"Nay…are you mad?"
"No. I just had an idea that you still loved him."
"Yeah, maybe I did love him still, but Naya, I promised I'd love you forever. And I meant it."
Naya started to leave.
God, why does she have to be an idiot?
"Nay…"
"Why? Why do you have to hurt me? The way you look at him…it just fucking hurts me!" Naya said, her hot tears flowing from her eyes.
"Naya…look I do-"
"No, just save it, Heather…"
"Naya you don't understand anything!" Heather yelled. This had effectively got the brunette's attention, though.
"I don't? Heather I saw your face when you saw him," Naya quipped angrily.
"But…don't you see my face when I look at you? Naya…please…"
"Heather, you don't get it, do you? I don't want you to be with me if you are still with that douchebag. If you need the time to figure it out, my door is always open for you." Naya ranted on. When she saw that Heather could not give her an answer, she turned around and left the room and a crying Heather. Her mind was very messed up, and she did not even know if what she did was totally right.
Damn you Rivera and your pride.
The week dragged on without much change. Heather and Naya just talked if necessary and neither spoke of the quarrel that they had.
"Tomorrow's our flight back," Naya said silently.
"I know. I'm going to sleep."
The Latina looked at the blonde climbing the stairs slowly. She could feel Heather's pain. But, she can't afford to be hurt again. She pushed the thought away and tried to focus on some lighter things. She switched her iPod on and listened to some music. Finally, Naya had to turn in for the night.
The next morning was never different from the other days that week. They did not eat together, did not talk at each other and both had hardly caught sight of each other. Heather imprisoned herself in the premises of her room and Naya did the same to herself.
They rode in the car together, but Heather sat on the backseat. They went in the same plane together, but Naya swapped her aisle seat for a window seat on the other side of the plane.
Heather's frustrations clouded her mind. So she had her mind working.
Naya looked at Heather secretly through the rear view mirror. The blonde was composed, yet her eyes tell another story.
Through their car ride home to Los Angeles, Heather glanced at Naya who was driving on and looked at the brunette's eyes. They showed Naya's inner dilemma.
They arrived at Naya's house. Naya hurried to her room, leaving Heather behind. The Latina set her bag down as soon as she had opened the door.
"This is the last time we'll not speak," Heather stated. "Naya, I am not letting you go."
"No you do-…" Naya started to say, but her words were drowned out as Heather kissed her lips with passion. Naya responded with even greater emotions as their lips grazed against each other. Naya felt like she was being burnt.
Days of frustration and emotional tension between them had paid its toll on them. The next thing Naya knew was she was being thrown to the bed, and a blonde with lustful eyes hovering above her.
"You're worse than Lea when you yap at me. And a very bad girl too," Heather said, putting a hand on Naya's crotch.
"Heath-…" Naya heard herself moan.
"I am not letting you go. Not now, not ever," Heather kissed Naya's forehead, then her brows, then her cheek, her nose, and lastly her mouth. Naya let out a soft moan.
"I love you, Heather…" Naya said, her voice was a little unsubtle
"I love you…I love you…" Heather replied, she kept saying as if it was a chant while the blonde's lips travelled from mouth to neck to chest…
I love you, Naya…
The mantra came back to Naya in her sleep. It was muffled yet very clear. It came from a grove of aspen in her dream. Naya opened her eyes and found herself staring at the blue eyes that she had known so much, cried so much for, and loved.
"Hey," her voice sounded groggy.
"I love you." Heather replied. Then she repeated it again.
"I love you," she leaned to kiss Naya's lips. "Let's have some breakfast so you can go to work. I'm going to drop you at Paramount."
They had breakfast. And then they drove through the morning traffic, kissing and making out at every red light. Heather pulled up in front of Paramount Pictures and looked at Naya, who sat glued in the passenger's seat.
"Hey, we're here," Heather took Naya's hand.
"I don't want to leave you," Naya said.
"Hey, I'll be safe and fine, okay?"
"Well, yeah, but I will surely miss you through the day."
"I'll just go drop by something and then I will be at home by noon, waiting for you to come home plus I would also call in half an hour or so," Heather said, inching her way towards Naya.
