D&S

Chapter # 14

Ester, I wanted to go to the world where there are no pains, no tears, no fears. Just you and me and the sound of your laugh exist, filled with never ending love. Can I make a world like this?

***

"Desmond. I am a silly, delusional girl who is weak and pathetic. I don't think I can help anyone." She said direly. I remained silent and listened to her worrying that I am not the one who caused her to leave her dream behind.

"There are all kinds of human Desmond and I am weakest of all... And the weak cannot do anything." She told me with a glint of sadness in her voice. I gave her a sympathetic look and held her hands

. I kissed her hands and said, "I am your strength." She passed me a smile and lowered her head, "Strength came from inside, Desmond. And the only time I felt powerful was when I was heartbroken and slapped you." she told me.

I held her tightly and said in a low tone, "That's not true, Ester. You are a very strong woman. You bear everything with a smile. Bear my hatred, all those terrors, everything. I am pathetic that I kept pushing you away and shattered you." I whispered.

"I am the one who made you like this and let me tell you, I will fulfill all those dreams you cherish in you heart because the talk we never shared will be shared and I will try my best to give you all the happiness I failed to give you, just promise to stay with me and I swear I am willing to give all those riches I can starting with y my worthless life." I continued.

"My everything is yours, Ester. My love, my life, my heart, everything. I cannot tell you how much I love you. I don't want to be sad or broken, I am here and will fix everything that is scattered because of me. Please have faith in me." I said earnestly.

Tears of happiness brimmed in her eyes, a wide smile spread across her lips, she kissed my hands and whispered, "I love you, Desmond..."

We hold each other's hand tightly with no intention of letting go, holding each other till our last breath, never wanting to leave these arms of solace ever, residing in those eyes of love and never caring for things as if no one but each other exist for us.

I smiled sadly as a tear pricked in the corner of my eyes. I exhaled deeply and kissed the back of her palm and whispered, "I love you too, Ester."

"You ready?" I asked Ester, entering our room while my gaze was fixed on my phone. I lifted my gaze and saw Ester looking appealing as ever. I smiled when I looked at her.

"Yeah.." She said, She was wearing a white shirt adorned with beads along with blue jeans and boots with her hair tied in a high ponytail. I put my phone in my pocket and walked close to her.

I stroked the side of her face affectionately and moved my hands to her hair and untied her ponytail, letting her hair fall on her back. "I like you this way more." I said.

A blush rose to her cheeks and she averted her gaze from mine shyly. I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and pulled her close to me.

"Let's go." I said as we left for the festival. I know Ester loves nature and it makes me feel exhilarated when she smiles and becomes so enthusiastic about them. I love looking at her smiles. They calm my heart immensely and make everything around me beautiful.

We reached the park and entered. Ester grabbed my hand and dragged me away from her. "Desmond, look, it's the same as last year's flower festival. Those same black roses." She beamed. "You expect them to turn pink?" I asked, amused. "No, I mean they are arranged just like before, in the corner. Look at others, their arrangement is different but they are the same." She explained. "I see." I nodded in understanding.

We clicked a few pictures and Ester stared at them for a while.

"Desmond, can you get me a cotton candy please?" She said, taking pictures of the flowers. I smiled looking at her. "Okay." I said and went to get her a cotton candy.

"Here you go." She put her phone back in her bag and took the candy and began to eat it.

"You know Desmond, I had no friends and I stayed home most of the time but whenever we went to our vacation house, it was so fun- even if I was alone there. There's a tree house there where I used to have a red rose and I used to talk to it." She told me. I listened to her carefully, loving the way how carefree and happy she sounds.

"Did it talk back to you?" I asked jokingly. She laughed a little and replied, "I imagine that's the answer." I chuckled and pulled her close to me, "I would love to be that rose." I said.

"It wilted."

"So you don't talk to wilted roses?" I asked, pushing her from the shoulder.

"No, that's not it. Of course. If the rose is you, it doesn't matter if it's wilted or not." She giggled.

"And I love your smiles, your happiness." I said earnestly. I smiled and put her head over my chest. "Ah, Desmond." She suddenly said, I hummed and she continued, "You want to eat?" She offered me her cotton candy. I smiled and took a bite.

After that we visited different stalls. Different food stalls and Ester tried each one of them. "I didn't know you were a foodie."

"I love snacks like this." She said eating her nachos. "You should eat, gain some weight, woman." I said, pinching her cheeks. "Hmm. I will." She said,

"Want that?" We stopped at a game stall and I pointed at the teddy bear holding a heart with 'I love you' written on it. "Again archery?" She said, narrowing her eyes.

"What? I am really good at it." I said, shrugging my shoulders. She chuckled and moved me and pointed to the other stall. The buzz wire stall. I looked at her, "That one?" I asked. She grinned and nodded. "Go and get something from there."

"You sure?" I asked. "Yeah. Can't you do it?" She smirked. I smirked back and said proudly, "Wait it."

Another wince, damn it was hard. Ester was making a video, laughing at me. I failed to do it almost 10 times but I was determined to do it.

"That's enough Desmond. It's okay, we can go to the archery stall." She said, stopping the videos. "After that." I said, trying another time.

I held my breath and moved it again and after so much hard work, I finally was able to do it. Ester squeaked and hugged me. I laughed a little and rubbed her back, "Told you." I said.

She pecked my cheek and pulled away.

"Finally." She said excitedly. I got her a gigantic teddy bear and chuckled, "It's larger than you." I said. I held it with both of her hands and grinned at me.

I took a picture of her like this and finally my time to show my archery skill came as I won that teddy for her, I wanted to.

She was looking somewhere and I called her, "Ester." She turned to me and hummed.

I pointed at the heart, the teddy was holding. I first pointed at it and at her, motioning to tell her what I meant, what's written in it. I love you.