I can't always pretend that I am fine
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Rachel POV
Da Nang greeted us with her vibrancy and deep culture. The last time I flew here was three years ago and I am amazed with the development of the city.
The A.P.E.C meeting has gathered many dignitaries from other countries and region. As usual, the secret service team work even harder whenever the President is far away from his homeland.
Grace never follows Derek during this trip. I was amazed by my dodging skill as well, whenever Grace is traveling in the same plane as Derek, I opted out from that schedule.
It gets me wonder sometimes, if Grace has relented about my affair with Derek. She seems to be more caught up with Derek's campaign than seizing all the opportunities with Derek to herself.
I walked along the streets with Dolores, having some street food at the vendors sitting on the small stool. We had some cold local beers. Vietnamese food consist of many herbs, Pho, was definitely my favorites.
I took out my phone when it vibrated.
Derek: Be back at the hotel by 8.
Rachel: Y? Are we meeting tonight?
My heart flashes with code red, meeting Derek has been so rare these few months.
Derek: Sorry, I can't tonight. But please be back by 8, you won't regret this.
I pouted my lips for a moment, feeling the disappointment radiating all over my body.
Rachel: K.
I know I'm rather harsh by typing just one word to reply him. But I can't always pretend that I am fine.
I am not fine.
I am lonely.
I needed him all the time. I wanted all of his time.
I read the clock, half an hour later it will be eight. Dinner is almost finish, I found an excuse to exclude myself from the late night shopping with the other stewards.
Dolores followed me, saying that age is catching up on her, and if she don't have her heel out of her feet, she is going to kill anyone soon.
I muffled my laugh. Perhaps, Dolores is the kind of senior I wanna be like when I am old.
Rachel: so...I'm back. And I don't see any boxes of Hermes or Chanel on my bed.
I took off my shoe, my cardigan, throw my bag to the bed, took a can of Vietnamese beer out from the fridge and headed for the sofa.
Derek: Stand at the window. It's going to happen any minute soon. Don't blink.
I'm not sure what he is up to, but to say that I am not a least curious, I am lying. I grab my phone, along with the beer, I sat at the platform attached to the window.
The sky is pitch dark, across my vision, the only thing that is visible was the street lights, not even a star is grazable tonight.
The North Star, I tried to look everywhere, but its not there. Ever since Derek brought me to stargazing, a real stargazing with telescope, I formed this habit of looking for the brightest star every night whenever I had the chance.
A visible light shoots up from where I was facing and suddenly it explode and shatter into thousand of golden sparks. Another one burst up and float into glittering shower. Lights travels faster than sound, the thunderous exploding sound was heard a few seconds later.
Fireworks.
That's what Derek wanted me to see. He remembered.
He did kept his promises!
I couldn't bear to blink slow enough to miss any second of the dazzling beauty I was seeing up above.
The endless wide patch of dark sky brightens by the shimmering shards.
Another one pumps up to the sky, and yet another one.
I was caught up with mixed feelings. The heaviness weight upon my chest were too frank to be ignored.
The beauty of fireworks isn't the shimmering array of rainbow filling up the darkness of the sky, I wanted to watch it with Derek.
That's the whole of point.
I wanted to watch with him.
I slouched, resting my chin against my knee as I settle in fetal position. My vision were clouded with moist. I started to wonder what is going on with my life. What have I got myself into?
When everybody was on a celebration mood, I was down here, drowning myself with any alcoholic drink I can find in the fridge.
I wasn't sure how much drink I had since the fireworks ended, but I know that walking towards my bed was totally mission impossible. I stares blankly at the ceiling, waiting for miracle to happen, maybe somebody could help me up the bed, my body is too useless to move now.
Of course, nobody is going to move me, anyway. So instead of waiting for hopes to appear, I decided, I will settle for the night, sleeping on the floor.
I wasn't that wasted to be ignorant about what is happening around me. But I have lost motivation, the will to live, just for tonight. My negativity is killing my spirit.
I closed my eyes, who are struggling to keep it open a few moments ago. Slowly, I relented and decide to let nature takes it course, I feel the cool wooden floor, slowly hoaxing me to sleep.
'I love you, Derek.' I whispered in the midst of my doze.
'Sleep, Rachel.'
I heard a weak, soothing sound. I am not sure, but a complete seconds later, I was completely comatose.
A/N
Hi!!!
Sorry for the super late and super short update. I am in the middle of my holiday right now and I decided to update a short chapter.
Hope you will stick with Derek and Rachel till the end!
8000 reads?!! Thank you!!!!