Secrets and Shadows
Anne's Point Of View
With each passing moment, I was filled with both exhilaration and apprehension that accompanied the event. The music was vibrant and the lights danced warmly over the people. Mr. Miller's company was delightful and for the first time ever, I couldn't control my inner self and found myself getting attracted to him.
"Would you like to go outside again?" he offered in a very low voice that was inviting.
I nodded, looking forward to a reprieve from the constant gaze of the crowd. As we walked towards the grand doors, the outside air was freezing, and I inhaled deeply trying to defeat the erratic beats of my heart.
"Are you experiencing any pressure?" he looked at me with a concerned look in his eyes.
"Quite a little," I replied. "I mean all of this is new and exciting, and at the same time, I have all these people's eyes on me."
He moved closer, his shoulder almost touching mine. "You are coping very well. Just, don't forget, you do not have to fight this battle by yourself."
I shifted my gaze upward, locking my eyes with his. I could tell that he was being honest. "I appreciate your presence. I would not want to embark on this journey with anyone else."
Nodding his head, the corners of his mouth lifted in a small smile and then his hand extended towards me, palm up. The heat from his palm made me freeze. "It is nice to hear that."
We strolled along with our arms intertwined, beneath a sky adorned with stars. The soft winds swayed the trees around us and I was caught up in a kind of closeness that I had not expected.
"Can I ask you something?" I queried, disrupting the serene atmosphere.
"Anything," he said, still looking at me.
"Why are you protecting me? What do you have to do with Anne?"
His stoic countenance made me believe he meant every word and needed to think before he spoke again. "Your sister was. . . unique. She's got this luminosity that draws people in. It was her courage, her deficiency that captured me. Yet such circumstances prevailed that could potentially compromise her safety."
"What kind of compromise?" I pushed, both frightened and curious at the same time.
He accidentally turned his gaze away and almost signed. "There were those who sought to exploit her, and I could not allow that to occur. I aimed to protect her, but I was unable to."
There was a silence after this, where the truth of his statement seemed to settle, and I felt sad for my sister. "You loved her, didn't you?"
He regarded me in silence for a moment. His face softened. "Yes. More than I thought possible back then. I was attempting to isolate her from the more difficult aspects of society, yet I did not manage to do it. You will not be a victim of circumstances like this ever again with me."
I struggled to speak as emotions threatened to choke me. "That's a difficult thing to manage."
"It is," he agreed, enclosing the distance. "But I want you to know that I am right here. I will not allow any harm to come to you."
At that moment, I remember him filling me with both appreciation and affection. "Thank you, Alex. It's more than you think."
He bent slightly forward and looked into my eyes. "You have got a lot of strength that you do not even know you possess, Ophelia. It is alright to rest on me."
I smiled slightly; an internal phenomenon that made me warm at the centre of my chest. "I would appreciate that."
He then held me tight, and we practically melted in each other's embrace. The space in between us was charged without saying anything, and I could feel my heart rate escalate.
"May I kiss you?" he asked in a bare whisper.
For a split second, I stood frozen, astonishment hitting me like a wave. But when I stared into his eyes, I found both honest and yearning emotions. "Yes," I exhaled with a flutter of my heart.
Before I could process what was happening, he bridged the gap between us and pressed his lips against me gently in a kiss. It was as delightful and as prolonged as possible, causing flares of heat in every part of my body.
On releasing me, I felt breathless with my face red. "Wow," I said, half in excitement, half in embarrassment.
"Wow, that's right," he said with a mischievous smile. "I've been wanting to do that for ages."
"Really?" I said, my eyebrows raised at his response.
"For sure," he said, staring into my eyes. "There is something about you that is quite magnetic, Ophelia. I can't put it into words."
A smile appeared on my face as happiness welled up within me. "I have the same feelings for you, Alex."
At that moment, the laughter refocused our attention on the gala. "Should we go back in?" he asked, all businesslike.
"Yes," I answered with excitement but also with some hesitance.
When we walked back into the ballroom, it was packed with life and I could easily distinguish some of the people in the room. Rebecca must have seen us from far as she came that way in a hurry and with an amazed look on her face.
"Ophelia! You look lovely!" she shouted her head swinging from me to Mr. Miller. "And the two of you look so....so engrossed in each other!"
My cheeks burned and I looked to Mr. Miller who had an amused look on his face. "We were simply partaking in the festivities," he said nonchalantly.
