[Hi, Aaron] I smiled at him.
He didn't move. He stopped breathing but his eyes continued staring at mine. He looks like he can't believe whatever is happening now. His lips opened to say something but no sound came out. Once again, his lips landed on mine.
"I can't believe I missed that the first time. Goodness, it's been too long for you." He placed a kiss on my lips again. I felt his emotions right through me. Flowing inside me as if each are the perfect piece.
"You felt that I liked you from the start," I asked. "You literally heard everything in my head." I reminded him. Then I suddenly felt embarrassed. Why did I need to remind him about that?
He chuckled. "I tried avoiding it. It was too strange for me. I can't avoid you all the time though. I watch you from a distance even though you told me not too. It was hard, to be honest but I was oblivious to the hints. I didn't even realize that my other piece was right here beside me." Aaron murmured to me.
This is nice. This is what I want. But this can't happen. I pulled myself away. Ugh, what am I doing?
"What about your Mark?" he spits the name as if it was poison.
"That's not the right question. The question is: What about my parents? My parents will do anything to get what they want. They might even find a way to track us down here. I can't explain to them that I can't return because it's dangerous for them and…you—they are obviously not familiar with this Artisan thing. They won't understand." I was shaking inside. My happy ending is here but we are nowhere near the end. Not even halfway.
"Everything is going to be alright. I will do anything to keep you." He pulled me closer to him to give me a hug. "We need to move out tomorrow morning, by the way. Is three in the morning fine?"
I nodded.
"You should rest now." He patted my hair flat behind. "And please, wear something different. This is not you. I don't like it." He touched my ruined pink blazer in disgust. "Unless this is what you want to wear from now on? I'm not judging. Just in my head."
I chuckled, "I don't like it either. Do you have spare jeans and even a loose shirt would work? Then a pair of sneakers, please."
"I think I already stack them all in your cabinet." He smiled.
I sighed, "Always so prepared. I'll be back."
"Huh?"
"I'll be resting here of course."
"That wouldn't be necessary."
"You hate me already?" I teased.
"No, it's just that…This electric connection between us. It's a drive that I might not be able to control…" he stopped explaining and scratched his nape. "I mean, we haven't met for months, and then this revelation…"
"Okay, 'kay. I understand." I left with a sweet smile on my face.
I searched my cabinet and there it was the clothes that I missed wearing. I immediately took them out and hurried to the bathroom to clean myself. I realized that there were blood stains on my white slacks and pastel pink coat. I threw them all in the trash can hoping to never see them anywhere near me again. As soon as I got out of the shower, I threw myself on the bed and let sleep take away the rest of the day.
A warm hand touched my cheeks waking me up from my sleep.
"Aaron?" I mumbled.
"It's time to go. If we don't hurry up they might really catch up," he muttered softly to me. I squinted my eyes and opened them. His soft angelic face is near mine as he places a kiss on my forehead. The warmth from the kiss remained, he did kiss me back then, didn't he?
"Did you even sleep?" I asked.
He smiled sweetly to me, "I did." He helped me stand up from the bed and guided me down the stairs.
"I'll be putting all the necessities in the car. Just eat your meal." He started moving from up to down to the car outside as I enjoyed the bread and eggs he prepared.
"Has this become your favorite meal?" I asked when he went inside.
"It was strange that I started searching for it. I couldn't perfect the soft scramble though. Mine's too dry." He continued to move upstairs to get other things.
"I'll cook next time."
"I'd love that."
I finished eating and followed him outside. I sat in the front beside the driver's seat.
Aaron handed me my phone which was shuttered yesterday. "I thought…"
"Telekinesis. Remember?"
"Won't it be dangerous? GPS thing?"
"It's going to be fine." He started the car's engine.
I looked at the phone in my hand. Suddenly, it started ringing. "It's my mom," I announced wondering if I should answer it or not.
"You should answer it." He said. "Maybe tell her you're fine."
I followed as he said so. "Hello?"
Aaron fixed his seatbelt and started driving.
"Where are you?" I could hear her mad voice from the other line.
"I'm fine, mom. You don't have to worry."
"That's just not it. Who was the guy that punched Mark? Are you with him right now?"
I looked at Aaron, he nodded. "Yes, but we're fine. He's just saving me from someone."
"Come back here this instant. We have guards around the mansion. Why do you need an absurd boy to protect you instead? Plus, you're getting married tomorrow!" She's really mad now.
The reminder of marriage made me look back at my right hand where the ring was still placed. I dropped my phone on my hip and removed the ring from my hand placing it on the dashboard. Aaron took the ring and threw it outside the window.
I placed the phone in front of my mouth again. "I can't. Plus, you don't know who's chasing us. It's not something a normal guard could handle." I tried explaining.
"I'll have a search brigade. Your face is around the nation, just so you know and whoever you are with right now is under arrest for kidnapping you."
"What!?" I shouted which somehow made Aaron flinch in surprise. I mouthed 'I'm sorry' at him.
"Come back here and I'll pull out the warrant. You're not going to get out of this country. People will be searching for you." She was the first to cut the call. I felt my whole body shivering from my mother's words. She will really do anything.
"Aaron, you've got to get me back there." Tears fell on my eyes. Dammit. Why do I always cry about this kind of thing?
"I'll be fine, Sapphire. You don't have to worry about me."
"Aaron, we're in France, you have no rights here. My mother controls every police station here. It's not worth it."
"I am SIA. We have jurisdiction everywhere." He smirked at me.
"I don't know how powerful SIA is but...it's my mother we're talking about."
"As I said before, SIA is one of the biggest Artisan organizations worldwide. Which also makes us one of the most powerful. No need to worry about anything."
I sighed. "They must have gotten your picture from the CCTV of the restaurant. Why don't you wear your mask anymore?" I hit his arm. I know he won't feel anything.
"If I did. You won't come with me. You don't trust me when I wear it." As much as I feel giddy inside, I hate him for thinking that way at the wrong time.
"But look what happened now." I leaned my head on the headrest.
"Where are we going?" I asked.
"I was planning on going back to the HQ through the airport. The Commander sent a plane for us but Nica said that they were ordered to guard it and take you away when you come there."
I frowned. "Who's Nica? " I asked. It sounded like a foreign name.
"A soldier. She's an Artisan too."
I wrinkled my nose. This is new information.
"You haven't met because she was here in France. Commander found her when she was fourteen and was being trained as a soldier in the Russian army but was deported here in France ordered by our Commander. I don't know how they did that or why because it's not my business."
"Okay?"
"You can ask Nica or the Commander about all of these next time"
There's a lot to unfoId. I still couldn't understand the whole Artisan thing.
"Artisans were sent around the world to search for other Artisans who don't have a home. It's important to get them all or at least make sure they're not using their talents in an unrightful way." Aaron added.
"Who are these bad guys that you mentioned? Nero?"
"Nero's community. It's the most notorious among the rest. It's our mortal enemy. Henry is a part of that community as I said earlier. Their goal is to collect as many Artisans as they can. The more unique or special talent, the better."
"For?" Just imagining what could have happened to me is scary.
"I cannot explain everything right now. I think it's better if the Commander explains this to you instead."
I nodded. "Okay."
Moments later, I could hear a siren from afar then blue and red flashing lights reflected on the side mirrors. A police car started following us.
"Is your car not tainted?" I asked.
"It is." He replied.
"Then why?" How could they know it's us in the car? I realized it was Henry. He just won't give up. "I thought he's gone?"
"Henry is Henry." He stepped on the gas speeding up to the destination we're going.
"There's no choice. We will be meeting Nica at the airport. Wish us good luck after that."
"Knowing my luck. We rather pray."