Chapter 39: Stars

"Sean, we've been driving for more than two hours! This isn't 'taking a breather' anymore. Where are we going?"

If Dell didn't trust Sean thanks to five years of knowing him as her neighbour, she would have already panicked by now. They had long left the city it would seem, judging by the large expanses of fields and nothingness that were the only things they were passing by in the last hour. But she didn't think Sean would be the type to kidnap her. Not for ransom, anyway.

"I told you, we're going to see the stars."

"I don't know where we are anymore."

"Don't worry, you're with me," he said cheerfully.

They entered what looked to Dell like a forest, and eventually stopped there. Sean got out of the car, but Dell didn't feel particularly pleased about being dragged all the way to who knows where just to see some lights in the sky.

"Come on out," Sean said as he opened her door.

"If it's just going to be another sea of clouds..."

"It is not. Besides, you liked the clouds. Come on."

With a sigh and an eye roll, she stepped out the car and looked up. And what she saw paralysed her to where she stood.

These weren't stars. They were never like this. All she had ever seen, ever expected of stars were what she had always seen in the city: a few dots of light above the city skyline. They didn't look like a black sheet with glitter thrown against it. They didn't take your breath away. This didn't stir your heart, your very soul. They didn't awe you to the point of tears. This was not normal.

"What kind of sorcery is this?" She whispered.

"The kind that's always been there that you don't bother to look up and see."

"I didn't know you could see something like this with the naked eye." She sniffed.

"Not with that attitude, you're not," he teased.

She glared at him.

"Hey, I didn't make you hike this time to see this." His expression softened and he gently stroked her hair. "They say a night out under the stars helps reset the body clock. At least for tonight, I want you to sleep well."

"You mean we're staying here tonight? But I have work and... and I didn't even bring anything."

"Hush, stop ruining the magic."

"But seriously, I don't--"

"You don't need anything to sleep under the stars. Just a couple of sleeping bags, and I've got those."

"Did you and William plan this?"

"We happened to bump into each other at a cafe this morning. I was in your area for a shoot. And he asked if everything was fine with us. I told him you were just stressed at work and I'd need his help if I were to force you to rest. What your team at the bank needs now is for you to calm down enough to stop snapping at them. And just so we're clear, even if you snap at me the entire night, I am not giving the keys to the car, nor am I driving you back until the sun rises again."

"..." She remembered how mean she had been to him that morning. "I'm sorry I kept snapping at you."

"You'd better be. My defenses can only take so much."

She laughed. "Am I such a harsh woman?"

He sighed. "You're not a harsh woman. But you become harsh when you're overwhelmed and you know my take on that."

"Refresh my memory."

"Tell me why you need to be so busy."

"I'm not--"

"You wear stress like a badge of honor. Tell me if I'm not correct on this. Your greeting among your girl friends start by telling each other how stressed each of you are that week. It's like you feel guilty if you're not stressed."

She hadn't thought of it that way.

"I know you think I have no drive. But think that of me when we return to Manila tomorrow. Tonight, believe me when I say you don't need it. And look up at the stars and forget work for now."

"So, we aren't in Manila anymore."

"Nope." He smiled mischievously.

"... What should I think about then, if not work?"

Before she knew it, Sean had taken her in his arms and had started leading her on a haphazard waltz over the grass as he hummed a tune.

She had to laugh. "What are you doing?"

"Making you forget work."

"You dance horribly!"

"At least it's my dancing you're thinking about. Besides, we're in the middle of a forest. We can dance as bad as we want and nobody will judge us."

She smiled and allowed herself to be twirled and turned like a little princess. He stepped on her feet a few times, but she probably stepped on his more times.

"Just let me know when you're stressed," he said. "I'll take you here anytime you like. Ouch! Talk about ruining the moment."

She laughed. "It's your fault for being such a bad dancer!"

"But I was a good boyfriend tonight, wasn't I?"

She looked at his inquiring face. She guessed he had been a pretty good boyfriend tonight, seeing past her whining and taking her to see the stars. She smiled. "I guess you were. Thanks."

"You're welcome." He stopped dancing and looked up. "Was it everything you thought it would be? Dancing with a man under a canopy of stars, I mean. You said it was one of your fantasies."

"I never expected there to be so many stars." She looked up, too, to the spray of silver above her. "Yeah, I suppose it was... Well, almost. As a young girl, I'd fantasized kissing a man under it, too." She realized belatedly what her words implied. But when she looked towards Sean, he had a weird expression in his eyes.

"Then, may I have your permission to make that dream come true?"

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