I sat beside Alec in the car. It was silent and the only sound I could hear was that of the windshield wiper going left and right and the rain hitting the car.
I still couldn't believe that I was sitting in the car with Alec going to the beach at such a late hour. Not to mention in rain. How stupid is that. And yet what was more stupid was the fact that he stood down and called me down and no matter how much I refused I was dragged here in the car.
"I still can't believe we are going to the beach." I muttered.
I could hear him chuckle from beside me. I turned my head to give him a pointed look, "A promise is a promise."
"What are we even going to do in the rain on a beach?"
He looked at me momentarily and passed me a smile, "Just have fun."
He went back to driving. I tried to look outside the window from my side but it was covered in fog and the rain drops were racing down each other.
Bringing my finger I drew a heart on the window and looked at it proudly before it was destroyed by the raindrops.
I looked in the front and noticed how we were away from the city and crowded roads now. There were no car or red lights shining brightly through the rain anymore. Rather it was dark and peaceful. It was more like a highway with nothing but a rock mountain running on one side and just steep on the other.
And as much as I was liking the silence it was a little awkward to not make any conversation.
"Radio?" I asked.
"Sure."
I reached out for the radio but I stopped the second his hand touched mine. Both of us reached out for it at the same time.
I snapped my head up to look at him and found him already looking at me. He retrieved his hands as fast as a receptor informing the brain about touching something hot.
Clearing my throat I pressed the button before sitting comfortably in my seat. I rest my head against the seat and looked out.
'Strawberries and cigarettes" by Troye Sivan came into play as I hummed to the tune.
It was getting colder as the night got deeper and the rain continued pouring down. I closed my eyes listening to the song and the sound of rain hitting the car.
It wasn't even moments later that the car stopped moving making me open my eyes and sit straight in my seat.
"What's wrong?" I asked among the sound of the song as I saw Alec looking troubled.
He hit his hand slightly against the steering wheel before sighing through his nose, "It stopped."
I stared at him dumbfounded, "What do you mean it stopped?"
"I don't know. It suddenly stopped and won't even start." He tried starting again but the engine died as soon as it made sound.
"Now what?"
He looked around before leaning back in his seat and closing his eyes. I turned to sit facing him.
"Let's wait for a few minutes and then try again. Maybe the engine got too heated and just needs some time to cool down."
I nodded my head even though I knew he couldn't see me. I went to sit back myself and laid my head against the seat too. But rather than facing away I watched him.
"Remember when you taught me fate
Said it'd all be worth the wait
Like that night in the back of the cab
When your fingers walked in my hand
Next day, nothin' on my phone
But I can still smell you on my clothes
Always hoping things would change
But we went right back to your games"
I listened to the song as I saw him opening his eyes and looking away from me. He was looking outside his window. Before anything he lifted his hand up and just like me I could see him writing something on the window. As soon as he was done he put his hand down and sighed.
I wanted to see what he drew. I wanted to know what was going through his mind or anything. But I couldn't see it because his body was blocking my view. I sat back straight and tried to look at it subtly so that it wasn't obvious.
I felt my throat clench up the second I looked at the window.
There in his beautiful writing was written my name, Serene.
Is that what was going through his mind?
"Blue eyes, black jeans
Lighters and candy, I've been a fool"
As soon as these lyrics came up I saw Alec turning his head to look at me through his sky blue eyes. Eyes which always enchanted me. No matter what.
I could feel a pull towards him. Just the way he was looking at me. The rain. The cold weather. The song. And my name written just beside him in his writing were not helping me at all. All these things were not helping me towards my feelings at all. If anything I couldn't help but glance at his lips now and then.
He cleared his throat.
"It's getting suffocating in here, don't you think?"
I touched the roof of my pallet with my tongue. I smiled mockingly before looking down at my hands.
Of course. He had to pull away. Push me away. Because if anything he was being selfish. If he had kissed me right now it would have meant that he moved on from Liya. And he surely doesn't want to.
"Sure." I took a deep breath and nodded my head. I reached out for the umbrella from the back seat and got out of the car. Not giving any chance for Alec to say anything.
"Let me try the car again." I heard him say before I closed the door shut cutting him off.
I held the umbrella in one hand while crossing my other as I waited for him to check the car. The light turned on for a second before it died again.
Surely the odd are not in our favour today.
Alec pulled the window down. I looked inside as I saw him motioning me to come closer. I stepped closer and bent down a little so that I could hear him clearly among the loud sound of the rain.
"What?" I asked.
