บท 31: A Perfect Match
<<Francine>>
"Charlie, you okay?"
"Huh?"
"I said - you okay? You look distracted."
"Oh no, I'm fine!" I lied.
Truth is, I was far from fine. Ever since I met Charlie's dad and heard his words before I left, everything I was and everything I did came back to me. I felt like my life went by a blur and now- just a few months ago- my future was crystal clear to me. I could see myself exactly where I wanted to be - the throne, the crown, the people chanting my name, and my brother standing by my side, grinning like a little kid.
Right now, that was hazy.
Blurred.
I could not imagine that anymore.
Jeremiah stopped in his tracks and stared in my sea-green orbs for a few seconds as if searching for something. And then after a while, he spoke.
"For some strange reason - I know you're not," He said.
I had no idea how he managed to read me like a book- how he always knew what was going on in my head - not the exact thing- but he could tell when I was worried or happy or when a lot of thoughts occupied my brain. There was a tug in my heart urging me to tell him the entire thing that was bothering me and then, there was my head which forbid me from doing this.
I could lose everything with one wrong move.
Just one wrong move.
And everything I knew and came to know,
Shall be gone.
We were in the same park that we visited during our not-date, except for the fact that it was a date this time. I stared at the distance, my mind racing a million miles a minute.
"Hey," There were taps on my shoulder. I turned to see Jeremiah watching me intently.
"What?"
"Do you trust me?"
I narrowed my eyes. "What did you just say?"
He repeated, opening his palm. "Do you trust me?"
I took his hand, a small smile forming on my face.
"Yes."
His lips curled into a wide smile.
"Then I know exactly what'll make you feel better."
---
"Jeremiah, where are we going?"
All I could hear was pure laughter.
"Patience is a virtue, Charlie. And if I remember correctly - you said you trusted me."
Yes, but if you're making me sit in a car and blindfolded me, it only gave rise to an insatiable curiosity in me. My mind raced to all the million possibilities that existed. The good, the bad, the everything. Where could he possibly take me to? Was he going to kidnap me? Did father find out I was here and notices had been sent and he was taking me back to Titania?
No.
No.
No.
That was not possible.
Brother would have informed if something like that happened.
"Please, Jeremiah?"
"Nope."
"Pretty please with a cherry on top?"
"Absolutely not. It'll ruin the surprise."
---
"And...we're here!"
Jeremiah slowly untied the piece of cloth that had blindfolded me for about an hour now. My eyes fluttered open, my blurry vision clearing every second to see the beach. The sounds of the waves crashing against the shore hit my eardrums, the cool breeze played with my hair, and the sand beneath me was comparatively warmer.
Did I ever tell you that I always wanted to visit the beach but could never do it?
Jeremiah stared at me, waiting patiently to get any sort of reaction from me. I had no idea what to give him. Surprise? Happiness? What?
Honestly, I was totally speechless by the gesture.
"So...?"
"Thank you, Jeremiah." It was all I could say at that moment. I did not know how to describe my ecstasy. Should I be jumping around and playing in the ocean or should I quietly sit at the shore and watch the waves as they crash against the shoreline, feeling the chilly water touch my feet?
I was never this confused in my entire life.
"Charlie?" The voice brought me back to reality. "What are you doing there standing? Come here!"
"Uh..."
He joked. "Don't tell me you're afraid of the waves!"
When I didn't speak further, his eyes widened.
"No, you can't be serious."
I nodded. Although I didn't know if I was afraid of the waves because I'd never been to a beach in my whole life, this was much believable than saying the truth.
Jeremiah sighed, running his hands through his wet hair but then a smile curled on his lips. I couldn't tell if it was a mischievous one or a genuine one because of the dark.
Speaking of dark, I hadn't realized it was dark already. Due to the work at the restaurant and the hospital runs, I rarely got any time to appreciate the nightlife in the city. Until tonight, I almost didn't remember that I wanted to visit the beach. Brother and Jamie always had the freedom to visit anywhere they loved and one of the places they visited was the beach.
They always said, "There is nothing more peaceful than the water."
All of a sudden, there was a loud splash of water and the next thing I knew, I was standing frozen on the spot, shivering while Jeremiah laughed to his heart's content. He clutched his heart, his laughter being the only sound of joy heard. One of the waves almost drowned him when he knelt in the water.
For that one second, I forgot everything.
And I became a kid again.
"Jeremiah Dominique, you are so so dead!"
I chased him down while he ran for his life. I must admit, he was a fast runner - with the lean legs and all- it made running a lot easier. It was a friendly chase. He raced across the water while I followed him closely on his heels. My secret training for sixteen years finally came to aid when I could push him into the water. He fell with a loud thump followed by a splash which completely drenched me and smudged my makeup.
Jeremiah laughed again, but this time, I laughed along at whatever stupid thing we were doing. He managed to drench me twice while I could do it only once. I pacified myself that I'd get back at him some day and settle the scores.
"Ha! I drenched you twice!" Jeremiah declared, pumping fists in the air.
