He watched them walk towards the Augustine, shoulders touching while they laughed. A smile plastered on both their faces.
He watched as her lips curved up in the corner, the way it always does, at something he said.
He watched as she nearly tripped over a root.
He watched his arm snake around her upper arm, to hold her steady.
He watched Luce and Cam.
He felt jealousy claw in him.
He felt envious.
Daniel stalked towards the building, determined to break them up. But, how could he, without Luce knowing his jealousy. Without her knowing, that he can't bear to see them standing together, especially with Cam.
A sudden tap on his shoulder caused him to stop in his tracks.
Gabbe.
"Daniel, sweetie, I'll go." He stared at her figure as it approached where Cam and Luce stood.
"You know Cam, I'm sure I just heard Roland call for you." He heard her say.
Cam glared at her through narrowed eyes.
"No he didn't" Cam answered shortly.
As they bantered, Luce's eyes found Daniel's.
She stared at him.
He could feel the warmth of her gaze as they both drowned in each other's depths. His breath caught in his throat. None of them ready to look away, until he remembered and shifted his eyes to Gabbe and Cam.
"Gabbe, what is your problem?" Cam asked, anger displayed in his voice. The annoyance of being interrupted again and again on Cams face was strangely hilarious.
"Nothing," she answered innocently. "Just here to tell you Roland's waiting, that's all."
She walked away.
When she past Daniel, he whispered a soft thank you and was replied with a Gabbe-trademark smile.
Cam, whose eyes were shooting daggers at Gabbe's retrieving figure, muttered an "I'll be back" to Luce, then turned around and marched towards the dorms.
Daniel and Luce stood facing each other. Despite the commons being dotted with other students, he felt as if they were the only ones.
His eyes were glued on her as hers were on him.
None of them prepared to look away. But then he remembered.
He turned away from her, sighing deeply.
He knew the hurt that will take place and the idea of it was unbearable as seeing her with Cam.
Daniel looked over his shoulder, knowing he was right. The wounded look was right there on her face. The edge of her lips curled down.
Sighing again, he waited for her to look up.
She must have sensed that he was staring her way she finally looked up.
"Come" Daniel, murmured softly.
He noted her surprised expression.
He led the way towards the forest behind the gym/church. Turning once to see if she was following. She was.
They soon arrived. The place where he told her, that he didn't want to get involved with her. The place where he rejected her.
The forest opened up to a clearing.
They were standing on a huge red rock, a cliff. Underneath, the crystal blue lake came to view.
He watched her face transform to an expression of amazement she had on the first day he brought her here.
This place was their place, not that he told her.
They both gazed at each other from a distance; not knowing what to say.
"We could swim..." he started, then his voice trailed off as his gaze ran over her off-the-shoulder pink top and light blue jean shorts that she was dressed in.
She pulled the bright pink top over head.
He gasped but looked away. What was she doing?
"I have a vest top on underneath" she explained and he turned back around to see that she has.
He, too, pulled of his green polo t-shirt.
And together they jumped off the rim.
Their bodies curved over the cliff edge like two dolphins diving up from the sea.
Their bodies then sliced through the still water.
The splash was musical.
Daniels head probed up first, followed shortly by Luce.
He watched her shiver.
Without warning, he felt an invisible cord pull him towards her. He couldn't stop.
The need to have his arm around her was agonizing.
Daniel was close enough to see the small dimple on the left side of her shoulder; close enough that their nose was touching.
He kept his eyes fixed on hers and moved closer. His toe was now in contact with hers.
Slowly, his fingers rested on her shoulders.
Her eyes fluttered close.
His wary fingers travelled down her arms, till it reached her fingers. He grasped her hand in his; linked their fingers together.
They stood, with the cool water lapping around them. The water leveled up to his chest, just below his biceps.
He observed the sapphire water splash around her pale shoulders.
Their intertwined fingers were held above the water.
Their eyes fixed on each others.
Without realizing, Daniel's other arm wrapped around her tiny waist.
A perfect fit.
Luce's other arm rested on his bronzed chest.
A shiver ran down his spine at her touch.
He knew this was crossing the limit but he couldn't help it.
He adored her.
She dropped her hand from him, only to step closer. Daniel's arm enclosed Luce.
He longed to hold her like this from the first day he saw her at swords and cross.
Though, in their other life's, he had the luck to hold her, but having her near, near enough that he could feel her warmth, near enough that he could smell the hint of sweetness that comes of her skin, had always left him breathless.
