Karla's POV

I stood nervously in front of the gallery, under the waning afternoon sun waiting for Astro

Maybe he's still not feeling okay

I brought out my phone to call him when I saw him running towards me, smiling and waving to me like a child. My heart skipped a beat and I started to laugh.

"Sorry." He muttered. "I had to round up some things."

My heart dropped a little but I didn't show. I looked towards the huge building.

"Some really famous art pieces are stored here." I said dumbly.

His smile widened and he started to walk into the building.

"Aren't you coming?" He said pausing.

I nodded and started to move with him towards the building. When we entered the building he glanced at his watch and back outside.

"Do you need to be somewhere?" I grumbled.

He waved dismissively and moved towards an art piece. I had asked Mr. Thomas, the curator to give me a lesson on the pieces so I could serve as a reasonable tour guide.

Yet it seems he doesn't even want to be here

I sighed and moved to the piece to start explaining its origin.

"Why are we the only ones here?" He asked looking round the deserted corridors.

I shrugged. "The gallery isn't well known yet."

That wasn't the complete truth, but it wasn't a lie either. The gallery actually wasn't well known but I may have caused the desertion when I had asked the owner to lend me the gallery for a day in exchange for a contract with my father.

Astro was so busy admiring the art that he didn't question what I had said and just continued moving from piece to piece.

"Are you okay?" He said after we were almost done with touring the building and paintings.

I looked at him. He was obviously very excited and happy, but deep down underneath those you could tell there was something else he wanted to do.

"What piece is that?"

I glanced at the art. Mr. Thomas said it held a very tragic message, two lovers breaking apart.

I ran my hand over the glass covering the painting and recalled the story.

"The man was a lowly painter. He'd spend days inside his room trying to perfect his art and all along his wife was slowly drifting away." My hand moved over to the little dove. "The man knew this, but instead of talking it out, he decided to paint out his feelings. But before he'd finally perfected the ultimate deceleration of love, his wife had run away and died on her travels."

I traced out the subtle blood stains that streaked across the canvas, like love and death dancing. "The man eventually killed himself over the canvas, believing that pure love contained within it would join them in the afterlife."

I turned to face Astro who was looking at the painting with so much curiosity. I could tell he loved it so much. An alarm went off and he cursed.

"I need to be somewhere." He said running downstairs.

I stood there standing in shock and disappointment.

"That includes you." He said coming back up and dragging me downstairs.

We burst out the door, passing Mr. Thomas on the way. I mouthed a thank you and continued running, wondering where Astro could be taking me. Night was already here and I could see people flocking to houses for New Year's Eve party.

We stopped abruptly and I finally wanted to ask where we were going until I saw that we were standing in front of the cinema.

I turned to see Astro grinning. "We can't do stuff only I like."

I let out a small laugh. "Is that why you've been so distracted."

He just looked away smiling and I playfully pushed him, entering inside the cinema. He went over to the cashier who looked like she'd rather be anywhere else.

After he came back with the tickets and popcorn we went over to the viewing room, it was a horror movie.

I glanced at him. "James told me you like horror movies."

I felt butterflies in my stomach at the fact that he had talked to James because of me. I snapped out of my thoughts and smiled up at him.

"Let's go in." I said dragging him.

The place was empty with only the two of us in the vast room. It was to be expected though, who'd want to watch horror on New Year's Eve - well except us.

The movie started and I could already see Astro clenching the arm of his chair. I ignored it and started watching the movie but like five minutes in, Astro shrieked and popcorn went everywhere as the villain appeared.

"Are you scared of horror movies?" I said laughing.

"N-n-no am not." He said but I could see him using his hand to shield his eyes from the screen.

"So you can watch real murder documentaries but not horror stories?" I asked.

He glared at me and didn't say a word but desperately tried not to look at the screen.

My hands went to his eyes and covered them while my other hand led him out of the room.

"Thank -"

I didn't let him finish as I got my revenge. Yanking him down the street without telling him where we were going.

It wasn't until I heard the crashing of waves that I let him go.

"Y-Y-You murderer." He gasped.

I turned to see him panting and struggling to catch his breath.

"Do I have to carry you?" I teased.

He instantly straightened and went towards the water.

"You didn't bring any snacks." He said drawing in the sand.

I waved the snacks I had gotten from the store nearby and plopped on the sand beside him.

"Am sorry." He blurted out.

I furrowed my eyebrows. "What for?"

"I know you put a lot of effort into the tour. And I know I didn't really put my heart into it. Soooo sorry and thank you." He said.

He turned and laid on his stomach facing the ocean and I followed suit loading an adventure movie.

"The nicknames were way too cringe." Astro said.

We had finished the movie and sat down to eat.

"Everyone calls their lover bae, or boo, or even cupcake," I said taking a sip of my soda.

Astro made a gagging noise. "Oh, my little cupcake, my sexy syrup, my badass princess, my one and only honey bun."

I rolled on the sand clutching my sides. "W-What the fuck was that?"

He shrugged. "Boys in love I guess."

I sat up, looking down at him."So what nickname would you give me."

He stroked his chin. "How about little ocean."

I laughed.

"What's funny about it? You're emotional, deep, and dark sea blue eyes." He scoffed and shrugged. "I had thought of Kraken since it rhymes with Karla."

I slapped him across the back and he winced.

"Thanks for proving my point." He said. "What about me?"

I smiled thinking up names. "What about Bae?"

He glared at me. "Do you really want to swim with sharks?"

I thought hard. "My oasis."

My resting point.

He nodded. "Not bad. Not amazing as mine though."

I pouted determined to beat him. "Then how about My North Star?"

He gave a thumbs up. "You lose a few points for getting it from my name. But, it has a nice meaning to it for a couple name."

The North Star guiding sailors through the ocean.

"You know the ocean also helps the north star?."

I rolled my eyes. "How?"

"It helps it know that things aren't black and white." He looked at me in the eyes now. "And I hope she always remembers that."

I turned away feeling my cheeks grow hot. "Where did you learn all these flirting skills from."

He pouted. "Don't ruin my flow. It took surviving a day of Joy's screaming to get here."

"To get where?" I asked.

He buried his face in the sand. "To get to ask you to be my girlfriend."

I was rooted to the sand. Shocked and surprised that he had actually asked me.

"Sorry, it's not that romantic." He said.

I didn't wait to hear another word before leaping on him and hugging him.

He dug into his pockets and brought out a small present. "I never really got round to giving you your Christmas present."

I unfurled the ribbon. It was a camera. "Make sure you take really beautiful pictures with it."

I started stuttering. "I left your present at home."

He waved his hand. "Save it for my birthday. This can be my Christmas present."

I didn't think we had spent so much time on the beach until I heard the countdown. Astro started counting down too and stood up going closer to the shore and smiling up at the sky as the fireworks hit the horizon. Without thinking I immediately took a picture.

My first beautiful picture with it.

He turned frowning. "Aren't you coming?"

I clicked my tongue and stumbled to where he was, watching the fireworks. It was a New Year, a time of new opportunities, and new goals. And I couldn't wait to explore those new goals with Astro.

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AN

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