Chapter 36

“Why are you here?” I asked.

I just got out of my house and I saw Aaron was already waiting in front of my house. What was he doing early in the morning in front of my house?

“Whoaaaa! Nice ride.” I instantly went closer as I noticed he was sitting on a ducati. “Is this yours?”

He didn’t respond. I looked up at him and he was smiling brightly at me.

I was too surprised to see Aaron on a big motorcycle. This was like the first time I saw him on a sport motorcycle. Honestly, he looked very cool.

“Let’s go for a ride!” He offered as he flashed a smile at me.

“But I have to go to school.” I told him even though in my mind, I was dying to go for a ride with him.

“Can’t you skip school for me?” He asked.

“Hmmm depends.” I replied and he pouted. I laughed at his cuteness. “All right, I’ll skip school today.”

His lips curved into a smile. He instantly pulled me closer to him. He took off his jacket and gently put it on me.

“What about you?” I asked.

“You’re more important to me. I don’t want you to get sick.” He whispered softly as he zipped up the jacket.

My heart melted. He was different. He really cared about me. He had changed a lot. I could feel that he was happier now.

He grabbed a helmet and gently put it on my head.

My heart was pounding loud. I felt that he really took care of me.

I stared at him silently. He was warm, unlike the first time I met him.

“Okay. Let’s go!” He said sweetly as he put on his helmet.

I quickly hopped on his motorcycle. “I’m ready.”

He slightly looked over his shoulder. He grabbed my hands and brought them forward to wrap them around his waist. “Hold on to me tight and don’t let go!”

I smiled silently as I watched his action. I let my body relax against his back and I laid my head against him.

He then started the engine. It was so loud, even louder than a car.

Aaron was driving fast, but I felt safe. I liked feeling his back against my body. It was warm and I felt relaxed.

Aaron drove north out of the city. I didn’t care about where he was taking me. As long as he was with me, it was more than enough.

I didn’t know how many hours we had been driving, maybe three or more. There was suddenly a breathtaking glimpse of the ocean. We were above the shore, on top of the cliffs that bordered the beach here.

Aaron pulled over. He cut the engine. It was then did I realize that we already reached our destination.

I took off my helmet and Aaron grabbed it. The breeze gently splashed against my face and I felt relaxed.

Mm, I loved the beach.

Aaron suddenly took my hand and dragged me to the shore. I could hear the waves gently crashing against the shores.

We took off our shoes and began strolling along the shore as we walked side by side, hand in hand.

I closed my eyes and deeply breathed the breeze. I could hear Aaron’s soft voice singing. I breathed more, and the more I breathed, the more I felt that I was in heaven.

“Feels good, doesn’t it?” Aaron finally said and I opened my eyes.

I nodded in reply.

I didn’t know how far and how long we had been walking. We just kept walking and I enjoyed each passing second I walked by his side.

“AAAAAAH!” Aaron ran happily toward the water.

I giggled as I watched him. What made him so happy today?

“Come here Gui!” He exclaimed. “You aren’t afraid of water, are you?”

I let out a chuckle. “Of course not!”

I dropped my shoes and bag in the sand. I took off Aaron’s jacket in my body and threw it to the sand. I quickly ran to the water.

I kept my distance close from the shore as I knew that I couldn’t swim and I didn’t want to go further into the water.

“Hey!” I yelled when Aaron splashed water on me.

I glared at him and he was laughing hard.

“You’re wet now!” He laughed.

“Look! Aliens!” I pointed at the sky, trying to trick him. And when he fell for my trick, I would splash him.

He laughed instead. “Did you think that I would fall for your trick?”

I pouted. How did he know that I was tricking him? I felt so lame.

He came toward the pouting me. “Don’t be mad!”

“Hmmpf!” I looked away, acting as if I was mad.

“If you’re mad then I’m going to make you laugh!” He said as he gently pushed me to the water.

“AAAAH!” I screamed softly. I got all wet now. “YOU!”

I pointed at him and he was laughing so hard at me. He must really enjoy playing with the dumb me.

I instantly stood up and chased after him. He was running and running. I kept chasing and chasing. Sometimes I would get to splash him and push him to the water then he would take his revenge.

We built sand castle when we were tired of running and splashing each other. Sometimes he would throw sand at me or vice versa.

Almost sunset, we’d spent hours playing around and I didn’t know what time it was now.

Getting tired, I sat down on the sand facing out to the ocean. Aaron sat down next to me.

“Tired?” He asked.

“Very. But I really had fun today.” I looked at him as I flashed a sweet smile. “Thank you.”

He smiled and my heart leaped. Why did he have to have a perfect smile?

I gently laid my head against his shoulder and he put an arm around my shoulder.

I felt secure in his arm. I could swear I felt like I was in heaven.

I slowly closed my eyes as I enjoyed the breeze. Big smile was written on my face. I couldn’t feel happier.

I enjoyed every moment I was by his side. I wished that time would stop at this moment and he would be always by my side.

I thought about Aaron and me, having a small family. There was me, him, and our kids.

Silly. I smiled silently to myself. That was way too far.

I snuggled more into his arm. Slowly, I drifted to sleep.

--

The sun had set. Aaron slowly walked along the shore as he gently carried the sleeping Guigui on his back.

“I end up carrying you. What are you going to do without me?” He murmured softly as he looked over his shoulder. He was carrying Guigui carefully so that she wouldn’t wake up.

His lips curved into a smile as he heard Guigui talk in her sleep.

He thought that it was cute when Guigui kept calling his name in her sleep.

He loved it when Guigui was around him. He felt like he had the whole world.

He was happy to have Guigui. He was glad that he had met her.

She gave him the whole world. She was everything to him.

He knew in his heart that Guigui loved him as much as he loved her.

He realized how much he loved her and needed her. He knew well how much he wanted to protect her.

But he realized that there was something else…