Chapter 108: A Whisper in the Dark

It was quiet after the fireworks, and the sounds of the night were only the sound of the water and the distant noise of the city. Taylor and Alex walked down the pier holding hands; they still pondered over what the other said, but that was more like a sweet pressure. This is how it felt, as if the world immediately opened and everything in it was now filled with a new light. They were not this cautious with emotions and not shy to face realities. It was love—real and complete and immediate and without reservation. However, Taylor felt that something was wrong inside her, despite the fact that the night was perfect. She couldn’t put a finger on it, yet the darkness was alive, like a voice calling from the void that threatened to undercut the feeling of contentment. Maybe it is because her affection for Alex has become deeper and more intense in such a short period of time, and she feels that something will come and destroy it all. The feeling of love was almost equal to the feeling of the loss of him, as far as she was concerned. The two finally got to the pier’s edge, and for what was left of the night, it seemed as if everything faded into the emptiness. Taylor leaned against the wooden rail of the ship and looked into the horizon as far as he could. The water seemed to be as black as the darkness of the night and seemed to extend as far as the eye could see. Alex got up and stood by her side, never letting go of her hand. “You’re quiet,” Alex commented gently, continuing to stroke her fingers with the back of his thumb. "What's on your mind?" Taylor inhaled deeply. “I am just attempting to analyze it all,” she said. “This... us.” But it feels like real life, and maybe that’s why it scares me. Alex frowned and looked at her the other way. "Scared of what?" I was, however, caught by her next words, spoken so softly that I could barely hear her: “Of losing you.” The only thing that I was afraid of was something coming between us now that we’ve finally met. Alex’s grip tightened. "Nothing is going to come between us, Taylorr said firmly. "I love you, and I’m not going anywhere. We’ve been through too much to let anything break us apart now." His words were comforting, but the fear still lingered at the back of her mind. She turned to face him, searching his eyes for reassurance. "Promise me," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "Promise me that we’ll fight for this, no matter what." Alex stepped closer, cupping her face in his hands. "I promise," he said, his voice low and serious. "No matter what happens, we’ll face it together." The intensity of his gaze sent a shiver down her spine. For a moment, she felt foolish for doubting. Alex had always been there for her, through every challenge they had faced and through every moment of uncertainty. This was no different. Taylor smiled, her heart swelling with love for him. "I believe you," she said softly, leaning in to press her lips against his. The kiss was gentle, but it held a deep sense of connection. It wasn’t just a kiss of passion—iit was a promise. When they finally pulled away, Taylor rested her head on Alex’s shoulder, her body relaxing into his. "Can we stay like this forever?" she murmured. "As long as you want," Alex replied, kissing the top of her head. "I’m not in any hurry to go anywhere." They stood in silence for a while, listening to the rhythm of the waves below them. The night felt calm again, the earlier tension easing away with every beat of Alex’s heart that Taylor could feel pressed against her. But then, out of nowhere, a figure appeared at the far end of the pier. Taylor noticed them first, her body tensing as the stranger approached. At first, it was hard to make out who it was—just a silhouette against the streetlights. But as they got closer, Taylor recognized the face. It was someone she hadn’t seen in years. "Is that—?" Alex started, but Taylor already knew the answer. It was Nathan. Her first love, the boy she had thought was her forever when she was younger. They had broken up years ago, but the end had never felt fully resolved. Taylor had moved on, or at least she thought she had. Seeing him now, after all this time, felt like a punch to the gut. "Nathan?" Taylor whispered, as if saying his name aloud would make it more real. Nathan stopped a few feet away, his eyes flicking between Taylor and Alex. There was a look of surprise on his face, but also something else—rregret, maybe? "Taylor," Nathan said, his voice rough, as if he hadn’t spoken in days. "I didn’t expect to see you here." Taylor thought that her heart is beating again, not for the feeling of love but for fear. It was from confusion. The question that was running in the mind of the reader was, Why is Nathan here after all the years? Alex stood beside her becoming quiet, his large warm hand still clasping hers tightly, Taylor could feel the rigidity seeping from him. He was waiting, watching. ‘What are you doing here?’ Taylor said at last, raising her voice, which she knew was stronger than her body felt. Nathan fidgeted and ran a hand through his hair, making him look rather ill at ease. “Well, I have been back in town for some time now. I wanted to contact you, but I never knew how to go about it. Then I heard that you were here this evening; that is why I had to come and see you.” Taylor just stood there and shook her head in disbelief of what she was witnessing. "Why?" This surprised her, and she saw the boy that she used to love in Nathan’s eyes softening. ”Because I made a mistake, Taylor. Letting you go was the worst decision I ever made.” Taylor felt the ‘uh-oh’ sensation before flutters and butterflies and butterflies in her stomach moved through her. This was the time she had always dreaded — a dark episode in her past coming back to haunt her and jeopardize the life she has established with Alex. However, as she stood there gazing at him, Nathan, she found out something. She no longer had those feelings. “I’m sorry, Nathan,” Taylor replied calmly. “But I’ve moved on. I’m with Alex now, and I love him.“ Nathan looked slightly disappointed, but Taylor did not look intimidated in the least. She looked at Alex, who stood beside her, staring intently at her and holding her hand, and with a tight fist, she held his hand. These words were whispered by the girl: “This is where I belong.” Alex smiled gently, and he hugged her tightly. He smiled and stretched out an arm to pull her closer to him. “I’m glad,” he whispered and kissed her temple. Nathan tried to fight it for a second and then simply sighed and nodded his head, giving in to the inevitable. “I am glad for you, Taylor.” Again, he could not hide the sadness in his voice. “I just had to know.” With that, he turned and walked away, disappearing into the night. Taylor watched him go, but her heart didn’t ache the way it used to. She was finally free. Turning back to Alex, she smiled. "Thank you for being here with me," she said. "Always," Alex replied, pulling her into his arms once more. And as the night embraced them, Taylor knew that no matter what, they would face it all together.