---Chapter 28---
It was Christmas Eve, Victoria sat on a bench in the park. She was supposed to meet Michael here unobtrusively. All around her she'd seen the closeness of family and friends, the caroling, the warm little get-togethers, the utter emotion filled closeness. It felt strange to her. Maybe perhaps, because like usual, she was an outsider looking in on such things. She sat back from it all like she was a spirit witnessing the world around her. She was not a part of it. .. But she longed for it, in a strange way, because it was foreign to her. Before this year, she had not really been around many other people to witness their events and ways in this manner. She'd always been holed up in a remote mansion or base somewhere, being taught and watched after by tutors and Adam's men. Until somewhat recently, she hadn't realized how different she lived. if it could be called living, from everyone else. She hadn't really known her emotionless, sterile, disciplined life with Adam was wrong. It was all she had known. And now? Well, she questioned a lot now. Not the least of which was herself.
She had not seen much of Michael in the last week. He was busy with friends and so on, it being near Christmas and all. She almost hated to let go of him so that he went to them. Because she could feel his hesitation. guilt? yes. Confusion? certainly.
But why should something so beautiful make them feel guilty or uncertain? Victoria felt an overwhelming protectiveness for Michael. If she was truthful, she had since she'd met him and their attraction was instantaneous, masked first by a sort of challenging air. But their's was a complex relationship, if that was indeed what it could be called. She was burdened by thoughts of loyalty to Adam, confusion about herself and the newness of the real living experience, amazed and shaken by the feelings for Michael. And he himself was burdened by the shaky loyalty to her, fear of it contradicting those with his friends, and guilt about Maria. And she knew too. there was more.
But Michael wasn't here. Perhaps he'd forgotten her this night among nights, as he lived in his own world surrounded by his friends. Victoria stood up from the bench. And she must go back to her own, surrounded by the vast, lonely one, comprising of the mansion and Adam, collectively.
-=-=-=--
After everyone, except Michael, was spending Christmas Eve with their families, they all convened at the Crashdown and had a party there. Michael went home with Maria. He didn't offer that they go to his place, because she might want to spend the night and he had another place to be. Michael extracted himself from Maria with a last kiss and left her house. He hated going from Maria to Victoria. He hated this secrecy! He should probably just break up with Maria, because this wasn't right. But he couldn't do that at this time of year. Besides, did he really want to do that at all? Did he just want to be with Victoria? Nothing was certain, because he'd never felt like this before. He didn't know. And maybe that was the worst thing, not knowing what to do. But he did know that there was a certain comfort with Victoria, a sense of it being right. And something else too, something he hadn't truly felt before.
Michael was just about to apologize to Victoria when he got to the park and found it empty. She had to have gone home. He'd been so late, she probably thought he wasn't coming. Michael turned around and went back to his motorcycle and rode without stopping, straight to Las Cruces in the middle of the night.
-=-=-= -
Victoria awoke to a feathery light touch. Her eyes fluttered open in the dark, to see Michael in a faint shadowy light, sitting on the edge of her bed, touching her lips lightly.
"Come." Michael said, and pulled the still sleep-drowsy Victoria from her bed.
"How did you get in here-" Victoria started to ask, but Michael just grinned at her impishly, the shadow of it she could see in the dark, and he pulled her over to the doors that opened onto the room's balcony.
"Have you ever seen snow before?" He asked as he walked her out onto the balcony.
"Yes. Once.But I couln't--" Victoria paused. She couldn't say that she couldn't go out in it, that she had been forbidden to go outside. That would sound too strange to him. She had seen the pure white substance floating like magic in a fairy tale out of a window, once. A fairytale that she had no part in, so therefore could not touch. Victoria continued, "-- But I didn't go out in it."
"Well then, behold." Michael swept his hand as if to show her the snow outside, but there wasn't anyone. "I don't see anything."
"Close your eyes." -Michael.
She did. And when he told her to open them, she did, and she saw the marvelous white flakes cascading lightly down upon them. They seemed to disappear after they dropped below the balcony, but up here they existed. She could already see the beginnings of a light collection of flakes upon Michael's hair, like an angel, standing in the first droppings of snow.
"How." -Victoria.
Michael drew her back against his chest and wrapped his arms around her. "Don't ask how about anything with me." He was only half teasing.
Victoria smiled in the dark. "It really doesn't matter how." And then she said, "What matters is that you came. I didn't think."
"I'm sorry I was late. I couldn't-" -Michael.
Victoria said, before he finished, "I understand. And you're here now, that's all that matters." And Victoria realized when she said it, that she meant it. That's all that really mattered to her.
They watched the feather light sprinklings, coming down in the balcony around them only. Victoria couldn't really see further than that anyway.
"Merry Christmas, princess." Michael said a nickname he used to call her, although then it was with sarcasm, now it sounded like an endearment.
