The Darkness Within Us

9. A second Kiss

I rested my arms and chin against the border of the pool looking at nothing special. The sky had long become black, and in the dark corner of the fence it looked as if someone was standing there, but soon I realized there was actually no one there … Okay―no. No. I’ve seen enough, and I don’t want to know. Hoping to forget about it, I sank into the pool to refresh myself. I opened my eyes under the water seeing what looked like a face, but something inside me knew that was not just any face. I gasped startled, making me nearly drown myself. I took my head out of the water quickly, coughing all the water that came into my mouth. I came out of the pool and put on my clothes. This is incredible, I just got out of one spirit, and now there’s another. Can’t I have just a little peace? I walked to the basement where there were more people with music and colored lights. Not knowing what to do now, I just decided to blend in. I saw a bottle of alcohol on a table and I couldn’t resist the urge to take it. I don’t love alcohol but it is good to help me ignore the creepy visions I have, it’s good to make fear fade away... Should I worry about becoming an alcoholic in the future? Nah…

I just wandered around the basement like a bag floating, I found a door and curiosity took the best of me making me open it. This was another part of the basement which turned out to be bigger than it looks like. I decided to enter and explore it. I know right? The girl afraid of the darkness that sees ghosts everywhere thinks that a dark basement is the best place to wander. Well, I am a curious person, and sometimes my common sense doesn’t work as it should. I walked in, noticing a string hanging from the ceiling, light. I pulled from it but the light didn’t work so turned on the little lantern on my keychain. There were some shelves with some old stuff on them covered in dust from years and an old laundry machine too.

“Salomé?” A voice behind me called startling me.

“Waah!” I cried jumping two feet from the floor like a cat. I whirled quickly as lightning. “Valentin!? Gosh, you scared me!” I said pointing at him with the lantern, placing my other hand on my beating heart. Valentin appeared as quiet as a mime, as always.

“I’m sorry for scaring you, but, what are you doing here in the dark?” I pointed with my finger to the hanging string. Valentin stepped forward, looking to where my finger pointed at.

“Em, the lights don’t…” Valentin stretched his arm turning on the light, successfully. “Work… Never mind.” So hilarious (sarcasm) “I was just exploring–anyway, what are you doing here?” Same question, how did he get here? Could he be looking for me maybe? Or… maybe he is restless and curious too, who knows.

“I was looking for you.” Oh my…

“For me?” Why?

“Yes… You forgot your glasses at the pool.” He said moving them in the air.

“What!?” My hand flew immediately to my naked face. I must have been incredibly distracted to not notice the one thing I usually care for more than my own life, was not in my face.

“Jesus Christ! Thank you very much, Valentin, I owe you a big one.” I said putting them on, relieved to have them back.

“Don’t mention it…” I was about to ask how did he find me but he spoke first. “So, you came here to drink alone?”

“No–Well, not exactly.” I leaned against the laundry machine.

“Given your history with drinking, I wouldn’t advice it.” My mouth dropped. Oh my god, I can’t believe what he just said…

“Say it again?” I blinked, dumbfounded.

“I mean, last time I had to pick you up from the floor.” My jaw dropped so low that it abandoned my face. I was cringing so badly. I covered my face with my palm trying to hide the shame that invaded me from the very core.

“I can’t believe you brought that up,” I felt my cheeks burning wildly. “I thought we had a deal!” I couldn’t help to make my voice sound hard as I frowned.

“Where we moved on and get along.” He replied way too relaxed, he even smiled. What the hell!

“Yes!” I replied emphasizing that fact. He clearly didn’t move on and forgot about it, he’s such a liar!

“Well, you are the one who hasn’t moved on for what it seems.” My brows puckered instinctively. “It’s okay, I’m just messing with you Salomé. I’m just trying to be the responsible adult because I’m sure you’re not 21 yet. So, I’m taking this.”

“Excuse me!?” I chanted almost musically as he removed the bottle from my hand blatantly. “For your information, where I come from, I am already old enough, and however I’ll be 20 on April 20th. Butttt…what I do is still none of your business!”

“Cool, two weeks before my birthday.”

“And what about it, you’re still being nosy Valentin. Anyway, I’m sure you didn’t wait until 21 to have your first drink, am I wrong?”