Daniel kissed the top of her silky black hair. Buried his face in it. Drowned in her sweet, delicious, floral smell.
She sighed a melodic sigh.
She gradually raised her head, so that she could gaze at him.
When their eyes connected, he could feel the electric warmth shoot through him, strong as their embrace.
He watched Luce tilt her head back while leaning in so that their lips were mere inches away.
He watched her lips part.
Daniel closed his eyes; knowing that it's wrong and the consequences that it will bring, are intolerable.
Even though, his lips closed the distance between them.
The kiss started of first chastely.
But then, the deep hunger threw him and the necessity of made him forget everything.
The only thing in his conscious was she.
The honeysuckle taste of her mouth made him lightheaded
He crushed her to him; wanting no space between them; wanting her so badly that it hurt.
The desire clawed him.
The craving of having her lower lip between his was maddening.
He longed for her.
The yearning, that was making him dizzy, caused him to tangle his hand in her hair.
He held her face close to his while kissing her tenderly.
Letting her up for air, he kissed along her jaw, gently.
He felt her shiver.
Daniel glanced at her and noticed her stare at him, intently.
Again, he dived in for another affectionate kiss; pulling her up around the waist.
He paused and shifted, so he could kiss along her collarbone.
It had been a while they were in the water.
He finally noticed the setting sun.
A scenic, orange ball of fire setting; dipping it to the water. The sun's orange glow reflected onto the surface of the lake, making it look as if fire was dancing on top. The pleasant heat of the disappearing sun hadn't faded. It still baked their skin.
They both watched it go down. Knowing, that soon the brilliant colored sky would soon turn twilight and everybody would be wondering where they are.
But Daniel didn't care.
He turned, slowly, to face her.
Daniels arms were still around her petite waist.
As if reading his mind, she murmured, "We have to go. They'll be wondering where we are."
Not wanting this to end, he rested his head against her neck; inhaling, then pulling away so that they could swim to shore, but he kept their hand entwined together.
It was after they came back, that it hit him.
He didn't realize it then, in the lake.
He didn't realize it after the numerous questions he encountered from Gabbe and Arriane about their where abouts.
He didn't even realize it when he whispered good night to Luce and kissed her forehead.
It was when he was alone, lying on the bed, thinking about her; that it came to him: she's alive.
He couldn't get over it.
His mind struggled over it. His thoughts a jumble of mess.
How could this happen? It hasn't happened before. Something is wrong.
Daniel couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that handful of dorms away, Luce was breathing.
But they kissed!
They performed a kiss; a kiss that most incarnations, killed her.
She never survives them, always ends up dead and leaves poor Daniel heartbroken.
Something must have changed. For her to live through one...it's impossible!
Forgot the kiss, talking to her about their other lives, their past, about their forbidden love, kills her.
His heart was racing in his chest; so fast, so rapidly, he was soon out of breath.
He needed comfort. His heart told him to go to Luce, to seek reassurance from her, but what if they were running late? What if they'll finish her off then?
He wouldn't risk it.
Instead, he called for Gabbe and Arriane.
Cell phones were unacceptable in swords and cross but thanks to Roland, he got his hand on one.
He urgently texted them both.
Seconds later, a faint rat-a-tat informed him that they're here.
Daniel thrust the door open and let them in.
"Daniel, what is it?" Arriane asked. Both Gabbe and Arriane watched Daniels pacing.
"Something has changed" he gasped "something is different"
He felt like crying.
"Look, Daniel, what happened? What's different? What has changed?" Gabbe's voice asked anxiously.
"You don't get it" he burst, running his fingers through his hair. He was close to hysteria.
Arriane sat crossed leg on his bed, looked at him as if he was going crazy. Maybe he was.
"Daniel, look. You have to tell us what has changed. Why not start from the being? Besides, what happened between you and Luce, I mean you looked like you've a lottery before"
He looked at them both, swallowed, not knowing what their reaction would be. He whispered hoarsely, "we kissed."
The face was masked in shock; their expression stunned. They were completely astonished.
He closed his eyes, drew in a sharp breath and turned to explain, starting right from the being.
He watched their expression change at everything he spilled to them, from the kiss, to the fear he was feeling.
"Well," Arriane swallowed. "That is impossible, Daniel, are you sure it wasn't a dream or a delusion."
"No, definitely, it wasn't a dream." He sighed. The memory of their embrace enfolded in his mind, playing the scene of their precious kiss.
