After dressing up her wounds and making her promise never to do that to herself again, Hale drove her home. The ride back home was quiet, each with their thoughts. But she could tell Hale was worried about her due to the way he would throw her curious glances at each opportunity he gets while driving. Ebony was glad that he didn't have her tell him what happened in the restroom. She just sat silently beside him, her eyes glued to the buildings as they moved past them in a blur. Suddenly, they were taking a different route with more trees and mountains surrounding them. She turned to him with a questioning look.
"Don't worry, I am not kidnapping you. Just taking you to a little place I know where we could both feel better, okay?"
Her look of suspicion towards him dissolved as she relaxed further into her seat with her eyes still at him. "Where?" She asked softly.
"You'll see."
He directed the steering wheels in such a way that ushered the car to a road that points to a small hill and after three minutes he parked his car somewhere close to the edge, smiled at her before killing the engine of the car. Hale got down which also hinted her to do the same. She unbuckled her seatbelts and got out feeling a bit confused at this place. She saw the little demonic hybrid move closer to the edge and sighed at the diamond view of their town. Ebony edged close to him to see what he sees.
Many houses that seemed to stretch on forever, lights and cars speeding back and forth before then. And of course, that particular mansion that sits so lonely on a hill a bit isolated from the bustling life below her feet. Rumor has it that that is where Rayven dwells. She wasn't that sure.
Her gaze went back to Hale and wondered why he brought them here. The breeze was a bit insane, and it felt good to have her hair dance fiercely behind her.
She folded her hands across her chest with a sigh of her own. "You come all the way just to see this?"
It is not their town was ugly or underdeveloped. In fact, most people consider it a growing city more than a town. It was developing fast and scary.
Hale shook his head, the smile never leaving his eyes. The smile she could never get tired of seeing. "I don't come here to admire what is below me but instead have a better view of the night sky. Can you see the stars above your head, Ebony?" He said the last part so softly that she had to look away and stare at the night sky twinkling with stars.
"They are not quite interesting." She says not meaning any of her words. But it felt right to say that at that moment. Hale observed her with another kind of curiosity.
"So…that means you don't like star gazing." He mumbled.
Ebony pressed her lips together as she was starting to feel irritated by all of this. She has had yet another one of those heartbreaking nights of her life and all she asked for was to go home, lay down on her bed with her cat and sleep it all way. It's her fault she is going through all of this in the first place.
"Look, Hale, I appreciate and for some odd reasons you've been so keen at knowing everything there is to know about me, I really like that you are enjoying gazing at the stars on hills along lonely roads, but I will really like to go home right now. Please."
Hale just ignored her pleas and continued to gaze at the dark sky. "Oh, that star is new to the family," he pointed out tapping at his perfect lower lip as if thinking. "It is just too bright to go without a name."
Ebony watched the little star he called so bright.
"Let's name it…Ebony."
"Excuse me?" Their eyes met and Hale seemed to enjoy the startled look on her face.
"What?"
"I think you just named a star my name."
"So? Stars don't deserve names? Or is it a sin?"
Ebony shook her head not believing this demon. "Hale. You don't just go about throwing names at stars. It's…weird." She blinked looking unsure before saying the last part.
Hale shook his head, "It's not. You only found it weird because I gave it your name."
He said like he could read her mind and analyze her thoughts. Ebony kept quiet looking confused.
Hale looked back at the sky and like he got a lot up his sleeves, she saw a bigger star began to appear behind the clouds and moved towards Ebony, the little star, and together they shone brighter than ever before. Even more than the rest of the stars.
She looked at Hale to see if he also saw that, and he was already grinning softly at her.
Then she understood what happened. He was the one who moved the bigger star towards the isolated one.
"Now, Ebony got Hale by her side. She doesn't feel so lonely and insignificant any more even if she never was. They stand by each other and their light was the only thing the world ever needed to see when they look up."
She got caught up again in his sweet words and this reminded her just how much she secretly admires him a lot even if she is still pressuring herself not to harbor such feelings.
"What…"
"I mean the stars." He pointed back up at the sky. And Ebony felt a bit silly that he was talking about them. Was there even a "them"? "I named that one Hale not to long ago, and I think it is best placed beside Ebony, don't you think?"
She was once again bewitched and spoke without consulting her senses. "They would make a great couple." Heat burned her cheeks as she realized what that implies.
She quickly looked over to Hale, who was still looking at her like she was the most interesting thing in the whole world. "I mean, the stars. They…they look perfect together."
Hale looked happy with her response regardless and could listen to her fast beating heart as he stood close to her. "Indeed."
His voice…she turned to look at him again. This time longer than normal. She just couldn't help not feel attracted to him. Making her wonder why she is feeling like this since he stepped into her life.
Could it be because of his unearthly looks? His smile? His eyes? Or is there more to this? She looked away when she was about to be caught staring and cleared her throat.
Her first real person that she is falling for.
And it is a big surprise that it's coming from a demonic spawn. She tried to look anywhere else apart from him, wondering why he is yet to look away.
Hale stared at her with an idea. After being with her for less than a week and some days, he has gathered something about her, he hoped to stop. She was basically so insecure about everything that concerned her, and it made her vulnerable to numerous things.
He slowly removed a beautiful beaded bracelet around his left wrist and showed it to her. "My mother gave this to me since I was five. I love her so much, and she was basically very protective of me. The same goes for my no-nonsense demon dad, now redeemed as an angel. She gave me this one night when I was being bullied at school by my human friends because of what I am saying while I was in her arms; anytime you need to remind yourself just how enough you are for everything, just stare at this bracelet and see it for yourself."
Ebony's eyes widened when he gently grabbed her right arm and pushed the bracelet down her wrist with a bright smile. "It has helped me so much and made me who I am today. Strong, confident and reassured every time I stare at it that I am just enough regardless of what other people think. I don't really know how far the bug of insecurity has gone in you, but I believe this would be of help someday."
Ebony was…speechless. She couldn't believe he was willingly to part with something this valuable to him to her without wanting anything from her in return. There is so much more about him, she is yet to know.
"You…you…" She paused to gather her words to speak. "You will just give it away like that?"
Is he crazy?
"Why can't I?"
They stared at each other. She was admiring his soft smile.
"And I am not just giving it away. I am giving it to you."
She couldn't hold it back anymore. She smiled. Feeling grateful and slowly unlocking how she is feeling about him now. He is not that evil and a troublemaker that she at first tagged him as.
"Awwn. I knew you are more adorable when you smile. Please smile more often, it makes you look less like my anti-fan."
She chuckled, as she felt more of the heavyweight being lifted from her chest. Feeling much better. She has never been more free around anyone like she is with him. And the fact that he is not even human says a lot.
Ebony watched him conjure up a small blanket, and he was quick to sit on it. She watched him pat the space beside him, his eyes looking more inviting.
"Sit and watch the stars with me, Ebony."
Ebony raised an eyebrow at his request, massaging the beautiful gift he gifted her with another smile highlighting her face. She nodded and lowered herself beside him.
"And don't be too shy to lean on my shoulders if you want too." He whispered so close to her ears, catching her off guard. She relaxed, they both exchanged a smile and gingerly did as he said and from there on everything was starting to feel perfect.
Who would have thought from planning on locking herself in her room to think and sleep away her sorrows would become stargazing with one of the world's most beautiful demon, who happens to step into her life as a teacher and an annoying stalker. And he has been the best so far. She enjoys it as much as he did.