As she looked around her, secure in Michael's arms, she did feel like she was in a fairytale right now, in one that she belonged in. The princess in a fairy tale. Like Juliet in William Shakespeare's play, next to her Romeo, who had snuck into her castle to be with her. For once she was happy, truly happy. Although she knew the moments like this would end, it really didn't matter right now.
-=-
A little while later Michael laid next to her, inside, looking at her, an arm propped his head up as he looked to be studying her. "I just don't understand."
"What, Michael?" Victoria asked, looking at him, her hand reaching out to brush his long hair back from his face, lingering on his cheek.
"I just don't know how to say it. but it's almost as if I've always been waiting here for you, ya know? Like I felt it as soon as I met you, but I was too stubborn I guess, and it's too surprising, amazing- that you are here." -Michael.
Victoria drew Michael into her arms. "Michael," She murmured. "Don't forget. Even if no one else does or ever will, I know you."
Michael had mixed feelings about that. He knew it was true though, but, it couldn't ever be completely true, because she'd didn't know everything about him.who, what.. he really is, and he didn't know everything about her. And he didn't want to bring up questions now, it was not the time, and they had peace leaving everything out of their little world, but the two of them in the moments they were together. Michael said, almost to himself, but surely to her too, "But there are things."
"I don't care about things. I only care about you. I know you. And if you know yourself, you know me too." -Victoria.
"Victoria, Victoria, what am I going to do with you?" Michael asked, snuggling closer to her, almost a question to himself.
"You're going to love me, like ...I love you." Victoria whispered, almost as if it was a secret.
"I."Michael stopped and a frown creased his brow. Victoria looked up at his face, looking almost innocently bewildered mixed with consternation and concern, looking like a little boy. And then he continued, "I think I already do."
Victoria kissed his forehead, wiping away the concern, then his cheeks, almost reverently. "You're my sun. Don't leave me tonight. It's too dark here without you." And then her lips settled on his lips and he responded, almost crushing her to him, like a drowning man grasping his saviour, the shock of his own revelation making him forceful for an instant and then softening into the kiss, the kiss of life.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I don't know what is going on you turn around and touch my heart a silent moment speaks the truth something has happened all at once it should have scared me in advance but I was falling in those eyes of yours
and so fear was gone I knew there was nothing else I'd ever want
I know you you're not from here I've waited for you to appear to take my breath away and make me weep you're not from here not from this here and now just a touch of yours and I fly. and I fly. I fly
"you're not from here" by lara fabian
---End of Chapter 28---
It was Christmas Eve, Victoria sat on a bench in the park. She was supposed to meet Michael here unobtrusively. All around her she'd seen the closeness of family and friends, the caroling, the warm little get-togethers, the utter emotion filled closeness. It felt strange to her. Maybe perhaps, because like usual, she was an outsider looking in on such things. She sat back from it all like she was a spirit witnessing the world around her. She was not a part of it. .. But she longed for it, in a strange way, because it was foreign to her. Before this year, she had not really been around many other people to witness their events and ways in this manner. She'd always been holed up in a remote mansion or base somewhere, being taught and watched after by tutors and Adam's men. Until somewhat recently, she hadn't realized how different she lived. if it could be called living, from everyone else. She hadn't really known her emotionless, sterile, disciplined life with Adam was wrong. It was all she had known. And now? Well, she questioned a lot now. Not the least of which was herself.
She had not seen much of Michael in the last week. He was busy with friends and so on, it being near Christmas and all. She almost hated to let go of him so that he went to them. Because she could feel his hesitation. guilt? yes. Confusion? certainly.
But why should something so beautiful make them feel guilty or uncertain? Victoria felt an overwhelming protectiveness for Michael. If she was truthful, she had since she'd met him and their attraction was instantaneous, masked first by a sort of challenging air. But their's was a complex relationship, if that was indeed what it could be called. She was burdened by thoughts of loyalty to Adam, confusion about herself and the newness of the real living experience, amazed and shaken by the feelings for Michael. And he himself was burdened by the shaky loyalty to her, fear of it contradicting those with his friends, and guilt about Maria. And she knew too. there was more.
But Michael wasn't here. Perhaps he'd forgotten her this night among nights, as he lived in his own world surrounded by his friends. Victoria stood up from the bench. And she must go back to her own, surrounded by the vast, lonely one, comprising of the mansion and Adam, collectively.
-=-=-=--
After everyone, except Michael, was spending Christmas Eve with their families, they all convened at the Crashdown and had a party there. Michael went home with Maria. He didn't offer that they go to his place, because she might want to spend the night and he had another place to be. Michael extracted himself from Maria with a last kiss and left her house. He hated going from Maria to Victoria. He hated this secrecy! He should probably just break up with Maria, because this wasn't right. But he couldn't do that at this time of year. Besides, did he really want to do that at all? Did he just want to be with Victoria? Nothing was certain, because he'd never felt like this before. He didn't know. And maybe that was the worst thing, not knowing what to do. But he did know that there was a certain comfort with Victoria, a sense of it being right. And something else too, something he hadn't truly felt before.