"Daniel, what kind of joke is this. This is serious. Come on. Did Roland get you to do it?"Gabbe's voice was disapproving. Her arms were folded across her chest.
Daniel shook his head to deny, and a gasp rifled through the girls.
He glanced at them both. Their eyes wide with disbelief.
"This is…totally, utterly ridiculous, Daniel…I swear, I just…I saw her. She was with Penn. I saw her, after you both came back." Arriane's head shook in incredulity.
He was expecting it, their speechless, horrified expressions.
He turned away from them, his heart crying out to be near his beloved. To smell Luce's unique perfume. He had searched everywhere for a perfume as rich and tasteful as Luce's fragrance.
He closed his tired eyes, trying to stop the threatening flow of tears that pooled in his eyes. The pin-prick feeling in his nose, cause him to sniff. A hand rested on his shoulder, either Gabbe's or Arriane's, he couldn't tell, but he could not make himself look at the owner of the hand's face.
"We need to see her," Gabbe said firmly, from just behind him. It was her hand.
Feeling exhausted, Daniel opened his door. They all slipped out quietly. Daniel glanced at the reds, noting the black duck tape plastered on the security camera screen.
Silently, they tip-toed, to Luce's door.
The three of them stood, trying to think of an excuse to explain their visit at this time of the night.
"It's midnight. Don't you think she'll be a sleep?" Gabbe asked in her southern drawl.
Daniel's fingers were resting on the door knob. He swallowed and opened the door.
She was sitting on the edge of the bed in a trance. Her face expressionless. Her eyes empty. Her body slack. She was so still; so still as a statue, that it looked as if she was a picture. Her stance seemed terribly numb. It made him feel frozen as her.
There was something, Daniel didn't notice at first. His eyes were too transfixed on her vacant face that he didn't realize that her arms hugged an old, thick book to her chest.
A book that, without a second glance, he knew what it was.
A book that could make everything a whole other story.
A book that, only he was the author of.
It was the book he wrote, in Helston, years and years ago.
He breathed in a mouthful of air, ready to explain.
She was sitting on the bed, the book still close to her chest.
He bent so that their eyes were leveled with each other.
"Luce." He spoke her name so softly, that it was almost inaudible.
Luce's gaze fell on his deep violet eyes. He stared at her intently, then exhaling sharply, before placing his firm hands over both her knee."
He slightly turned his head towards the wall, where Gabbe and Arriane stood.
They got the message. Both of them went out. Quietly closing the door behind them.
He turned his face back to hers. His stare fixed on her twin pools of hazel. Daniel noted that tears gathered in Luce's eyes she blinked at him. Her thick, black, lush lashes, that fringed her beautiful, big eyes, were so long that they brushed bellow her eyes. When her pale eyelids shut, a tear escaped from the corner of her left eye. It tracked down her cheek. Daniel lifted a finger to brush it off. Then brought it close to examine the single tear drop that glistened under the ugly florescent light of the room.
Daniel gaze went back to her. Not wanting to break their silent conversation, he waited for Luce to look up. When she did, he cupped her face in his hands, stared deeply in her eyes and said "Luce. I'm going to try to explain it as well as I can, but-"
"You don't have to. Daniel, I know." She cut him off.
He gaped at her; so startled that he froze.
His eyes scanned around them, anticipating the dark, whispering shadows, but…there was nothing.
One of her stark white knuckles, that held the book in a vise-like grip to her heart, came loose. It reached for his cheek. He felt her icy thump caressed his cheek.
Daniel closed his lids over his eyes, in pleasure of her touch.
He felt her cool breathe on his face, "Daniel, you're an angle, Daniel, I know." When he opened them, he saw how close her face loomed.
He, again, glanced around, searching for the murky shadows, but…still nothing.
Daniel didn't know whether to feel fear or joyful.
He had so much to say, but the words clogged in his throat. His mind dizzy with confusion, his body felt shaky.
"H-how…?" he barely managed.
"I don't know. I saw the picture," she said glancing at the book in her arm, "and, it sort of… all came to me. All those… dreams I've been having, just… seemed to click together," it was like she was talking to herself. Her eyes far away. "And, I just knew. Daniel, I knew it all, you're an angel, I know it. Everything came to me, and mostly, that I, that I…love you" she finished.
She said those words before to him. But the mention of those three simple words warmed and melted his heart. They meant everything to him, she meant everything to him.