22 Jellyfish

Abigail finally woke up and realized she was lying inside a car. Her head throbbed with pain, her mouth felt dry, and her vision was slightly blurry. She blinked a few more times to bring her situation into clearer focus, and memories of what had happened before she blacked out began to flood back to her.

She sensed her hands tremble slightly as memories flooded back, but upon seeing the silhouette of that familiar figure seated in the driver's seat, her mounting panic and racing heartbeat inexplicably eased.

He sat there, his head resting against the headrest, eyes closed. She could never grow accustomed to the sheer flawlessness of his face. He resembled a jellyfish, gracefully radiating its own breathtaking luminance within the depths of an ocean. But should you dare to touch it... you'd be poisoned. Abigail found herself possessed by an inexplicable urge to reach out to this beautiful, enigmatic jellyfish, despite knowing that such an action might ultimately lead to her own demise.

As Abigail stared at him, she slowly recovered from her lightheadedness. It was outrageous but she momentarily forgot that horrific experience just by staring at him.

"Miss Lee…" he spoke without opening his eyes. "I hope you finally learned your lesson. I'm telling you one more time; someone like you doesn't belong in my world. You belong in your own peaceful paradise."

An unsettling sensation seemed to lodge in her throat as the words he had spoken before she lost consciousness echoed within her mind: 'I told you... you can't handle it...'

Abi's chin quivered subtly. 

Her deepest yearning was simple: to fall in love. She wanted to experience uttering those three words – 'I love you' – to the man she loves. She yearned to understand the emotions those words would evoke before she dies. Was that really too much to ask? 

Should she really give up now? Should she really just burrow herself back into her rabbit hole like a scared little bunny and return to living that safe, quiet little life she had been accustomed to? Should she simply sit still and wait for the day she ultimately departs from this world?

Just the thought of it made Abi's heart break. She had been a good girl. She had never asked for anything else. She never cursed any gods, got angry, nor did she ask why, of all people in the world, she had to be the one who got sick. She accepted everything and only wished for one thing…

Deep within her heart, an unyielding determination to not give up on him persistently burned. As if something in her was urging her to hold on. It was almost unbelievable but she thought that perhaps, this was fueled by the fear of living the remaining days of her life filled with regrets. Maybe she couldn't simply accept an ending overshadowed by unfulfilled wishes.

"Go home and stay there, Abigail. You've seen the outside world and there is nothing good out there," he continued.

"You're right. The world is not always a nice place… it can be scary…" she trailed off. Her voice weak, almost a whisper. "But I don't agree with you that there's nothing good out there."

Alexander finally looked at her, opened his mouth to speak, only to hold back when he saw the look in her eyes. 

"Alexander…" she uttered his name. "Why did you come and save me?"

What followed Abi's question was a deafening silence.

What happened tonight rocked her world. It was terrifying. She never wanted to experience anything like that ever again. She finally understood why this man believed since the beginning that she couldn't handle it. Her actions and reactions tonight proved it even if she started to deny it now.

However, this man came and saved her. No matter what she said, no matter what she thought and no matter what she saw, this man came and saved her. This single act from him was enough for her to persevere and try to catch the balloon again. She decided to try again, one last time. If she couldn't get him to agree tonight, then she would stop, once and for all. She would accept that this was probably her fate.

"I think that there is something good out there…" she lifted her hand and gently poked the man's cheek. "You."

Alexander's lips parted in disbelief. He caught her wrist and held it as he closed his eyes and breathed deeply.

"Abigail, you don't know what you're saying," he said and then he moved closer to her. His eyes blazed again with ice cold fire as his fingers traced her jaw. "Didn't you see how much more dangerous I am than that man? I have and can still do far, far worse things than that. I have done things you can't even imagine, Abigail… Believe that."

"But you saved me."

"I did that out of impulse."

She ignored his words. Even if he was just being impulsive, he still saved her. And really? Out of impulse? Didn't he just acknowledge the fact that he had some good in him?

"I believe that I'll be fine out there, as long as I'm with you."

Alexander leaned back, now pinching the skin between his brows.

"You don't get it! I'm the one who's much more dangerous for you, Abigail." He gazed at her again. His eyes were still cold and filled with urgent, dangerous, warnings. "If you become my girlfriend… I might ruin you… In fact, I know I would. You don't know what I am capable of doing to you."

She swallowed.

"Why don't we try it then? How about you give me a month? If I really can't handle it, I will run away from you on my own."

Alexander let out an enchanting but chilling laugh before he shook his head in disbelief. 

"Tell me, why me?"

"Because you're the most handsome man I have ever seen?"

He smirked. "There are tons of fish in the sea, Abigail. You're only saying that because you've never jumped into the ocean! I just happened to unknowingly jump out of the water right in front of you."

"I have seen my share of fish but you're right, you were the first one to jump out of the water and the first one I truly noticed. You're also the only one that has ever sparked something in me. I-I… can't explain it. I just have this feeling that we… that I…"

… will never find another man like you again for the rest of my life.