I breathed the most as oxygen ultimately made it in my body and it relaxed into the cooled breeze but with the breeze, came the cold.

'You OK?' Ryan asked mischievously.

I nodded, too red to give any answer.

'How was it?' Mia was the first one to jump off the mat and ask me as me and Ryan, drenched, climbed up to a little hill and to them, where our car was parked.

'It was great.' Mia handed me the towel and Noah threw Ryan one.

'What was great?' Yang asked.

I whipped my head at him. 'What do you mean?'

'I mean you know, jumping off the cliff has so many great things about it. Either the jump was cool, or reaching the water was cool, or overcoming your fear?' Yang explained and my mouth was in a 'O' as I realised that he was not talking about the kiss and I was glad until Ryan chose to torture me.

'Or going underwater and having an unusual activity was cool.' Ryan smirked as he rubbed his head with the towel while I glared daggers at him.

"What unusual activity?' Mia asked as I sat on the mat with Ryan opposite to me.

'Nothing. Just nothing.'

'Did something happen that we missed?' Noah asked, confusion etched on his face.

'Yes. You guys did.' Ryan wiggled his eyebrows.

'No.' I said plainly and wrapped the towel further tightly around my body. 'Nothing unusual. Ryan just helped me out of the water.'

'Really?' Ryan mocked and I greeted my teeth. 'Just?'

'Yes Ryan. Just.'

'Come on Âme Tell them.'

'OK, I can't stand the suspense now.' Noah expressed his eagerness. 'Jenny, What is it?'

'Nothing.' I repeated again casting a look to Ryan to just shut up but he was enjoying it.

'There's nothing to hide Âme.' Ryan pursed. 'You don't want to tell them, Ok. I'll tell.' Ryan leaned in and smirked while I widened my eyes at him. 'Actually, when Âme went down the water, I pulled her up an— ow!'

I threw an apple straight at his forehead. 'Shut up!' I warned. If looks could kill, Ryan would no longer be able to breathe now. He was so in the mood and surviving while he being in this mood, was the most difficult thing to occur. 'Don't you dare.'

Yang, Noah and Mia looked between both of us, trying to figure out what was happening but I gave Ryan the deadliest of look and he finally raised up his palms in front of him. 'We'll continue back at cottage.'

I heaved a sigh at finally Ryan decided to shut up and looked down to pick up a glass of water when Ryan said.

'We kissed.'

'RYAN!'

'OHMYGOD!' Mia squealed while I stood up with the glass in my hand. Looking at me, Ryan stood up too.

'Wait wait, hold on.'

'Can't you keep your mouth shut?' I was beyond furious.

'Listen Âme.' Ryan had his palms in surrender in front of him. 'Hey listen.'

'You're dead now.' I hissed and ran behind Ryan who was running away from me.

'Ryan stop right there.' I warned him. Ryan had a speed but I wasn't slow either. Ryan began going in the water and I had to stand back at the point where the level of the water was just below my ribs. 'Ryan, come out.' And he didn't listen. 'Listen, I'm going back. You can come back too.'

I casted a look around the water but he was nowhere to be seen. 'Ryan I'm going.' I began making my way back to my friends when someone pulled me back and with a shriek, I was under the water.

The level of the water was not much deeper so I stood on my own feet without Ryan's help . Just as I rubbed my eyes, Ryan kissed me again. I was totally taken by surprise. Before I could make up what just happened, Ryan pulled back and pointed at Noah, Yang and Mia where Noah was capturing our moment with his camera.

'Oh my God.' I hid my face in my hands feeling totally bashful.

Ryan slowly pulled my hands off my face and leaned in to whisper. 'Hey,' he said and then again, pointed it at the sun that was just setting in. A faded light surrounded it and hues of reds, oranges, and yellows swirled around us like flames. The ocean was not emerald anymore, rather it had blended in the tinctures of the sun.

'It's beautiful.' I breathed as the time seemed too less to take in the whole view.

'I know.' But he wasn't looking at the sun. He collided his forehead with the side of my head. 'I know.' He said again as his eyes was not at the sun set.

***

I stretched my body as I stepped out of the car. 'Tired?' Mia asked.

And I nodded with dropping eyelids. 'Too much.'

She giggled. 'It was just the beginning. You can't be tired just now.'

'What?'

She held my hand and took me to the back of the cottage where a projector was set along with cushions sprawled on the floor and low profile day beds.

Only the difference was that their seats touched the ground and were dragged out of the cottage which was perfect for a movie night. Four day beds and each of them had bowls of popcorns and a can of coke beside them along with the covers that were neatly folded and were placed at the edge of the bed. fairly lights were hung low and few were wrapped around the wooden pole of the cottage giving off a warm and cozy feeling.

And now I got it why Yang and Ryan decided to come home earlier than us.

'This was what Ryan was setting right?'

'Absolutely. Amazing huh?' Mia.

'It's perfect.'

***
The movie was Ocean Eight which was interesting enough to keep me awake after a tiring day but no one wanted to sleep wither for its was only seven o' clock when we reached cottage.

