Pearl pulled the photograph that was hiding in the box. She picked it up and raised it to her eyes. Her eyes widened. She covered her mouth with her hand. " It's.. This.. This.. She couldn't understand what she should say. It was unbelievable. The picture showed two teenage boys. They both hugged each other, smiling. She recognised them right away. It was Lucas and Daniel. " They are best friends since their childhood " She remembered Aaron's words. She looked over at Lucas. The look in his eyes changed. Pearl wondered just what happened between them? They were so close before, but now they were ready to kill each other. " It's a useless picture " Lucas tried to grab the picture from her hand. Pearl hid the photo behind her back. She shook her head. " Is it you and Daniel? " She already knew the answer, but she wanted to confirm once. " Hmm " He looked at his mother's picture. " What happened between you guys? " " Nothing " Lucas pulled the picture out of her hold. He
"The only thing we never get enough of is love; and the only thing we never give enough of is love." — Henry Miller Pearl and Lucas spent the remainder of the day together. Lucas showed her his childhood picture. It was the first time he was so happy after her mother's death. He smiles everytime he looks at her. She was like a dream which has come true. He couldn't get enough of her. Every time he turned his face to look at her, he was stuck by her beauty. She was too beautiful to be real. " You are very beautiful " Pearl blushed. She raised her eyes to look at him. He was staring at her with his signature smirk on his handsome face. Pearl looked in his eyes. It was as deep as the ocean. It was pulling her in, she couldn't stop herself from falling. Lucas moved closer to her. He held her face in his hand and bent his head to meet her lips. " Ahem… good.. Good evening " Pearl pulled him back. She flinched. Lucas turned his eyes at the intruder. Mister Whitlock smiled at him
Pearl opened her eyes as the morning light peaked through the window. She opened her eyes and was shocked to find an extremely handsome face so close to her. Pearl looked at Lucas. He was sitting in a very uncomfortable position beside her bed. He laid his head on his arm. Pearl looked at his arm and noticed she was grabbing it for the whole night! " Did he stay like that for the whole night? " She thought in her head. She quickly let go of his arm. Lucas woke up from this. He rubbed his eyes and looked at her. She was looking at him with her wide eyes. He drew back his arm. It was sore and painful. He didn't let it show on his face. He looked around and noticed it was morning. He smiled at her. " Get ready, we have to be at school today " Pearl looked at him silently. He looked tired. Her heart filled with guilt. She nodded her head and suddenly she remembered something. " My uniform… I don't have it here.. " I will get you a new one " He cupped her cheeks. Pearl look
My ears still recognise your laugh, my eyes still look for you when I find myself alone in the crowd. My brain still plays your memories in a loop. My heart still beats fast when I hear your name. I still feel you close even though I know you are not with me. If this is love then yes, I still love you my beloved. " Hello " A sweet female voice spoke through the phone. The same taxi driver who kidnapped Pearl was seen talking on the phone with somebody. He raised his phone to his ear. He was shivering. " Ma…Madam, I am sorry we failed…" Sigh. He heard her sigh. His blood ran cold. " You are useless " The sweet voice spoke again. It was extremely soft. " Madam… please.. Don't kill me.. Please.. " The driver begged again and again. His heart was beating fast. " Hahaha.. He heard her chuckle. The laugh was so pleasant to the ear, but it sent chills down to his spine. " Hello.. Hello? "The phone disconnected and a hand grabbed him from behind. He covered his mouth with his s
" It hurts to think about you, but I can't stop. " Daniel sat on the couch across from his father. The atmosphere in the room was tense. Mister Ashbluff was annoyed. He shifted in his chair repeatedly. He was uncomfortable. Daniel on the other hand sat in silence. He had his head lowered. It seemed he was deep in thought. " Can you listen to me for once? " Mister Ashbluff asked. He looked at his son who was sitting quietly. " I can't do it " Daniel loosened his neck tie. It was suffocating him. " I only look at her as my sister " Daniel stood up. " She is not your sister! " Mister Ashbluff roared. He was so angry that he started shivering. " Sir calm down " His assistant came forward to hold him. " Look at him, Roman. He is so disrespectful! " Daniel paused and turned back to look at his father. " I like someone else " Finishing his word, Daniel got out. The door closed with a bang behind him. " Nonsense! " Mister Ashbluff fell on the couch. He grabbed a glass of w
Five years ago :- The weather was extremely calm today. The sky was as clear as a white canvas. There were no clouds. The evening was pleasant. The weather was extremely hot as it was mid June. Heat waves were at its peak, but it didn't stop the excitement of the two young boys. " Football? " " Hmm " Lucas hummed in reply. He was busy playing his new video game. His dad bought it from his last business trip. His eyes didn't even leave the screen for once. Daniel put the remote control down on the couch beside him. " Let's go " Lucas tossed his remote control to the side and stood up. He looked up at the sky. " It's so hot " He turned his face towards Daniel. " Rosie will be there " Lucas smiled. He stared at him as his mouth turned into a smirk. Daniel looked at his friend and smiled meaningfully. He knew Lucas would never miss a chance to see her. " Mom " Lucas pulled out his headphones and walked towards his mother. A woman was sitting on the couch with a laptop on
" If it was possible to go back in time and change something. There would be so many things that wouldn't happen and there would be absolutely no regret. " Lucas was feeling extremely strange. He walked inside his house in a hurry. He couldn't put a finger to it, but something was very weird today. Even his house felt weird today. " Mom? " " Mom " He looked around but couldn't find her anywhere. " Mom! " He checked in the kitchen, her room, garden but she was nowhere to be found. Lucas started feeling anxious. This was not the first time her mother was not home, but he was scared today. Scared of something he didn't quite understand. " Mom " " Young master, madam is not home " Lucas turned his face towards the butler. " Where did she go? " " I don't know young master " Lucas nodded. He picked up his phone and called her. The phone went through but no one answered. He tried multiple times, but no one picked it up. He walked towards the living room and sat on the couch.