"Partaking, eh? I get that!" Rebecca said playfully, and I also laughed.
"Come on, let's get a drink!" she said, dragging me away from Mr. Miller, "I want all the scoop!"
As we made our way across the room to the bar, I found myself looking back at Mr. Miller, who was watching us with a smile on his face. I was both surprised and thrilled at the bond that we had just established as I was eager to take it to the next level.
"Ready?" Rebecca asked, moving closer to me. "What's the history between you two? I mean, are you guys really seeing each other?"
I was taken aback and searched for an appropriate answer. "We are getting to know each other, I think," I answered with caution.
"Getting to know you? Surely that kiss was quite serious for such a definition of a relationship!" she teased, her eyes filled with daring curiosity.
I chuckled awkwardly, those feelings of our kiss rendering me breathless. "It was just… an incident."
"An incident! It appeared to have depth," she scoffed, shoving me goodnaturedly.
"I don't know myself, Becca. It's rather difficult," I eventually confessed while looking over at Mr. Miller who was engrossed in a discussion with his mom.
"Difficult how? The boy is rich and tanned! What's not to swoon over?" she asked, her enthusiasm quite catching.
"It's not just that. There are a lot of things at play and I am not ready to jump in at this point," I said with restraint.
"Just make sure he is within your reach. A man like that will not be available for long," was her net conclusion, although free from exclamation marks.
"Yeah, I get it," I replied, this time quite resolutely. "I will sort it out."
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, I stood up from the table to seek Mr. Miller out. When I found him, he was in the process of finishing up with his mother.
"Hi," I said, tilting my head back to look up at him.
"Hey, there you are!" he said, his face breaking into a smile.
"How's it going?" I asked him, feeling giddy inside.
"Seriously?" I inquired, not hiding my astonishment.
"Indeed. You are a light relief to them," he answered without shifting his gaze, with genuine expression.
His words ignited something deep within me. "I'm glad to know that."
"Maybe it's time we dance again?" He offered his hand to her.
"I would love to," I said and put my hand in his.
On our way to the dance floor, the beat turned to a slow romantic one. He wrapped his arms around me, and I melted in his embrace. The surroundings got lost as we moved to the soft music.
"You're such a great dancer," I said, turning my gaze to him.
"Only because I have a great dancer in me," he said, looking directly into my eyes.
Even while dancing, I sensed an unexplainable yet powerful bond enveloping us. A connection that needed no verbal communication. As if we were two individuals with their minds in one place, totally unperturbed by the external environment.
"Why don't you tell more about your family?" I asked, trying to steer focus off from us.
He paused for a bit, and his face underwent a change. "They are…extensive. My parents expect a lot from me, sometimes it feels as if I am living under their roof."
"I can relate to that," I replied calmly. "Mine… well, my parents have their own."
He nodded, but fixed his eyes on me. "Part of the problem is the family system. But I want you to know that you're not the only one."
"Thank you for that," I said, grateful that he had offered that to me.
As the music began to fade, he bent down and kissed my forehead. "Ophelia, I'm happy you're here. You make everything easier."
I beamed, a thrill of joy rising. "You do the same for me."
At that moment, the lights went down a notch, and the master of ceremony of the gala came on stage to introduce the next segment of the evening. "Ladies and gentlemen, we are now ready for the charity auction!"
I looked at Mr. Miller in astonishment. "Charity auction? Is that the whole point of this event?"
He agreed. "Yes, this helps us gather support for different projects. It matters to my family."
"That sounds like a nice thing to do," I said wonderingly and respectfully.
As I cherished the state of the fundraising activity, I observed that a range of things, including luxurious holidays and limited artwork were presented for community engagement purposes. The people were energetic, and I could note the happiness in them.
"Are you going to bid on anything?" I asked, looking at him and tilting my head up.
"Maybe," he said, his eyes gleamed with mischief. "What about you?"
"I don't think I have enough money to buy anything," I laughed, a little uncomfortable.
"Don't be concerned over that. Just have fun," he said and held my hand.
In the course of the auction, I became enveloped in the ambience and warmth, which was of great acceptance. Mr. Miller was reassuring, and I cherished the bond that was enhancing between us.
"Come, let's go have some refreshments," he offered as he stepped down and took my hand leading me off the dance area.
"Sure," I said only to anticipate the unfolding of the event later that night.
During our short walk towards the bar, my heart viewed the transformation of our relationship as an evolution of something very nice. The night bore jokes, romance, and the hope of a fresh start.