Chapter Twenty-nine

The moment I got closer to his direction, I thought that I might stammer if I got to talk to him adequately because his stare says he was not in the mood right now. Thinking about what he said that he could bury Dawn to death if I keep on going out with him.

"What the hell is this?! You're being stubborn again!" Ethann's thundering voice crept me out. I almost had goosebumps while my tongue was stuttering and couldn't find any words to justify what I was doing.

"Ethann, h-he said they are not the culprits..." I managed to swallow hard so I could tell that to him but he was just looking at me with scary eyes.

"And you trust him? Of course, he won't admit it!”  I looked down and played with my fingers as I could feel his voice echoing in the whole parking lot. Without a moment, he sighed. “Get in the car Helly or else I'll tell Timothy about this."

My eyes widened. "N-No, please! Promise, I w-won't do it again," I almost pleaded. Still no reaction from him. Only glares for me.

“Then get in the car.” For me, that was almost a threat. I was thinking a while ago to go have a talk with Ethann in a calming way and going back to Dawn to bid goodbye properly but it didn't happen. I was left with no choice while my chest is heavy. He opened the shotgun seat for me and I get in there without even looking at him.

After Ethann drove me all the way from Dawn's to the hospital, I laid myself on the bed. I was so tired.

I remember what I did with Dawn hours ago. For the first time in a, perhaps, months, I've got the opportunity to see him again. Even though that was just a stolen moment, it still means a lot to me. I recall on the way we kissed each other, even though no one between us tells it but I know that he as well felt that there was a pain in there. I left Dawn again and I don't know when will we see each other again. Why does the world be so cruel to us? All I just want is to forget the reality and be with him freely. Not like this. I don't want this. I am ready to be with him but seems like destiny doesn't want it to happen.

Why is it? It is so easy to accuse people. I am still not that convinced that the Hadleys were the people behind the incident. There might be someone else with different motives. Hadleys didn't have any bad records before. No one even dared to ruin their reputation. That is why they are one the most respected businessmen in the country. However, because of Mrs. Bricianna Hadley, everything got messed up.

I want to hate her but I can't. She is the one who carried Dawn in the world, after all. Maybe I could hate her choice. Her cheating. All I can do for her is to respect her as Dawn's mother but not as a woman nor a person.
She destroyed our almost perfect world.

***

"The sky is so peaceful," I muttered out of nowhere.

Dawn wrapped his hand onto my waist. We're here at the Addingston Medical Center's rooftop. Good thing, he didn't ask me again why I am always here.

I dialed Dawn's number again the next day and told him to go here and wait for me at the AMC's rooftop. I also asked him to bring a face mask. It's better to hide his identity. I will escape again and I don't care anymore if they will catch me because this time, I have Dawn with me and I know that I could lean on him.

Dawn even disagreed with my idea but he can't do anything about it. I know he also wants to spend time with me.

This idea of mine is a bit dangerous but I want to take risks. Just this once.
I am leaning on his shoulder while staring at the city lights that look like an ocean of stars. It filled the whole city and that is what makes it perfect. The night sky from above also looks so good. Stars shining as if entertaining both me and Dawn.

"Yeah, even though the world is so chaotic, the sky is still so peaceful." I let out a giggle when I felt his warm lips on my cheeks. He drops a few kisses for me there.

“I wish we could go there and leave everything behind.”

I felt his breath on my ears and tickles the way he tries to kiss its surroundings. “We'll face all of this Helly until we overcome it. Then we'll love each other not behind them all, but right in front of them.”

“I wish we could,”

“We could.”

We looked like a perfect couple while staring at the buildings in front of us. I felt so safe and warm while hugging him from beside me. I almost forgot what was going on with both of our families.

"Helly, let me tell you a promise." He broke the silence between us after a long silent moment.

"Hmm, what is it?" I immediately became curious. I wonder what the promise is as I turned my head to him.

"Promise me, once this chaos is over, we'll marry each other."

Oh, that was it. My world stopped for a moment. That thought was running through my mind for minutes trying to figure it out. Uh, did I hear it right? But we just can't marry each other. That would probably be another chaos.

"W-What? Are you freakin' sure about that?" I loosen my hug to him.

"I am. I won't court you in the first place if I don't have any plans on marrying you someday. Remember, you're the first woman I courted and became mine."

When I look exactly into his eyes, he then looked at me and glued his eyes to mine. My heart somewhat became happy and at the same time, became sad. That is impossible.

"But Dawn, I am still studying,"

"Then I'll wait til' you graduate, then."
I swallowed hard. I don't want to refuse. So as for me, I badly want to be with him for the next few years of my life. As long as I'm still here breathing, I want to spend it with him.

I looked away.

"But I heard on the news that you are already engaged to someone else? Uh, is it true?" I almost forgot that one. Heck, if that's true then I'm probably nothing but a mistress now when supposedly, I'm the real girlfriend. What a twist. Bitterness filled my whole system.

