A secret is a secret | ONC 2024

02 | The best friend's pact

During the walk from the beach to our hotel room neither he nor I exchanged any words about what took place back at the beach. The only thing that I was able to hear was his footsteps and the beating of his heart underneath my ear.

"Alf, you are hot? Because I know that I am." I was the one who broke the silence between the two of us.

My boyfriend unwrapped a hand from my lower back, scanned the card, and opened the door. He walked inside still carrying me, he returned to his former place on my lower back. Alfred let the door close by itself as he walked towards our shared bed.

"Lena baby, I am not. But if you are hot, let me turn the air conditioner higher." He said, placing me  softly down on the bed. He walked away from the bed making his way to where the air conditioner was located.

I looked down realizing that I was wearing a hoodie that Alfred had already given me earlier tonight for the reason that I was cold and funny enough now I was hot.

The hoodie that I am wearing must be the reason why I am hot, I thought. I lifted my arms, taking the hoodie off my upper body. I placed my boyfriend's hoodie next to me on the bed. My body quickly felt the cold air coming out of the air conditioner.

"How are you feeling now? Are you still hot?" My boyfriend asked me while he walked toward me.

It took him a few steps until he reached me and sat down on the empty spot  next to me on the bed. The bed lowered underneath his weight.

"I am starting to feel a little better now that I am no longer there.  Thank you for listening to me babe." I thanked him, staring at him and showing him an appreciative smile.

My boyfriend looked back at  me, returning my smile. "I am glad to hear that, you had me worried back there. You're welcome. I am always listening to you and taking into consideration your feelings and how you are feeling in that particular moment."

My smile grew wider at his words without breaking eye contact. "I am never going to stop loving hearing you say that you worry about me. Can I ask you something?"

"Now that I know this fact, I will be saying that word more often. Yeah, baby, you can ask me anything you want, what's your question?"

I looked away from my boyfriend's eyes, taking a deep breath in before meeting his eyes again. "Why?" I whispered my question.

This time, Alfred was the one who took a deep breath in before speaking. "I was protecting you, Lena."

"Babe, I understand. But unfortunately, there is a young man who is not going to be returning home tonight to his family or friends." I said, softly,  reading my boyfriend's facial expression.

His facial expression  transformed into one full of guilt. "I know, I am not proud of the  aftermath that occurred tonight. I needed to defend you because he was  so drunk that he touched you inappropriately after you told him no. I never intended for my punch to make him lose his balance. Resulting in  him, falling backward and hitting his head on a rock that unfortunately made him pass away quickly. Are you mad at me?"

"Alf, babe, I am not mad at you. I am just in shock that's all. A lot has happened in the  last hour, I just need time to process everything." I wrapped my arms around him, pulling him into a well-needed hug.

"Okay, I understand." My boyfriend wrapped his arms around my waist, melting down at my touch.

This time I was the one who hugged him, giving him the comfort that he needed.

✘✘✘✘

Approximately, half an hour later, the  television in front of the bed was turned on. It was on some random channel I was watching, however, I wasn't paying attention because my mind was replaying the events that happened on the beach like a loop.