Cherry & Blue (Complete ✔️)

Chapter Twenty

Rosé

As the summer breeze billows through my hair, my heart flutters with anxiousness and a little excitement. The sky is midnight black, stars illuminating and the moon glowing. The road is beginning to get sparser and darker. The smell of the ocean, the rustle of the trees, and the bright stars, everything seems so dreamy.

As soon as his hands touched me, I melted. I shouldn't have but that's the effect he has on my body. It's so wrong...but so right.

Kai kissed my cheek, and I'm wondering if that is the reason why he touched me like that and said those words to me. But why would he be angry about that?

"Where are we going?" I softly ask, looking at him.

Daniel is staring out on the road, speeding down the dark night. One hand on the wheel, whilst the other resting on the gearshift but that hand slides onto my thigh, taking my breath away and making me blush.

Daniel's lips tug up with a faint smile but he doesn't say anything. And that gets my thoughts going haywire. Is he taking me somewhere dark and haunted? Somewhere like an amusement park? The beach? My imagination runs wild and having Daniel's large, callous hand on my thigh, fingers mindlessly caressing my heated skin does not do any justice for knocking out the dirty thoughts.

We enter a forest, a very secluded nature woodland, almost like a hidden world. Tall, green, bushy trees crowd above us, surrounding us. Daniel drives further and further into the forest. My heart starts to race in fear. I don't like the dark.

"I've watched a lot of horror movies, Daniel and this is awfully familiar. Are you gonna kill me tonight?" I tease as I gaze at the nature around passing by.

Daniel grins. I nibble on my bottom lip as he drives even further, the darkness getting slightly overwhelming.

Daniel finally stops, right in front of a crystal-clear river. I climb out of the car, so I can take in the beauty of this place. It is breathtakingly peaceful. The stars and moon make the water sparkle like magic dust. The sound of the tiny waves is calming.

I watch Daniel walk over to some wooden stairs that are built in between the thick branches. He turns to me with a soft expression. I follow him and come across a treehouse up on the largest tree I've ever seen.

Climbing the wooden steps carefully with Daniel right behind me, I admire the structure. Inside there's a bundle of pale blue and cream comforters surrounded by so many cushions and pillows. There are books strewn about randomly and when I pick one up, I'm surprised to see Cujo. He likes horror.

Daniel isn't paying attention when I look at him, he's too busy lighting up the candles that are placed here and there with his lighter. I look at the river from the window and it's breathtaking. I could fall asleep here. Just the thought of it makes me giddy. I imagine it being winter and I'm snuggled inside those comforters with the candles on and the soft sounds of snow outside.

Daniel comes to stand next to me, his warmth comforting me.

"Rosé," Daniel looks at me, conflicted, "I'm sorry for what I said to you that night."

My eyes linger on his as solace and a little joy overcomes me. Daniel apologized for saying all those heartless words to me. It makes me wonder if that's why he's been ignoring me—he was working up the courage to apologize. Nevertheless, I couldn't be happier, and my heart feels lighter.

"I shouldn't have bet on you and I shouldn't have said those words to you. I was fucking angry, Rosé, I wasn't thinking straight, and I know that's not an excuse but," Daniel stares into my eyes, "Seeing you there, with my brother, looking so fucking beautiful, I hated what you were making me feel so I did what I do best, I hurt you. I thought if I did that, that annoying ache in my chest would go away but it didn't. It got worse. I just want you to be—"