And I, was the girl
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Rachel POV
I walked the familiar secret path as I reached the underground basement that connects to the White House. It's astonishing every time, for me, a very normal civilian to be involved with the highest personnel of this country.
I can't hide my excitement, yet the bubbles of unhappiness still ponders over my thoughts.
Derek, standing in front of me, he lifted his hands out from his pockets. Ever so charming, ever so inviting. I love him. I don't think it's possible to hide the feelings that I find it ridiculous anymore. I am in love with this man.
'God, I miss you.' Derek paced his footstep, eager as I am, he grab me and pulled me close to him.
I'm back, to where I want to be. I held him tight, surrounding my arms around his waist. I forgot how long we haven't seen each other, but it feels like ninety-nine years.
'Are you feeling better now?' I look at his buttons, instead of his eyes when I asked him, I can't bear to discover any lies if he should ever be dishonest with me.
'I can have sex any moment right now, does that count?' I heard his chuckles. I looked up at him, and simply nodded. 'Something's wrong?' He asked, slowly, his smile faded.
'Why didn't you tell me you were hospitalized' I asked softly. 'I should have been the first person to know, or maybe, the second after you mom?'
'It wasn't anything serious, Rachel, plus, it is embarrassing, let me tell you, you are not going to find me charming anymore if you know about this.' He made a grave face.
I cock my head slightly. 'You have herpes?'
'Nope, that is way too far from what I had, very far, Rachel.' He was taken aback with how I came out with the herpes stuff.
'Then what?'
'I had...a mild diarrhea.' He cleared his throat, looking awkward.
I stunned for a moment. 'What?'
'Yeah, I did and-'
I cut him off. 'No, you mean a diarrhea would keep me away from you? Seriously?'
'I would love to preserve the charming side of mine to you.' He cups my cheek. 'Are you upset with that?' He lowered his forehead and touches mine.
'Very.' My mouth is not shutting, I was awed, for a bad reason. 'Derek, if you think a diarrhea would keep me away from you, well, you really don't know me at all.'
'Sorry, I just don't want to be clingy, is that the right word?' He rubbed his nose against mine. 'I'm used to being okay by myself.'
'I've seen cases worst than diarrhea, boyfriend, there was a baby in the plane, his mother clearly doesn't know how to wear his diapers properly, and guess what? His poop scattered all around the seat. I don't have to explain much anymore.' I shrugged.
'I promise I won't be that baby.' He lifted his hand and made the swear gesture.
I laugh and punched on his chest lightly. 'You better don't. When you're old, I'm gonna hire a nurse to take care of your sanitary instead of taking matters at my own hand.'
'Rachel?' Suddenly, the tension rises, Derek looks into my eyes.
'What?'
'You've mentioned twice about who to take care of me when I'm old, it's not a very inviting thoughts but, its very nice when you mentioned that.'
'What is nice about that?' I'm confused, or I pretend to be confuse.
He held my hand and we walked towards the lift. 'Have you gave a thought about us?'
'In what manner?' I felt my voice weak, as if this is the threshold of something bigger between us.
'In the manner where we'll be washing dishes together, walking the dogs and maybe, playing iPad games in bed because we are bored of sex already.'
Every nerve in my body felt numb, except for my leg, we entered the lift. We faced each other, I was speechless, like my throat was stuck by millions of emotions thrusting over me.
The lift reached the floor where he resides, a little disappointment splash over me as we had to shift places again. Derek took my hand and leave the confined space to his grandeur abbot.
Everything he said was enough to bring butterflies to my stomach, and even getting to believe in fairy tales again. But, his ring, I felt his ring on my skin again. That fucking ring brought me back to the thoughts that I am Marylin Monroe in the making.
'Are you hungry?' He asked.
'You haven't had your dinner yet?'
He shakes his head. 'I wanted to see you so bad, plus, I was planning to order pizza at your place.'
'Do you have ramen here?'
'Ramen?' He sounded surprise. 'Now that you mentioned.'
---
As always, the marvelous perk of being Derek's girlfriend came with the marvelous view of the city from his balcony.
We each had a bowl of ramen on our hand, crossing our leg, leaning against his rattan sofa, slurping the steamy goodness.