I didn't want to seem like I was pissed at him but damn my voice was not ready to cooperate because it definitely came out cold.
"We only have one umbrella. We will have to share. Come to this side and help me out." He said.
Muttering to myself I went to his side and offered him the umbrella to share as he got out.
He stepped close to me. So close that I could feel his breath on my face. I looked away and out at the steep side trying to avoid him. But if anything he only got closer.
I looked back at him and squinted my eyes at him.
"I cannot help it. The umbrella isn't enough for two."
"How was it when you took me to your car?" I asked.
"It wasn't heavily pouring down at the time." He tried to sound innocent.
I made a face but being a good and kind person I am I still shared the umbrella with him.
"Don't be mad." He said.
For a person who does everything in his power to make me mad at him he sure does say that sentence a lot.
"We are stuck on a highway with a broken car and a heavy rain. And I can't even be mad at you when I suggested that we should go in the morning?" I glared at him.
I swear I could see him gulpingâscared, "I am sorry? You are not going to throw me off here, right?"
I still tried to look at him with an intense gaze while he looked at me innocently. I couldn't take it anymore when I laughed.
"Don't worry. I won't." I said.
He put his hands on his heart.
"Let me call and ask for the service." He took his phone out and dialled a number. I still held onto the umbrella when he took it from me and held it up for the both us.
I couldn't help but smile as I looked around.
"Hello?" He said.
He talked for a few minutes before ending the call and sighing while closing his eyes.
"What's wrong?" I couldn't help but be worried. What else could go wrong now?
"T-they can't come?" I asked with horror in my eyes. If they don't then will we be stuck here in the middle of highway till morning or until we see someone?
"No. No." He said. A sense of relief rushed through me.
"Then?"
"It will take them two hours." He pursed his lips.
Wait. Ahahaha. I think I couldn't hear him right.
"How many hours?" I asked again trying to make sure.
"Two."
Afterall I wasn't hearing things. We really have to wait for two hours in this rain.
Guess who I blame it all on?
Yes. Of course Alec. As I said earlier, if only he would have listened to me I could have been sleeping peacefully in my bed. And now? Don't get me started again.
"Sit in the car." I said to Alec.
He looked at me in a questioning way, "Why?"
"Because there's a single umbrella."
"I don't want to." He said and looked across the road.
"Fine. I will." I shrugged my shoulders.
"No. I want to be together with you." He said softly so that it was barely audible among the sound sound of rain.
I didn't know what to say to that. How do I reply to that?
I cleared my throat and looked ahead before looking ahead.
"You love rain, don't you?" He asked as we both went and stood near the corner now.
"Yeah."
"Then rather than hating me for this shouldn't you be happy? I mean look at this. How many times will you get to have a moment like this?"
He was right. Besides the fact that it will take two hours for the service to come and we will be here until then, the fact that it was such a beautiful weather and it was raining. I find it quite beautiful.
If it wasn't for Alec I couldn't have enjoyed the weather like this.
We were facing away from each other when I felt his hand on mine. I snapped my head to look at him surprised.
He was just leaving the umbrella in my hands.
"I don't mind getting soaked. You can keep it." He smiled.
As he was about to step out in the rain I put the umbrella over his head.
"I don't mind getting soaked either. So you can keep it." I replied.
"No you keep it." He pushed it back towards me.
"No, you can." I put it above his head again.
"No, you."
"No, you."
"No, seriously. Keep it."
"That's what I am saying. Keep it, Alec."
"Don't be so stubborn, Serene."
"I am already wet from the rain. See." I showed him my wet hair, "so rather than being stubborn, I am being considerate."
"Well so am I." He pointed at his soaked T-shirt.
I sighed. Great. Now both of us were soaked in water too.
Alec burst out laughing out of nowhere. I couldn't help but give him a weird look.
"What's so funny?" I asked.
He shook his head with a big smile still on his face, "You are crazy."
I opened my mouth to say something but he put his finger on my lips making me go quiet. He pulled the umbrella out of my hands and placed it down on the concrete.
I watched him confused as the rain engulfed both of us into itself now. We were drenched facing each other. I blinked continually.
Slowly, he took a step towards me. Once he was standing just in front of me he extended his hand out in front of him.
"We don't have anything to do anyhow. Can I get the pleasure to have a dance with you?"
He wasn't joking because he was even playing a song on his phone now.
A small dance can't do any harm right?
So without knowing what I was stepping into I placed my hands into his as he pulled me in closer to him.
If only I knew a small dance could make you feel things. Because I knew he could too. Just the way he was looking at me.
It can't be a lie, can it?
___