Before Take Off

6. the two sides

"She's not mine. I don't think she could ever be anyone's. She doesn't want to be owned. That's what I love most about her."

Lewis led me through a narrow door, which was already cracked open, at the top of the stairs. I felt the crisp air brushing against my face, making me realize that we were standing on the rooftop.

"Oh my God!" I exclaimed, not being able to keep my voice from coming out screechy. I held on the hem of his shirt firmly as Lewis chuckled under his breath. "Why would you bring a drunk girl up on a roof?"

I was expecting a proper answer to my question but Lewis just shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm a bit tipsy too." Oh boy, I'm so screwed.

He attempted to grab at my hand but I hid it behind me, giggling childishly. I didn't have to hold his hand to survive up on a roof. I didn't need anyone to survive anywhere. As I started off walking with wavering steps, I felt myself lurching forward, almost tripping over a beer can that was left on the roof carelessly.

"Careful birdie," Lewis warned, keeping me from falling before snaking one arm around my waist. "It's no time to fly, just yet."

He led me towards a suitable place for us to sit and I submitted myself to his guidance this time. When we were finally settled down, Lewis wrapped the hoodie that he picked up from the apartment, around my shoulders.

It was a slightly chilly night despite the approaching summer days. All the wine that I had consumed back in his flat and the hoodie that was wrapped around me kept me warm as I let my curious eyes skim through my surroundings.

The scenery was mesmerizing with all the yellow twinkling lights, passing out through windows, freeing themselves into the darkness of the night. The fresh, calming smell of grass and earth that you get after a brief downpour was present in the air. I inhaled deeply in order to soak up the delicious odor that lingered on the air.

I could hear someone, on the street, playing the acoustic guitar and if I listened carefully I could even pick out the lyrics of the song.

Dreaming in the lows, I never thought I'd see this high. And all the shade is illuminating (...) And all my worries disintegrating (...) And all my days were young and wasted.

It was a beautiful, radiant night for us people. We were content with our lit up living rooms and our music that broke through the silence of the night.

Then, I gazed up at the sky and sighed. "It's probably full of starts." I muttered under my breath. "But all the city lights wipe them off the sky."

"You should 've been an author with this colorful imagination of yours," Lewis uttered with a strange, inscrutable emotion hidden behind his words. I bolted my face up to look into his deep, hazel eyes.

"I love writing," I admitted, slightly embarrassed because I had never said this out loud. "I wanted to be an author one day but when I brought this up to my parents they talked me out of it. They told me that this is a dead end profession, that people no longer purchased books because they have social media. Which apparently is much more entertaining than reading."

Lewis rolled his eyes in a mocking manner. "Yeah, sure. What's more fun than stalking random people's holiday pictures."

I just chuckled, nuzzling his scruffy chin. I was far too drunk to keep my distance from him. I just wanted to let loose for once in my life, to live like there won't be a tomorrow.

"A wise man once told me that people never put their happiest moments up on the social media," Lewis stated, making me tilt my head back slightly to gaze into his eyes. He had that smug smile of his, lingering on his lips once again.

"Who was that man?"

"Me." He remarked, as if it was the most obvious fact in the world and I was crazy for even to be questioning it.

I chuckled and he just shot me a playful wink before taking a sip from the wine bottle that was almost empty.

"I like you," I spoke up before giving it a second thought, making Lewis lower his gaze down to meet mine.

He smiled genuinely. "Yeah?"

"I don't know you, but I kinda like you." I repeated, drawing out the vowels annoyingly. " I like chatting with you, I like it being so easy and carefree. I also like your smell even though it's a weird combination of lemon and cinnamon."

My confessions made Lewis laugh and I thought that I also liked his laughter very much but didn't bother putting it forward as I had already pampered his ego more than necessary.

"You can ask me some personal questions, if you want to get to know me better," He said after a brief pause.

I gazed up at him excitedly. "Really?"

He pursed his lips, immediately regretting his offer. "Sure, but I can always use the pass option."

"How old are you?" I shot my first question, trying to reveal personal information about him.

"Twenty-two. How about you?"

"Nineteen," I stated. I was eighteen years and eight months old actually but he didn't need to know that. "Did you go to college? Do you have a job?"

He ran his hand through his hair once more, causing a few sand brown curls to fall onto his forehead. "I've studied Business and Management in college and yes I've got a job, currently. I run this café-pub down the street."

"Oh yeah?" My eyes widened with excitement. How cool is that! "What's it called?"

"The Two Sides," he answered bluntly. I could sense that he was proud of himself when it comes to his bar. His eyes met mine, lightening up with a tremendous thrill. "It's because it's a café during daytime but morphs into a late night pub in the evening."

It was a meaningful name for a café-pub. I wondered if he'd let me work there for a couple of days as I needed to make some more money to take my little world trip further. I doubted that though, considering that I didn't have permission to be working in a foreign country.

"How about your parents?" I started off, only to see his facial features stiffening. "Is this a sensitive topic Lewis?"

"Pass," He hissed out without smiling. It was the first time since we met that I had seen him bothered, almost angry.

I didn't ask any further questions after that awkward moment between us, causing the silence stretch out into the night. I was feeling the alcohol slightly wearing off my system, leaving me with an indescribable urge to shut my eyes close and drift into sleep.

Lewis tilted my chin up with his thumb, making me look at him directly in the eyes. The stiff expression on his face broke off and morphed into an affectionate one, once he noticed that I was slowly drifting off into sleep.

"You know what," I murmured, half asleep.

"What?" He asked pursing his lips amusedly. He probably predicted that I'd be blabbering giddily in a few seconds.

I kept on talking, as at this point, I didn't care if I made a complete fool of myself. "You have two sides of yourself too, like the name your café-pub. There's caring, concerned and easygoing Lewis on one side while on the other, there's this cocky, stuck up guy."

He smirked down at me with a conceited attitude before rising up on his feet. I also darted up on my feet, a little bit too quickly that I almost fell back over, with a sudden vertigo washing over me.

Lewis grabbed at my arm, keeping me steady as we made our way back to his apartment. I was half asleep by that point, so when we were finally back inside, I just dashed off to the couch and collapsed onto it.

I let myself drift off to sleep so hastily that I almost didn't hear someone grumbling. "Why did you invite someone over tonight? You were perfectly aware that we'd be knackered."

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