Chapter 21
Isabella intertwined her fingers with Chase's as they leaned their backs comfortably on the soft, comfortable mattress at the open roof of the three-storey beach house Chase's family owned. They had decided to stay in for some days as Isabella's compensation, Isabella remembered Chase referred to, giving new sets of butterflies in her stomach.
Isabella rested her head on Chase's shoulder, and she felt wonderful. There were days when she wanted to escape everything and just be with Chase, like this, with her head on Chase's shoulder, with Chase's own rested on Isabella's, with Chase's and her fingers intertwined together. At times like these, Isabella’s heart was at peace. She was the most content person. She was the happiest.
Everything was perfect.
Looking at the starry sky above them, Isabella started to search for the brightest one.
"Chase, let's play a game," Isabella said suddenly.
"Hmm? What game?" Chase asked after placing a soft kiss on Isabella's head, carefully lifting Isabella's chin up so he could claim the plum lips he'd never get enough of.
Isabella straightened her sitting position though, ignoring the affection Chase was about to offer her. She smiled giddily at Chase and spoke.
"Let's see who can find the brightest star," Isabella enthusiastically said with a wide smile too cute for Chase to see.
Chase chuckled at the sudden enthusiasm his girlfriend was having and was about to question it but felt too light-headed with the adorable sight and tone she had made.
"Brightest star, huh? Hmm, okay let’s try it. What will be the prize though?" Chase asked his adorable woman as he pulled her closer to him once again, gently putting Isabella's head back at Chase's shoulder. He carefully wrapped his arm around Isabella's body and planted another soft kiss on Isabella's forehead.
"The prize…will be…a kiss of promise," Isabella uttered under her breath. Chase raised his eyebrow at the uttered words.
"A kiss of promise?" Chase repeated the words, completely confused as to what they mean.
"Yes. Whoever finds the brightest star would be given a kiss of promise," Isabella explained and Chase could only nod, thinking as long as it was a kiss with Isabella, he would like it anyway.
"Okay then, let's start," Chase gave Isabella a sweet peck on her lips telling the younger one it was for Chase's motivation to win. Earning a chuckle and a sweet peck back, Chase then started to stare at the starry sky above, realizing just then there were plenty of stars tonight.
"Isabella, there are lots of stars tonight. Do you think―"
"There it is! Chase, look at that star!" Isabella cut him off as she excitedly got up and went for a sitting position, her finger pointing at a certain direction to the east.
Chase's eyes followed the direction and they narrowed for he couldn't see any difference to the stars' brightness from the direction.
"Where?"
"There, Chase. Look closely. See that one with a pair of small lights beside the three others that seemed to form a line on its own?" Isabella asked as her body shifted closer to Chase, moving Chase's face to the said direction of the stars she was talking about.
Chase couldn't see them well but then he followed what Isabella's finger was pointing at and for a second, Chase felt his heart stop beating.
"Yes…I could see those stars…" he muttered as he stared at the said pair of lights beside the three others that formed a line. His head ached for a second as blurry images of people's smiles and laughter flashed like a shockwave but were completely gone the next second.
"The one in the middle was the brightest star," Isabella uttered with a smile as her eyes seemed to never let their gaze leave the celestial bodies above.
Chase looked back at the direction and saw the ordinary sized star yet with the biggest twinkling on it. Isabella was right, it was the brightest star indeed.
"You won," Chase said as he smiled at Isabella who was now leaning her head back to its original place on Chase's shoulder.
"I did. Now you have to give me a kiss of promise," Isabella softly said, the smile never leaving on her face.
Isabella sat straight then, facing Chase and cupped his face with her hands. Chase leaned into the touch, getting all the warmth Isabella's hands could offer.
"Promise me you will never forget me. Whatever happens, no matter how many changes there will be, no matter how painful things could be, even if your heart breaks, even if you can no longer look at me the same way as before… Promise me, Chase. Promise me you will never forget me," Isabella's voice was so soft Chase could barely hear it. Her eyes gave the meaning of love once again, giving Chase the feeling he just perfectly needed right then.
Chase moved closer to the younger until their bodies no longer had a distance from each other. Chase stared back at the pair of loving eyes before him with his own much tender loving pair, if not more.
"I promise," Chase uttered, finally cutting the remaining distance between him and Isabella as he claimed her lips softly, ever so lovingly, as the promise he just claimed was now sealed in a kiss. Chase and Isabella's kiss.
As a smile came out of Chase’s face, slowly, a tear fell from Isabella’s eyes.