Ciara could feel her heart racing as she rested her face in Jerry's chest.
His strong masculine scent increased her thumping heartbeat, and yet she also felt a form of safety in his embrace.
She felt shrouded by something strong and firm. Despite Jerry being far weaker than she was, and despite all the loss he had suffered in her presence, she had never felt so safe.
And hearing him utter those words…
"I just want to protect you."
… Ciara felt her cheeks burn up, and her lips unconsciously formed a soft smile.
Why did she like hearing him say such things to her?
Why did her body instantly turn to jelly the moment those words graced her ears?
How could someone weaker than her even muster the courage to utter such a statement?
And finally… how could she feel so much from those simple words?
These mysteries were encapsulated in three words, and Ciara knew them. She had known them for so long, but somehow she had been unable to voice them out.
… At least, until now.
"J-Jerry, I—"
"I love you, Ciara." Jerry's words cut her off before she could conclude her confession.
His calm, confident tone caused Ciara's entire body to shudder as his words played over and over in her head.
"W-what..?"
She felt like she was going to turn insane due to how overwhelming it was for her to hear something she had waited her whole life to witness.
"I said I love you, Ciara." Jerry's words came once again, and she slowly felt him pull away from her.
'No… not yet!'
She didn't want him to stop hugging her.
She didn't want to stop resting on his broad chest.
She certainly didn't want to stop listening to the melody of his racing heartbeat.
However, Ciara was too weak to resist his pull and push. She could only flow wherever her heart went, and right now… Jerry held it in his palm.
With their bodies now apart, Jerry's handsome face now became evident to Ciara, and so did the genuineness of his confession. His soft smile, his pretty eyes… everything about him added so much intensity to his confession that Ciara felt her heart might explode.
Looking at his face after hearing how he felt about her made her feel like she would collapse under the weight of her own feelings.
They devoured her from the inside… until she had no choice but to open her lips and set them free.
Those three words she had kept for years…
"I-I love you, Jerry! I love you too!"
Her heart felt liberated the moment she released her inner outcry. Her tears dried almost instantly, and her glossy lips slowly formed a smile.
She stared into his eyes, and he stared back. She could see hints of surprise on his face, most likely due to her confession, but none of that mattered now.
The most important thing was that she had said it! She finally did it!
'What now? What will happen now? What will you do now?!' Ciara didn't know, and that brought her both excitement and fear.
The ball was in Jerry's court, and her heart raced, waiting for him to do something… ANYTHING!
… And he did.
Swiftly moving his face, letting the wind carry his hair backward, Jerry sent his lips crashing on Ciara's. Her lips were already waiting for him, and as they locked onto each other, the two held onto each other's faces and kissed passionately.
The climax of their time together.
What had started out as an awkward, tense moment had now escalated into one of pure passion and love.
Jerry's hands rested on Ciara's, encapsulating them into his as he kissed her even deeper than before.
The connection they had established was transcendental.
It felt beyond the bounds of anything that existed… birthing something inexplicably powerful.
Something no one could know.
Not yet.
And then, once they finally ceased their kiss and looked each other in the eye, they were already tightly holding each other's hands.
"After living ten years without you, I realized it… how much you mean to me, Ciara…"
It wasn't up to ten years for her, but Ciara definitely couldn't live without him either.
Hearing that he felt the same brought an infinite amount of joy to Ciara—one that could not be defined.
"I… don't ever want to let you go." Their faces drew closer once more, like magnets unable to resist each other.
The noise and music of the party in the backdrop became nothing more than a blur. The universe… all of existence seemed to vanish.
Only these two existed in each other's eyes.
"Me too, Jerry." Ciara finally spoke up, and they resumed their kiss, completely consumed in their love.
Their undying love.
'Me too…'
*********
Two people were currently walking side by side, their faces filled with smiles and occasional laughs as they conversed.
The party was a short distance behind them, but they seemed to be increasing that distance with their current walk.
On one side was Aloe Vida, and on the other was Maro Smith.
Nothing akin to awkwardness seemed to be present in their discourse, and their faces clearly depicted enjoyment. They were certainly having fun.
However…
"I can't believe that happened. Haha! A lot really occurred during those ten years, huh?" Aloe laughed hard as she looked at Maro's chuckling face.
"Yeah… a lot happened." His voice trailed a little, but he still had some chuckles left before finally falling silent.
After those words, none of the two spoke for about a minute.
They also stopped walking.
Instead, they gazed up at the sky, watching its magnificent beauty with smiles etched on their faces. It was a solemn sight, one that encapsulated both beauty and melancholy.
"Indeed. You even got married… and you have kids now too." Aloe's lips formed a smile as the stars were reflected in her eyes.
"So much has changed."
*
*
*
[A/N]
Well, this chapter certainly took a lot out of me.
Emotions have always been… well problematic for me, so I hope you enjoyed the chapter.
I certainly did!