I crossed my arms against my chest. "I'll get back at you, mister. Just wait for it."
"I'll hold you to that- now pull me up!" He extended his arm for me to pull.
I took his arm but was too late to figure out that it was a prank. Instead of getting on his feet, he pulled me towards him and made me get a taste of the salty water. He pursed his lips, trying to control the laughter that was waiting to come out while I shot him my deadly glare. This was three times in a row that he had drenched me but somehow, looking at his face and his chocolate brown eyes, my anger melted. It seemed like the tough girl softened and melted around him.
His eyes twinkled in the darkness and I swear I could see the sky in his eyes. The stars that twinkled in the sky reflected in his chocolate brown eyes and also when I looked closer, I could see myself in his eyes. A vague, black silhouette.
We stared at each other for perhaps a few minutes, but each passing minute felt like a lifetime. I realized that I could spend my whole life just staring at how hypnotizing his eyes were. It was as if a spell had bounded us which had no reverse spell to break it off. Weird feelings started brewing inside of me- something completely foreign, something that I could not point my finger at.
I didn't know if he could feel the same. This weird...attraction? This pulling force that always managed to pull us together no matter how far apart. This strange sensation? I had never felt this in my entire life.
It was the exact moment when I heard vague music from somewhere around the beach. It was a tune to some song that I was familiar with. I could feel Jeremiah smiling beside me. That was when his lips moved and an angelic voice came out.
He sang the song 'A whole new world'
He got up and pulled me with him, singing his heart out to the chorus of the song. The only reaction he got from me was how dumbfounded I was! I mean, how many talents did he have?
He was an artist.
He had a great sense of humor.
He was playful.
And now, he knew how to sing and also waltz?
He twirled me on my heel, grabbing my waist and my hands finding its way towards his neck. We slow danced to the music while he softly sang the song. I did know the lyrics but his voice made me forget the rest of the lyrics. Not just that, it made me forget almost everything else. That was the feeling that I got when I was around Jeremiah Dominque.
I forgot everything.
"I can't sing the female part, so princess?"
For a second, I froze when I heard the word 'princess' rolling out of his mouth. But then I quickly relaxed before he could figure out what happened, realizing that it was just a nickname and meant nothing else.
I sang along with him this time around and felt the reality slowly slipping away from our hands. Right now, it was just Charlie and Jeremiah. No Princess. No Royalty. No 'not being seen with the commoners -rule'. Nothing was there between us. It was just us, dancing and enjoying each other's company while singing to a song that we could only hear vague music of. It was mostly us singing without the music.
---
"It's beautiful, isn't it?"
"Yeah, it is."
My head snapped towards his direction to see him staring at the sea, an unconscious smile playing on his lips. I felt a pang of disappointment in my chest as I thought he was talking about me. You know, all those romantic books where the girl asked the guy if it was beautiful without her knowing that the guy was already watching her when he answered.
Jeremiah ran his hand through his hair, drying it. "I used to come here when I was a kid. My grandma loved this place."
I frowned. "Loved ?"
His smile fell. "She passed away when I was seven. I still come here and reminisce about her memories."
"I'm so sorry."
He shook his head, smiling again. "Why are you sorry? It's not your fault."
"This place must mean a lot to you, then."
"It does."
I never remembered who my grandma was. The only time I saw her was through pictures that were on my father's desk. He never talked about her nor let anyone talk about her in the castle. It must've been hard on him to lose that one person who was so close to him besides my mother. He lost both of them in the same year.
"It must've been hard on you."
He shrugged. "Nobody said it would be easy. That's the thing about life, princess. Nothing is ever easy and nothing lasts forever. The things that are easy to get are the very things that lose their importance. But the things that are hard to get and remind you each day that you can lose it, anytime - are the things that are precious to man. And to have a breakdown after losing it would be an understatement."
"Wow," I said. "I never thought you could think this deep."
He chuckled. "For someone who has gone through so much in his twenty-four years of life, deserves a wisdom bone in his body. Don't you think?"
I nodded, unable to form speeches in my head.
He stared at his feet. "I don't know why I told you all this. It's just...I feel like I wouldn't be judged when I talk to you and this place suddenly brought a wave of memories with it."
I placed a hand on his shoulder. "Do not ever think you will be judged by me, Jeremiah. I am glad you shared this with me and I promise you, I would never judge you."
He gave me a sad smile, cupping my hand. "Thanks, Charlie. You have no idea how much that statement means to me."
I smiled back.
You know, in all these ten-months that I'd been here, living as Charlie, were the best months of my life. I had lived an entire lifetime here. If someone told me more than ten months ago that my life would take a 180-degree turn, I wouldn't have ever believed it. I was pretty sure, no one would.
It was refreshing to find someone who treated me for me and not for a future Queen of Titania. He wasn't like any other guy that I'd ever met. Every other Prince was snobbish, cold, and only thought about themselves and politics. But he...
He was different.
Different from everyone else.
A perfect match.
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