Chapter fifty | A Large Distance

The market square was a dazzling sight to witness at this time of the year. My eyes jumped from one shop to another, scanning the various displays and discounts.

As my mouth opened to exhale, the air condensed to form a smooth cloud, disappearing as quickly as it came.

"So, what are you looking for?" Eli tugged my hand, bringing me to a halt.

I moved my eyes away from a certain display and met his icy eyes.

With small flecks of snow stuck in his hair, his nose turned to a pale shade of red similar to the muffler he was wearing.

"I am looking for some gifts for Navya and Connor. So, I need your help because I don't know what they like."

Eli hummed for a moment, a thoughtful look filling his face.

"Navya doesn't really care much about it, but you can get her some gift card or a candle. She likes to have those weird scents. For Connor, anything that is remotely silly makes him happy."

A brief chuckle escaped me at his descriptions of gifts.

We didn't talk much for the next hour as we browsed through the shops.

The air was light, with Christmas enthusiasm filling every corner. My hands were numb with the icy air as I had forgotten to wear my gloves, making me shiver.

Eli noticed my subtle gesture and tugged me towards a small cafe.

"Let's get you some hot chocolate," he said, taking both my hands into his.

I gave him a grateful smile as the warmth of his gloves surrounded my fingers.

As we entered the cafe, an inaudible hum of Christmas music filled the air. Christmas decorations and lights blinked at me from all the sides as a bright artificial Christmas tree sat in a corner.

We made our way towards the counter as the divine fragrance of coffee, and chocolate assaulted my nose. There were hints of peppermint and pine in the air, adding to the charm of the quaint setting.

"Can we get two cups of hot chocolate, please?" Eli didn't leave my hand even when he was reciting the order. The only time his touch moved away was when he had to get his card out. Even after my protests, he didn't let me pay for the drinks.

Soon, with our drinks in our hands, we made our way to the vacant tables.

The warm ceramic cup felt good under my icy fingers as the sweet scent of chocolate filled my nose.

I had to resist the urge to moan as the sweet flavor exploded on my tongue. This was better than the one I made at home.

"So, how did your talk with Connor go?" I asked, trying to fill the silence.

He looked away from the cup and met my eyes. A soft smile curved his lips as his icy eyes melted to a shade lighter.

"He is doing better. Behind all those things, he was trying to cope up with the sudden change." He paused for a moment, taking a sip out of his drink. "Connor needed someone to talk to, but he didn't want to burden me with his emotions. Stupid guy."

I placed my hand on his, giving it a light squeeze.

"He will be ok."

Eli nodded in agreement. "He will be ok."

My eyes scrutinized his smile, making my heart beat faster. As pure love and adoration filled my belly, I could feel my mind relax a bit.

At that moment, the look on Eli's face as he gazed into my eyes was so beautiful that it made me wish I could capture it and store it forever.

We don't have forever, do we?

My thoughts made my smile dim as the reality struck my mind. My heart clenched in pain at the thought of losing him, even if it was inevitable.

Eli noticed the shift in my expression, making him frown. With voice concerned, he voiced his next question. "Are you fine, Cynthia?"

Forcing a smile on my face, I nodded vehemently. "Everything is great."

With that, I gave up on the actual reason I had asked Eli to join me, locking away my thoughts in a small crevice of my mind. For now.

We called it the day as the sun disappeared behind the horizon, pronouncing the light displays.

"Do you want to stay over?" I asked as our houses neared.

The snow beneath us crunched as the light glow of the lights reflected against it.

He gulped for a moment, thinking about the pros and cons. I knew he was avoiding my dad like the plague, but the severity of the situation became clear as he shook his head.

"No, thanks."

My lips jutted out in a pout as I tugged him to a stop. "Please. I want to cuddle."

As if emphasizing my point, I wrapped my arms around his waist.

He sighed at my words, making me smile. "Ok."

I pulled away from his chest, standing on my tip-toes as he leaned his head down.

Our lips connected for a moment, making sparks dance on my lips.

With emotions peeking out, I hoped that he understood what I was too cowardly to admit. The issue I was putting on the back burner because of my fear.

We pulled back slowly as I refused to open my eyes.

For a moment, I let his taste linger on my lips as short pants slipped past my mouth.

I was sure my eyes were misty with tears as I cupped his face in my hands. "I love you, Eli."

My fingers brushed against his cheek as adoration made his eyes brighter. Placing his forehead on mine, he gave me a dazzling smile. "I love you too, Cynthia."

At that moment, my heart went wild.

He closed the door behind me as I took off my shoes and jacket. He followed my lead as his eyes scanned the house.

"Are you sure you want me to spend the night with you?"

I gave him a long look and tugged him deeper into the house. "If I didn't know better, I would have said that you didn't want to spend the night with your girlfriend," I muttered, making him smile.

Wrapping his arms around my waist, he pulled me closer. Eli placed a kiss on a spot just behind my ear, making a shiver run down my spine.

