“You’re just so beautiful.”
I’m unable to find the words, and a blush creeps up my cheeks despite knowing he’s acting weird because of the fact that he’s hiding something.
“Let’s live a little today, okay?”
I contemplate it for a moment; he’s acting too weirdly, but he’s right. We haven’t done something for ourselves in months, and even then, we were locked up.
“Fine,” I grumble.
––––––––
“ARE YOU REALLY NOTgoing to tell me where we’re going?” I ask Grey when it feels as if we’ve been walking an eternity.
My feet are already aching, the pain from my self-inflicted wounds crawling up to my knees and radiating into my back. We’ve been walking so much these past few weeks that my body should be used to it by now, but it’s far from it.
“You really are impatient.” Grey chuckles, walking slightly ahead of me, yet still able to hold my hand.
“Well, I wouldn’t be impatient if you’d tell me.”
He merely looks back at me with a smirk, then gazes straight ahead again without offering a reply. I grunt in response, suspicion still rising to the surface at the thoughts of where hemight lead me.
Branches creak beneath our feet, the leaves rustling as we traverse the path. We’re in some kind of forest, with a dirt trail stretching endlessly ahead. The summer heat reaches the trees, filtering through the thick canopy and radiating warmth that makes it more exhausting to walk.
It must take at least twenty minutes until I hear the sound of water running, splashing against rocks. Moments later, the smallest stream possible appears, running straight through an abandoned graveyard.
A metal archway far off bears the weathered sign “Millvale Graveyard.” My heart stalls as I behold the tragic beauty while Grey keeps walking, following the small stream.
The graveyard is littered with old gravestones, some overgrown with wildflowers and weeds, others abandoned to nature’s chaos. Trees form a dense circle around the site, yet sunlight manages to pierce through, illuminating the area without hindrance.
My mouth falls open, captivated by the macabre sight. A sense of tranquility and tragedy lingers in the air like a comforting blanket on a cold winter day, protecting you from all around. It’s as if we’ve stepped into another world, the stream weaving through the abandoned graveyard.
“Oh, wow.” The words escape me in a breath, my eyes searching for Grey as he steps into the middle of the circle of the open space within the forest.
He doesn’t say a word as he takes off the backpack, pulling out a light gray blanket, though it’s evident it’s been lying for a while, probably somewhere in his childhood home. I watch as his muscles stretch when he leans down again to retrieve something else, his shirt riding up, revealing a sliver of skin I cannot help but appreciate.
After all we’ve been through, it’s still hard to fathom that he’smine.
“What’s this place?” I finally find myself asking, looking around again.
It’s truly beautiful in all its morbid glory.
He waves me over, waiting for me to sit on the blanket by the narrow stream. It’s small enough to step over with a single, big stride. I settle down and watch in silence as he keeps unpacking everything, waiting for his reply.
“I used to go here when things got too much at home. This was a place to hide, even if it’s macabre. Hiding among the dead.”
I smile, a strange fluttering sensation rippling through me.
This man before me is made of so many layers, and I think I’m finally peeling them all away until there’s only his heart and soul left—both of which belong to me.
The food looks delicious; sandwiches, soda, and fruits from a convenience store. My chest clenches at the thoughtfulness, and I lean in to kiss him deeply.
“It’s lovely,” I tell him.
“I think I lied. Technically, we’re in a place with the dead, but no corpses visible. That counts for something, right?”
My chuckle rumbles my shoulders, and it surprises me that I can even make such a joyful sound even after everything. Grey brings out the best in me; the parts I didn’t think I’d ever get to experience. Not with my upbringing or what I’ve gone through.
We enjoy our picnic, savoring the food we haven’t had for years. I couldn’t be more content with him by my side.
