Some Enchanted Evening 8
Jade has to finish the last thing on her list: To tell Benedict the truth about when they first met. Will everything go the way she wanted?
I stepped into the large gray-colored room with a bit of hesitation. "Hi, my name is Jade Larson. I'm here for Benedict Stone. Is he available right now?" I asked the girl in the information booth.
"Oh, Ms. Larson, yes, Mr. Stone informed us that you would be arriving today. Please take a seat first. I'll ask someone to walk you to Mr. Stone's office." The girl said with an unwavering smile. She was obviously told about who my father was.
In just a few minutes, a man in a black and white uniform showed me Benedict's office. This was my first day to actually see him at work. This was also the first time that I'd get to see what kind of business he was running. All I've heard from him was that his family has been running a small publishing company.
We passed by the large machines operated by some people who probably worked for Benedict's family for a long time. I could see a bunch of women at the corner seemingly whispering to each other, then suddenly giving me very calculated smiles. The man carrying a large bundle of white papers suddenly stopped to stare as we walked past them. It was a bit disconcerting to see them act this way. I was now wondering if for some reason they knew about my arrangement with Benedict.
It was a few minutes later when we reached a small office with Benedict Stone on the wall. "Mr. Stone, Ms. Larson is here." The man informed him inside. "You may go in now Ms. Larson," he smiled as he walked away.
I stepped into his office and immediately saw him hunched over a large pile of papers. As soon as he saw me, he removed the nerdy-like glasses on his face and smoothed his hair back. The gesture made me smile a bit. Sometimes he could still act like a child when around me.
"Jade, I'm so sorry. "He said while rushing towards me to give me a tight hug. "I know I promised that we'd go out earlier today, but I have so much to do." He said, indicating the pile of papers on his desk.
"It's okay, I can wait." I said, smiling at seeing how flustered he was. He obviously wanted to make a good impression with his work and everything. Even his workers tried to make me feel welcome.
As he finished whatever he was doing, I walked around his office looking at his things. It was a habit that I've had since I was a kid of tinkering with a lot of other people's things. I noticed the large collection of books on a cabinet and proceeded with looking at his book collection.
I realized for the first time his obvious liking for suspense in fiction. "You read all this?" I asked, my back towards him, while I flicked through his book collection.
"Oh, when I have the time..." I hear his voice from his desk. "Some of those are actually my dad's collection. He just left it in this office after he retired." He said, while shuffling some papers.
Another realization hit me. I didn't even actually know his family. I mean, I know that his father was the one who started their family publishing company. And I knew that his mom was a great cook, based on his stories from our dinners together. Aside from that, nothing else.
I turned around and slowly approached his desk. "Umm, there's something I want to ask you..." I said, testing the waters. "What is it?" he asked, finally looking up from his desk.
"Well, I was wondering if you'd like to go with me tonight...." I asked. I saw him frown a bit, a little crinkle above his nose, forming solidly. "It's just that I need to finish the last thing on my list."
"Oh, the famous list..." his brows shot up in surprise. "You've never asked for my help on anything before. What is it?" He asked, interested.
"Well, I can't tell you right now. I guess you're kind of busy anyway. Just meet me at home tonight." I tell him, with a smile on my lips.
"Oh, so we're not going out anymore?" He asks in confused voice.
"Yup, don't worry. This is the last thing I'll ask from you. I promise." I tell him before slipping out of his office.
I walked out of the building with my heart beating so fast I could hardly breathe. When I got in the car, I managed to shuffle around some papers in my bag and found what I was looking for.
It was my list. Well, it was just a shabby piece of paper that had almost unreadable writing but, it was my list and it was the reason I was still alive.
And there it was No. 12: Tell him the truth.
After all these months of trying to live a lie, it was going to be the hardest thing that I had to do.
He picked me up at about 7pm. Sensing my discomfort, he didn't even try to ask me where we were going. We just drove around until he managed to find the one place I wanted him to take me.
I got out first and sat at the hood of his car. It was the first time that we didn't actually go anywhere. No fancy dinner. No bright lights. No bands. No people. Just us.
I stared into the dark sky. There were no stars that night. Nothing to try to talk about.
He sat next to me. "So, what's the last thing on your list?" He asks me.
I sigh and try to avoid his gaze. It was easy when there when the only light around you was a small lamp a few feet away.
"Remember when we first met?" I asked, as if not knowing the answer.
"Yeah, of course." He says, with a little laugh I his voice.
"Well, it wasn't the first time I saw you..." I said, finally looking at him.
