Unexpectedly Bad

13: On the Top of the World

                                                                      L   U   N   A

     The sunlight shone through the closed curtains. My eyes blinked adjusting to the brightness. The sound of birds chirping could be heard through the closed windows. Hailee approached me with a "Good Morning.". She opened the curtains and the windows. The fresh morning breeze touched my skin as I was lying down on the soft mattress of my bed, snuggling to the soft yet warm blanket in my velvet nightgown.

     "What's up with you and Aiden Dominic?" Hailee asked while sitting on the edge of my bed, putting her mascara on.

     Aiden? Oh God...

     "Please don't tell me he was staying the night here." I sat criss-crossed on my bed.

     "No, he doesn't. He left when I came back." she said and I sighed.

     He stayed until she came back. The question would be "why?". I was too caught up on my problem with my dad, I didn't even notice how concerned Aiden looked last night. From the way he rushed from his cabin to mine, to the way his eyebrows furrowed when he looked at me with worries in his eyes. From the way his voice sounded so sincere when he was comforting me, to the way his actions spoken a thousand meaning. From the way he held me close in his arms, to the way he stayed with me until I fell asleep.

     "Are you going to tell me what is going on between you and him?" She said while putting her mascara inside her makeup bag and took out her lip gloss, snapping me out of my thoughts.

     "Nothing."

     "Come on, Luna, it's Aiden Dominc we're talking about. There must be something going on."

     What was going on between me and Aiden? That was the question that I was not even sure what was the answer. Never in this past few weeks I had thought about what was going on between us. Everything that happened does not even made sense, it wasn't even normal. One day, he was nice and caring, the next day, he was so cold. Our conversations never made sense either. It was either we were talking about something that was not even important at all, or we were talking about something really deep and emotional. And so did our actions towards each other. One day we felt really awkward by just accidently touching skin to skin, then one day he could wrap his arms around me like we had known each other for years.

     "Earth to Luna Lynch." Hailee snapped me out of my thoughts once again.

     "I'm not sure, Hails. It just happened too fast."

     "What happened too fast?" She raised her eyebrows.

     "It has only been weeks since we started talking, but it felt like we have known each other for years. And whenever he's around, I get this weird feeling that I have never experienced before."

     "What kind of feeling?" She scooted closer to me, her eyes showed me that she was beyond curious. I stayed silent because I actually did not know how to answer this question. To be honest, the feeling that I felt when he was around was really vague. I need help to figure out what is this feeling. Maybe Hails could help, but, how could she help me when I was not even capable to describe what I was feeling?

     "Is it really hard for you to answer the question?" She asked again and I nodded. "Let me help you. Did you feel shy when he's around? Did you suddenly feel insecure or feel like someone is watching you when you're in the same room with him? Did you feel butterflies when he touched you?" Did I feel those things?

     "Like I said before, I'm not sure, Hails." I sighed.

     "Okay, let's do it this way; next time when he's around, pay attention to your feelings at the time. Then, tell me exactly what you feel." She stood up and took her makeup bag from my bed before she continued while wiggling her eyebrows, "I'm a love expert, you know?"

     Love? Oh, no, that sounds pretty bad.

     "Get up from bed, we're having breakfast!" She shouted from the bathroom.

                                                                       ∴∵∴∵∴∵∴∵∴∵

     "Luna." I heard a husky voice said  from behind me. My favorite voice. The voice that never failed to send shivers down my spine, that I wished I could listen to before I fell asleep and when I woke up, that made my heart beats faster than a blink of an eye, I could even listen to it all day without getting bored. If it was possible, I wanted to record his voice so I could play it on repeat until I fell asleep. It was so intoxicating, and oh God, I think I was addicted to it.

     Pay attention to your feelings at the time.

     "You're here alone?" He asked.

     I felt my body tensed when he took a seat next to me. It was okay last night when he came to my cabin, my mind was too messed up, I even cared less about the fact that Aiden was there holding me in his arms. It was different this time, when I was in my right mind.

     "I'm with Hailee. She's in the restroom."

     We were in the main hall and were having breakfast. Today was going to be a free day for the whole student and we were going to go home at 8 p.m..

     "Are you feeling better?" He said with the same concerned look as last night. I nodded. "I want to take you somewhere tonight."

     My heart was beating really fast and my mind was wondering if I heard him correctly or was I just imagining things. "Where?" I finally spoke. Please, tell me I'm not imagining things.

