I pull up on Ariel's driveway. The two-story building looks really spacious and well-built. Blue paint covers most of the walls, with some large and floor-to-ceiling window which reflect the warm feeling of the house.
The walk path towards her front door is built across the very well-maintained garden, completed by some bushes which are grown alongside the path.
I carefully make my way towards the front door, a colorful flower arrangement in hand. I right the door bell and fidget with the flower a bit, thinking of what to say. I can't make her upset even further by saying the wrong thing.
The door swings open. Behind it, stands a girl in a white t-shirt and a messy bun. She is shocked by my presence as her eyes go wide and she is clutching onto the door handle.
"Umm.. Hey." I croak.
She clears her throat, before greeting back unassertively.
"What are you doing here?" She finally asks after a moment of silence past between us, with me not making any attemp to speak.
"I owe you an apology." I hold out the bouquet of flowers before her eyes, but instead of smiling, she frowns weakly.
She clutches onto the door handle even more, and I am concerned that she might fall to the ground as her legs can't hold her body for any longer.
"Are you okay?"
"Umm, yeah." She shakes her head slowly, "there's no need for you to give me flowers, actually."
"The girl could've died if it wasn't for you saving her. Giving you an arrangement of flowers is the least thing I can do." I offer her a smile.
Her hand trembles as she stretches her hand out to take the flowers. She stares at the flowers for a moment before her head shoot up.
"What's your name?"
"Oh right," the realization hits me that I haven't introduced myself, "I'm Declan."
A glint of dissapointment passes in her eyes but it is soon gone.
She clears her throat before saying, "I'm Ariel."
I want to tell her that I already know but I don't want to look like a creep so I seal my mouth shut.
She offers her hand for me to shake but before I get the chance to take it, a woman is calling out her name from inside of the house.
"Looks like you have to go." I shrug, looking down at her terribly pale face.
"Yeah, I do." Her eyes look up to meet mine, and this is the first time I can clearly see her clear, ocean blue eyes. "Um, thanks for the flowers."
"No problem," I say as I step back a little, "I guess I'll see you later."
She nods before entering the house, closing the door behind her. I stare straight onto the stiff brown wood, looking down at the doorknob she was clutching onto a moment before.
I frown but the shake the thoughts away before walking away farther, reaching my car as soon as the rain starts trickling down.
Three days later, I am doing my shift when I see Ariel walking in. Her face looks so much better despite her weak, pale face a couple days ago.
She looks so energetic, making a smile form on my lips. I climb down the lifeguard chair and approach her, who is trying her hair up in a ponytail.
"Hey," I try to sound casual, because deep down I feel anxious.
"Oh, hi," she sends me a quick smile before returning back to her things.
"So.." I try to find a subject to start a conversation, "were you sick when I gave you those flowers?"
"Uh," she paused for a while before continuing, "yeah, it was just a normal headache."
Before I get the chance to reply, her coach barges in.
"Well," I sigh, letting my second chance of talking to her slide heavy-heartedly, "see you later.."
"See you," she gives me her signature quick smile and swiftly jumps into the pool.
---
"Mom! I'm going out!" I yell as I grab my bike and pedal it out of the garage.
The evening can't look any better, with the vivid orange cloud and cool, fresh air accompanying. I take a deep breath before getting on the bike, starting my evening excercise.
An hour later, my lungs are burning and my legs are aching, I decide to slow down a pace and head home. Far in front of my path, I see a small figure running away on the same direction, her paces are not any faster.
Her hair which are tied into a ponytail, dances freely along the wind with each pace she run. I speed up a bit, want to approach her out of curiousity.
My heart almost stop, mostly because I am genuinely surprised. It looks like the distance she has conquered don't exhaust her one bit, nontheless the extreme practice she went through earlier.
With her earphones plugged in, it is not a surprise that she doesn't acknowledge my presence. Once I've reached my driveway, I quickly park my bike, and gather all the strength I have left and chase her.
Maybe it is miracle or the strength I never knew I have, I finally reach her side. She feels my presence and finally looks to her left, finding a disgusting, sweaty and totally exhausted young man.
She quickly unplugs her earphones, slowing down her pace a bit. I happily follow, until we eventually come to a speed where we are speed walking.
"I'm surprised to not find any tinge of exhaustion on your face." I smile, but the chances of it turning out to be a cheeky grimace is pretty big.
"Probably because I do this almost everyday." She says, her breaths are heavy, "perks of being a swimming athlete."
"I must say I'm surprised, because as long as I remember, I didn't practice that hard as a swimming athlete."
Her pace turns into a halt in seconds, as she looks me in the eyes, in her eyes are utter confusion mixed with amazement.
"You were an athlete?"
•
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"Wow Skye, you're still alive?"
May not seem like it, but yes, I am indeed still alive XD
I'm sure that my long absence is no longer a surprise for you guys, as I've done this a zillion times, and feel bad for it, but keep on doing it.
But here's a long chapter for you guys! Enjoy~
YOU ARE READING
Fallen
Romance"You've fallen once and you broke. And now you're just afraid to fall again." "No. It's not that simple. Nothing is as simple as it seems." She has her problems, he wants to help her get through it. She's falling all over again, and he's trying to s...
