the sudden grasp of his hand.
"Rh------," "I don't know what is wrong with me------or I should know what is wrong with me, I just don't know---" her voice trembled slightly. Denver caught up to it as he fully faced her, his eyes glinting of worry and curiosity but------her hand still firmly held his. "Rhea------," he called her name once more, "I thought it was something passable, that I could just be content liking you---but these days...," she placed her hand on her chest, bowing her head down, she looked rather frustrated but at the same e, a beam of certaintity flashed through, her Denver walked stepped closer towards her, as if flushing, his eyes flickering of an emotion he couldn't decipher, "These day what -- Rhea," his voice------ as a des sounded vulnerable. Rhea looked up, her hand slightly trembling, the it felt like she"…couldn't breathe. Was this how he had felt all these years? Was it this hard to hold it in? How suffocating must it have been for him to keep this feeling to himself?" She tightened her grip around his wrist, her heart beating so fast.
"I had always been selfish, or that was what I had made myself to be, and—it just seemed I built my self-worth around that ideology. A belief that—that I had to do something for people to see me….", She took a step towards Denver, her head still lowered. Denver's gaze upon her was soft, patient, like he was waiting for her to finish.
"Now, I just want to be greedy, and in a way—I won't mind if that greed consumes me, because—if I let this slip away, there will be no sight for me."
She slowly lifted her head up, and that is when she realized that they were so close. The lights above them kept flickering, and the hallway was quiet. He stared at her, motionless, his chest somewhat tight.
"Denver…" she spoke, her voice in a light whisper. Then, everything seemed to stop moving. Denver looked down at her, his brows knit together, and then he moved in closer till no space was left between them. Then he bent lower.
"W—what did you just say, Rhea?" His voice was heavy, as if he was holding in his breath, trying to hear her once more. Maybe he heard things, or—it was probably the noise that had clogged up his ear, or something.
Her trembling stopped as his face was just...inches away from hers. "Say it again Rhea," he sounded desperate, almost like he was begging her. Rhea sucked in a sharp breath, her face turning all shades of red. "I... I... I said...I SAID I LOVE YOU," she shouted, closing her eyes as she gripped onto his wrist tighter. Her voice echoed through the vast empty halls. She had shouted it out, her inner thoughts. She had just spilled it out, but why wasn't he saying anything? She slowly opened her eyes and saw Denver. He looked relaxed, his eyes seemed to have been softened more, a somewhat tension-filled breath escaped his lips, and then a smile broke through his lips and he just laughed rather weakly, his eyes gaze locked with that of Rhea and he just pulled her in and hugged her, or rather to be said, he melted into her warmth.
Her familiar scent, her warmth, her smile, eyes, everything about her was just beautiful. He had been holding his breath for so long and now that he had heard the answer he had been waiting for, it just seemed the weight had been lifted off his chest.
"Denver...," she felt him wrap his hands around her. His jacket which had served as a coverage to her fell to the floor, as he just pulled her in and their wet bodies clung to each other.
"It's a relief...," he breathed as he embraced her more, and Rhea responded back as she held him. Now that she had said it, her chest felt lighter."Then... does that mean we are now together...?", "mmmh...," Rhea responded as a smile broke from her lips, " then.....that means I will be calling you, texting you, kissing you, hugging....", " yes, yes, yes and yes.....", they both sounded enthusiastic. Denver choked up a laughter as ge just hugged her tighter.