CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Previously on Avenging Angels

Rose and Christian go out for a drive and stop by the beach. Christian reveals the real reason he couldn't sleep and why he brought Rose to the beach but Rose gets offended by it.

TWENTY THREE

"Who told you I grew up in a bed of roses?" he said, his husky voice filled with raw emotions.

I heard his footsteps coming forward and he turned me to face his piercing blue eyes.

"You think you got me figured out, don't you?" he let out a raw chuckle and I looked away because the way he was looking me hurts.

A lot more than it should.

I also see disbelief in his eyes.

"But you know nothing" he jut my chin and once again I was forced to stare at his eyes but I stagger back when I see something.

Tears?

Hurt?

"Chris" I called him when he turned his back to me.

"Ten years ago. Just right outside of Paris, behind the old and abandoned theater"

"What?" I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion.

"Can't you still remember? Dirty blonde hair, the same blue eyes, dirty grey sweat pants?" He said.

And then it came back rushing through my head like a train that was on full speed.

I clutched the bread and bottle of water I managed to buy when a gentleman gave me a very generous tip.

Iris was down with the flu so she stayed in the theater which was our home, today and Lily went to check on her a while ago so I was returning back all alone.

I bumped into a figure but managed to keep my balance and my food intact.

"Hey,  watch where you're going. Are you blind or something?" I yelled at the man I bumped into.

"I-i am sorry"

I looked up to see it was just a boy. He looks a few years older than me with his dirty blonde hair and even dirtier grey sweatpants. His eyes are an electrifying shade of blue.

"It's OK. Are you new here?" I questioned.

"What? No, I don't stay here" he muttered under his breath.

"O... K. Where are you from then?" I asked.

"I-i don't know. What's your business anyway?" he fired back.

"Calm your horses, old fella. I was just being curious"

"They said curiosity killed the cat" he snickered.

"I am not a cat. And who would kill a cat? That's just pure evil" I grimaced.

"I know right" he mumbled.

We stayed quiet for a while when a rumbling sound disrupted it.

He quickly held his stomach and looked away embarrassingly. I see a tinge of red spread across his fluffy cheeks.

I bit my lip to hide my grin.

He is really cute.

"That was a car" he let out a squeak.

"Take" I handed my bread to him.

"I am fine. I  said it was just a car"

"I know it was a car. I just thought you might be hungry.  Take it, don't worry. It's not from the garbage, I bought it a couple of minutes ago" I assured him and he took it reluctantly.

I watched him eat in silence.

"Aren't you gonna eat?" he asked.

"No I ate this morning so it's even now. We both ate once a day" I smiled.

"Thanks"

"You're welcome"

"Rose. Is that you?" I turned to see Lily coming out from the theater backdoor and then I quickly ran over to her.

"What took you so long and who were you talking to?" she crossed her arms.

"It was just a boy"

"Boomer. I forgot to ask for his name" I looked over to where we standing just now but saw no one there.

A grey limousine passed by.

I regretted never getting his name.

"T-that boy was you?" I stutter.

"Who else did you think it was, Rosa?"

"But how is that even possible? Y-you-"

"I was adopted" he mumbled.

"I stayed in the orphanage for ten years, they said I was just a day old when they found me under a bridge. Victoria, my mother has always been a passionate volunteer and she happened to stop by to donate some money when she saw me and according to her, she fell in love at first sight" he chuckled with little humor.

"Life at the orphanage wasn't easy so I call my mom a saviour. My entire life changed after she took me in and four years later, we traveled to Paris to visit my dearest uncle and aunt but the first meeting didn't go as expected. I got along with the boys alright but Regina was a different case. She didn't even let me come ten feet near her,  saying I wasn't her blood or whatnot, teasing me about growing up in a sewer"

"She has always been a bitch, hasn't she?" I muttered.

"Yeah"

"I couldn't do anything to defend myself because it was the truth so I did what any normal fourteen year old would do. I ran away. I ran because I didn't want to see my mom's guilt and because I didn't want to see my father hurt because his wife couldn't bear him a child of his own. And that was when I met you. You were so tiny and so fragile looking yet so fierce. You intrigued me, the fire behind your eyes and voice intrigued me and I never forgot about you"

He moved closer and held my hands again.

"So when I held you in my arms that day, heard your voice and saw the fire in your eyes. I knew it was you right away but I confirmed it when I saw your necklace. It's one of a kind right?" he pointed at my mom's necklace.

"Pretty observant, aren't you?" I scoffed.

"Unlike you. I realized that I found my first love" he said and I raised my eyebrows.

"First love?" I questioned out loud.

"What fourteen year old wouldn't fall in love with a girl who gave him food when he was starving?" he said in a Duh tone and I chuckled.

"Chris. I am sorry for judging you when I clearly didn't know anything about you" I said.

"It's okay. A lot of people misjudge me, I just expected you to be different"

"I am so sorry. I shouldn't have said that" I sighed.

"It's really fine. But since you seem so eager to make up for it, why don't you do me a favor" he smiled.

"I will do anything"

"Anything?" he smirked and I realized I made a huge mistake.

"How about a little peck for a start?"

I took note that we are even much closer to each other so I stepped back but he used one arm to hold my back and the other on my face.

I felt the energy surge in the air from our proximity and I took deep breaths to calm my heart.

"Stay where you are" I warned him but his smirk got even wider.

"Why don't you stop me? If you can" he said before he planted his lips on mine.

At first, he started out gently, so gentle I almost couldn't feel his lips and then I grabbed his hair and pushed him even closer. He groaned and grabbed my waist.

My whole body was on fire from this touch and at that moment I forgot everything that took place before. I could only feel him and that was enough to make my mind a mush.

It was like dancing salsa in which the dancers were in perfect rhythm as though they were one soul.

We pulled away when we were out of breath and rested our forehead on each other.

"I know I am being cliche but that was magical" he smiled.

"Would you believe if I told you that was my first kiss?" I blurted out and he stared back with surprise.

"Oh Shit. I am so sorry,  I know you girls always want it to be so special and I just had to ruin that for you but trust me it was special in a way bec-"

I gave him a quick peck on his lips and he shut up.

"It was perfect" I grinned.

Later one, we sat down on the sand while I rested my head on his chest and he planted his lips on my hair.

We talked about little things but it was mostly silent. That kind of silence that no words can fit in it. I brought his hand occasionally to my lips to plant a peck.

We stood up when the sky was getting a lot more brighter but the sun was still nowhere to be found.

As we put on our helmet, I called him.

"Christian?"

"Yeah" he grinned.

"Mind if I drive?"

Being in the back seat was exhilarating but to actually drive it yourself was just the best.

I could control how fast or how slow I want the ride to be. I swerved left to right and right to left as I scream out in joy.

I scream one more time into the empty streets as I drove even faster, I heard him calling for help and I laugh at his silliness.

I put the bike to stop when we were a fair distance away from the castle.

"That was the best ride of your life? I know" he said and came down.

"Actually it was" I grinned.

"I am happy to see you happy" he moved forward and held my waist.

"And I am very happy to see that you are happy that I'm happy" I put my arms around his neck and smirked.

I didn't wait for him as I closed the tiny distance between us and left a chaste kiss on his lips.

"Someone's eager" he mocked and I slapped his head from the side.

"Do you think we would be able to get some sleep before the sun is up?"

"I gave up on sleep hours ago"