Chapter 9: Please Keep Loving Me
To say that Sarah had been glowing would have been an understatement. The young pilot couldn't conceal her joy, evident in the constant laughter of her friends and the disdainful expression of her brother.
Weeks flew by, and Sarah's birthday loomed ever closer. The trio, along with Rob, who had become an essential part of their group over the years, meticulously planned to celebrate everyone's favorite girl turning 30. Two main events were scheduled: a family gathering and a party at the lounge bar. It was evident that the parents would only attend the former, despite Rick's protests, feeling unfairly excluded.
"I'm not that old!" Rick complained one afternoon, joined by Lisa and Ben. Given recent activities, Sarah had been absent from family gatherings for a while.
"Yes, we are," Lisa remarked, raising an eyebrow as she savored a glass of wine. Ben smirked.
"I'm younger than you!"
"Once you reach a certain age, it hardly matters. We're all lumped into the same category of 'old people,'" she resigned. Rick looked affronted.
"Do you think I'm old, Ben?" Rick asked, his expression almost childlike.
"No, Dad, you're as youthful as ever," he replied sarcastically.
"Traitor," Rick muttered under his breath. Ben smiled, taking a sip from his glass.
"But can't we go to the bar? It's not every day your daughter turns 30," he persisted. Lisa rolled her eyes, and Ben sighed.
"Look, Dad, trust me on this. You don't want to be around Sarah and Sean in a festive atmosphere. They're the epitome of clinginess. It's honestly embarrassing. I hardly recognize her anymore!" complained Ben, grimacing. Lisa gave him a reproachful look.
"Should I remind you of all the times we had to pretend we didn't know what you and Lizzy were doing between classes?" Lisa retorted, causing Ben to flush bright red. "You were quite precocious, and your sister deserves to do whatever she wants after all these years," Lisa defended.
"It's just too much," Ben stood his ground.
"You should be supportive of Sarah. You know how difficult it was for her," said Lisa.
"I know, but still... it's gross," he said, making a disgusted face.
"And that's your argument as a lawyer?" remarked Lisa, but Rick interjected.
"Wait! Do you mean they're... are..." Rick tried to gesticulate what he couldn't articulate. Both mother and son looked at him incredulously.
"Come on, Rick! Where have you been living? Of course, they're closer than before," Lisa explained to him, leaving Rick speechless.
"Dad, please…" pleaded Ben, looking at the ceiling.
"I'll have to talk to him," said Rick, suddenly worried. Lisa buried her head in her hands.
"Don't worry, I already did," said Ben, smirking to himself.
"You did WHAT?" asked Lisa, horrified.
"Someone had to, Mom!" Ben protested like a child.
"Thank you, son," Rick said, sighing in relief.
"You two are insane," Lisa said, angry at both of them. "One of you has no clue what's going on, and the other acts like a guard dog! Sarah is a strong woman who deserves all the happiness in the world, so don't you dare interfere, understood?" Lisa ordered in a tone that blended authority with maternal concern, rendering it impossible to disobey.
"Yes, ma'am!" Both men replied in unison and almost automatically.
Lisa rose indignantly from her chair, muttering something about foolish space macho-men as she headed to her room. Rick and Ben exchanged glances and wisely held their tongues.
"I literally have nothing to wear tonight," said Sarah, sounding worried as she scanned her closet for the third time. Dana and Lizzy stood beside her, equally determined to find something, anything.
"Did it never occur to you to buy enough clothes to last you for the next 15 years?" Dana asked, impressed by the simplicity of Sarah's wardrobe.
"Honestly, no. That's why we have uniforms," replied the regretful brunette.
"This is a disaster," remarked Lizzy. "Let's raid my closet," she suggested.
"But you're way taller than me; everything will be too long for me," Sarah said, defeated, sinking onto her bed.
"And you're smaller than me," added Dana. They pondered the dilemma for a moment.
"What about last year's dress?" suggested Lizzy, recalling the effort it took to convince Sarah to buy it. Sarah shook her head. "No," she said firmly.
"It's the only special thing you have," insisted Lizzy seriously.
"I don't want to wear that thing ever again," Sarah stubbornly declared.
"Why?!" pleaded Dana, sitting next to her with pleading eyes. "You looked great in it!"
"It reminds me of things..." Sarah said, her voice tinged with sadness. Lizzy sat beside her, too, and took her hand.
"Don't blame the dress! Sean was an idiot back then, but he's improving," said the younger blonde, who still wasn't very fond of him.