"You know that I love to spend the night with my girlfriend," he whispered.

I shivered at his words and closed my eyes. Wriggling out of his arms, I turned towards him with a playful glare. "Is it just sex, Rodriguez?" I mocked, making him roll his eyes.

"You know it is more than that. I like sleeping next to you, even if you snore a lot," he muttered and tucked the stray strand of my hair.

He yelped as I swatted his hand lightly. "You snore too!" I informed him with a pout.

With a soft stomp, I walked away from my mean boyfriend. He just enjoyed my reaction with a hearty laugh.

With long steps, he closed the distance between us and picked me up. My shocked gasp echoed through the house as he carried me to the stairs.

"I didn't know you had it in yourself, Eli," I spoke with a calm voice as the initial shock faded.

"I don't lift weights, but I can pick up a sack of potatoes here and there." He shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.

An indignant gasp ripped through my lips, and I squirmed in his arms. A wrong move because he lost his hold on me and dropped me on the floor. I yelped as a loud bang echoed through the house.

Eli leaned down with an apologetic expression as I rubbed her sore back. He averted his eyes from my heated glare when we heard the rattle of the door, followed by a light thump of footsteps.

Dad walked in with sleep shining through his eyes after he called it an early night. He gave both of us a long stare.

His eyes took us in as I stared up at him from the floor. "Hi, Dad," I squeaked, making him nod.

He huffed and turned around without any word. The sigh leaving got choked as he turned around and gave us another look. "Whatever foreplay you kids have these days... just keep it down and in her bedroom. I need to sleep," he said nonchalantly and closed his room door behind him.

My choked noise escaped my lips as a blush warmed my cheeks. Pink dusted Eli's cheeks too as he stared down at his hands.

An awkward silence descended between as his words lingered in the air. Clearing his throat, Eli offered his hand to me.

Wordlessly, I grabbed it and got to my feet. Our eyes met for a moment, and we couldn't control it anymore.

With our shoulders shaking, we broke down into fits of laughter. Tears leaked our eyes as we laughed at no apparent reason.

"We are crazy," I huffed between breathless gasps, wiping my eyes. He just nodded his head in response and followed me to the room.

Wanting to get out of the wet and heavy clothes, I moved to the bathroom.

I pushed out of my clothes, making my muscles groan in response. A light rustling noise filled the confines of the bathroom as my clothes fell to the ground.

Realization dawned on me as I noticed my lack of spare clothes.

"Eli, I need some nightclothes," I called out, extending my hand out of the bathroom.

With a slight grumble from the other side of the door, Eli handed me clothes in seconds.

I pulled these clothes over my undergarments. As the long shirt drowned me, the iron man's heart reached just below my breasts.

Yup, certainly his shirt. I thought with a smile and unbolted the door.

By now, Eli had taken off his shirt too as he ran a hand through his hair. With the creak of wood, his eyes snapped to me.

He did a slow scan of my form, making me blush. "When did you steal that?" he asked, pointing at it.

I rolled my eyes at his words and walked closer to him. "I didn't steal it. You gave it to me after you ripped my shirt buttons the day-" He muffled my next words by placing his hand on my mouth.

His jaw clenched, and he produced a deep groan. "Don't remind me," he warned, making me gasp.

With mischief filling my thoughts, I leaned closer to him. "Why, Eli? Because it will turn-" I teased, but once again, my words were muffled by him.

Just this time, it was a kiss.

Pulling back breathless, we stared into each other's eyes. I was sure my eyes portrayed a sense of vulnerability as tears misted them.

Eli frowned slightly, cupping my face in concern. "What happened, Cynthia?" His voice is calm.

I shook my head and averted my eyes. "Nothing." My whisper made his frown deepen.

"Cynthia!" he warned in a light tone. "We talked about your nothings, right?"

I froze at his words. "So, tell me what happened?" he coaxed.

I released a defeated sigh and placed my hand over his. "Eli... what will happen to us after high school?"

My words made him freeze, but I continued speaking. "I mean, I applied for schools in Chicago while you will be in Boston. I don't know if it would work, Eli." Dejection seeped through my words.

"You are not breaking up with me, right? I mean, there is still some time, and we could always do some long-distance stuff." His voice was panicked as his eyes showed despair.

I shook my head and tightened my fingers around his. "I can't, Eli. I can't do long distance. After seeing what it does in my family, I can't."

I continued before he could try to change my decision. "But we still have time... so let's enjoy it first?"

My tone was definitive, ending the discussion there and then. Eli's hand fell limp to his side as I turned away from him.

With quick movements, I wiped away any tears and crawled up the bed.

A few moments later, he got into the covers, wrapping his arms around my waist. His warmth seeped into my bones, making silent tears flow down my eyes.

His lips skimmed against the crown of my head as he whispered his words into the knight. "I love you, Cynthia."

"I love you too," I whispered, unheard to his ears.