Two: Are you trying to kiss me?

I grew up to be afraid of my father.

 Once, when I was little, he told me not to go near his office or even dare to enter it. But being the naïve and young child that I was, I did not pay attention to his orders and did not listen to him. I neglected him and went to his office to play.

I thought he will not be mad if he caught me going there because I am his little princess and he loves me too much to scold me.. but I was wrong. That day, he caught me playing in his office and I chuckled and was about to hug him but my feet didn’t dare to move an inch when I heard him screamed at me.

“You worthless child, I told you not to go here!” he threw the briefcase he was holding on the corner of a room and unbuckled his belt, he walked over my direction and slammed me. There was nothing that can be heard but my sobs and loud cry after that.

That’s how I learned that he is not the same dad I used to know.

My weary eyes and pale lips greeted me when I stared in front of the mirror of my bathroom. My shirt is now rumpled from tossing and turning in my bed. I heaved a sigh and caress my cheek, I can’t help but pity myself.

Standing in front of a mirror of her bathroom is a 20-year-old woman who can’t even decide for her life, what a pathetic fate.

I opened the faucet and let the water flow into my hands, after a moment, I splashed the cold water into my face continuously.

The soft flow of the water in my skin is somehow calming.

I spent almost fifteen minutes of my time in the bathroom. My deep sighs and the stream of water from the faucet can be heard beneath the walls.

Upon reaching my bed, I immediately wrapped the muffled blanket in my body, the scent of its fabric lingering. I glanced at the clock fixed on the wall, 11:45 pm. 15 minutes before midnight, and I can’t still sleep.

This won’t do.

 I pulled the blanket off and sprang to my feet once more, I need to get out of this house before it suffocates me any further.

I changed my clothes to a black high waist skinny jeans and a white crew-neck tee together with a color block poncho and grabbed the key of my car above my desk.

The sound of crickets and insects that are most alive in this kind of night makes the atmosphere perfect when I opened the front door of the mansion to head out to the parking lot.

I did not expect to see someone here outside in the middle of the night yet I saw Kervin, our driver, wandering in the parking lot. Probably checking if everything’s alright.

“Are we going somewhere, ma’am?” he asked.

“No, Kervin. I do not need a driver tonight. You may rest.” I dismissed him.

“Are you sure, ma’am? It’s almost midnight.” He insisted.

“It’s okay, Kervin. I prefer to be alone, anyway.”

I embraced my body when I felt the cold breeze of the night touching my skin.

I hop inside my red Bugatti and started its engine, my hands are shaking a bit as I drive past the street of our manor.

I am planning to stay on the road all night, I can’t bear to stay in this house when I know that the very man who is bringing me distress, which happened to be my very own dad, is under the same roof where I sleep.

I stretched out my hand to the window of my car as I drove past our street. I can’t help but smile as the cold breeze of night hugs my despair. It has been a while since I go out for a midnight drive and it really feels so refreshing to smell the salt air of the city again.

In this kind of time, people are mostly asleep, no, parents are mostly fast asleep. While, the teens stay awake, wondering about their future and worrying about their lives. Some went to clubs to party and forget about the horrible events of adulthood. While, some stayed in their bedroom, thinking if the world has something better to offer. But here I am, not in the clubs nor in a bedroom, but in a car. I drove in the lonely city of Venile, thinking if I can ever get my freedom. I am a woman in my 20s but my dad still wouldn’t let go of me. He still gets to decide what’s appropriate and what is not. He gets to decide if it’s the right time for me to be engaged, and it sucks.

If only mom was alive, she will not let me live this kind of life. But, what can I do? My dad is the only family I have.

I opened the radio of my car and listened to The Great Escape of Boys Like Girls. The cold breeze of the night makes me feel at ease, there are rarely cars on the streets now for it is almost 1 am. The establishments and the tall buildings around the city are no longer looking busy which means that they are already closed. There is nothing to see in this city at night, but I like the idea of being here inside my car, driving freely on an almost empty road.