He stopped after hearing my question. That silence just explained that it was all true. His parents want him to marry someone else. That girl was so lucky then. He is marrying the man who is head over heels.

I saw him look away in guilt, probably. Adam's apple moved, a hint that he swallowed hard.

"Just stick to our promise, okay? We're going to marry each other. I am not marrying anyone but you."

"But what if my parents will arrest you one day?!" I frustratedly hissed.

The image of him being arrested by the police made me want to cry and let out all the bucket of liquid in my eyes. I don't want him to live in the iron bars.

"I said we're not at fault, Helly. My family, we don't even know who is the real culprit behind this,” he mutters while his eyes began to red. "We'll have our own family, including Dyxxie. We will have our own home and I promise to be a good husband to you in the future." He smiled at me and after that, he stared at the night sky and drew our future there. That is what his stares in the sky tell me.

I secretly smiled. I am quite nervous and curious about what will happen if I become his wife and how he will handle our family. Of course, he is already a grown man. His age says he is already mature.

"What if you'll fall out of love? promise me that you won't cheat?"

"I won't. Cheating is just stupidity," he said coldly.

“Until we're old?”

He nodded. “And until our last breath.”

I swallowed hard and I bet he sensed it because he held the strands in my hair just behind my ears. “I mean it, Helly. I could love you that way. A love that you will remember until in our afterlife if that thing really exists.” He chuckled a bit on his last sentence.

“I also wanna marry you, Dawn.” Badly.

***

"Argh! Ouch! The heck!" I groaned in pain.
I just took a nap and heck, my backbone hurts so bad! It's like slowly hunting me from the inside. I can't explain it clearly. It was so painful. The pain is sharply hitting me. That's it. I closed my eyes firmly to help lessen the pain.

After having a talkie-talkie with Dawn, he said I should sleep already as it was already midnight sharp. Our talks took more than hours and that made me feel contented, at least, I had a peaceful moment in my life in a short while.

I am quite concerned about how he went to the parking lot safely.

"Helly! What happened?"

The door opened and the image of Dad came in. His eyes widened the moment he saw me busy groaning in pain.

"D-Dad, my back is hurting," I almost cried. I want to punch the part of my back but maybe, that won't help.

"What?!" Dad immediately held my hand and guided my back, back to the bed.

"Dad, I can't take this, it's so painful."

"Relax, just breathe Helly. Don't panic, just fight it—by the way, have you taken your meds?" He turned his gaze to the side table where the meds were being put.

"I forgot to take it lately…" I answered in guilt.

Daddy closed his eyes firmly as if trying to hold his temper tighter. Seconds passed by, and a doctor also came in. He is in a rush. I can see it.

"What is happening here?" The doctor asked casually.

"Her back was hurting, can you check it out? There's maybe a part of her body that has purged." Daddy responded.

The doctor really checked it out as Daddy said. And then, he told us that pain is just one of the symptoms of blood cancer. According to him, it is this build-up of cancerous white blood cells that causes the bone marrow to expand in size and put pressure on nerves within the bone tissue, causing bone pain. So, that explains why.

"Thank you, Sir. I'll be more responsible to my daughter starting today." Dad smiled. After a few minutes, the sharp pain in my back slowly lessened. Good thing though.

"That's good to hear, and Miss Helleon, don't forget to take your meds again, please. You need it."

I shyly nod at the doctor. What the hell, Helly, you're being irresponsible to your body now!

The doctor formally bid his goodbye and I just simply smiled at him. Daddy went to me closer. He caressed my hair and his eyes were full of concern and sadness.

"You don't deserve to suffer this," he said in the middle of silence.

"I love you, Dad.'' Instead of saying anything, I said to him one of the tasks that was written on my bucket list.

Dad kissed my forehead. "Dad loves you too. Don't worry Helly, the tragedy is almost over. Ethann already knows where the culprit is."

My eyes secretly widened. After that, he left me in the room. He said he has a lot of patients too that he needs to handle.

"Will you arrest them?" I asked in a soft voice.

"They deserve it, Helly."

Ethann already knew… Of course! He would tell the polices about it. My heart is beating so fast and my mind keeps on asking me what to do. I want to do something but what and how?! I can't sleep if I keep on thinking about this. I shouldn't tell Dawn to escape because after all, they were the accused suspects.

“But what if you just wronged them all along, Ethann?”

He looked at me with perhaps, resentment. But I don't care. All I could think right now is Dawn and his family. “For Pete's sake, Helly! Do you think I'm dumb? The investigation went well and we've got a lot of pieces of evidence saying that they are, indeed the culprit. No one else.”

If the policemen would really arrest them, at least I should see him for the last time.
For the last time… I shook my head. No Helly, promise yourself that this won't be the last.

My heart sank when I heard him in a very deep voice. A tear escaped from my eyes and I couldn't help it. I held his hand sign for assurance that yes, I am going to marry him someday. So if I won't be any longer on Earth, at least I won the battle of love. That despite all the struggles, I married him with all of my soul.