Michael was just about to apologize to Victoria when he got to the park and found it empty. She had to have gone home. He'd been so late, she probably thought he wasn't coming. Michael turned around and went back to his motorcycle and rode without stopping, straight to Las Cruces in the middle of the night.
-=-=-= -
Victoria awoke to a feathery light touch. Her eyes fluttered open in the dark, to see Michael in a faint shadowy light, sitting on the edge of her bed, touching her lips lightly.
"Come." Michael said, and pulled the still sleep-drowsy Victoria from her bed.
"How did you get in here-" Victoria started to ask, but Michael just grinned at her impishly, the shadow of it she could see in the dark, and he pulled her over to the doors that opened onto the room's balcony.
"Have you ever seen snow before?" He asked as he walked her out onto the balcony.
"Yes. Once.But I couln't--" Victoria paused. She couldn't say that she couldn't go out in it, that she had been forbidden to go outside. That would sound too strange to him. She had seen the pure white substance floating like magic in a fairy tale out of a window, once. A fairytale that she had no part in, so therefore could not touch. Victoria continued, "-- But I didn't go out in it."
"Well then, behold." Michael swept his hand as if to show her the snow outside, but there wasn't anyone. "I don't see anything."
"Close your eyes." -Michael.
She did. And when he told her to open them, she did, and she saw the marvelous white flakes cascading lightly down upon them. They seemed to disappear after they dropped below the balcony, but up here they existed. She could already see the beginnings of a light collection of flakes upon Michael's hair, like an angel, standing in the first droppings of snow.
"How." -Victoria.
Michael drew her back against his chest and wrapped his arms around her. "Don't ask how about anything with me." He was only half teasing.
Victoria smiled in the dark. "It really doesn't matter how." And then she said, "What matters is that you came. I didn't think."
"I'm sorry I was late. I couldn't-" -Michael.
Victoria said, before he finished, "I understand. And you're here now, that's all that matters." And Victoria realized when she said it, that she meant it. That's all that really mattered to her.
They watched the feather light sprinklings, coming down in the balcony around them only. Victoria couldn't really see further than that anyway.
"Merry Christmas, princess." Michael said a nickname he used to call her, although then it was with sarcasm, now it sounded like an endearment.
As she looked around her, secure in Michael's arms, she did feel like she was in a fairytale right now, in one that she belonged in. The princess in a fairy tale. Like Juliet in William Shakespeare's play, next to her Romeo, who had snuck into her castle to be with her. For once she was happy, truly happy. Although she knew the moments like this would end, it really didn't matter right now.
-=-
A little while later Michael laid next to her, inside, looking at her, an arm propped his head up as he looked to be studying her. "I just don't understand."
"What, Michael?" Victoria asked, looking at him, her hand reaching out to brush his long hair back from his face, lingering on his cheek.
"I just don't know how to say it. but it's almost as if I've always been waiting here for you, ya know? Like I felt it as soon as I met you, but I was too stubborn I guess, and it's too surprising, amazing- that you are here." -Michael.
Victoria drew Michael into her arms. "Michael," She murmured. "Don't forget. Even if no one else does or ever will, I know you."
Michael had mixed feelings about that. He knew it was true though, but, it couldn't ever be completely true, because she'd didn't know everything about him.who, what.. he really is, and he didn't know everything about her. And he didn't want to bring up questions now, it was not the time, and they had peace leaving everything out of their little world, but the two of them in the moments they were together. Michael said, almost to himself, but surely to her too, "But there are things."
"I don't care about things. I only care about you. I know you. And if you know yourself, you know me too." -Victoria.
"Victoria, Victoria, what am I going to do with you?" Michael asked, snuggling closer to her, almost a question to himself.
"You're going to love me, like ...I love you." Victoria whispered, almost as if it was a secret.
"I."Michael stopped and a frown creased his brow. Victoria looked up at his face, looking almost innocently bewildered mixed with consternation and concern, looking like a little boy. And then he continued, "I think I already do."
Victoria kissed his forehead, wiping away the concern, then his cheeks, almost reverently. "You're my sun. Don't leave me tonight. It's too dark here without you." And then her lips settled on his lips and he responded, almost crushing her to him, like a drowning man grasping his saviour, the shock of his own revelation making him forceful for an instant and then softening into the kiss, the kiss of life.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I don't know what is going on you turn around and touch my heart a silent moment speaks the truth something has happened all at once it should have scared me in advance but I was falling in those eyes of yours
and so fear was gone I knew there was nothing else I'd ever want
I know you you're not from here I've waited for you to appear to take my breath away and make me weep you're not from here not from this here and now just a touch of yours and I fly. and I fly. I fly
"you're not from here" by lara fabian
---End of Chapter 28---