Category : Books-Fiction

Sub Category : Romance

Chapter 27
Chris was humming a snippet of a song he overheard playing on someone's Ipod that was undoubtedly on way too loud even though the user had earphones plugged in in the bus, both hands tucked into his pants pockets, he walked in the direction of Bea’s apartment. He hadn’t really paid much attention to the building during his last visit, finally doing so in broad daylight, Chris can't help but gasped at the sorry excuse of an architecture. It was severely run down, a literal eye sore. If this was what it looked like on the outside, Chris dare not visualise the interior. 
Standing outside the abandoned security hut, Chris dialled Bea’s number.
"I'm right outside the security hut.” Chris announced his arrival and current location. 
"I'll be there in a second!" Bea promised and Chris could hear the sound of footsteps hurrying down the stairs though the phone. 
"Woah, slow down there. I can wait." Chris cautioned, genuinely concerned that she might trip and fall. 
With that, the sound of footsteps came to a halt. 
Chris could tell that Bea was smiling into her phone as she mentioned, "I never thought of you as someone that vary of accidents." 
Chris could hear footsteps again, this time heeding his advice, the footsteps have slowed. 
"What do you mean? Safety has always been my number one priority......" Chris stated and his words started trailing off, he thought back to all the times he almost got himself in an accident before adding, "...... I just don't exercise it as much as I probably should." 
Chris heard Bea broke out in fits of uncontrollable laughter. 
"Chris, I swear I just might fall and roll down the stairs from laughing." Bea managed to say in between laughs. 
Chris didn't laugh back, he dared not even think of such a possibility. He was about to say something when he heard footsteps closing in on him from behind. He spun around to see Bea walking up to him. Wearing a bright smile as she greeted him, Chris thought his heart would combust just by how fast it was beating. Having let her hair down, compared to how she always had it tied up in a ponytail, Chris had only the gods above to thank for such a pleasant weather as her long hair bounced and danced in the breeze. 
Chris and Bea boarded a bus and just like that, they were off. 
They opted to sit at the very back of the bus, with Bea sitting in the inner seat next to the window, leaving Chris to sit on the outside. As the bus wasn't equipped with an air conditioning function, just like the many other passengers, Bea had left the window open. She leaned forward to rest her arms on the edge of the window and let the wind hit her face. Having not travel in such a long time, she enjoyed the scenery. Chris was captivated as well, not at the scenery but at Bea. He couldn’t help but stare at her. Something about just watching her makes him feel at peace, he felt like he could spend all day everyday just looking at her and he would not get tired at doing so. 
“Is my face that amusing?” Bea asked, turning to look at Chris so suddenly it caught him by surprise.
Chris immediately shifted his gaze to the window, pointing outside, he denied, “W-what are you talking about? I was looking at the scenery."
Bea giggled at his reaction. She saw the way Chris's face flushed pink and smiled to herself as she turned her head back to the window, slightly embarrassed herself. She willed herself to not acknowledge the way she could feel her own heart fluttering. 
Chris was extremely grateful that Bea decided to not interrogate futher because that itself would amount to torture and Chris knew his heart wasn't strong enough to confess yet. Yep, the ever ready Chris, wasn't ready. 
Trust him, Chris tried hard to focus on other things, even taking out his phone to play a game but his gaze kept unconsciously shifting back to the girl besides him. 
He loved the way her long hair moved with the wind. Or the way she would sometimes playfully raise her hand out the window. And her smile. Especially her smile. When did he start to feel this way? 
Chris decided to strike up a conversation, he started, “So, this author that we are going to meet......" He slowly turned to look at Bea, not expecting her to already be looking at him, her eyes sparkling with interest. 
Chris shyed away from her gaze, asking, "Her name is Zool? Do you know her personally? You seemed very excited when Mrs. Helda assigned us this task.” He wasn't kidding, Bea had almost jump out of her seat just at the break of the news yesterday and on the road back to her apartment, she wouldn't stop going on about how excited she was. Chris wouldn't be surprised if just the rush of excitement kept her up the whole night. 
