Chapter 14

"I am strong because I've been weak. I am fearless because I've been afraid. I am wise because I've been foolish." "Sometimes you face difficulties not because you're doing something wrong, but because you're doing something right."

ASHLEY'S P.O.V

Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle. Having a superpower has nothing to do with the ability to fly or jump, or superhuman strength, With but few exceptions, it is always the underdog who wins through sheer willpower.Everything is within your power, and your power is within you. Where there is no struggle, there is no strength. We will either find a way, or make one. Sometimes you don't realize your own strength until you come face to face with your greatest weakness.I like to use the hard times in the past to motivate me today.Courage isn't having the strength to go on — it is going on when you don't have strength.

I felt tensed as I sat down besides Ace. I have sat down with him before, it isn't like I haven't but it fees different today. This was something else...something special I guess, cause I could feel my heart beating irregularly. I think Ace felt it too cause he would glance at me at any little chance he got. How was I gonna get past this three months when I was this tensed on the first day?. Many things went through my mind, things I can't explain with words, things that...That I don't understand myself. I suddenly thought of my Dad and how he would console me each time I felt sad. My dad was always there for me. Most times, I would wish I had a real mum, and feel the warmth of motherhood.

Ace hunters, a young boy who suddenly came into my life and brightened it, a boy who brought life back, a boy whom I can't stop but think about, a boy who always finds a way back into my mind. Ace has this type of courage I wish I had, A mindset I wish I can have, a strength I didn't have but wish I could, and the willpower I admired. How he found a way into my heart, that I didn't know. He had found four percent out of ten of my heart and I'm scared of letting him in too much. I'm afraid that when I do let him in, I won't be willing to leave him. He looked so handsome while driving the car and I in turn can't stop myself from taking a glance at him.

Our ride was a smooth one, full of silence. I could see Ace glancing at me at any little chance, and I knew he saw my cheeks flush cheeks .The ride was getting boring and I noticed he tried hard, looking for a way to lighten up our mood, and he had to bring up a topic for us to discuss.

"Why aren't you curious of where I'm taking you to?," he asked

"if you had asked me this question fifteen minutes ago, I would say a five star hotel or Bar or perhaps a Restaurant, but we are going downtown so I'm curious but I don't want you to ruin the surprise by telling me" i replied

"oh...Okay, so any guess?"

"nope... none for now, I'm clueless at the moment. We are going downtown so....I seem lost, just be warned that if you plan on murdering me, my spirit is a very vengeful one you won't like to mess with, and I won't rest till I get my revenge," I joked and he let out a smile

"don't worry, have you seen a murderer this handsome before?" he said, again with praising his handsomeness

"who know what lies behind that mask"

"trust me, behind this mask, lies a beautiful soul"

"hmmm...I see...so tell me, how many girls has sat down on this same very seat I'm seated?," i asked

" That's question is tricky," he said scratching his hair with his left hand.

"Just tell me," i insisted

"Do you really want to know?," he asked and she nodded in affirmation as the curiosity was eating me out

"yes," i replied

"a lot...I've actually had many women in the past...but that was before I met you and not I have only you in my heart," he replied and i let out a cute smile, as I felt relieved

"You know you can lie and say no and I won't know right?," I said and he nodded

"yes, but I don't want to keep or hide anything from you, I don't want you to find fault in me and stop talking to me or become angry at me. like I said before, this challenge means a lot to me"

"What gives you confidence that you can win my heart,you speak with so much confidence and courage that makes me wonder where you got it from"

"My mum wound always say " instincts never lies" and mine doesn't lie to me. When I saw you for the first time, I just knew you were the one. You know when you see something for the first time and knew it was the one? that's it. I vowed to win your heart at all means. Every heart has a soft spot and I'll make sure to hit yours, even if it costs me a lot, I won't mind"

"What made you fall in love with me?'" i asked curiously

"You don't need a reason to fall in love cause tomorrow if that reason is no more, then my love for you would be no more. You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams. Every great dream begins with a dreamer. I love you, for you are love itself. The greatest happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved; loved for ourselves, or rather, loved in spite of ourselves.What matters is the future."he said

I went cold as i looked away to the window. my face became dull, my eyes dim and empty. Will there be a future?, Who knows what will happen tomorrow?, what if I did tomorrow?, I don't want to give him a false hope that there might be a future between us and tomorrow, there won't. I would hate to have that happen.

"What if there isn't a future?," i said sadly. I just couldn't get myself to think about it. I can imagine how hard he took my words, but I couldn't help it.The ride was once again dull as we both kept quiet

We were finally at our destination and we came down.

"Is this it?," I asked looking unsatisfied as all I could see where trees and nothing more.

"no, you'll need to trust me and close your eyes for a while" he said

"Are you sure you ain't planing to kill me?," i joked

"C'mon, how can I kill the woman I love?," he said and i reluctantly closed my eyes.he took me by his hand and directed me. We got to the peak of the mountain and made a stop. "You can open them now," he said as i slowly opened my eye. My eyes widened and filled with surprise. I hadn't seen such beauty before, a natural beauty at that, as I went closer and took a look down the mountain.

"So what do you think?," he asked "Is it good?"

"good?, hell no," i said because good wasn't enough to describe this magnificent view. "This is amazing!!," i yelled happily "it's spellbinding.How did you find this place, this looks like a Vacation home or something, how are we the only ones here?" i asked curiously

"Actually, I rented it for us," he replied as i became shocked that he went to such extent

"You ...You What?, you mean you rented this whole place?," i asked and he nodded in affirmation.

" yes," he replied

"That would cost a lot ..You didn't have to go this far"

"it wasn't much, just a few thousand bucks"

"A few thousand bucks!!? and you are saying it isn't much? well as expected from a celebrity"

"Since you know the cost, let's enjoy this scenery to our heart contend"

"Okay, we are already here, and the deed has been done, let's enjoy it," I Said

The garden was located at the peak of the mountain. It was blessed with natural beauties. There were flowers of different kinds, just name it.There were trees which served as shades, having the garden located at the peak of the mountain was indeed a marvelous idea.

"You know,If I had a flower for every time I thought of you, I could walk in my garden forever." he said and i turned slowly to face him

"So this was your plan?"

"yes...do you know this flowers has their own special meaning?" he asked

"I'm familiar with a little" i replied

"That one at the far end is called pink carnations and it means I'll never forget you, white violet over there" he said pointing towards the direction " means innocence,a red tulip is for a confession of love,while a purple violet said the bouquet giver's "thoughts were occupied with love.red rose are used to openly express feelings of love," he said

"You know much about flowers, I bet you must have given a lot to girls" i asked

"no... I haven't,I'm a lover of nature" he replied.

"Instead of talking, let's enjoy the place" i said as i ran around, touching each flower as i passed. I was happy that at least, I've got one out of twelve of my bucket list done and I was glad. Funny how I have a bucket list? well everyone has something they'd love to do or see before they die one day and so do i