"What are you talking about?" He asked.
"When I told dad that I wanted you, it wasn't just some stupid way to annoy him and get what I want. I told him that because I already knew who you were. You just don't remember me." I tell him.
"I don't think we've met before. Otherwise, I'd remember."
"It was a long time ago. I was 8 years old. It was the night of my sister's 18th birthday. I wasn't allowed to go out and join the party 'coz it was getting late. I still went though. I crept out of my room and managed to climb onto a branch overseeing the party. Well, it wasn't as easy as I thought. I fell from the tree and I would have died, except something happened. A man saved me that night. He brought me home and I never saw him again. Yet that night, I knew one thing. I was in love for the first time. And that one day, when we would meet, I'd tell him everything. And maybe, just maybe, by then, he'd love me back. 'Coz I wouldn't just be 8 years old anymore. And maybe he'd want me too..." I say with tears in my eyes.
"It was you..." he says with a sad look in his eyes.
"Yes, the girl you were talking about the other night, it was me... The last thing on my list, the one thing I haven't done my whole life, was to tell you how I really felt all these years." I finally confess to him.
"I don't know what to say..." he admits, with his eyes downcast.
"With everything that has happened, is it too much to say you love me?" I asked with as much courage as I could muster.
"Jade, I'm sorry..." he says.
"No, I'm the one who's sorry. I'm sorry I put you through this for two months. I'm sorry I managed to wreck your job, your life and your future for my selfish thoughts. I'm so sorry..."
"Jade, just let me think..."
"No really, it's okay. It's the last day of this charade tomorrow. I got what I wanted and you get the business deal with my dad. We both got what we want. Just, come to the party tomorrow. I'll put things right. You'll have your life back to normal. And I'll be the one running my father's company. It was a great two months Benedict. I'm glad we got to do this." I say, trying to fake a smile.
"Are you sure you're okay?" he asks with a worried look.
"Of course... Let's go home. I need to rest. After all, it's my birthday party tomorrow."
We stay quiet while he drove me home. I slip into my room careful to not wake anyone. And that night, I slept soundly, with tears in my eyes.
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Dear readers, is it too late to say I'm sorry? Well, I am... I guess I didn't know how to end this story. It's so hard to say goodbye to something you love. This is the second to the last part of Some Enchanted Evening. Please bear with me as I try to finish the last part. Still, please write your comments. They keep me going. Thank you.
"Oh, Ms. Larson, yes, Mr. Stone informed us that you would be arriving today. Please take a seat first. I'll ask someone to walk you to Mr. Stone's office." The girl said with an unwavering smile. She was obviously told about who my father was.
In just a few minutes, a man in a black and white uniform showed me Benedict's office. This was my first day to actually see him at work. This was also the first time that I'd get to see what kind of business he was running. All I've heard from him was that his family has been running a small publishing company.
We passed by the large machines operated by some people who probably worked for Benedict's family for a long time. I could see a bunch of women at the corner seemingly whispering to each other, then suddenly giving me very calculated smiles. The man carrying a large bundle of white papers suddenly stopped to stare as we walked past them. It was a bit disconcerting to see them act this way. I was now wondering if for some reason they knew about my arrangement with Benedict.
It was a few minutes later when we reached a small office with Benedict Stone on the wall. "Mr. Stone, Ms. Larson is here." The man informed him inside. "You may go in now Ms. Larson," he smiled as he walked away.
I stepped into his office and immediately saw him hunched over a large pile of papers. As soon as he saw me, he removed the nerdy-like glasses on his face and smoothed his hair back. The gesture made me smile a bit. Sometimes he could still act like a child when around me.
"Jade, I'm so sorry. "He said while rushing towards me to give me a tight hug. "I know I promised that we'd go out earlier today, but I have so much to do." He said, indicating the pile of papers on his desk.
"It's okay, I can wait." I said, smiling at seeing how flustered he was. He obviously wanted to make a good impression with his work and everything. Even his workers tried to make me feel welcome.
As he finished whatever he was doing, I walked around his office looking at his things. It was a habit that I've had since I was a kid of tinkering with a lot of other people's things. I noticed the large collection of books on a cabinet and proceeded with looking at his book collection.
I realized for the first time his obvious liking for suspense in fiction. "You read all this?" I asked, my back towards him, while I flicked through his book collection.
"Oh, when I have the time..." I hear his voice from his desk. "Some of those are actually my dad's collection. He just left it in this office after he retired." He said, while shuffling some papers.
