They picked up their conversation from where they left it at the bench. Achilles glanced at her and said, "So, tell me about you, Celia. What do you do when you're not being dragged to concerts by your sister?"
She chuckled, feeling more at ease with him. She felt silly looking back at the thoughts she had about him earlier in the night. Thoughts of him being some teenage serial killer out to get her seemed so foolish after she spent some time with him.
"Well, I should warn you, there's nothing interesting about me."
"I don't believe that. Try me," he urged her.
"I am an indoor person; I spend most of my time reading. I could spend hours glued to a book if it's a good read. Um, I also write." Her voice seemed a little weak when she said the last bit.
"You don't seem too confident about the writing," he pointed out.
"Maybe because it's nothing too serious. I just write for fun."
"What exactly does that mean?"
"Um, I write several pieces but never showcase or publish them. And before you ask why, the reason is I don't think they are good enough." She admitted, dropping her eyes to her hands.
"We all start somewhere, no?" He smiled warmly. "I think you should share them, even if it's just with one person. Something tells me you're an amazing writer."
She thought about what he had said for a while. It would definitely be out of her comfort zone, but what was the harm in it? "Maybe someday I will," she mumbled, more to herself than him.
"What about you? What do you do in your free time?" She asked, turning her gaze to him for a second.
"I'm into music and photography." He had a grin on his face. "It's kinda like what you do with whatever you write. The only difference is, I tell a story using photographs and acoustic tunes while you use actual words."
Celia smiled at the comparison. "That sounds really cool. And what do you mean by acoustic tunes?"
"Guitar," he smiled and raised his hands as if playing the actual thing. She laughed.
"That's really amazing. Do you share any of it?"
"Yeah, I do. Only the photos though. I feel like the guitar thing is still too rough to be shared." He told her, getting his phone from his pocket. "Here," he handed her the phone.
She scrolled through, meticulously analyzing the photographs. "Holy shit, Achilles!" She exclaimed. "These are amazing!" There was genuine admiration all over her face. She looked at him to find him with a warm smile.
"Thank you," he responded, taking back the phone. "I think the world is too beautiful for me not to document."
"That makes no sense at all," she teased, and they broke into a gentle laugh.
"Really? I swear it made sense in my head. But you get what I'm trying to say," he said with a grin.
"Yeah, I do," she admitted, still smiling. "You have a really beautiful gift, Achilles," she added softly.
"Thank you, Celia. That means a lot coming from you."
"I'd also like to hear you with the guitar if that's not too much to-"
"Tell you what," he interrupted. "I'll show you my work if you show me some of your work. Kinda like an exchange."
She immediately felt a flutter of excitement and nervousness wash over her. "Deal," she agreed.
As they continued to walk, Celia found herself feeling more comfortable with him. She found herself opening up to him, sharing the small things that made up her world.
"So, you're saying you can stay indoors for two weeks straight without feeling the need or urge to step out?" He asked after she spoke. There was genuine astonishment in his voice.
She laughed, amused by the fact that her staying indoors for that long surprised him. "Yes, I comfortably would."
"I get that," he nodded. "Wanting your own peace and quiet, away from the chaos of the world."
She found herself smiling. "It's nice to meet someone who understands. My sister is the exact opposite; she's probably the most outgoing person I know."
"Wow! She'd get along with my friends perfectly. They are all about parties and going out."
Her house came into view at the far end of the street, and a sudden pang of sadness washed over her. She tried to hide it from him, feigning a nervous smile as he spoke. She couldn't remember the last time she felt this comfortable with anyone or experienced the connection she had with him. And to think it was about to come to an end pained her.
"Everything okay?" He asked, having noticed the sudden change in her aura.
"Um, yeah, yeah. It's just that..." She hesitated, trying to find the right words. "There's my house," she pointed, and he looked up ahead. "I'm having a good time, and it's sad that it's coming to an end," she confessed.
"Hey," he called soothingly. She suddenly felt his warm fingers slide between hers. She turned her face to him. "It's okay, at least the night wasn't a total waste."
"Yeah," she agreed, curling her fingers around his. "I really didn't want to go out to that concert, but I'm glad I did." She had a warm smile.
"That makes the two of us," he admitted.
They walked a little further and took a right, stepping onto the front porch of the house. She turned and faced him, still holding his hand.
"Thank you for tonight, Achilles," she spoke softly with a heavy heart.
"Don't mention it. If anything, I should be the one thanking you for letting me spend the night with you. It was really nice."
"Yes, it really was." She paused, looking down, seeming unsure of what she wanted to say next. "We should do it again if that's okay with you."
"Yeah, we should. I'd really love that, but we can't." He watched as all the joy faded away from her face.
"Why?" She felt her already heavy heart sink even more.
"Um, this is my last night in LA. I'm moving to New York tomorrow," he announced.
She was speechless for almost a minute. Her eyes felt heavy, but she managed to hold back any tears. What the hell did he mean? How was he just gonna disappear after giving her a taste of something so beautiful?
"I really wish we had met sooner," he broke the silence, squeezing her hand gently. "We would have done this over and over."
There was so much she wanted to say but couldn't find her tongue. There was nothing much she could do. She just had to come to terms with the fact that her joy and happiness was short-lived. But she wasn't complaining; if anything, she was thankful that at least there was something positive that came with the night she had very low expectations for.
"Are you gone like for good?"
"No," he answered. "I'll be visiting once in a while."
That made her feel slightly better. At least that meant there was a chance they would meet again in the future. She smiled at the thought of that.
"So, this doesn't have to be like a goodbye; it could be like a see you later," she suggested, eyeing him for a reaction.
"I like the sound of that. See you later, Celia," he told her softly, pulling her in.
She gave in, raising her hands and tying them around his neck, accepting his embrace. "See you later," she whispered back, feeling his arms tighten around her waist.
She let go and took a step back. She looked at him one last time before turning to her house, very aware that he would watch until she went in. Just as she took the first step, she felt his hand gently pull at her. She turned, meeting his bright eyes.
"Let's do it tonight."
"Do what?" She asked with a searching look.
"You said we should do this again. We can do it tonight." He paused, letting go of her. "I mean, your parents gave you this night out, why waste it by going to bed? We can go out, have fun, do all the things you told me you've never done," he explained with such beautiful eyes that she found herself lost in them.
She was silent in thought for a while, considering his proposal.
"You won't regret it, I promise," he urged her with his infectious smile.
She felt her heart race with a mixture of anticipation and exhilaration. "Okay, Achilles, let's do it."
He took her hand again, gently pulling her away from the porch and into the street once again. With hurried steps, they walked back to the concert where he had left his car. He got the door for her and walked around to get into his seat.
"Why the hell did we walk to my house if you had a car?" She teased as he made his way out of the packed parking lot.
"I thought it would be more intimate and we'd spend more time together," he replied.
She gave a nod. "Valid point." They laughed at her response as he drove into the main road, ready for an adventurous night.