     "It should be a surprise, so, I'm not telling you." He said before taking a bite of my pancakes.

     "Hey, that's mine!" I lightly slapped his arms.

     "Come on, you still have four left. I mean, who ate five pancakes for breakfast?" He laughed.

     "It's not even funny. I'm hungry, okay? I spent my energy on crying last night." I pouted and began eating my pancakes.

     "Awe, I'm sorry, princess." He teased. "You know what, if you want the pancake that bad, you can take it back." He opened his full-of-pancakes mouth and leaned closer to me.

     "Ew, gross!" I put my palm on his face and pushed him. He started laughing and I did too. Hailee came back right when our laughter ended.

     Aiden drank his water before he stood up. "I'll see you tonight, then?" I nodded and he left.

     "What are you going tonight?" Hailee grinned. I took the first bite of my second pancake and said, "Shut up, will you, Hails?"

∴∵∴∵∴∵∴∵∴∵

     "Favorite movie?" He asked.

     "The Great Gatsby." I said. "My turn. Favorite holiday?"

     "Summer. Do you want to know why?" I nodded. "'Cause there'll be chicks with hotter bikinis on the beach."

     I instantly rolled my eyes. "Boys will be boys."

     "I was just kidding, princess. I like summer because my father and Rebecca would be spending their time abroad for holiday, Nathan would be away with his friends. I like being home all by myself. Well, with Gretta ofcourse."

     "Gretta?"

     "Oh, she's a chick I met at the bar one night, we had a really good time. She decided to stay over every summer." He said bluntly and my eyes widen in shock.

     "Are you kidding me?!" How could he be so blunt. Did he seriously forgot that we were in a cab and every cab had a driver that had a pair of ears that could listen to their passengers' conversations?

     "I was kidding, princess. Again. Gretta is my maid. She's more like a grandmother to me." He smirked. "You're blushing. Are you jealous because I said I have a girl over every summer?"

     "No way! You're really cocky and annoying, you know that?" I slapped his arms and he chuckled.

     "Trust me, princess, annoying is my middle name." He grinned.

     About half an hour later we were arrived at out destination. It was half past five and we were standing in front of the Queensboro Bridge. He lead me to the bridge, once we were on it, I leaned the side of my body to the railings as he did the same so we were facing each other.

     "What are we doing here?" I asked.

     "Just wait." He said. And so we waited. It was about fifteen minutes later when he reached my arm and began to walk along the bridge. I was going to ask him where was he taking me but I decided not to and just wait. Like he said, just wait.

     He gestured me to the towers on the bridge and I was confused of what he meant by that. "What?" I asked.

     "Climb." He said.

     "Are you out of your mind? Is that even legal?"

     "Just trust me, princess." Well that sounded convincing, but, could I trust him with this? I glanced over the high towers.

     "What if we get caught by the police, Aiden? We were on a school trip, so far away from home and far away from our parents. Who would help us getting out of the jail?"

     "No one, because, we're not going to the jail." He sounded so sure.

     "How would you know we won't?"

     "I just do, okay? Princess, you're wasting time, you'd miss the time." He grabbed my arm and walked closer to the towers.

     "What time? And wait, what if we fall and got hit by the cars or if we fall to the water and got eaten by the sharks?"

     "Just climb the goddam tower. I promise you would never fall, I'll always be right behind you." He promised.

     "Why don't you climb first?"

     "And who'd be the one to catch you if you slipped?" He had a point.

     "What if you fall? Who'd be the one to catch you?"

     "There will always be someone to catch you when you fall, princess. You don't live in this cruel world alone."

     That was so wise. He should be right. There would always be someone to catch you when you fall. I thought that I was facing my problems alone and that I was going to fall when I broke down, but he proved me wrong. He caught me when I fell and broke down. And today he promised me he'd always do.

     With that, I grabbed the metal and start climbing the tower. I looked down at him and he was right behind me, like he promised. I smiled at him, he smiled back, and that was enough to assuring me that I wouldn't fall. I kept on climbing and not even once I looked down because I knew I'd be freaking out and might as well losing my grip on the metal if I knew how high up I was. A part of me was still scared, I never fond of heights, but my mind kept repeating the words 'He'd always catch me when I fall.' And the fear was slowly fading away.

     We were at the top of the bridge when I stopped and asked, "What do we do now, Aiden?"

