I was swimming the next morning in the pool in the villa, spreading my body and letting the water surround me. In the past, I knew nothing about swimming, but Gavin has taught me a lot of things while I lived with him in America.
Russeli was still asleep in his room, he was wasted last night and I didn't want to bother him. I had my maid leave him a hangover soup, perhaps he could drink it when he wakes up.
I swam to go take my drink. I had left by the side of the pool. I was in the pool and reached for it when I felt someone staring at me. I looked up to my left and there he was, in a white shirt and a blue short, staring at me amorous.
I looked for any sign of him remembering what happened last night, but there was nothing, he didn't remember anything so I was glad. I sip my wine and lean on the wall of the pool as he walks closer. "You want to join me?"
He looked at the pool and then at me. "Emmm... No." He shook his hands and head at the same time before squatting close to me.
I glanced at his face and knew why he didn't want to. "You are afraid of the pool right?" I raised my brow and wobbled.
"Not that." He narrowed his gaze.
"Then come on in." I saw his expression, it seemed he was fighting that urge, so I pulled him in and he looked up at me as a few drops of water dripped down from his hair hitting the pool water he was in. "Even if you are scared, I am here to guide you." I held his hands and smiled.
"I am not, I am a good swimmer." I raised my brow at him and he continued speaking his lies. "I even swim across the ocean."
I chuckled and shook my head as I splash water on his face. "You are not a good liar." I left his hands and swam further from him.
"I am telling the truth." He said in his deep voice, but I stuck my tongue out and splashed his water again. "Ho! Come here," I called out playfully as we began a pool chase, splashing water on each other with smiles.
This should be us!
We sat down by the poolside eating snacks and juice as we stared at the pool that was now still, only a gentle breeze shook it a little as they also ran through our faces.
I stared at Russelli, he laughed so much and he seemed free right here with me and it made me happy. "Are you enjoying the vacation?" I asked him.
"Huh!" He raised his brow and glanced at me, then his eyes darted back to the water and a smile curled up in his lips.
"I am making you create some time for yourself," I said softly. I wonder if he was also enjoying this as much as I was enjoying it. I hope I wasn't depriving him of what he wishes to be doing, but I was too greedy so I put down my snack. "Well, it is also a business trip, let's do something."
"Like what?" He turned to me curiously.
I cleared my throat and sat up. "Let's see how far you have gone in your emotions, use the things we have done so far to compose music that comes from your heart and something filled with emotions." I paused and touched my hair. "Sincere emotions or not, anything at all."
I wanted something sincere, but he may not love me now and telling him to sing with sincere emotions could be just asking him to sing without emotions, all we are doing as of now was pretence.
He stared at me in silence for a while and then spoke. "So, I can sing using those?"
"Yes, come on, try it, you can do it." I clapped my hands and faced him, giving him my full attention to see what he got this time. I know Russeli was good at composing any song he set his mind to.
I hesitated for a while and pressed his lips together as his eyes bored into mine. "Can I stare at you and think of those things?"
I smiled, he was asking for permission to stare at me, that was silly but sweet. "You can," I told him, curious to hear him sing to me as he did before.
He started singing and just like I had expected he was good and sang just as I imagined, touching every bit of things we did together at this vacation and his eyes never left mine and he ended with a question.
He looked at me with wide eyes. "How was it?"
I blinked and averted my gaze. I should be indifferent, not charmed by his song this time. I was popular and now a good singer. I also have to be a strict teacher. "Your emotions are gradually developing, I guess you thought about it well, you did pretend to sing sincerely." I sip my juice.
"I am..."
"Let me teach you by singing too." I cut him off and he swallowed back his words to listen to my song. I don't know why I wanted to do this, but a part of me also wants to sing to him, showing him my deepest emotions and sincerity, even though it should be through music.
I started singing and I lost control for a while when the emotion reached base, I should be singing about the present, but I diverted to the past and in a moment I saw myself drifting, I knew I had to stop now, so I looked away from him and ended the song in a hoarse voice.
"Your heart..." He wanted to say something but stopped. "How did you do it?" He asked and I forced a smile to hide the sadness in my heart.
"I simply thought of love and composed this just by looking at you." I faced him and I saw the shock on his face. "Yes, but it was pretence you know." I corrected his imaginations. "Don't fall for me, this is just how far I can go."
I looked away from him and turned my eyes to the water. The air between us was tense and I noticed he was still staring at me, so I had to find another means to end this. "The waters are even still and it is getting cold.
I got up from the chair I sat in. "I am going to my room to rest." I turned to leave before it became more awkward but Russeli held my hands and I stopped.
"Natasha Wilbur, can I confirm something?" He asked and I faced him with shock. These were the exact words he told me that day. He embraced me and said he was in love. I stepped back, but he pulled me in and hugged me. "Please, be still for a while."
My eyes were large and my eyes were almost wet in tears, but I stood still like an obedient child as the thought of memories flood back into my head, was I stupid or was this what I wanted, for him to remember me gradually like this, even if it means repeating the event of the past?