" Ah! " The surroundings filled with screams. Anastasia's mother fell on the ground. She lost consciousness. Her father froze on the spot. His breathing was fast as his body shivered. He stepped back and his eyes filled with tears. Daniel looked at the spoke before him. He couldn't see anything. Slowly he moved forward towards the cars. His steps were slow and heavy. He stopped beside the car. The accident was so deadly that both of the cars were completely destroyed. He raised his hand and grabbed on the door. It took all the courage for him to open it. Anastasia's father finally recovered from the shock. He rushed towards Daniel and helped him open the door. As the door opened a lifeless body fell out of the car. It was completely covered in blood. Daniel closed his eyes. He kneeled down to look at it. Her long hair was covered in blood as her beautiful blue eyes started at nothing in particular. It was empty. Her lavender top had patches of blood. Daniel's tears fell un
I was abruptly awakened by the jolting movements of Lucas as he became ensnared in the grasp of a nightmarish dream. I lifted my head, my eyes adjusting to the dim light of the room as I took in the sight of his tensed body and the sound of his soft moans. I felt a sharp pang of concern, and my hand instinctively reached out to touch his arm, trying to gently wake him up. As my fingers brushed against his skin, I could feel the cool sweat that had gathered on his brow and the fast beating of his heart. “ Lucas ” I called out gently, I could hear his faint gasp and soft murmurs. I leaned in closer to him, trying to hear him more clearly. “ Rosie.. ” “ Rosie.. I love you, I love you! ” My hand paused on his arm, my entire body freezing in shock. I sat back in stunned silence, my eyes wide and my heart clenching in my chest. The name "Rosie" echoed in my head, a stark reminder of the fact that he was still carrying a torch for her, even in his dreams. I felt a wave of hurt and betr
“ Do you love me Lucas? ” “ Yes! Yes I do ” “ Not enough to recognise me? ” “ No, I will always recognise you ” She smiled. A sad smile. “ You don't ” “ Rosie.. ”“ You don't.. You love her not me.. ”“ Rosie.. I love you.. I love you! ” I opened my eyes. My body jerks awake, a trembling breath escaping my lips. I sat up in bed, my body covered in sweat and my heart pounding in my chest. As I came to my senses, I realizes it was just a nightmare - a cruel reminder of the past. In the dream, I had been transported back to my childhood, and the image of her, who had died all those years ago, was as vivid and real as if it had been yesterday. I could still see her face, hear her voice, feel the touch of her skin on mine. I turn to look at Pearl, she is sleeping soundly beside me. The sight of her calmed me a bit. I reached out, gently brushing a stray strand of hair away from her face, my touch feather-light so as not to wake her. I carefully untangled myself from the blanket a
I couldn't sleep for the whole night, I kept tossing and turning throughout the night. I was so worried about the cub, I kept thinking if he was fine, where his parents were. Soon enough I felt an arm wrapping around my waist and I was pulled closer. My back pressed against a strong, warm chest. “ What's wrong? ” I heard Lucas's deep voice behind me. I realised I had woken him up. “ I am sorry, did I wake you up? ” “ No, I can't sleep either ” I turned to face him. “ Why? ” He shrugged his shoulders, reaching out to touch my hair. He wrapped a strand around his finger and twisted it around. “ Because you can't sleep ” I smiled and then my smile disappeared. He noticed it and lifted my chin to look at him. “ What's wrong? ”He asked again. I sighed. “ You couldn't find his mother? ” He shook his head. My eyes dropped further in disappointment. “..but Matthew just reported something to me ”My eyes lit up. “ You found her? ” “ No, but there's evidence that she is dead ”
I gently lifted the cub into my arms, my touch tender and gentle. The young panther snuggled into my embrace, its body quivering slightly as it sought comfort and warmth. It lifted its head, rubbing its soft fur against my face and neck, seeking reassurance and affection. My heart melted at the sight. I held the cub close to me, stroking its head and back gently with my free hand. I could feel its small body trembling against me, its heart beating fast and its breaths coming in short little gasps. It looked up at me with large, round eyes, seeking comfort and safety in my embrace. I stood up and walked towards Lucas and Matthew. Lucas turned his face to look at me, his eyes softened when he looked at the cub. “ We can't leave him here, please can we keep it? ” He reached out to touch my head, smiling gently at me. “ Of course, whatever you want ” I looked up at him, my face glowing with happiness and excitement. I held the cub close to me, its small body a warm, comforting weigh
