A Little More Of Love.

Chapter 12: Crossing The Line

♡ L I L Y ♡

I stare down at my tightly clasped hands on my lap when I feel something drop on my shoulders. I peek to notice a coat over my shoulders. I frown and begin to protest, "Oh! It's okay, I am fine. I don't feel cold—" "Yet, you were trembling in my arms earlier." Alastair calmly responds and sits on the park bench beside me with a lit black steel lamp post near an old withered tree. 

He passes me a cup, and I turn red as I thank him and stare down at the cup. I can't believe I did what I never thought I would do. It's so embarrassing to let my wall down when he snivels, and I look up to find him subtly wiping his red nose and flushed face. "You okay?' he looks at me and raises his brow as I snort, pointing out, "You look like Rudolph!" 

He touches his nose and grins at me, "Why? Do I look cute?" 

Flabbergasted, I freeze and gape at him.

I straighten up and look away as I attempt to take his coat when he places a hand on mine. I shiver as if electricity passes through my body and look up at him. 

Alastair shrugs, "It's okay. I have a hot body. I don't feel cold easily." 

I look away and blush, reprimanding myself for imagining him without his shirt. Instead, we sit in silence when he clears his throat, "So?" 

"Do you want to talk about it?" 

He looks at me and locks my gaze before he straightens up and shakes his head, "Or we don't have to talk about it or anything." He waves a hand and anxiously smiles, "We can sit here for a while until you feel better and can part ways—" he stops talking for a moment before I tuck a hair behind and sigh. 

Alastair then gets up, and I look at him. "Ooo, let's go for a walk. It will be better to calm our nerves down." he grins. I wonder what he's got to calm about, but the two of us begin to walk the stone trail in silence when I sigh, "I have read and heard so many paranoid stalking experiences, but I never thought I would feel such a way today." 

He doesn't say anything, and I continue, "The feeling of someone's unwanted gaze, of being watched and followed, is scary and uncomfortable." I shudder. 

"Taylor wasn't picking up, and I was panicking at the thought of someone following me. Not even being in the crowd could comfort me because the person was hot on my heels and could catch me anytime but right when I stopped and saw you—" I look over at him, and my heart beats in silence as I slowly smile, "I felt a glimmer of hope washed through me when I saw you, and the rest, you know." I blush and look away, wondering what he could say after this but realize I could have offended him; I clear my throat to apologize when he blurts out, "You don't need to apologize for anything, Lily." 

Huh? 

Alastair nods and shrugs, "You didn't offend me or anything. It's not a crime to lean on and rely on somebody for help. When you hugged me, you were trembling in my arms. It's completely understandable how you are feeling right now, you're scared, and it's okay not to feel like travelling alone."

He sighs, "I know I shouldn't say because you did draw a line between us in the afternoon—" I frown and murmur, "You said that intentionally, didn't you?" he chuckles in response and then pretends otherwise, exclaiming, "What? Uh, no!?"  

I shudder and sigh, "It was me who drew a line, and it was me who even crossed it on the very same evening." sensing his gaze on me and wanting to disagree. 

He dumbfoundedly blurts out, "What? Honestly, as selfish as this sounds, I was happy when you came to me. It was like when I held you in my arms; nothing else has ever felt so right." Ignoring the fluttering feeling in my stomach and my heart thumping in my chest because of his words, I lock my eyes with him as he smiles.