“I don't know her personally but I love all of her picture books, the stories her drawings tell never fail to inspire me, this is such an opportunity to be able to meet her in person.” Bea answered in one go. There was no denying the enthusiasm in her voice. 
“She always contributes a few copies of her new release to the store. It seems like Mrs. Helda and Zool have known each other since their schooling days.” Bea explained. 
Chris could only imagine another lady in her 50ies just like Miss Helda. Can't say he's that looking forward to it. 
Bea seems to think otherwise, she exclaims, “I want to be just like her. To have published just as many books as her!” 
Chris found the way she admires everyone in her life cute, or the way she would turn into a kid whenever she talks about a person she likes, just like a kid that would marvel over a superhero on the TV. “You sure have many people you look up to.” Chris said. She has mentioned before that she wants to be just like Mrs. Helda as well. Chris tried to relate, but unlike her, Chris doesn’t have anyone he looks up to. He wonders what it would be like to have someone to aspire to be, would that make life more fulfilling and meaningful? Chris would never know. 
“What about you? What would you like to do in the future? I’ve never seen you excited about something before.” Bea asked.
Chris pondered hard on her question. He scanned his brain trying to search for something he is passionate about.
After a long while, he answered, “I like to take risks.”
Bea laughed out loud. “That’s so vague.” She said. 
"Taking calculated risks." Chris added. He didn't want Bea misunderstanding him as an overly reckless person. 
"Of cause." Bea agreed sarcastically before she turned away from him to look out the window once again. 
Chris laughed, before asking, “Would you like for me to demonstrate to you how I take risks?” 
Bea turned back to him, shooting him a 'Are you serious' look. 
"Just give me a chance to prove to you and then you can judge for yourself." Chris dared, a mischievios smile on his face.
Throughly intrigued by that smile, without command, Bea nodded.
When their bus has stopped at several stops and Chris did absolutely nothing but stare at his phone, Bea concluded that Chris was just bluffing. 
Hence, she was very surprised when just when the bus was sliding left, coming up to a stop to pick up and drop off passengers when Chris suddenly grabbed onto Bea’s hand and got up from his seat rather abruptly. Bea stood up as well, she had a questioning look on her face as Chris started wriggling his hand and before she knew it, he had already interlocked their hands. Chris then lowered his head to her side and whispered in her right ear. 
“Have you ever felt your adrenaline rush like never before?” 
Bea shook her head, way too confused to even form words. Chris smiled, seemingly satisfied with her answer, he had on the most mischievious smile on his face. Just about then, the bus came to a halt. 
“What are you thinking?” Bea asked as she lifted their interlocked hands up. 
“My kind of fun.” Chris's grip on her hand tightened and he pulled her hand and they walked out of their seats. Bea blindly followed him as he pulled them through the mixture of a crowd that was boarding and exiting the bus.
Bea didn't even have time to process what was going on before Chris had pushed passed many and even going as far as ignoring the driver's look of surprise before getting off the bus. 
“H-Hey! You two!” The driver called out to them.
The second Bea's feet touched the ground, the realisation of what was happening finally dawned on Bea. 
Chris looked back at her, smiling, he mouthed, "Run." 
She could feel the grip on her hand tightened as they started sprinting. 
“Get back here! You haven’t paid!” The agitated driver shouted as he ditched his vehicle, getting out of it, already prepared to chase after them. 
“Chris! He’s calling for us!” Bea shouted. 
"Don't look back and just run!" Chris ordered, his lips curling upwards into a smile. They were literally running for their lives but he is having way too much fun. However, he himself turned to assess the situation. He saw the driver in a distance, scrambling to catch them before suddenly stopping entirety to talk to someone. 
They ran for a good distance before Chris pulled them into the side to stop for a breather. 
“H-Have….we…got away?” Bea asked in between breaths. 