He trailed his lips over my neck, nipping gently at my sensitive skin. I gasped, my neck arching involuntarily in response to the sensations. He planted soft, slow kisses from my earlobe down to my collarbone, his mouth hot against me. His hand moved underneath my shirt, tracing lazy circular patterns on my stomach and side. I shivered. And suddenly he paused. His body went stiff all of a sudden. “ What's.. What's the matter? ” I spoke, my voice low and hoarse. “ Shh.. Listen carefully ” I tried to concentrate and my blood ran cold. I could hear the sounds of movement outside the tent, the rustling of leaves and the soft crunch of twigs. It was a rustling noise, as if something was moving around in the bushes nearby. He pulled away from me, his eyes darting towards the tent's entrance. “ Lucas.. ” His hand tightened on my arm, unconsciously drawing me closer to him in a protective gesture. “ I am here ” He whispered, his body tense and alert. He listened closely, trying to m
By the time we were done eating the sky above us was slowly turning dark. I could see the beautiful sunset stretching before us. The sun was slowly setting behind the mountains. “ Wow, the sunset ” I whispered. I turned to him, my eyes wide with excitement. "Can we go up to that cliff over there?" I ask, pointing to a tall rocky outcrop that overlooks the forest. "I bet the sunset looks amazing from up there." He nods, a smile on his face. "Anything for you," He says, his tone affectionate. He takes my hand and leads me towards the rocky trail that leads up the cliff. It was not that tall but it was enough for us to see the sunset clearly. We climb up the rocky trail, my hand firmly held in his strong grip as we make our way up the incline. The air was cool and fresh, the forest spreading out beneath us in a carpet of green and gold. The sun is low on the horizon, painting the sky in shades of pink and orange as it begins to dip below the treeline. I gasped as I noticed the
“ Yeah, hold it tight. ” “ Is this tight enough? ” Lucas nodded, we were setting our tent as we were going to spend the night here. I was so excited. I held the rod tightly with both of my hands as he tied the knot. We worked together to set up the tent, Lucas's movements were efficient and practised. He focused on getting the tent framework up, while I gathered up the tent stakes and pounding them into the ground. Occasionally, I saw him looking over at me. I could feel his gaze on me, but I kept my focus on the task at hand. While Lucas did most of the work from unrolling it and setting up the supports. I helped him here and there. We worked silently, our movements rhythmic and efficient. Once the tent was up, we stood back to admire our handiwork. “ Wow ” I breathed out. The tent looked incredible. I looked up at the finished tent, my eyes brimming with awe. The canvas was taut and taut, the supports sturdy and secure, creating a strong and cosy shelter for us to sleep in to
We sat there for another hour before returning to the castle. It was good to finally meet his mom. As we were driving back from the cemetery my heart was feeling heavy. I turned to look at the boy beside me. He had no one but me with him. I reached out and placed my hand on top of his. He turned his eyes at me. I gave him a sweet smile. “ I love you ” “ I love you too ” He raised my hand to his lips. “ Thank you for letting me meet your mother ” He squeezed my hands gently. “ Thank you for meeting her ” We smiled at each other. We reached the castle and I got out first. The castle was a sight to behold at night, the soft moonlight casting a silvery glow over its towering spires and intricate stonework. The ocean that surrounded it shimmered in the darkness, its surface rippling like black silk under the light of the stars. The effect was breathtaking, the castle standing like a sentinel over the water, majestic and imposing in its beauty. I stared up at the castle, my neck cr
I froze. What was I supposed to do Or say? I looked over to Lucas for help but he was already trying his best to hold his laugh. Sigh. I have to think of an excuse. “ Mom, I am at a friends house ” My mother looked at me, her eyes narrowed. She didn't look convinced one percent. She didn't push me further, we talked about my school and all that stuff. Once the call ended I took a deep breath of relief. I walked towards the couch and sat beside him. “ Your mom sounds strict ”I nodded. Yes, they could be very strict sometimes. “ Yeah, my parents want me to focus on my studies and make them proud. ” “ Hm, talking about that you have never told me anything about your parents ” I realised that he was speaking the truth. We have been dating for quite some time now and I have never ever discussed my parents. “ Yeah, you never asked ”I shrugged my shoulders. “ So, tell me now ” “ Okay, what do you want to know? ” Lucas inched closer to me and draped his hands around my shoulder