JULY 4 - The sunrise (25)

July 4.

I woke up 5 minutes before the alarm clock, but for some reason I didn't feel tired at all, on the contrary– I was happy.

The light was coming in brighter and brighter through the large windows of my room.

There wasn't even a cloud, I'm sure it's gonna be an incredible sunrise.

I wore a pair of black shorts and a sky blue ruffle top.

I add some makeup: concealer under my eyes and a rosy lipstick.

I grabbed my phone and left my room.

I leaned the back of my head against the wall and closed my eyes, waiting for her to come.

My heart was going crazy, every second was filled with anticipation.

"Ellie..."

"God..." I whispered, turning around as my heart accelerated its beating.

Bella slowly approached me, smiling.

I breathed a sigh of relief just seeing her face.

"You gave me a heart attack..." I stammered.

"Did I?" She teased.

Suddenly she rested her hand on my racing heart, which increased its speed with her gesture.

"I can see that..." She laughed, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..." She whispered more seriously.

She gently took my hand and squeezed it: "Come on..."

We entered the elevator and she pressed the last button, the sixth.

Once again I was mesmerized by her copper hair and how her slightly wavy hairstyle was simply perfect.

"Did you sleep well?" She asked me.

Her smile was do gorgeous.

"What?"

I was so captivated... that I couldn't even concentrate.

"Did you sleep well?" She giggled.

"Oh..." I blushed. "Yes. Yes, I do. Did you?"

"Perfectly fine. And you know why?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Why...?" I nervously asked, sure she was going to tell me something unexpected.

"Because I knew that the next morning I was going to see you." She smiled but not in a sarcastic way.

I squeezed her hand, my cheeks turning red as my stomach fluttered. "I had the same feeling, Bella..."

"Did I just make you blush?" Her eyes brightened with both mischief and sweetness.

She definitely like to tease...

I hid an embarrassed smile. "Not that again..."

She burst into a laugh. I like her spontaneous laugh, it makes me smile too.

I found myself staring at her face: her big brown eyes, her perfect ruby lips.

Her face showed no sign of tiredness, her forehead was relaxed.

A bit of mascara on her long lashes, highlighter over her cheecks and a nude eye shadow.

She was wearing a dark red top with a V neckline, that suited her figure, paired with a high waist denim skirt, which makes her long legs look beautiful.

The elevator arrived at the floor.

We began to walk, she grabbed my hands gently yet firm, as if she knew exactly where to go.

"Uhm... where are we going?"

She shrugged, "I don't know..."

"Huh?" I laughed.

We stopped for a moment in front of a set of small stairs leading to a white glass door.

Bella raised both eyebrows, thrilled.

"Here." She affirmed.

"How do you know if that door is open?" I whispered in her ear.

"I don't know that either..." She said with amusement.

She left me a kiss on the cheek which made my whole body shiver.

"We have to risk it." She added.

I smiled at her warmly, "Well, I'm in..."

I realize in that moment that Bella was like that– an unpredictable person.

She didn't make plans, she just surprises you. I thought she was going to do one thing and instead she ended up doing the exact opposite.

Maybe this is why I like her...

When she pushed the handle and the door opened, she immediately turned to me with a satisfied smile.

We were now in the terrace of the resort.

I turned around in amazement and smiled at that breathtaking view before us: the immense sky, the green of nature, the trees, the plants, the yellow sand, and the deep blue ocean.

"This is incredible..." I whispered dreamily.

I couldn't stop smiling as I spoke. "The most stunning view I have ever seen..."

"It was impossible for this resort not to have this kind of terrace..." She smirked towards me.

I caressed her arm: "It was worth to risk it..."

She smiled: "Always."

"Happy fourth of July, by the way..." She said, her voice has a wistful, cryptic tone.

I swallowed hard. "I almost forgot it..."

I think we thought the same thing but neither of us dared to say that today was going to be the last day alone for us.

Bella turned and took a few steps. I thought she wanted to go for a walk, but then I felt her arms wrap around me from behind, her chin resting against my shoulder. Her arms entwined gently in my waist.

In that moment a shiver ran down my back as I leaned silently against her head.

I immediately felt safe.

"What are you thinking about?" Her lips were on my neck, and her warm, vibrant voice made my skin tingle.

I smiled. "Everything is just as perfect as I imagined."

My voice trembled: "Bella, I have never felt more alive than when I am with you."

