Another Chance To Bloom

Chapter 25

Odelia

I short of ran down the stairs from the stage. I tried my best to be calm but it was very difficult in this situation. I don't know how I looked on the stage. I began regretting my decision to have public apology when I got on the stage. There has never been a precedent to this before. I'm not that great. I never wanted to be the one to pave the path. I only did this for Alastair. And that thought kept me going. Sure, he asked me to apologize to Gloria but this also counts.

When I had quite some distance between the stage and myself, I finally slowed down my pace. I sort of dawdled. I did not want to attend class. I was not ready to face the crowd yet. It was cowardly of me but I really did not have the extra energy to care. Especially when I saw that figure at the end of the hallway.

His ginger hair catching the sunlight in the most beautiful way. His warm brown eyes soft as I've always known them to be.

I stopped for moment to take in the view. Alastair has always taken my breath. Everything else pales in comparison when I see him. I don't know when I fell in love with him. We had always been together.

Throughout my childhood there had been very few people whom I held close to my heart. My family was one and Alastair had been the other. Except for my brothers and father, everyone else had used to let me have my way when I was younger. Perhaps attributing to the fact that I had no mother, or that I was the prime minister's daughter. And in that favor was a sort of neglect. They didn't care what I ended up becoming, all that mattered was my position. Of course, at that time I was not aware of that. I relished in the fact that everyone gave way for me. I was the local tyrant.

But not Alastair.

He never let me get away with anything. I found it very ironic. That I should be attracted to the very person who obstructed me from doing what I wanted. I was very angry then. I found him annoying. What did it matter to him what I turned out like.

I was a very fussy kid. It really was a miracle that he stuck around for so long. I genuinely did not know what he saw in me to accept my pursue of him. I knew that my thoughts were slightly different from others. A bit more extreme. But I couldn't control it.

I couldn't control the surge of happiness when I saw him. I couldn't control the way my heart sped up so much so that it may as well pop out from my chest. For all the times I went against him in our childhood, I was willing to listen to everything he says now. If he accepts me, I was willing to do anything. And that was not normal.

"Delia." A slightly husky sound said. A characteristic of those in the last stages of adolescence.

It broke me out of my stupor. I came to me that he had come closer. I could see his eyelashes now. They were like strands of copper and gold. I would worship him if I had the chance. Should I collect a strand? They were really beautiful.

"Delia."

I snapped out of my wandering thoughts again. This time his had pinched the bridge of his nose with the other hand on his hips, probably in exasperation at my lack of focus. I was self aware, but I didn't really feel a need to change. Unless he told me of course.

"Yes?" I finally answered.

He looked at me. I puffed up my chest in mock confidence. I really liked the way Alastair looked at me. He always looked into my eyes. And I into his. It was as if I could see the whole universe in his eyes.

"That was very brave of you." He said. I felt a burst of warmth. He was praising me.

I couldn't stop the wide smile that spread on my face.