      Without answering, he climbed by the metal in front of me, passing through me, and the fear instantly came back to me. He said he would always be right behind me. What if he lied? What if he won't catch me when I fall? I looked down, that was when I realized how high up I was. My hands were trembling and it got sweaty due to my fear of heights. I felt my grip on the metal losen as my mind kept playing the worst possible scenario.

     "Grab my hand." I looked up to see Aiden standing on the metal, his left hand holding to a pole so he wouldn't fall, he had his right hand reaching out to me. I grabbed his hand and he pulled me up. I stood on the small metal that was barely wide enough for my feet with my back to his chest as he put his right arm around my waist so I wouldn't fall. He'd always catch me when I fall.

     The sight in front of me was mesmerizing. The sun was setting, the light of it was peeking between two skyscrapers. The sky was dark purple and pitch black, the orange light of the sun was perfect to complete the color of the sky. Lights were starting to appear on the buildings as the sky's accessories. The sound of cars engine and honks still can be heard from up here. The peaceful sound of the streaming water and birds chirping was so calming. The cold breeze hit my face and my hair was dancing along with it. It wasn't cold at all since I had Aiden's arm wrapped around me, his chest against my back, his warmth was enough.

     I turned my head to the left side. His face was so close that I can feel his warm breath, our nose was almost touching. "Stretch your arms out. Trust me." He said.

     I stretched my arms out and it was the most amazing feeling I've ever experienced. And for the first time after twelve years, I actually felt free. It was like I was letting go all of my problems tonight, at this very place, with this very person. The world seemed bigger from up here. It was crazy how there were seven billions people in this earth and one could still feel so lonely.

                                                                         A   I   D   E   N

     I tilted my head to the side to get a better view of her face. I took the chance to examine her face. She had green eyes like how I had noticed this whole time, her eyelash was long and it made her eyes seemed bigger, her eyebrows was dark brown just like her long wavy hair, her nose was small yet pointy, her lips was pink and plump, her skin was so white and soft and fair. Everything about her seemed perfect, inside out.

     "It's so beautiful, Aiden." She put her hands down and held my hand that was placed on her.

     "Yes, it is." She turned to face me. I was too focused on her beauty, I didn't even realized that she was referring to the sight in front of us, but, it did not matter. She was beautiful and even more beautiful than the view. She smiled at me as her cheeks redden when she realized that I was referring it to her. I smiled back at her, letting her know that I meant it.

      "I'm not scared of heights anymore." She stated.

     "Why?" I asked, my mouth was so close to her neck.

     "Because I know you'll always catch me when I fall."

     "You're right. I will." I placed my face on the side of her neck. And she was beyond right.

     We went back to our inn. I walked her to her cabin. "Why did you take me there, Aiden?" She asked.

     "You looked so sad yesterday. I have never seen you looked so vulnerable before. You were always smiling even though I knew you weren't smiling from your heart, but, seeing you broke down like that...It was just...I don't know." I scratched the back of my neck, feeling so nervous. I should have just said that I could not see her so weak, but, being the coward I was, I failed to collect my guts and say it to her.

     "I have never felt so free before. And being on the top of that bridge felt like I was standing on the top of the world. My anxiety and problems faded away. Although I know they would come again soon, but, at least I can forget it for a while and feel how it felt like to not having a problem. Thank you so much for today, Aiden. It really means a lot."

     Little did she knows, with her, I felt like I'm on the top of the world too.

     "I should be the one thanking you." I said.

     "For what?"

     "I don't know, um," I hesitated for a second before continuing, "I have never felt so free before too. And it wouldn't be fun if I went alone, so, thank you for being my company, I guess." While the truth is, I'm thanking you for making me feel strong and complete.

     We stopped in front of my cabin. We both turned to face each other. "So, is this the part when you hug me goodbye?" She said.

     "Do you want me to hug you that bad?" I smirked and saw her rolled her eyes.

     "Fine, don't." She turned around to walk inside her cabin when I stopped me.

     "No, wait, I want to hug you." I said as she turned around to face me. A blink of an eye later, I had my arms wrapped around her. "I'll see you around, princess."

     "I'll see you around, Aiden." We both pulled away. "We should really get going to pack our stuff right now. We wouldn't want to miss our flight, would we?"

     "Right. See you." I waved her goodbye as I walked back to my cabin. I was unlocking my cabin's door when I took a glance to Luna's cabin. She was standing on the porch looking at my direction and smiling. I smiled back and she waved me one last time before we both went inside our own cabins.