gently. “Is there something wrong? Are you sleeping well?”
His grin was back and the lady smiled back. He brought his hand to hers and held it, caressing her palm which brought shivers on her body. “We had to be awake for longer times the past weeks. The situation doesn’t look good.”
Cecilia did not understand fully what he meant but it must be related to the ongoing chaos among nations which she heard people at the marketplace were gossiping about. “Promise me you’ll take care of yourself.”
“I will,” he leaned down and captured her soft lips with his. Cecilia felt at bliss. She wished they could remain like that for hours.
***
Frantic knocks woke Cecilia up and she frowned when she saw that the sun had not yet risen. Kokoy slept peacefully beside her and she got up carefully, trying not to jostle him in his slumber.
What, or rather who, was on the other side of the door made her stumble back.
“Can I come in?” his voice was low but he was calm, though he was apprehensive. Someone yawned from inside the room and Cecilia pulled the door to narrow the gap, blocking Harry’s sight as he glanced curiously at the source of the sound.
Mentally debating with herself, Cecilia came out of the room and closed the door fully, hoping that Kokoy won’t wake up soon.
Harry made a move to rest a hand on her shoulder but she flinched, not expecting the gesture. It has been so long.
“Can we talk then?”
She muttered a small “Okay” and followed Harry out. Her steps faltered and she glanced back at the door warily before catching up.
***
It was late but Cecilia couldn’t sleep. It has been a week since she last saw Harry. Her mother somehow sensed that something was unusual with her and made her younger brother come with her every afternoon, preventing any chance of them seeing each other.
Moreover, tension was building up on Harry’s side. The war with other nations was costing them a lot of lives and resources. The people in their barrio have also been on the edge the past weeks, unable to sleep soundly at the threat that their place might be drawn with the war any day.
She turned to her side, sighing as her parents and siblings snored softly when she heard a faint hiss.
The sound was soft at first but grew louder by each time until she can distinguish the soft call of her name. The voice was low and slightly accented, still not used to pronouncing her name the way the natives do and she bolted upright, recognizing who it was.
No one else heard it if the snores and the even breathing were any indication. Slowly, she got up and peeked at the window.
Harry’s eyes brightened when he saw her and gestured for her to go out. She was hesitant but her longing made her comply, tiptoeing and making it out of their house as silently as she could.
The male grabbed her wrist gently and pulled her to a safe distance. There was no moon and there was barely any light outside but Cecilia could trace his profile with her eyes. She knew his features like the back of her hand.
His fingers were cold on her cheeks as he drew small circles with his thumbs. Cecilia looked so lovely under the night sky that he threw all precautions away and kissed her, meshing their lips together. She gasped at the sudden action but responded with a beat, missing the feeling of his lips on hers. “I missed you,” he gasped as he pulled away.
A dry sob escaped Cecilia’s mouth and Harry tilted her face upwards, wiping away the lone tear that was flowing down. He hushed her and embraced her, carding his fingers through her hair.
Deciding that a short moment wasn’t enough, he guided her through the dark streets and they ended up behind the warehouse they frequent. The night was still and they can hear the thrum of the crickets and the frogs’ collective croaks. The girl clutched his hand and he entwined their fingers together to ease her nerves.
They settled under a tree and stared up at the starless sky. “It
His grin was back and the lady smiled back. He brought his hand to hers and held it, caressing her palm which brought shivers on her body. “We had to be awake for longer times the past weeks. The situation doesn’t look good.”
Cecilia did not understand fully what he meant but it must be related to the ongoing chaos among nations which she heard people at the marketplace were gossiping about. “Promise me you’ll take care of yourself.”
“I will,” he leaned down and captured her soft lips with his. Cecilia felt at bliss. She wished they could remain like that for hours.
***
Frantic knocks woke Cecilia up and she frowned when she saw that the sun had not yet risen. Kokoy slept peacefully beside her and she got up carefully, trying not to jostle him in his slumber.
What, or rather who, was on the other side of the door made her stumble back.
“Can I come in?” his voice was low but he was calm, though he was apprehensive. Someone yawned from inside the room and Cecilia pulled the door to narrow the gap, blocking Harry’s sight as he glanced curiously at the source of the sound.
Mentally debating with herself, Cecilia came out of the room and closed the door fully, hoping that Kokoy won’t wake up soon.
Harry made a move to rest a hand on her shoulder but she flinched, not expecting the gesture. It has been so long.
“Can we talk then?”
She muttered a small “Okay” and followed Harry out. Her steps faltered and she glanced back at the door warily before catching up.
***
It was late but Cecilia couldn’t sleep. It has been a week since she last saw Harry. Her mother somehow sensed that something was unusual with her and made her younger brother come with her every afternoon, preventing any chance of them seeing each other.
Moreover, tension was building up on Harry’s side. The war with other nations was costing them a lot of lives and resources. The people in their barrio have also been on the edge the past weeks, unable to sleep soundly at the threat that their place might be drawn with the war any day.
She turned to her side, sighing as her parents and siblings snored softly when she heard a faint hiss.
The sound was soft at first but grew louder by each time until she can distinguish the soft call of her name. The voice was low and slightly accented, still not used to pronouncing her name the way the natives do and she bolted upright, recognizing who it was.
No one else heard it if the snores and the even breathing were any indication. Slowly, she got up and peeked at the window.
Harry’s eyes brightened when he saw her and gestured for her to go out. She was hesitant but her longing made her comply, tiptoeing and making it out of their house as silently as she could.
The male grabbed her wrist gently and pulled her to a safe distance. There was no moon and there was barely any light outside but Cecilia could trace his profile with her eyes. She knew his features like the back of her hand.
His fingers were cold on her cheeks as he drew small circles with his thumbs. Cecilia looked so lovely under the night sky that he threw all precautions away and kissed her, meshing their lips together. She gasped at the sudden action but responded with a beat, missing the feeling of his lips on hers. “I missed you,” he gasped as he pulled away.
A dry sob escaped Cecilia’s mouth and Harry tilted her face upwards, wiping away the lone tear that was flowing down. He hushed her and embraced her, carding his fingers through her hair.
Deciding that a short moment wasn’t enough, he guided her through the dark streets and they ended up behind the warehouse they frequent. The night was still and they can hear the thrum of the crickets and the frogs’ collective croaks. The girl clutched his hand and he entwined their fingers together to ease her nerves.
They settled under a tree and stared up at the starless sky. “It