"I wish we did not come home just yet," Naya scowled.
"Oh, Nay…" Heather leaned in and kissed the petulant lips. "I love you so much, have a good day at work, okay? Good luck baby," she stared at Naya's eyes.
"Alright, fine. I'm leaving now," Naya's lips pouted.
She opened the car door and looked at Heather one last time and closed the door. Heather chuckled, after hearing the brunette say a muffled 'damn this work' as she slammed the car door. Heather smiled to herself as to what this day might mean for her and Naya for the following years.
You have no idea. You just don't have any idea, Naya.
Naya walked in the set five minutes late. Ryan was already there, reading a book, which was probably a good story because when she walked in Ryan just nodded at her instead of complaining that she was late. Ryan could be the best and most caring person on earth but never the kind of director who tolerates tardiness.
"Good morning, Nay," Ryan smiled at her, much to Naya's surprise.
"What's with the weather today, Ryan?"
"Nothing. I just feel so happy."
"Uh-huh," Naya found it awkward. She never got into the set without hearing Ryan yap each morning.
"You go get changed," Ryan threw her another smile. Naya felt the awkwardness again.
What the hell happened to the world?
Naya was led by the make-up artist wherein she put on a little make-up. It was just fresh make-up though, which even highlighted the Latina's beauty.
The shooting took almost an hour and Ryan gave them the next few hours as a break. Naya walked to a folding chair with a sandwich in her left hand and a can of Coke in the other. She looked at Zendaya and Cody throwing food at each other profusely, only to be quipped by a pissed Ryan Murphy.
"What's that in your hand?" Cody asked, definitely just trying to send Ryan into a tantrum.
"It's none of your business so don't stick your big nose in it!" Ryan shot back. He went up to Naya and handed her the package.
"Someone sent it to you," Ryan said. "It was brought in through FedEx."
"Who's the sender?" Naya found herself asking.
"I don't know, I just signed it."
"Damn! How do I know if it's not a nuclear bomb that's in there?" Naya said with disbelief.
"Look, I'm sorry. I had to just sign it because the FedEx man was effin' up my butt while I was talking to Josh Groban on phone."
"Alright, alright," Naya groaned. "Thanks, anyway."
Ryan just nodded and prodded towards Zendaya and Cody, who were resuming their one-on-one food fight. Naya was left with the parcel on her lap. She stared at it and it stared at it.
Okay, open it or not?
Naya checked for signs that it might be a bomb or something. Naya breathed hard. She took her iPhone out and looked at it. She was never a cell phone-dependent person and found out that she had 25 text messages and 14 missed calls. All of the missed calls were from Heather. Two of the texts were from Mark, one from her Mom and eleven from Heather.
did u eat ur lunch alrdy? –H.
take care bby. xx –H.
i love you. –H.
miss u now bby xx. –H.
Naya sighed. That blonde was just so perfect. She quickly tapped out a text to Heather.
i got a package frm sum1. u think i shd opn it? i had lunch lrdy, wbu? love u bby. take care. xx. –N.
Naya hadn't lifted her eyes from her phone when it buzzed.
open it. love u. xxx –H.
Naya scrunched her nose. Indecision clouded over her face and then she took a deep breath. She had seen things like this on Punk'd and JFL.
To hell with it.
Naya opened the package. It was just a book. It was a sort of creamy-coloured hardbound book with a strip of green on the spine.
"Damn," Naya giggled to herself as she took the book and read its title.
Mazes. By H.M.
Naya flipped the cover as she clicked a tongue. "Whoever the hell would send this book to me. I hate reading," Naya mumbled under her breath.
She kept on flipping the lengthy pages without reading, actually. She chanced to see the header the page right next to the cover. She missed it right before because it kind of stuck to the cover page.
Mazes by Heather Morris. Life and Living.
"Shit," Naya grumbled. She had just realized that H. M. could stand for Heather Morris. The Latina forgot about her displease in reading. She read the story description written in a simple Cambria font.
