Rachel

Rachel

“You look happy,” Jayce asked as we walked by the riverside.

“Are you kidding me? How can anyone not be happy after such a wonderful proposal and a delicious lunch?” I said, enjoying the chilly breeze of the night that gently touched my body. “Not to mention the fact that there is no one but us here,”

Jayce smiles at my words. “No one but us,”

“I know, and I’m loving every minute of it,” I said, swaying gently to the music of nature.”I don’t want the night to end.”

“Don’t worry, it won’t,” Jayce mumbled, checking his wristwatch.

“Just a few more minutes,” Jayce mumbled, staring at his watch and then at the sky.

“What?” I questioned, but Jayce took my hand and led me to the riverbank, where there was a lone house floating alone on the big river.

“Are we going in the boat?” I asked as Jayce walked into the boat and pulled his hand out for me.

“Yes, now come on,” he replied.

I nodded and grabbed his hand, and he pulled me with him. But because of my clumsy nature, I can’t help falling on Jayce’s body.

My body was lying on top of his. “Sorry,” I said, trying to stand but slipping and falling on him again.

“You’re adorable,”

“Am I?” I asked, fanning my eyelashes at him, trying to act cute.

Jayce chuckled and nodded his head as we both stood up together. As he started the boat, he said, “Buckle up, and seat tight.”

“Where are we going again?” I asked, looking around my surroundings, which had nothing but water as far as my eyes could see.

“You’ll know soon,” Jayce said, giving a small smile before turning his head and looking at the watch and then at the sky once again.

I didn’t say anything after that and started to scan my surroundings. Everything looked so beautiful here, but it’s a bit cold for the type of clothes I am wearing now.

“Rachel, come here,” Jayce called as he stopped the boat in the middle of the river.

I made my way toward him, standing beside him. And Jayce wrapped his arms around me from the back. With my back leaning against his chest, he pointed his finger toward the sky. “Look…” he said.

“What?” I asked, not knowing what I should look at in the sky-the stars or something other than that.

“Be patient, and don’t look away any moment now,” Jayce said, holding me tight.

I’m very confused. I don’t know what is going on inside Jayce’s mind, but anyway, I did what he asked me to, and tried not to move my eyes away from the sky.

And then the magic happens, just before my eyes, appearing as a streak of light, like fireworks lighting up all over the sky, glowing. So beautiful and radiant, falling from the sky like a fireball. “One of your many surprises,” I mumbled, leaning against Jayce.

I felt him smile at my words, even without looking. “If you like it, then yes.”

“What if I don’t like it?” I asked. Even though it’s a lie, I want him to know how he reacts to my words.

“I don’t know… Maybe I will try something better next time,” he replied, sounding a little disappointed by my words.

“I don’t think you can find anything better than a meteor shower.”

“If you don’t like it, then what’s the use?”

“Well, it’s true, I don’t like it,” I say, turning my head toward him, trying to mess with it a bit.

And Jayce signed off on my words.

“Because I love it,” I explained, smiling and staring at the face that had lit up with my words.

“Stop messing with me and look at the sky, before it fades away,” Jayce said, turning my head to the sky and covering my body with his jacket.

I smiled at his little but sweet actions and continued to stare at the beauty in front of me. “I have never seen something like this before.”

“It’s so beautiful,” I mumbled, not turning my eyes away from the beauty of the meteor shower.

“Yes, you are so beautiful,” Jayce mumbled, hugging me close to my back.

I turn my eyes to look at him, only to find him staring at me rather than at the meteor shower. “Beautiful,” Jayce whispered again, with his lips just a mere inch away from the ear.

I can’t stop smiling and looking at it like this. “I don’t think you’re even looking at it.”

“I’m looking at something much more beautiful than that,” he said, and I saw his eyes glistening in the night’s dusk as he continued to put all his focus on me.

“Do you not want to make a wish?” I said, turning my eyes to the meteor shower and then to Jayce.

“What wish?” Jayce questioned.

“I don’t do anything you want. My mom used to say that if you wish in front of a shooting star, your wish will come true.”

“Do you believe that?” Asked Jayce.

I shook my head. “I don’t know… I have never seen one before. This is my first time seeing something so beautiful.”

Jayce looked surprised by my words. But then he smiled, planting a gentle kiss on my hair. “Then I’m glad to do that honor for you.”

I smiled, looking at him. “So, what do you want to wish for?” I asked.

“Nothing,”

“Why?”

“Well, I have everything right here, in my arms.” Jayce smiled, tightening his arms around me. “I don’t need anything when you’re with me.”

“What if something bad happens to me, or we might separate yet again?” I said, just trying to tease him a bit.

But my simple joke turned out to be so serious. “You can’t leave me,” Jayce said, turning to him, hand holding both sides of my shoulders, staring at me with so much worry and dismay in his eyes.

“Jayce…. I was just kidding,” I said, trying to ease Jayce’s dismay.

Jayce sighed loudly upon hearing my words and hugged me tightly in his arms. So tight that, as if at any moment now, I will fade away before his eyes. “I can’t live without you. Don’t you ever repeat these words to me?”

I nodded my head as we broke from each other’s grasp. “I’m sorry….”

Jayce nodded but said nothing and only kept staring at me silently for a few moments. Until he remembers something very important. “Wait a minute, I have something for you.”

“What?” I ask, looking at him curiously.

“This,” Jayce said, pulling something from his pocket that appeared to be a jewelry box. I don’t know what’s inside, but looking at the size of the box makes me think of others. “It’s not that,” Jayce said, answering my curiosity.

“What is inside it, then?”

Jayce didn’t answer my question but opened the box, and inside was a beautiful silver pendant with a star on it.

“It’s beautiful,” I said, as Jayce wrapped it around my neck. “What is this?” I asked, looking at the star on it.

“It’s a north star pendant,” Jayce said. “Do you know what that symbolizes?” I shook my head at the words.

“It means just like the north star who helps people who lost guidance and path, you helped me, Rachel, you’re are my north who always shines the brightest, and no matter how lost but with you, in my life, I will always find my path. Like the north star, you will always guide me, whenever I am lost or alone.” Jayce said, planting a gentle kiss on my forehead. “You’re my north star, Rachel, the one who gave direction to my life.”

“Wow… You know sometimes I’m scared-what if all this is a dream? I don’t know….” those are the only words that can come out of my lips. ”

“Stop… All that negativity in all your thoughts. And ignore the mistakes we both made in the past and be happy that we are stronger together than ever before.”

I nodded at his words. “You’re right, nothing bad will happen when we are together,”

Jayce nodded. “That’s the spirit,” he said, planting a gentle kiss on my forehead. “Look, one more star,”

“Where?” I asked.

“Right in my arms,” Jayce said, laughing loudly.

“Too funny,” I said, pushing him down on the ground, laughing at him. But not before Jayce pulled me along with him onto the floor of the boat.

“Much better,” he said, wrapping his arms around me and starting to plant kisses on my lips, face, and neck, making his way down slowly.