Everyone managed to stay awake till the middle of the movie but when it really was the time for the heist on which half of the movie was made, they all slept.

My eyelids were getting heavier and heavier too until I decided to give in.

After a while, my shoulders were shook softly. 'Hey, get up.'

It was Ryan, who was crouched down to my day bed. 'What?'

'Come with me.' He said in a hushed voice.

'Where?'

'Just come with me.'

'What time is it?' I started pulling the cover back as I blinked to vanish my sleep away but it wasn't easy considering how tired I was by then.

'It's eleven o'clock.' He answered.

I looked at the projector which was all white now, 'Movie ended?'

'One hour ago.' He said. 'Now come with me.'

'Can't it wait for tomorrow? I'm too tired.'

'No, it can't. Now, please.' He was still speaking in a low voice.

'OK.' I said and with great difficulty, hauled myself up.

Ryan skidded my slippers forward, and gliding my feet in, I trailed along with Ryan to an unknown place that unfortunately had its way through the forest. 'Ryan, it's freaking.'

He chuckled. 'Don't worry Âme, I won't throw you to the bears.'

'It's not helping.' I said as I trudged with him. 'How far?'

'Just a minute.'

'But I can't see anything.' I squinted for better focus but nothing came into view. 'Seriously, what's going on?'

'You won't be able to see it from here.' Ryan answered as he bent down to save himself from getting hit by the branch but I failed. I yelped as a thorn from the branch stabbed me. 'Careful.' He said. 'You okay?'

'I would've been better in my bed by now.'

Ryan smiled and shook his head. 'It's better than that.' And just like that, he pulled apart the curtain of vines that hung down from a rock and dragged me in.

I gasped as I took in where he just brought me. Eighteen years of life, and never did I saw something this beautiful ever.

Fireflies roamed and flew around the place like they possessed it. The lights flickered and shown glamorously at the same moment. How could there be so many? I had no idea but I didn't want to think of anything else. The view itself was hypnotising. One firefly flew past me and my eyes tried to keep record of it but couldn't as it disappeared in the plethora of its fellows.

'How is it?' Ryan asked nervously.

'Amazing. Beautiful. Gorgeous. Stunning. Beguiling. Adjective adjective adjective.'

Ryan laughed. 'Got it.'

I furrowed my eyebrows. 'How long have you planned it?'

Ryan shrugged as he allowed a firefly to sit on his index finger. 'A week.'

'Why?'

'You needed it.'

'I was fine.'

'Maybe You were, but I wanted to give you something special.'

'And why is that Ryan O'Neil may I ask?'

'Because,' Ryan said. 'You were there for me even you barely knew me. Who was I to you then? A customer and you helped me like I was very precious for you. You helped with my vocals which again, I am thankful for you to.'

'You helped me find what truly mattered to me and that was my singing that I missed so much and you helped me find it again. So I am thankful to you for that. Consider this little trip as a thanks Âme. You worked so hard for me, you deserve this too.' Ryan's voice was the most melodious one I heard in a while.

How could it not? It had  truth and that is all you need. When they asked you to feel the music and then sing, they mean to accept the truth your feelings are trying to send you and then sing them.

I smiled the widest and jumped to him to hug the life out of him. 'You are the sweetest you know.'

'I'd prefer badass.'

'You're not.' I pulled back. 'Hey can I ask you something?'

'Yeah,'

'Where are your parents? I never saw them.'

Ryan pauses for a second before he blinked and said, 'Cause they are dead.'

'Oh my, I'm sorry.'

He shook his head. 'It's fine.' He ran his hand through his hair. 'It's sometimes hard to voice these moments that killed you.'

'You mean ... ?'

'My mom died —when I turned seventeen— in her sleep. It was hard and so, I couldn't control myself. I was not the keep-it-all-to-yourself kid. I lost control over myself cause my mom was the closest to me. When dad saw that this out-of-control-me can be dangerous for me, he decided to take me out of this country, to have a change of environment and it did work better than those freaking phycologists.'

'And then, at a business meeting, my dad had to fly to another city but that plane crashed and he died too. This time, I was stable. Or perhaps I had to, for leaving in dark for two years, I craved light. My grandparents couldn't afford living their maybe for the grief so they moved here and I came back to school to have things go back to normal and then, I met you.'

'And I'm glad I did.'

'Me too.'

***

Phew! Man, it took me long yet it was not long enough. First I decided to post this chapter on mon but they I was like, 'nah' and so it's here now. Ta da!!

How was it? I was a little unsure about it. I still am.

So, what do think about Ryan's past? Did you expect it? And what about Ryan's little games and surprises? Honestly my whole life just revolves around this couple. Day and night and night and day.

Well, enough talking. Choose the correct option from below:
a. Vote.
B. Comment.
C. Follow.
d. All of the above.

If you select d. You'll get an A!

I'll see ya soon guys. I'm written enough of shit up there.

Love 💕, huz