A Yellow Tulip For Hopeless Love
Then
1st October- 11:50 pm
Sharp giggles rang out through the air as two pairs of footsteps sounded through the narrow staircase that led to the rooftop. Stumbling was heard, missteps, the feeling of anticipating an elevated step yet one's foot landing on flat ground instead.
"Can I please know where we're going?" she laughed, arms stretched out to prevent accidentally getting up and personal with any and all walls.
"We're going up," he chirped back, hands firmly clamped over her eyes, as he maneuvered the two of them along the last bend, nudging her hip with his to start climbing the last flight of stairs.
She paused for a moment, very much rolling her eyes under the makeshift blindfold. "Okay, I could've guessed that. You would make a terrible guide y'know."
"Good thing that isn't the dream then," he countered easily. They had at last reached the final landing so he turned to his side, turning her with him which brought about a fresh wave of giggles, and tried to shove open the door, using his elbow in an attempt to lower the door handle. During this mighty struggle, she still didn't shut up, commenting on how life would be much easier if he used his hands for opening doors rather than trivial matters like blindfolding. "Yeah but then that would waste all the effort I spent trying to climb those stairs with you for this. What's life without a little struggle?"
The telltale swipe of eyelashes tickled the palm of his hands and he knew she was trying the good old batting-her-eyelashes trick which even the president knew he was weak too. "Promise I won't look," she sang out, Western accent lilting her words.
He snorted, "Sorry princess, but I've known you long enough to never fall for that."
He didn't need to look to know that her lips had fallen into a small pout of defeat.
The door swung open, a gust of sudden wind causing goose flesh to erupt across the bare skin on his arms. He pulled her in, nudging the door shut behind him and turned the two to face the skyline.
"We're on the roof, aren't we?" she deadpanned.
His head whipped towards her face, surprise jolting through him before an embarrassed chuckle escaped his lips. "Why do I even try anymore?"
She grinned at that, rows of pearly whites gleaming brighter than the stars above, before leaning forward and landing a soft peck on his cheek. "You know I love you and all, but originality just isn't your thing babe."
He dropped his arms to his side and rolled his eyes. "Yeah yeah, just twist the knife why don't you."
She laughed- high, sweet and just perfect- and opted to wrapping her arms around his waist from the back, nuzzling her face between his shoulder blades. "I still love the thought," she whispered, lips ghosting over the thin T-shirt. "Thank you."
He hummed at that, grabbing her hand and squeezing it gently. "Anything for my princess." His eyes caught the words tattooed across his wrist in her messy scrawl- Looks like you fell for me, eh? - And let his lips slant into a contented smile. "You ready Lyn?"
He could feel her grin on his back as she beamed happily. Every bit of her exhumed barely restrained excitement. "Are you ready? Got my tat picked out and all?"
He laughed, turning around to face her and brushing her bangs out of her grey eyes- they changed shades all the time and today they were the color of light rain clouds, bringing forth drizzles and relief. "It's a surprise," he teased. She huffed at that, claiming she hated surprises as much as she hated frogs which he contradicted with an easy, "No you don't princess. I know you love surprises even if you pretend that you don't. But it won't be a stupid pickup line, so you can calm yourself."
She pouted at that, seashell pink bottom lip drooping ever so slightly. "Maybe I want a stupid pickup line? Maybe that's what was on my Christmas list last year? What if that's my birthday wish? What if I want us to match? Are you going to deny me that?"
"My tattoo is hardly a pickup line!" he argued, goofy smile still spread across his face. "It's kind of cute actually."
"Whatever you say."
The two stood there for a while, one looking up at the stars, one looking up at the other. The thick fog of pollution that hung over the city prevented the stars from shining through tonight, save for a few glimmers here and there. Below them, so far far below, the city hummed with life, a living breathing entity outside their little bubble.
She couldn't hold it in anymore. "Am I eighteen yet?"
He looked at his watch. The red 12:01 am smiled back at him, stark against the dark of the night.
He looked back at her, looked back at the way her eyes shone with happiness, looked back at the way the apples of her cheeks were puffed out because of the smile splitting her face.
He leaned in, stopping just shy of her earlobe and breathed out the words that he intended to be on her skin forever.
"Never stop smiling, my sunshine."
She broke into a fit of giggles, muttered a faint "You're so cheesy!" before turning expectant eyes to her own wrist, waiting for his neat script to emerge.
Waited.
Waited a little more.
Waited just a little more, even though her heart was sending panic signals to her brain because something was wrong, why wasn't it coming?
It still didn't come. Her wrist remained as blank as ever.