"Where is it?" asked Dana, and Sarah pointed toward a drawer. Dana retrieved it, finding it all wrinkled.
"With a little steam, it'll be good as new!" said Dana optimistically. Sarah wasn't entirely convinced.
"Look, we need to exorcise the dress," offered Lizzy, and Sarah looked at her like she was crazy.
"You know we can't light candles or anything like that."
"I speak figuratively," Lizzy clarified. "Let's present it in a different way. Let's accessorize it, let us do your makeup." Sarah was about to protest, but Lizzy silenced her with a steely gaze. "We're going to transform it, the dress. What do you think?" she said, leaving little room for argument. Sarah sighed and agreed.
Sarah felt like a rag doll as Dana and Lizzy went to work. Between brushing her hair and rummaging through rooms for accessories, scarves, earrings, necklaces, and shoes, Sarah feared the outcome. Finally, the blondes finished their work, applying her makeup flawlessly. Sarah was incredibly nervous.
The friends exchanged satisfied smiles.
"Sean is going to faint," remarked Dana, with Lizzy nodding in agreement.
"Can I see myself now?" Sarah asked, looking at them expectantly. They nodded eagerly.
Sarah stepped into the bathroom and was astonished. She barely recognized herself. Her body was a bit more muscular than the year before, causing the dress to hug her curves tightly. It seemed shorter than she remembered, but the shoes, even with a slight heel, made her legs appear endless. Something in her posture had shifted, and she exuded more confidence than the previous year. Her face was a revelation. The girls had eschewed a natural look entirely. Her eyes were dramatic, with smoky eyeshadow in an almost electric blue. Her baby face was gone, replaced by contour makeup that accentuated her stunning features. She was speechless.
"Do you like it?" Dana and Lizzy asked, peeking through the door.
"I guess... I mean, yes," said Sarah, slowly becoming accustomed to the reflection before her. "I never thought I could look like this."
"We've been telling you for years!" said Lizzy proudly. "Okay, time to go and make Fokker pay for everything he ever said to you over the years. Today is revenge!" she declared dramatically. Dana laughed and agreed. Sarah just rolled her eyes.
The three women arrived together at the bar, but at the entrance, Dana and Lizzy somehow disappeared, leaving Sarah alone. She pushed open the door, feeling an unsettling sense of déjà vu wash over her. The place was packed, as it was every Saturday night. Nerves fluttered in her stomach as she ventured inside, scanning the crowd for her friends. As she walked through the throng, she couldn't help but feel the weight of stares directed her way. Her stomach clenched, but the situation felt different somehow. Those who observed her did so with amazement and some disbelief, both men and women. Sarah felt a decision looming—either stand tall or bolt. Swallowing hard, she chose the former and walked with her head held high. Thankfully, she spotted her friends in a corner, and she breathed a sigh of relief.
Dana and Lizzy had strategically positioned themselves next to Peter, ensuring they would be the first to spot Sarah's arrival, while Sean and Ben had their backs turned. Dana and Lizzy smiled proudly when they saw Sarah approaching and signaled to the boys to turn around.
Ben was taken aback. His eyes widened as he looked at his sister, seeing her as the woman she had become. It was like a wake-up call. He had always regarded her with tenderness but had never considered her as anything more than his goofy sister. Suddenly, his mother's words echoed in his mind, and he realized she was right. Sarah was a woman who needed a mature brother to support her, not an overprotective knight.
Sean was frozen in place, almost dropping his glass. In recent weeks, their relationship had naturally blossomed, and they had become increasingly comfortable and at ease in each other's company. Fooling around had brought them closer to a level of intimacy he hadn't anticipated. Sean was thrilled by Sarah's curiosity and desire to learn and enjoy. Among all the scenarios he had imagined with her, everything flowing so smoothly was the least likely. He was pleasantly surprised.
These changes were accompanied by a series of small but significant shifts. Sarah exuded confidence and radiated a contagious joy. Sean felt lighter and more relaxed in her presence. With her, he didn't have to pretend, and for the first time since his childhood, he felt truly himself. Sarah's happiness encouraged him to reconnect with his family and friends. Gradually, he began to rebuild the friendships that had been neglected over time.
Speechless, Sean watched as Sarah captivated everyone around her. She noticed his favorable reaction and decided to play along, flashing him a wide smile and turning around coyly. Everyone chuckled, but Sean remained lost for words.
"I think we broke him," whispered Lizzy to Dana, and they laughed.