"I walked through life with someone holding me and that hand has never left mine even though we had to stop holding each other. I walked alone but then again, that hand held me into my tracks and that was just the most beautiful thing that has ever happened to me. Well, that accident of mine, which happened roughly a year ago, for me, it wasn't an accident. It was a gift. A gift to get second chances in life and love. I may not be the same Heather Morris that was before the car crash in New York but that's fine. I have changed and I am proud to say that I have changed for the better. See, if hadn't had that accident, I think this book did not go published by now. And all the things I wanted to tell you might be never known."
Naya leaned back on her chair. It was very beautiful for her. Tears stung her eyes as she thought about how beautiful Heather is. Her heart ached again because they can't tell it to the whole world that she and Heather are together. She hated to think that they still can't hold each other in public like Heather and Taylor did before. However, Naya pushed the thought away and continued to read the dedications. It was also written in Cambria.
To Mom, who never left my side, I love you.
To Dad, who was the best in the world, I love you.
To Lea and Dianna, who helped me get this thing out of my mind, I thank you.
To my Friends, who were there for me through up and downs, I value you.
And finally, I have been keeping this one last because I don't really have an idea of what to say, but, okay…
To the person who holds my heart, who never left my bedside, who had seen me laugh and cry at the same time, who gave me the new insight of life, who made me realize of all that was important to me, of all that I had and who will pick me up when I'm fallen and glue me all together again when I break into pieces…
To Naya Rivera, whose hand that never let go of me, will you marry me?
Naya closed her eyes and felt a swirling commotion in her stomach, as if there were butterflies fluttering inside her. Her heart thumped loudly in her ears. Naya kept telling herself to calm down, but she was interrupted by her iPhone buzzing.
meet me at the duck pond. –H.
Naya seemed to shot up from where she was setting and picked up her purse. She wouldn't care if Ryan would rip her head off for leaving the set but she needs to see Heather. She need to see her right now.
She stormed past the cameramen who were very busy listening to the news. She had her mind so full that she did not even notice that the program was featuring Heather's released book and the brave marriage proposal that she had written in there.
Ryan was there, reading his own copy of Heather's book, but Naya had been too occupied in her mind. The duck pond is just a block away, so she decided to walk.
"Keep calm, Naya…keeps calm…" she said to herself. She caught sight of the familiar tuff of blonde hair leaning into the fountain. She went up to Heather, half-running, half-walking.
The blonde turned to look at her. But Naya wouldn't care, she pulled Heather into a big hug and took the blonde's lips into her own.
"I love you."
The kiss was deep and intimate. It made a few heads turn around, but Naya and Heather did not care. It was their kiss, their story. A thousand thoughts sprang into Naya's mind as she and Heather shared that burning passion in their lips. After for what felt like eternity, they both gasped for air and Heather took a ring from her pocket.
"I'm not letting you go." She fitted the diamond ring on Naya's hand.
"I love you too," Naya's voice was raspy and deep.
"I take that as yes, then?" Heather asked.
"Yes, Heather, yes," Naya leaned into the crook of Heather's neck as they walked hand in hand to the car.
The ride home was short and the moment they were behind the door, Naya's mouth was filled with moans and throes of passion until the night had sank in.
"Nay?" Heather asked, her bare chest was beside Naya and her head was leaned on Naya's bare chest.
"Yes?" The pale golden moonlight bathing their naked bodies.
"I love you," Heather stated. It was short, simple and direct. Her gold hair was scattered on her face, which Naya tucked behind Heather's ear.
Naya stood up and went to a drawer and took out a black velvet box which contained a diamond ring.
"I was planning to give this to you, too…" Naya took Heather's hand and carefully placed the ring on her ring finger.
"I love you, Naya…" Heather was pulling the Latina again. Naya submitted her own lips to the girl she loved the most.
"I love you too, Heather…" Naya's raspy voice responded.
They kissed again, saying those three words to each other over and over again as if it was a broken prayer that they both had to enunciate. And the moon watched the two bodies become one. It was their love, their story. It was just them. Beautiful could not describe it. Neither does perfect. It was beyond perfection.
They had their fair share of hell together. They had been through the crazy twists and turns of fate, but it was worth it. Naya had been right long before. it was worth it, and she's not letting the girl in her arms go. She wouldn't. And her passion for the girl sleeping beside her will never ever fade away.
And stars bear witness to their burning passions…