'This is nicer than the dinner I had earlier.' I mentioned it.
'Who did you have dinner with? Sarah?'
'Nope,' I shake my head as I finished the last drip of Tonkotsu soup, ' I was with Corbin, Dolores and Tony Linton.'
'The man who went to L.A with you?'
Oh shit. I lifted my eyes as my adrenaline sparks. 'You stalked me?'
'More like I tracked you, well, for a less creepy reason, I missed you.' He placed the empty bowl on the coffee table.
'Are you jealous?' I smirk at him.
'Men and women experienced the same emotion, just that guys prefers to keep it to themselves. Of course I am jealous.' Derek sounded almost honest about his feelings, I didn't detect any jokes.
'You weren't the only one who been through that, Derek.' I hinted at his ring.
We became silent after that, both looking at everywhere else but not each other's eyes.
'Rachel.' He calls for me, but my pride is surging high and I don't want to look at him. 'Rachel?' He move closer to me, place both his hand on my shoulder and face me. 'When I mentioned about us, washing the plates and walking the dog, I meant it, it's in my plan. My status as a married man, a president, a commander-in-chief, I can't make promise easily, but I need your help, I can't do this on my own.'
'I don't think I was being unreasonable for feeling that way, am I?'
'No.' He agrees with me. 'I want to be the President again for the coming term, and I am not finding excuses to drag my marriage with Grace, but this is important to me, Rachel, I want you so badly, yet I also fought hard for my career.'
'Yet?' I scoffed. 'Did you hear what you said, Derek?' I scoffed again, I felt my eyes moist. 'It seems you want your career more than me. Are you saying that the only for us to keep going is for me to endure being kept in the dark, and only after another four years before we are able to hold our hand in the public?'
Derek slowly pulls his hand away from me. I heard my unconsciousness shouted "no" when he does that.
'I thought we wanted the same thing?' Derek stated, in a tone where he felt betrayed by me.
'I don't even know what is the same thing anymore, you wanted me together with your career, I wanted all of you to myself, even if your marriage with Grace cost you your career!'
It was grave. I shouted at him, I hate him. I wish he never came into my life and with the miseries he brought me.
'I wanted to give you this.' He broke the silent after how many breath I took to disperse the anger inside me.
His hand picked out something from his pocket.
I don't want this. I don't know what he is going to show me, but not right now. Not when everything became so twisted. I just want to go home and be alone.
A key?
I frowned for a second. I thought it was something like, a ring? Clearly, that was my wishful thinking.
'What's that for?' I keep staring at the key.
'While you were away, I bought a house in Seattle. For us.' He sigh. 'It was a surprise, supposed to be a surprise.'
'A house? Why? Did you put my name there?'
'Is this a joke?'
'That's kind of my question as well.' I shrugged. 'There's something I hate about this world. When your mistress is someone of low profile, they say she is after your money.
When your mistress is of high profile, they say she has no sense of morale despite her position. I mean, I'm rich, Derek, when I reunited with my dad, I am richer than half of the world. I'm practically Paris Hilton.'
He chuckles. 'I never expect Paris Hilton to come inside this conversation.'
'I expect a ring actually, according to my illusion. But, it's okay, I don't like this kind of proposal anyway, its so boring.'
'How about the proposal be like - will you agree to be burried beside me?'
I shoot him a death stare. 'No, we don't need Tim Burton to inspire us.'
'So, we are back to we now?' Derek flashes that cheeky confident smile.
I tried to ignore him, but its hard, I had to purse my lip to hide my smile. 'You do realized that this problem between us is still going to haunt us. I thought I was able to go through this, but I wasn't. I am incapable of that.'
Derek props elbow on the sofa rest, giving my words a long thoughts. 'I said what I said, I want you, Rachel and I want my career.' He took my hand and stroke it.
'Its going to be a minute bomb. I might leave you anytime, if...if its too much for me.' I told him.
'I love you.'
My world stops, just like how the North Star stays firm to his location. When he mention that three letters, my heart burst. In a modern day fairy tale, the President brought the girl he love to the White House and made his confession there.
And I, was the girl.