Chapter 17: Beneath the galaxies.

(Haisley's POV)

“I didn’t want this, I truly didn’t.”

Murmurs filled the stadium as everyone turned to stare at me, all their attention solely on a girl who never wanted such attention. 

“Please, disappear. Please, disappear,” I wished with my eyes closed, hoping it would for once come through, but the deafening murmurs of the crowd proved nothing happened. I peaked an eye open to see them pointing fingers in my direction, their faces plastered with disbelief.  

I felt a burning sensation at the back of my neck and turned to see Natalie glaring at me. 

My palms grew sweaty and no matter how much I cleaned them against my jeans, it did no justice. 

I looked down in embarrassment and that’s when I caught Luca’s stare. I searched my head to come up with the right word to say to him but couldn't. I finally said the first thing that popped into my head. “What the fuck?”

Before I could picture what was going on, Luca grabbed my wrist, tightening his grip. Without uttering a word, he draged me away from the field, pushing through the chaotic crowd and away from the blazing eyes. I barely had the chance to say anything as I struggled to keep up with Luca. He led me through the school's back exit and towards the parking lot.

“Where are you taking me,” I demanded, but he didn’t reply, his head facing forward as if my words had never reached him.

He was focused, his lips pressed together, his face masked with an expression I couldn't understand, pretending not to hear me, instead he opened the door to the passenger seat, stretching his hand for me to get in.

“Let me f*ucking go, Lucas. I am not going anywhere with you if you don't tell me where we are going” I protested, my arms crossed to my chest, a mix of emotions, anger and confusion evident in my face. My thoughts got tangled.

He didn't hesitate nor did he argue. 

It was as if my words annoyed him. Without uttering a word, Luca lifted me up effortlessly and swooped me into the car before I could protest further, shouting at the door with a soft click and slowly making his way to the driver's seat.

The loud but soft roar of the engine sent shivers down my spine as the car sped off, taking me away from the school. This is the first time I am leaving the school— the pack, all the torments and painful emotion leaving me. The silence in the car was suffocating. I thought hard, trying to figure out where he was taking me, but to no avail.

I narrowed my gaze at him. “Why did you say that?” my voice filled with curiosity. “About me being your girlfriend,” my voice shook, but I tried hard to mask it with anger.

My questions fell on deaf ears as his grip on the steering wheel tightened, his eyes focused on the road, a slight smirk appeared at the side of his lip, making me suspicious. 

I grew more exhausted with every hour that passed. My eyes fixed on the road, staring at the moving vehicles and trees neatly planted at the corners of the road, the city lights deemed as we drove further out of the town. The streets became fewer as we drove. The only sound that filled the air was the hum of the car engine.

My eyelids grew heavy, exhausted from the day's drama, despite curiosity and anger, my body gave into sleep.

____

Several hours later after what felt like an eternity, I opened my eyes slowly to someone calling my name. 

“Haisley,”

“Haisley,” 

I swatted the person’s hand away from me, wanting to enjoy my wonderful sleep, but the person or creature was persistent.

“Leave me alone,” I snuggled deeper into my bed and paused. This doesn’t feel like my bed. No, not at all. 

I opened my eyes in surprise and realized the car had stopped, and the hum of the engine was replaced with total silence.

I had no knowledge of how long we had driven, but from the look around, I knew we were far out of the city, nowhere near it. The sun had fully disappeared, replaced by the silvery glow of the moonlight that dubbed my eyes as I yawned in exhaustion, stretching a bit. 

Luca chuckled, grabbing my hands and pulling me away. I gasped, rushing to meet his quick footsteps as I followed him into the unknown. 

“Hey, slow down.” I shouted, but again, he didn’t listen. “Luca, you need to stop these mysterious comings you sur—“ my words seized, remaining stuck in my throat as I saw a scene I only assumed to exist only in dreams. 

Even the air felt electric, clad by some unseen force and filled with the scent of saltwater. The moonlight reflected off the surface of the water, making it more serene than I could ever guess, shimmering a cover of silver. Up in the sky, billions of stars and galaxies scattered all over, dotting the sky like diamonds, each one occasionally twinkling. 

For the first time in what seemed like forever, I wasn’t plagued by the memories of my past anymore. Instead, I felt so alive, so free, happy, nothing else mattered. I wanted this feeling to last forever. 

My eyes captured the beauty of the surroundings as I slowly stepped forward, my legs wobbly from the long drive. Each step I took made me feel the weight of the world slipping off my shoulders as I took in the vastness of it all. I closed my eyes as the cool night wind wrapped around my skin. It was a place I could never imagine, so quiet and peaceful.

I inhaled deeply before turning to Luca, his face shadowed in the dim light, as he watched me closely. There was something different in his eyes, no longer cold, no longer gaurded, but something… softer. More vulnerable. I felt shivers run down my spine at the deep intensity of his gaze.

“What is this place,” I whispered, my voice tingled with awe.

Luca slowly walked up to me, until we were face to face, his hand slid into his pockets, and when he pulled them out again, a glint of something caught the light.

A large silver moon-shaped locket dingled from his fingers, it had stars scattered around forming a circle and in the middle, the moon. 

“This place,” Luca started, his voice sincere, as if the words had been kept for a long time waiting to be spoken. “No one has ever been here. I usually come here to think, or rather, escape everything. It's the only place where I felt nothing could touch me.

“Where I could feel at my most powerful.” His gaze locked on mine. My heart raced but it felt different this time. 

Why was he telling me all this? What does he mean at his most powerful? 

“Why did you bring me here?” I voiced, my voice low and steady, barely above a whisper. 

Luca stepped forward, only a few inches away from me, his gaze still locked with mine, his piercing green eyes seemed to bore into my very soul. He clasped my hands in his large ones, his eyes never leaving mine. 

“Because I want you to be my girlfriend.”