Ch. 7 Two Hearts

"It's alright, Pierre." said Rosaline  when Pierre tried to help her get off from the hot air balloon. Her foot had just stepped on the turf, and again, the pain struck her head.
 
From a far,  Valentin ran toward them. She  bowed her head -- trying to hide her pain from his sight.

 

"Hey, Rosie." Valentin smiled while he was pulling her close. Her nostrils smelled the sweat under his chest. It triggered the cells inside her brain to bring images of him working the entire day. In spite of it, she felt comfort by resting her head on his shoulder. It felt warm, but it wasn't long until it flashed upon her thoughts that he barely slept the night before -- taking care of her while she was fighting against fever.

"Having fun, guys?" Valentin glanced toward Pierre and then turned his head to the hot air balloon in front of him. "Yours?" he asked.

"My father's." Pierre answered briefly. He stared at her while she was leaning on Valentin's arm. The pain still sunk in her head. 

"How did you find us?"
 

Valenting smiled and then pulled Rosaline closer. "Connection, Pierre. It's called connection. So, what were you both doing here?" 
There was puzzlement on Pierre's face and Rosaline could see it, but Valentin's voice disrupted her as soon as Pierre answered him.

"You took her up? I can't believe it. She was sick, Pierre. Her fever might  get worse. "

Rosaline pulled herself away from him. "I'm fine, really. The fever had gone, and we were going home, Val."

Valentin's eyes turned darker. "Rose, are you okay? You look.... pale." He said, placing his palm on her forehead. 

Taking her arms, he said: "It's not good out here. Let's go home!"

 

Rosaline took a last glance  toward Pierre -- seeing how his body was sinking underneath the sapphire sky. She wished it had not happened-- that he had not confessed his feelings to her.
Why man and woman couldn't just be friends?

"Thanks for the ride, Pierre. I'll see you soon."

***

"Could you at least be a bit friendlier, Val?" asked Rosaline after they had left the green meadow.  She figured that Pierre had already gone and was going home by then.

Valentin stopped, turning toward her. Worries within his eyes.  "Rose, you were sick."

"I know. Still...  you didn't have to be so rude."

"Is he that important to you?"

"Of course. He's my friend."

"More important than me?"

"Val, why are you asking me this? You're my brother. He's my  friend. Each of you means so much. I don't know why we are arguing about this, but we should be going home now." She turned around, but as her mind was being twisted, she was taking the wrong direction.

Valentin grabbed her arm and held her waist. Turning her around,  he pulled her close.  Placing her left hand around his waist, he kissed her.

Rosaline couldn't breathe. She pulled her face away, but he pulled her back in the same strength. She knew he wasn't going to let her go, and there was something which had caused it, something buried deep inside his heart. His arms held her tightly.

"Val…" 

She tried to stop him, but he continued to kiss her -- circling his hand around the back of her neck while the other was holding her waist.

Opening her eyes, she found him closing his and, at that moment of reality,  she felt his sorrow, his sadness, and his passion

..... deep within his kisses.



He was angry, sad, and in the same time was being carried away by the passion she had not yet understood. For once, she had never seen him like this -- behaving recklessly and caring less about his surroundings. Almost her lifetime, she knew when he was sad, angry, or upset --  if she must name a person she knew so deeply, it would have been him. He was like an open book for her, each paragraphs and words were so familiar to her, but that day he was entirely different --  an entirely different person. 

Could it be that....? 
 
Her other hand reached the back of his neck. Pushing herself closer onto his T- shirts, her lips  entwined in one co-ordination with him.

Now...he didn't have to bend down. Her arms were around his shoulders.  His kisses became softer....

Time had stopped for them.

***

The sun set down, replacing the sapphire sky with warm lavender -- until her common sense came back. Pulling herself away from him, she ran toward the setting sun.

Her heart raced along the dusty road. Her face burned red surpassing the sky above her head.  
Question lurked in her brain. What happened? Why did he kiss her? And why did she kissed him back?

Feeling a fatigue, she had not realized of how far she had been running until she noticed a swing in the playground. Gerberas and Chrysanthemums were blossoming everywhere.  A little child shoe was lying on the ground. Out of breath, she leaned on her knees. Her arms shivered. Her face was hot as if made from red chili peppers. Sounds of sturdy paces suppressed against the ground. The scent of his cologne mingled with his sweat. She knew he was there-- right behind her.

"You must be tired. Let's go home."

Valentin walked past her --  so fast he nearly tripped.

"Val..." She finally said. "About what happened. How long have you know ... about me?"

Valentin stopped, turning his head toward her. Rosaline glanced away, barely have the bravery to look at him.  

"I knew it since you came with Ms. Eve, your mother."

"My mother? You knew... my mother?"

"Only a little. She used to come at Christmas, but never showed up again after New Year's Eve when you were four... " His voice trailed off.

"She died in a car accident, right?"

"How did you -?"

"Mrs. Ivy told me."

"Mrs. Ivy? What else did that woman tell you about? Was it the reason she kidnapped you? Is she somehow related to your mother?"

"I don't know." Her voice was  low. She was  tired with everything that had happened: Mrs. Ivy, her kidnapping, Val getting in jail, and being around him made her  nervous. "About what happened, I ..."

"I'm sorry," He cut in, "I shouldn't have done it. I shouldn't have  kissed you, but it's  the way I truly feel about you, Rose. All these times I thought about you more than as a sister. You're not my sister. I love you..."

Rosaline's heart skipped a beat. How long had he kept it?  All those times, he was in love with her.

The memories of his kisses slipped back into her mind: his lips, the softness, his sorrow,  his fingers caressing her hair. Oh, she shut her eyes and bowed her head for thinking about it.

"We must be hurry." He said,  walking faster while she was trotting behind --catching up with him. 

Looking at his back, she wondered about her own feelings  Why he made her feel nervous? What was that kiss all about?

Even though, she was relieve to know that he had finally told her the truth and  not keeping the secret from her, but the kiss... It shouldn't have happened. They shouldn't have done that.... and his statement... oh, she would blush again just to think about it.

Theme Song: "Somewhere in Between" by Lifehouse.

Next: Ch. 8 A Heartbreak


Notes: It was bound to happen. They both had the wish.