62

[REBECCA]
Lynda and I were engrossed in a lively conversation when a sudden knock on the door startled us. We both turned our heads toward the sound, exchanging confused glances. “Come in,” I called out, curious about the unexpected visitor.
The door swung open, revealing Artemy standing in the doorway. My eyes widened in surprise, and I hastily sat up while Lynda attempted to appear occupied with her book.
“Do you want to go to the creek?” he asked, his gaze briefly shifting towards Lynda.
My heart leaped with joy, and I nodded eagerly, a smile spreading across my face. “Yes.”
“I’ll wait for you downstairs,” he replied, stepping back and closing the door behind him.
Suppressing a giggle that threatened to escape, I covered my mouth with my hand. “You’re too adorable for your own good, Becca,” Lynda chuckled.
Excitedly, I leaped off the bed, almost reaching the door when Lynda’s voice halted me. “Wait.”
I paused and turned to her. “What is it?”
“Why don’t you change? Instead of wearing your uniform?” she suggested, sitting up on the bed.
“I don’t really have any other outfit,” I replied. “Except for the pair of jeans and white shirt that Nona got me.”
“No problem. Give me a minute,” Lynda said, getting off the bed and darting past me, rushing out of the room.
As I waited, my nerves and impatience grew. After a few minutes, Lynda returned, panting slightly, and thrust a dress into my hands. “Hurry up. Go change.”
Staring at the dress, I took a step back, puzzled. “What-”
“Don’t ask questions. You’re wasting time. Hurry,” Lynda snapped, her tone urgent.
I entered the bathroom and quickly changed into the dress, studying my reflection in the mirror. “Wow,” I breathed in awe.
The white lace dress was both simple and elegant, reaching mid-thigh, with a brown belt accentuating my waist. It had been a while since I had worn a light-colored garment, but this dress was undeniably beautiful. I ran my hand through my ponytail, considering my appearance.
“You look even more stunning with your hair down.”
Artemy’s voice echoed in my mind, and nervously biting my lip, I felt a rush of giddiness envelop me. Artemy was slowly taking control of my thoughts, and I found myself willingly surrendering to it. I no longer had the strength to resist my feelings.
Exiting the bathroom, I found Lynda clapping her hands in approval. “You definitely look prettier in the dress than me,” she remarked playfully. “Artemy won’t be able to take his eyes off you.”
“Shh,” I murmured, blushing and casting my gaze downward.
“Alright, go now. Artemy is an impatient man. He doesn’t like to wait,” she advised.
I laughed as Lynda rolled her eyes in exasperation. “I know.”
Without further ado, I dashed out of my room and descended the stairs. Artemy was waiting outside.
Stepping out, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, relishing the scent of sweet flowers and the freshness of the air. Instantly, I felt a wave of relaxation wash over me. I turned to the side and spotted Artemy leaning against the wall.
I caught a glimpse of his widened eyes as he laid them upon me. His gaze slowly roamed down my figure, lingering a little longer on my legs before returning to meet my face.
Under his intense scrutiny, a warm flush spread across my cheeks, and a delicate shiver ran down my spine. He pushed himself off the wall, taking a step toward me, only to pause midway.
Artemy cleared his throat, breaking the charged silence, and gestured toward the nearby forest. “Shall we?” he said. I nodded in response, and he started walking, leading us down a picturesque path that led to a captivating creek.
A tinge of disappointment washed over me when he didn’t say anything more. Silently, I followed in his footsteps, the crunching of leaves and twigs beneath our feet filling the air.
We ventured deeper into the woods, soon hidden from view, walking side by side.
My breath hitched as he reached out and clasped my hand. I lifted my gaze, fixating on his face. A gentle smile tugged at the corners of my lips. Artemy’s touch was tender and delicate, his fingers caressing the back of my hand with feather-light strokes. Slowly, they intertwined with mine, firmly holding my hand as we continued our journey toward the creek.
My heart fluttered within my chest, and instinctively, I tightened my grip around his hand. He reciprocated with a gentle squeeze, silently conveying his shared sentiment.
I etched the image into my memory, cherishing the moment. My small, pale hand nestled securely within Artemy’s rough and larger hand. It symbolized a connection forged in our darkest and most vulnerable moments.
“We’re almost there,” Artemy broke the silence.
A contented hum escaped my lips.
Finally emerging from the forest’s embrace, we arrived at the stream. I released his hand and paused, kneeling down on the grass. Leaning forward, my hands hovered above the flowing water for a brief moment before I dipped my fingers into the cool stream.
The chill sent a pleasant shiver through me, and I began drawing circles and peculiar patterns on the water’s surface, completely absorbed in the present moment.
“Isn’t the water cold?” he asked, coming up behind me.
“It’s not too bad,” I replied, cupping some water in my hands before rising to my feet. “Here,” I offered, moving closer to him.
I gazed down at the water cupped in my hands, feeling its temperature. “Not bad,” I whispered back to him, watching as the water slipped through my fingers. When I raised my eyes, Artemy’s intense gaze was fixed upon me.
Instinctively, I was about to take a step back, trying to create some distance between us, but before I could, Artemy reached out, his hand wrapping around my waist, pulling me tightly against his firm body. The suddenness of his action took my breath away, and a small smile formed on his lips, revealing the dimple on his cheek. I couldn’t resist melting into his embrace, my knees weak as his intense blue eyes continued to penetrate mine.
Artemy raised a hand and gently twirled a lock of my long black hair around his index finger. “I like your hair like this,” he said softly, his words causing a smile to tug at the corners of my lips.
His simple yet sweet words resonated deeply within me, mending the fragments of my broken heart. With each passing day, Artemy slowly pieced back together the shattered remnants, his tender touches and kind words breathing life into my wounded soul.
“You should let it down more often,” he added, his fingers brushing lightly against my jaw.
“Okay,” I responded, feeling an overwhelming willingness to fulfill any request he might make.
Lowering his head, Artemy brought his forehead to rest against mine, his lips hovering just an inch away from mine. It would have taken only a slight movement forward for our lips to touch. But I held back.
“Artemy,” I whispered.
“Yes?” he replied.
“What is this?” I finally gathered the courage to ask, the weight of my questions pressing on me. Artemy furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, pulling his forehead away but keeping his arms wrapped tightly around me.
“What?” he asked, puzzled.
“I mean… this… between us. What is it? How will it work?” I inquired, finally voicing the doubts that had haunted me day and night during his absence. Artemy had consumed my thoughts and heart, but I was also gripped by fear and uncertainty. The lack of clarity was slowly eroding my sense of control.
I needed to know what he truly desired.
Artemy fixed his gaze on me, his face devoid of emotion for a fleeting moment. A surge of dread washed over me as I observed the expression on his face, causing my stomach to plummet into an abyss.
In that instant, my heart skipped a beat. Tears welled up in my eyes, but then something changed. Artemy’s eyes softened, and a smile crept across his lips, revealing his charming dimple once again.
“I don’t know,” he whispered. I widened my eyes, captivated by his words as he continued. “I can’t find the right words to define what we have. There’s no label that can truly capture this. All I know is that I want you, and I can’t bear to let you slip away. Even when I tried, I couldn’t.”
His confession left me breathless, melting my heart with every word. I had never anticipated such an admission from Artemy when I posed the question. Yet, he had given me more than I could have hoped for.
He had given me hope.