Sarah walked over to Sean and stood in front of him.
"Are you okay?" she asked, pleased with his reaction, or lack thereof. He dumbly nodded.
Amidst laughter and compliments on her appearance and birthday wishes, Sarah was simply happy, basking in the attention. Sean watched her silently, occasionally flashing her a cocky smile and a clear desire in his eyes. She relished every moment of it.
Outside her inner circle, many people came to greet her, and she felt grateful. Her heart swelled with love, feeling invincible. Ben hugged her and whispered something in her ear, and she laughed. Ben glanced at Sean and nodded, silently approving of the change. Sean smiled back at him.
Drinks were poured and enjoyed, the happy birthday song was sung, some cake was eaten, and the dancing began. Sarah danced with Dana and Lizzy, feeling a freedom she only experienced when flying. She closed her eyes, losing herself in the music's rhythm, forgetting the world around her. It was as if she was alone, unconcerned about whether she was a good dancer or not, indifferent to anyone's opinion but her own.
Sean watched her in awe. She had no idea of the effect she had on him. Sarah danced with abandon, swaying sensually, enjoying herself without a care in the world. Her innate sensuality, unaware to herself, was her greatest allure. During their weeks together, Sean had discovered that her natural demeanor was intoxicating to him. He couldn't get enough of her.
"I need a drink," Sarah said, approaching Sean after dancing for a while. She was sweaty, her skin shiny and flushed. He bit his lip.
"Here," he said, offering his drink. She took it and downed it all.
"Easy there," he said, smirking, and she smiled back.
"I'm going to dance the buzz off. Wanna join me?" she asked playfully. He couldn't refuse her anything.
They made their way to the crowded dance floor. Sean wasn't much of a dancer, but he didn't care; he just wanted to be close to her. Sarah felt silly trying to be sexy, but at that moment, she didn't care much. A familiar song began to play, and Sarah smiled.
We, we don't have to worry 'bout nothing
'Cause we got the fire, and we're burning one hell of a something
They, they're gonna see us from outer space, outer space
Light it up, like we're the stars of the human race, human race
When the lights started out, they don't know what they heard
Strike the match, play it loud, giving love to the world
We'll be raising our hands, shining up to the sky
'Cause we got that fire, fire, fire
Yeah, we got that fire, fire, fire
And we gonna let it burn, burn, burn, burn
We gonna let it burn, burn, burn, burn
Sarah lifted her arms over her head and closed her eyes, relishing the sensation of the music washing over her. Sean watched her intently, captivated. Slowly, he began to sway to the rhythm of the song as well. Being with her felt effortless; she was like a lighthouse in the darkness, drawing people to her, including him. Sarah opened her eyes and gazed at him tenderly. She took his hands in hers and placed them on her waist.
We don't wanna leave, no
We just wanna be right now
Right, ri-ri-right now
And what we see, is everybody's on the floor
Acting crazy, getting loco till the light's out
Music's on, I'm waking up
We start the fire, then we burn it up
And it's over now, we got the love
There's no sleeping now
No sleeping now
Sean pulled her closer, unable to resist; he simply needed to be close to her. She maintained eye contact with him, teasingly smiling. He noticed how her eyes started to change, becoming a deeper shade of blue, almost black. He swallowed hard, suddenly feeling a rush of desire.
When the lights started out, they don't know what they heard
Strike the match, play it loud, giving love to the world
We'll be raising our hands, shining up to the sky
'Cause we got that fire, fire, fire
Yeah, we got that fire, fire, fire
In a bold move, Sarah reached out and took his face, pulling him into a kiss. In that moment, the world seemed to explode around them, electricity crackling between them. Sean responded eagerly, his hand sliding to the back of her head as he deepened the kiss, both of them losing themselves in the moment. As the music continued to play and people danced around them, they remained locked in their own world, oblivious to everything else.
When the song finally ended and they pulled apart to catch their breath, Sean leaned in close to Sarah's ear and whispered, "Let's go." Sarah felt a shiver run down her spine at his words. Without hesitation, she took his hand, and together they slipped away from the dance floor and the bar, without a word to anyone else.
"Where are we going?" asked Sarah curiously as they navigated through different aisles.
"It's my birthday gift," said Sean, holding her hand. Sarah looked at him incredulously.
They arrived at a huge closed door, with no one in sight. Sean approached the control panel and entered a password. The door opened softly, and he smiled at her.
