Scarlett nodded, her heart racing with anticipation. "I promise," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Calix took a deep breath, his eyes locked onto hers. "It started a long time ago," he said, his voice filled with emotion. "I've always known you, Scarlett. I've always watched over you."
Scarlett's eyes widened in surprise. "What do you mean?" she asked.
Calix's expression turned wistful. "I mean that I've been in love with you for as long as I can remember," he said. "You were always the one for me, Scarlett. But I knew I couldn't be with you. Not back then."
Scarlett's heart skipped a beat. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Calix had been in love with her for years?
"Why couldn't you be with me?" Scarlett asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Calix's expression turned grim. "Because of Bastian," he said. "He was my friend, my brother. And I knew he had feelings for you."
Scarlett's eyes widened in shock. "You knew Bastian?" she asked.
Calix nodded. "We grew up together," he said. "We were like brothers. But when Bastian met you, everything changed. He became obsessed with you, Scarlett. And I knew I had to protect you from him."
Scarlett's mind was reeling. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Calix had been protecting her from Bastian all along?
"Why didn't you tell me?" Scarlett asked, her voice filled with emotion.
Calix's expression turned sad. "I didn't want to hurt you," he said. "I didn't want to ruin your relationship with Bastian. But when I saw how he was treating you, I knew I had to step in. I had to protect you."
Scarlett's heart swelled with emotion. She felt a deep sense of gratitude towards Calix, a sense of love and appreciation.
"Calix," Scarlett said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I had no idea. I had no idea you felt this way about me."
Calix's eyes locked onto hers, his gaze burning with intensity. "I've always loved you, Scarlett," he said.
Scarlett's heart was racing with emotion. She felt like she was seeing Calix for the first time, like she was finally understanding the depth of his feelings for her.
"Calix, why did you push me away?" Scarlett asked, her voice filled with emotion. "Why did you make me think you didn't care about me?"
Calix's expression turned painful. "I was trying to protect you," he said. "I was trying to keep you safe from Victor and his people. I knew that if they found out about us, they would use you to get to me."
Scarlett's eyes widened in shock. "You were protecting me?" she repeated.
Calix nodded. "Yes, I was. I've always been protecting you, Scarlett. Even when you didn't know it."
Scarlett felt a wave of emotion wash over her. She was overwhelmed by the realization that Calix had been protecting her all along.
"Calix, I..." Scarlett started, her voice trailing off.
Calix's eyes locked onto hers, his gaze burning with intensity. "I know, Scarlett," he said. "I know you're scared. But I'm here for you. I'll always be here for you."
Scarlett's heart swelled with emotion. She felt a deep sense of love and gratitude towards Calix.
"Calix, I love you," Scarlett said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Calix's face lit up with joy. "I love you too, Scarlett," he said, his voice filled with emotion.
As they sat there, wrapped in each other's arms, Scarlett knew that she had finally found her true love. She had finally found the one person who would always be there for her.
Calix smiled, his eyes sparkling with memories. "You know, Scarlett, I've been thinking a lot about our past lately," he said. "About how we met in high school."
Scarlett's eyes widened in surprise. "High school?" she repeated. "I don't remember..."
Calix chuckled. "I know you don't," he said. "But I do. I remember it like it was yesterday."
Scarlett leaned in, her eyes locked onto Calix's. "Tell me," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Calix took a deep breath, a faraway look in his eyes. "We were in the same English class," he said. "You were this beautiful, fiery girl who always spoke her mind. I was just a quiet, brooding kid who sat in the back of the classroom."
Scarlett's eyes sparkled with amusement. "I was fiery, huh?" she said.
Calix nodded. "You were. And I was immediately drawn to you. I used to sit in class and watch you, mesmerized by your passion and energy."
Scarlett's face softened, her eyes filled with a warm, fuzzy feeling. "I had no idea," she said.
Calix smiled. "I know you didn't," he said. "But I did. And I knew, even back then, that I wanted to be with you. I wanted to be the one you turned to, the one you trusted."
Scarlett's heart swelled with emotion. She felt like she was seeing Calix in a whole new light, like she was finally understanding the depth of his feelings for her.
"What happened?" Scarlett asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "Why didn't we...?"
Calix's expression turned sad. "Bastian happened," he said. "He came into your life, and I knew I had to step back. I knew I couldn't compete with him, not back then."
Scarlett's eyes filled with tears. She felt a deep sense of regret, regret for not seeing Calix sooner, for not realizing how he felt about her.
"Calix, I'm so sorry," Scarlett said, her voice trembling. "I'm so sorry I didn't see you sooner."
Calix's face softened, his eyes filled with love and understanding. "You're seeing me now," he said. "And that's all that matters."
Calix's eyes locked onto Scarlett's, his gaze burning with intensity. "You know, Scarlett, I have to admit something to you," he said, his voice low and husky.
Scarlett's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "What is it?" she asked.
Calix took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling with the movement. "I didn't realize it was you all along," he said, his voice filled with emotion. "I didn't realize that the girl I had fallen for in high school was the same girl I was protecting all these years."
Scarlett's eyes widened in surprise. "What do you mean?" she asked.
Calix's expression turned thoughtful. "I mean that I had forgotten about you, Scarlett. I had forgotten about the girl I had fallen for in high school. But the moment I met Bastian again, it all came flooding back."
Scarlett's eyes sparkled with understanding. "You mean, you realized it was me when you saw Bastian?" she asked.
Calix nodded, his eyes locked onto hers. "Yes, that's exactly what I mean," he said. "It was like a switch had been flipped, and suddenly I remembered everything. I remembered the way you used to make me feel, the way you used to smile at me."
Scarlett's heart swelled with emotion. She felt a deep sense of connection to Calix, a sense of connection that went beyond words.
"I'm glad you remembered," Scarlett said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Calix's face softened, his eyes filled with love and adoration. "Me too," he said. "Me too."