Chapter 13

Ophelia

As Ryder drove, I couldn't help but glance at Ryder's profile. The hard lines of his face softened slightly, his usual tension seemed to fade away. I turned to him, catching a slight smile on his face, subtle but real. 

"Where are we going?" I asked, the curiosity bubbling up. I was not able to contain my curiosity.

"You will see," he replied, his eyes on the road, still with that hint of a smile. He didn't say anything else, leaving me in suspense. 

We left the busy city streets behind and drove into the open countryside. Trees and fields surrounded us, and a soft breeze filtered in through the windows.

Eventually, Ryder pulled off the main road and onto a narrow road leading to a hilltop. He parked the car and looked over at me, something unreadable in his eyes. “Come on,” he said, opening his door and stepping out

Confusion was etched on my face. Was he trying to lure me to the hilltop and kill me? Or push me from the top? If he, by chance, kills me, nobody will know what happened to me. A cold shiver ran through my spine.

Is this his own way of getting revenge on me? I looked at him and he turned. “Are you going to stay there all day?” The wind carried his words to me faintly and I opened the car door and came out.

He started walking to the top and I followed closely behind, my thoughts still at the back of my mind. Come to think of it, he smiled at me. Could it be an evil smile?

“I used to come here a lot.” His voice broke my chain of thought, and I realized we had reached the top. ”It was my escape. I would always come here if I want to get away, think, and clear my head”

There was a view of fields from where we stood and the pale blue sky above us. The view was so beautiful and quiet.

“It is beautiful,” I murmured, not wanting to break the moment. He nodded. “The first thing I thought when I found this place. I was a little boy when I found this place, it was just after Christmas when I was-” he stopped talking and closed his eyes like he was hurting from something.

I just stood, listening to him. He left like he was opening up to me and I didn't want to ruin the moment.

“My grandparents were traveling back, and I didn't want them to, so I ran after them and got lost. I kept wandering till I got to this place. I spent hours just sitting and waiting for my parents to find me. I felt calm and safe, but I missed my parents, so I left here and started finding my way back.” he laughed softly, but the laughter sounded like a hurt one.

“I found my way back here every time I could until I met Olivia. And I found the peace I always seek in her,” he completed, his thoughts lost in the memories of Olivia.

Why do I feel like he was holding something back? He told me how he got here but he didn't finish his story. There was a mystery in what he just told me and my curiosity pricked more.

What happened to Ryder that he kept coming back here to find peace. He has a lovely parent and he was spoiled and loved. Then what was he seeking peace for? And why?

He was confusing me more, making me wonder if I was wrong in my judgment of him. 

“It is peaceful,” I said after moments of silence and peace.

Ryder looked at me, his eyes meeting mine with a warmth I hadn’t seen before from him. “I know things between us haven’t been… easy,” he started, hesitating just a bit. “But we can work towards it”

My heart softened, catching the meaning in his words. It was not what I wanted, but I can work with that. “Maybe” I answered, feeling a quiet hope settle inside me.

For a long moment, we stood together in the quiet, with just the sound of the wind around us. Finally, he glanced at me again, his voice softer than before. “Ready to go back?”

I nodded, a gentle warmth settling over me as I followed him back to the car. The drive back felt different. There was a change in the atmosphere between us.

There was a peacefulness, an understanding. Maybe we are not completely there yet, but this was a start—an unexpected but hopeful beginning.