"Sean, where are we?" she asked as they stepped into the dark room, hand in hand. As soon as the door closed behind them, a dim light illuminated the space, revealing a small forest. Sarah was amazed.
"This is the greenhouse," she said in surprise. "But no one is supposed to come in here," she added, alarmed. Sean smirked at her.
"Relax, we have clearance," he reassured her, winking.
"Please tell me it's not from my mom," Sarah said, sounding worried. Sean laughed.
"Not at all. Come," he said, guiding her further into the greenery. The place was stunning, more like a botanical wonderland than a scientific experiment. It had been months since Sarah had been surrounded by so much real vegetation, and it was breathtakingly beautiful.
"Okay, stop and close your eyes," Sean said enthusiastically. Sarah smiled and did as she was told, allowing him to cover her eyes with his hands and guide her forward slowly.
"There, happy birthday," he said, letting her open her eyes. Sarah was astonished.
They stood near a huge window that revealed the vastness of space. Around them, trees formed a semi-circle, framing a small clearing with real grass. Tiny lights adorned the trees, creating a scene straight out of a fairy tale book. Sarah looked around in awe. It was like a little piece of Earth in space.
On the ground lay blankets, pillows, and a picnic basket, alongside a cooler with a bottle and two glasses.
"How?" she asked, her mouth hanging open in wonder.
"I have my resources," Sean said proudly, already planning how he'd repay Kim for this extravagant gesture. She had gone above and beyond.
"It's like being on Earth," Sarah said nostalgically, as Sean pulled her into a hug. She hugged him back, feeling overwhelmed with closeness.
"Thank you," she said emotionally, looking up at him.
"You're welcome, beautiful," he said tenderly, brushing a strand of hair away from her face.
They settled onto the blankets and eagerly delved into the contents of the picnic basket, finding sweets, sandwiches, and plenty of water bottles. Sean stifled a laugh when he saw the abundance of water. They also found a small music device, which they turned on.
"Are you sure we can be here?" Sarah asked, still feeling a little uneasy.
"We have it until 7 AM," he replied, his tone seductive.
"I see," she said, feeling a rush of excitement and turning bright red. Sean chuckled.
"Do me a favor and never play poker," he said to her, and she stuck her tongue out at him childishly.
They sat there, enjoying their surroundings, the music, and each other's company. Sean watched her, captivated.
"What?" she asked, smiling and feeling a little self-conscious.
"Nothing, just how amazing you are," he replied, feeling overwhelmed with emotion.
"I want to tell you something," said Sarah, turning to him and looking a little nervous. Sean was attentive.
"These past months have been almost indescribable for me. I honestly had lost all hope when we launched. I had planned an entire life without you, and I just wanted to be lucky enough to find even a fraction of what I felt for you in someone else. You coming here has been the best surprise of my life," she said, her voice thick with emotion. "You told me you loved me, but I didn't believe it. It took me a while to convince myself that all of this was real. I've been on my own for so long. And now you go and do this," she said, looking around with tears in her eyes. "It scared me to feel what I'm feeling again. But I can't deny it anymore. It's here," she said, touching her heart. "It's always been here," and her tears began to fall freely.
Sean watched her in silence, his own eyes filled with tears.
"So, I'm going to say something I thought I'd never say again. I love you, Sean," she said, crying and almost unable to breathe. Sean closed the distance between them and held her tightly. She cried and cried in his arms, releasing years of hurt and pain. He kissed her head, his own tears falling.
"I love you, Sarah. I always have, and I always will," said Sean, feeling overwhelmed with emotion. "We'll be together forever, I swear it," he added, looking at her.
"We look like a mess," she said, between tears and laughter, imagining her makeup smudged all over her face. Sean laughed.
"It doesn't matter. I love you even if you look like a raccoon," he joked, and they both laughed.
"Can I ask for something else for my birthday?" Sarah said, wiping her tears away with a napkin.
"Of course," Sean replied.
"Do you want to be my first?" she asked shyly but bravely.
It wasn't about physical pleasure or resolving an unfinished business. It was a gesture of complete trust, dedication between them, sharing, and respect. Sean's chest tightened with excitement as he approached her gently.
"It would be my honor, but with one condition," he said seriously.
"What?" Sarah asked, curious.
"I will also be your last," he said lovingly. Sarah laughed and threw herself into his arms happily.
"Deal," she said, kissing him with all her heart.
Notes:
Chapter: Please keep loving me - James TW.
Inside song: Burn - Ellie Gouling.