Another realization hit me. I didn't even actually know his family. I mean, I know that his father was the one who started their family publishing company. And I knew that his mom was a great cook, based on his stories from our dinners together. Aside from that, nothing else.
I turned around and slowly approached his desk. "Umm, there's something I want to ask you..." I said, testing the waters. "What is it?" he asked, finally looking up from his desk.
"Well, I was wondering if you'd like to go with me tonight...." I asked. I saw him frown a bit, a little crinkle above his nose, forming solidly. "It's just that I need to finish the last thing on my list."
"Oh, the famous list..." his brows shot up in surprise. "You've never asked for my help on anything before. What is it?" He asked, interested.
"Well, I can't tell you right now. I guess you're kind of busy anyway. Just meet me at home tonight." I tell him, with a smile on my lips.
"Oh, so we're not going out anymore?" He asks in confused voice.
"Yup, don't worry. This is the last thing I'll ask from you. I promise." I tell him before slipping out of his office.
I walked out of the building with my heart beating so fast I could hardly breathe. When I got in the car, I managed to shuffle around some papers in my bag and found what I was looking for.
It was my list. Well, it was just a shabby piece of paper that had almost unreadable writing but, it was my list and it was the reason I was still alive.
And there it was No. 12: Tell him the truth.
After all these months of trying to live a lie, it was going to be the hardest thing that I had to do.
He picked me up at about 7pm. Sensing my discomfort, he didn't even try to ask me where we were going. We just drove around until he managed to find the one place I wanted him to take me.
I got out first and sat at the hood of his car. It was the first time that we didn't actually go anywhere. No fancy dinner. No bright lights. No bands. No people. Just us.
I stared into the dark sky. There were no stars that night. Nothing to try to talk about.
He sat next to me. "So, what's the last thing on your list?" He asks me.
I sigh and try to avoid his gaze. It was easy when there when the only light around you was a small lamp a few feet away.
"Remember when we first met?" I asked, as if not knowing the answer.
"Yeah, of course." He says, with a little laugh I his voice.
"Well, it wasn't the first time I saw you..." I said, finally looking at him.
"What are you talking about?" He asked.
"When I told dad that I wanted you, it wasn't just some stupid way to annoy him and get what I want. I told him that because I already knew who you were. You just don't remember me." I tell him.
"I don't think we've met before. Otherwise, I'd remember."
"It was a long time ago. I was 8 years old. It was the night of my sister's 18th birthday. I wasn't allowed to go out and join the party 'coz it was getting late. I still went though. I crept out of my room and managed to climb onto a branch overseeing the party. Well, it wasn't as easy as I thought. I fell from the tree and I would have died, except something happened. A man saved me that night. He brought me home and I never saw him again. Yet that night, I knew one thing. I was in love for the first time. And that one day, when we would meet, I'd tell him everything. And maybe, just maybe, by then, he'd love me back. 'Coz I wouldn't just be 8 years old anymore. And maybe he'd want me too..." I say with tears in my eyes.
"It was you..." he says with a sad look in his eyes.
"Yes, the girl you were talking about the other night, it was me... The last thing on my list, the one thing I haven't done my whole life, was to tell you how I really felt all these years." I finally confess to him.
"I don't know what to say..." he admits, with his eyes downcast.
"With everything that has happened, is it too much to say you love me?" I asked with as much courage as I could muster.
"Jade, I'm sorry..." he says.
"No, I'm the one who's sorry. I'm sorry I put you through this for two months. I'm sorry I managed to wreck your job, your life and your future for my selfish thoughts. I'm so sorry..."
"Jade, just let me think..."
"No really, it's okay. It's the last day of this charade tomorrow. I got what I wanted and you get the business deal with my dad. We both got what we want. Just, come to the party tomorrow. I'll put things right. You'll have your life back to normal. And I'll be the one running my father's company. It was a great two months Benedict. I'm glad we got to do this." I say, trying to fake a smile.
"Are you sure you're okay?" he asks with a worried look.
"Of course... Let's go home. I need to rest. After all, it's my birthday party tomorrow."
We stay quiet while he drove me home. I slip into my room careful to not wake anyone. And that night, I slept soundly, with tears in my eyes.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear readers, is it too late to say I'm sorry? Well, I am... I guess I didn't know how to end this story. It's so hard to say goodbye to something you love. This is the second to the last part of Some Enchanted Evening. Please bear with me as I try to finish the last part. Still, please write your comments. They keep me going. Thank you.
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