She didn’t wail. She didn’t sob. Hell, she didn’t even make a single sound when she’s crying. If not for the fact that Daniel could feel the tears dripping insistently onto his shoulder, he would have thought that Grace was merely resting in his arms.
How could anyone cry like this? As if there wasn’t any strength left to resist, to agonize. As if there wasn’t any soul left to feel.
Daniel held her closer. He ran his hand soothingly through her hair. Never had he felt like he wanted to protect anyone this badly. Never had he felt another’s pain as if it was his own. Why is he having this burning urge to kiss her tears away?
Her tremors had subsided. But this left the embrace silent, and the distance between them unbreachable. He wanted nothing more than to wipe her tears away. He wanted nothing more than to see more life in her, to really cry like a girl is supposed to. Then perhaps he would be able to hug her more fiercely, and tell her that he won't allow her to cry anymore.
He gently pulled her away from him, but Grace closed that little distance in a flash, her hand fisted with a handful of the front of his shirt, and her face pressed against his collarbone in a soft caress.
Daniel inhaled sharply at the sudden warmth against his neck. He had never been this close to a girl and he could feel his heart begin to race. But this was hardly the appropriate time and place to get excited, so he willed his breathing to a calmer rhythm. He inclined his head to look at the head buried at his neck, and smiled understandingly.
“Don’t worry, I won’t look,” he said in a hypnotizing manner, “but we shouldn’t stay like this. Do you want to go over to the bus stop? There isn’t anyone there.”
A silent pause ensured, and Daniel tried to focus on anything but the warm breaths Grace was intermittently blowing onto his neck. Gosh, what is this girl doing to him?
Grace loosened her grasp on his shirt, and slid her arm around to the back of his neck, unwittingly pulling him closer. She timidly nodded her head.
It took Daniel a few moments to remember what Grace was nodding her head for. He picked her up, one hand securely supporting her shoulder, the other safely tucked behind her knees. Grace hid her face in the crook of his neck so that he couldn’t see her tear-stained face. He walked slowly and steadily towards the more brightly-lit bus stop and sat them down.
They sat side by side, Daniel gentlemanly kept his gaze straight ahead. He knew a girl like Grace wouldn’t want anyone to see her like this. Still, he felt he needed to say something. Especially when he noticed, out of the corner of his eye, another tear had just slid down her cheek.
“Don’t cry,” he said softly, handing her his handkerchief.
“I didn’t,” she said quietly, pressing the handkerchief to her cheek, “it was the rain.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
How could anyone cry like this? As if there wasn’t any strength left to resist, to agonize. As if there wasn’t any soul left to feel.
Daniel held her closer. He ran his hand soothingly through her hair. Never had he felt like he wanted to protect anyone this badly. Never had he felt another’s pain as if it was his own. Why is he having this burning urge to kiss her tears away?
Her tremors had subsided. But this left the embrace silent, and the distance between them unbreachable. He wanted nothing more than to wipe her tears away. He wanted nothing more than to see more life in her, to really cry like a girl is supposed to. Then perhaps he would be able to hug her more fiercely, and tell her that he won't allow her to cry anymore.
He gently pulled her away from him, but Grace closed that little distance in a flash, her hand fisted with a handful of the front of his shirt, and her face pressed against his collarbone in a soft caress.
Daniel inhaled sharply at the sudden warmth against his neck. He had never been this close to a girl and he could feel his heart begin to race. But this was hardly the appropriate time and place to get excited, so he willed his breathing to a calmer rhythm. He inclined his head to look at the head buried at his neck, and smiled understandingly.
“Don’t worry, I won’t look,” he said in a hypnotizing manner, “but we shouldn’t stay like this. Do you want to go over to the bus stop? There isn’t anyone there.”
A silent pause ensured, and Daniel tried to focus on anything but the warm breaths Grace was intermittently blowing onto his neck. Gosh, what is this girl doing to him?
Grace loosened her grasp on his shirt, and slid her arm around to the back of his neck, unwittingly pulling him closer. She timidly nodded her head.
It took Daniel a few moments to remember what Grace was nodding her head for. He picked her up, one hand securely supporting her shoulder, the other safely tucked behind her knees. Grace hid her face in the crook of his neck so that he couldn’t see her tear-stained face. He walked slowly and steadily towards the more brightly-lit bus stop and sat them down.
They sat side by side, Daniel gentlemanly kept his gaze straight ahead. He knew a girl like Grace wouldn’t want anyone to see her like this. Still, he felt he needed to say something. Especially when he noticed, out of the corner of his eye, another tear had just slid down her cheek.
“Don’t cry,” he said softly, handing her his handkerchief.
“I didn’t,” she said quietly, pressing the handkerchief to her cheek, “it was the rain.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