“You are feistier with some alcohol on, you know? Or rather, you are simply feisty on the inside. Why are you so quiet the rest of the time? Honestly, it’s as if you had two completely different personalities… Say, do you swap places with your identical twin or something?” I shrugged, looking away. “I… like it when you talk. To be honest, you look so free and radiant.” Free and radiant? How do I respond to that…

“I don’t know.” I put my hands on my sides trying to impulse myself to sit on the laundry machine but my rear slipped in the rounded border.

“Let me―” Valentin surprised me when he grabbed my waist to help me sit on the old laundry machine.

“Eh… thanks…” I looked down putting some hair behind my ear.

“Mhm.” He took a sip from my bottle and then we looked at each other in silence. My eyes remained on the hand that held the bottle recalling my dream. He didn’t have any tattoo or mark on his ring finger.

“Your makeup…” My makeup?

“Oh my god, don’t tell me! I must have been looking like a panda or raccoon this whole time!” I forgot about the fact that I was wearing black makeup when I entered the pool so it’s highly possible that I have been looked like that.

“No, no. It’s not that. Your makeup is fine.” Huff…I sighed. Then this makeup is better quality than I expected… Then what is it? “I wanted to say that is not common to see you wearing that makeup, but… I think you look beautiful.” Oh my… I felt my cheeks warming and something tickling in my stomach and toes.

“Is… that why―” I shut my mouth quickly because I wasn’t even thinking about what was I going to say.

“Why what?” He asked and honestly, I don’t know why did I ask that, my mouth just spoke impulsively.

“Nothing.”

“Please, tell me.” He shifted on his feet getting a little bit closer.

“I just wondered… why are you here now… or why you then… that time…” I trailed off a lot, not sure of what I was saying.

“I guess, it’s because you attracted me like a magnet. And yes, I admit that you first caught my eye because you are undeniably beautiful, but that’s not all; even with nothing on you would have made look.” Oh damn… this guy wants to f**k me! My face heated instantly at the thought. “No, that’s not—” He tsked “That’s not what I meant, I mean, yes of course but…” now he was trailing off. “I think you are beautiful in all your presentations, honestly.”

“In all my presentations? Am I a vase of yogurt or something like that?” Valentin chuckled showing that toothy smile and shook his head.

“I mean, I think you look beautiful when you dress up or when you just wear a big hoodie… I just want to hear you talk more and to see you laugh more… I’m just… I feel you are just like a magnet.”

“I… don’t know what to say…” I said with an airy voice as my chest rose heavily with each breath. I definitely wasn’t prepared to hear that. Let alone from Valentin.

“You don’t have to say anything.” Whatever he meant, his words had just caused a tornado inside of me. My heart was beating so fast, I couldn’t control it as much as I wanted to.

“Why now when we’ve been sitting together the whole semester,” I said with this strange unease that traveled back and forth in my core.

“I don’t know, honestly…but I came to realize this now that I know you a little bit better.” I guess this is only something strange that happened… “What happened here?” He asked stepping closer as he rosed delicately the side of my chin that was bruised from my fall last night. I swallowed. Maybe I overrated the makeup after all.

“Mm? Eh, Nothing… I’m just a little clumsy.” I dropped my eyes down.

“I see… I guess you have delicate skin.” Valentin lowered his hand and placed it next to my side, leaning his weight on the laundry machine. My heart raced again because of his closeness. “Salomé…” He said with a silky voice that sent chills to my spine.

“Yes?” I said almost in a daze.

“Would you… let me kiss you?” he said looking me in the eye and my breath got caught in my throat.

“W-why?” I asked with difficulty.

“Because… I really would like it. I feel like a need it. And your lips look incredibly kissable right now.” Oh, holy heaven what is this!!! My eyes opened and my heart thudded excitedly.

“I…I guess it can’t hurt.” Oh God, Oh God, Oh God….

“It will for me...” Valentin leaned, holding my waist and my cheek cautiously, and I filched a little when his lips touched mine. All this felt so sudden but I couldn’t resist the temptation. I don’t know why. I only felt like something in him was drawing me slowly. My insides twisted awkwardly and excitedly at the same time with the slow kiss of Valentin. Something restless in my chest made me hook my arms around his neck as he slid his hand slowly up and down my waist. It was as if I had never felt a kiss so sweet and wicked. Maybe I hadn’t. I didn’t know anymore if I was enjoying or suffering, but something was for sure. I was head over heels for him right now. “I hope… you can forgive me if maybe I start touching you…” He said with his lips against the corner of my mouth.

“I guess… I can do that…” My face heated intensely; I couldn’t believe this was happening―No, this was happening again!