Chris had noticed long ago that no one was on their heels. He did find it weird that the driver did not chase after them but it wasn't like Chris was complaining, this way worked to their advantage, hence, he brushed any of his doubts away. "Yeah, he might have just given up chasing us.” Chris said in between breaths. He hasn’t done anything this reckless in a while. His heart was pumping like crazy. 
Chris saw Bea gasping for breath as she had her hands on her knees. 
“What would you have done if we had gotten caught?” Bea asked. 
“I’m surprised too, the driver gave up surprisingly fast.” 
“That’s not what I meant.” Bea was trying to sound mad but she couldn’t help but find what they just did fun. Borderline crazy...... But exhilarating. A smile forming on her face as she thought about what she had just done. She was still slightly mad for Chris not consulting her about his plan beforehand though. 
“You did ask me what I like to do.” Chris retorted. 
“That was too reckless! Now we’re stranded.” Bea looked at their surroundings. They were on an unknown road and just up ahead was the sea. 
“There is actually only one station left until our destination so I figured it was the best time to run for it.” 
Chris looked ahead, suggesting, “We’re still early for our appointment, why not we have some fun for the time being?” 
“Fun?” Bea asked incredulously, having been exposed to the definition of 'fun' in Chris's books, she was slightly afraid of what he has in store. 
“My kind of fun.” Chris said as he pulled her hand and they ran in the direction of the beach. He had that same smile  that Bea found herself extremely drawn to.
                     XXXXXXXXXX
Bea stared in awe of the horizon. The early sun rays that reflected on the surface of the water made it look as though it were glistering. It was such a beautiful sight. She can't remember the last time she came to a beach. 
The sea was just too inviting, Bea couldn't resist it anymore, she toed her shoes off and went into the water. 
Standing under a tree, Chris was in the process of taking a panamora photo with his phone when his camera lens caught Bea and he forgets to finish the photo. She looked exceptionally beautiful with her legs submerged in the water, he decided to ditch the panaroma and snap a photo of her together with the sea instead. 
Looking at the photo in his gallery and smiling to himself, Chris was feeling all sorts of ways, that's why he definitely didn't expect the sudden surge of sadness that flooded him unexpectedly. 
Why? Chris didn’t understand. He should be happy at a time like this. Even the exhilarating feeling of the adrenaline rush he had experienced just earlier only lasted but for a minute. An unsettling feeling rose up in his chest and it tugged uncomfortably at him. 
“Chris!” Chris's train of thoughts were interrupted by Bea calling out to him, he looked up to see Bea waving her hands at him. 
“The water feels amazing! Come in!” She shouted, inviting him. She was having so much fun just by being in the water, enjoying the waves. And Chris had no doubt in his mind that the water must feel amazing. 
“I’m fine!” Chris shouted back, turning her offer down. 
Chris couldn't tell if he has dissapointed Bea by declining her invitation but she almost immediately gets out of the water. She picked up her shoes and walked up to him. 
“I think I understand your kind of fun now.” Bea said as she walked up to him.
“Oh?” Chris looked at her. Even he has never though of what his fun is exactly like.
“It’s living and appreciating.” Bea exclaimed with a broad smile on her face.
Chris looked at her in disbelief. “What makes you say that? " he asked. What in the world is she talking about? To Chris, living is painful and full of never ending struggles.
“When we were running away from the bus driver, you had the biggest smile on your face.” Bea said confidently. 
Chris could feel a strong wind oncoming, he looked in the distance before looking back at Bea, taking a deep breath. 
“I only have fun when I’m with you.” Chris uttered softly just when a strong breeze decided to hit. Effectively blocking off whatever he said. 
“What did you say?” Bea asked when the breeze died, walking up to him. 
Chris smiled, tucking his hands into his pockets, he said, “We should hurry to the author’s house. Our time is almost up.” Chris reminded her.
Bea jumped at the sudden realisation. “You’re right! I almost forgot!” She ran ahead of Chris, scrambling to put on her shoes.


All Rights Reserved @ 2018 by Anne Teng
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