She smiled softly as she enveloped my body. "I'm so glad you feel that way, sweetie. It makes me happy."

In front of us, the sky had opened into a sunrise that left us speechless.

The sky streaked pink and fiery red with the dawn's early lights.

I felt pervaded by a sense of peace; it was as if the whole world had just stopped to admire that sunrise.

I clasped myself in her arms as my eyes languished in that instant.

"My mom would have loved this sunrise." I said this sentence out loud, but I had been holding that in my heart for quiet some time now.

Bella suddenly clenched her jaw and glanced at me without blinking. Her eyes flickered as she swallowed.

"She was–"

I can't believe I took the courage to say these words out loud.

It doesn't happen very often.

I said that because... somehow I trust Bella.

"She was... more of a sunrises person than a sunsets one... we have seen so many of them together."

I swallowed hard, releasing the weight in my heart as I sighed nervously.

I felt Bella's warm, calm breath on my shoulder.

"She used to say that every sunrise is a new beginning. I don't know what she meant by that..."

My heart is aching remembering this.

I was trying so hard to keep my self together but I can feel that I was about to fall again.My heart was beating so fast, my breath was havier, my knees trembled, my head spinning.

I had to hold on to myself as tightly as I could, otherwise I might sink again.

Suddenly I felt that I was not alone, that there was someone else who was holding me strongly, asking nothing in return, and who seemed to understand my pain.

"Hold on to me." Bella whispered.

Her voice steady.

"Keep breathing, Ellie. You're doing great." She kept whispering me as she held me tighter.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath out as she told me to.

I felt the weight in my heart gradually lighten.

And that was all thanks to her.

Bella turned her eyes to that fiery sunrise as she was smiling silently.

"This sounds like a beautiful beginning to me." She leaned her chin against my neck and did not for a moment stop holding me.

I felt a warm sound in my mind and in my chest.

And it was in that moment that I felt that I was safe. Again.

I had never known this kind of comfort, unless that person was my mother.

I hadn't talked about Her so openly since it all happened...

My mother was kind, lovable, always had a good word for everyone, never complained about anything, even when she realized it was over.

She had an incredible strength and I wished I had her courage.

It happened five years ago, I was eighteen when she died, but no one ever prepares you for such a trauma.

I refused to believe it was true at first.

I remained motionless and helpless and life passes by without me even noticing it.

I kept asking myself: "Will this pain ever end?"

Eventually time heals wounds, but never completely–the wound always remains, it is still intact, sometimes it heals, sometimes it keeps bleeding.

I turned to look at Bella.

I stared in those beautiful eyes of hers.

"It's hard for me to talk when things still feel this intense." I whispered letting out a deep sigh.

"Ellie..." She squeezed my waist.

Her eyes are incredible empathic.

"I know exactly what you are feeling..." In her tone of voice, there was a deep understanding but also a deep pain.

"I know." I replied, lowering my gaze.

From the way, that day at the sauna, Bella talked about her grandmother who raised her, I realized that... we had this sort of pain common.

It's like our hearts are in touch.

I turned toward her, as we were facing each other now.

I wanted to feel her skin into mine and look into her eyes, Bella embraced me tightly as our bodies pressed together.

I hope she never lets go.

She kissed my neck as she held me sweetly, "I'm here with you in this. You can always relay on me, Ellie."

"Thank you, Bella. That means a lot."

My eyes filled with complete and sincere gratitude.

"Would you like to spend the Fourth of July with me?" Her voice trembled, but she smiled faintly.

There wasn't even a need for her to ask me.

"I wouldn't want anyone else." I whispered.

Our sighs became more and more impatient and filled with anticipation.

Our eyes got wetter.

Our lips approached each other slowly, craving that moment to happen.

We kissed each other slowly and passionately, as if to erase the pain we shared. As if we had the chance...

Her lips were soft and warm, and I could taste the sweetness of her breath.

Her trembling finger touched my neck, gave me the chills.

I wrapped my arms around her back, gripping her tightly.

We tilted our head and deepened the kiss. Our lips moving restlessly and desperately against each other, savoring every single taste.

"I can't believe how perfect this feels, Bella..." I whispered as she caressed my cheek.

"You make everything feel so right, Ellie." She whispered back.

My heart begins to pound so loud.

Nothing else existed but the two of us in that moment.