Paper bags and plastic hearts

All our belongings in shopping carts

It's goodbye, but we got one more night

Let's get drunk and ride around

And make peace with an empty town

We can make it right

Throw it away, forget yesterday

We'll make the great escape

And we won't hear a word they say

They don't know us anyway

Watch it burn, let it die

'Cause we are finally free, tonight

 I was singing along with the song when I caught sight of an open land field beside the road, there is nothing interesting about the land, but there is something or maybe someone that is lying in the center of the field. Or maybe, my eyes are a little bit drowsy and just seeing things. I shook my head and stopped the car. I stared ahead in the empty road, no vehicle is in sight and there are only street lights that are illuminating the surroundings. I grab a bottle of mineral water in my backseat and drank. I glance towards the field again, but the figure is still there, which means that I am not hallucinating. The thing that bothers me is that it looks like a figure of a man. I narrowed my eyes and stared at it carefully, it's really there, unmoving and lying.

My mind was instantly filled with different outrageous thoughts, is the man dead? Is it really a man or I am just really seeing things?

It is midnight, and it is dangerous if I will go outside my car to check if it is really a person that’s lying there, who knows if it is really a person and he needs some help.

Oh gosh, what an unlucky night it is. Now, I am torn between getting my curiosity in my head or drive past the field like I haven’t seen anything.

But, yes, of course, I should check it. I convinced myself that it is okay, and after a moment of contemplating, I mustered my courage to check it out.

With a sigh, I unbuckled my seatbelt and slowly opened the door of my car. I walked towards the figure that is lying in open land, I can still hear the sound of my radio as I went towards the direction, my heart pounding heavily. 

After few minutes, I am just a few meters away from the figure, and my eyes cannot believe what I am seeing right now. It is indeed a man, probably the same age as mine. His forehead is slightly creased, and both of his eyes are peacefully closed.  He lay in the field, unmoving, and oblivious of my presence.

“Mr. Fuenter?” I called the name of the man whom I just met as my fiancé a while ago. What is he doing here? And why did it have to be him of all people? What in the world is happening to him?

He did not budge as I call his name, so I slightly kicked him, but I still got no response from him.

"Hey, hey wake up. Are you okay?" He is not moving, still. 

For a moment, I thought of running away and just leave him here out of the road, but my mind forbids me to do so.

I checked his pulse and sighed in relief after I find out that he is still alive and breathing.

I noticed that he still wearing the same v-neck gray shirt that he wore when I first met him a while ago.

I sat by the grass, and lower my head into his face to check if he is just drunk, I reluctantly smelled his mouth and abruptly creased my forehead as I concluded that he is, no doubt, not drunk. Then, what is happening here? Why is he out here in a wide field?

I was about to pull my nose away from his face when he suddenly opened his eyes.

I saw a glimpse of shock in his blue eyes upon seeing me too close in front of him, but it seems like he instantly got hold of the situation and flashed his menacing grin.

"What are you trying to do? Are you going to kiss me?" He whispered under my ears with his husky voice.

 My eyes widened and I instantly pulled away from him. 

"What the fudge? Kiss you? I am just trying to check if you are still alive or something." I scoffed. 

He stretches his arms and sat on the grass, his eyes still fixed on me.

"Ms. Croven, you don't have to make it obvious that you missed me to the point that you followed me here." he slightly tilted his head and flashed a smile.

"Are you making fun of me? The nerve of you to even assume that I followed you! You were lying on the grass, it is midnight, and I, unfortunately, happen to see you. Of course, I should check if the man is alive or whatever." I rolled my eyes, why am I even bothering to explain my side? 

"That's precisely what's making me curious, Ms. Croven. It's past midnight and you are still out there. Don't you know how dangerous it is?" He looks serious.

"It's none of your business, Mr. Fuenter," I said flatly.

“And it is also none of your business to check a stranger who is lying in the middle of the field if he is dead or alive, but you still checked it anyway,” he argued.

“Look, can’t you just appreciate my little token of concern instead of blabbering ungrateful words?” I turned my back on him and was about to head in the direction of my car when he grabbed my left arm.

“Ms. Croven, don’t you know how dangerous it is to wander in this time of night?” He speaks every bit of his words seriously. For a moment, I thought he was mad. When I turned to him, I saw a look of concern and worry in his blue eyes.

I do not know why he is acting as if he really cared about me when he is the one who seems to be sleeping on a roadside.

I did not speak for I am too tired to argue with him.

Maybe, he felt that I have no plans to talk, so he let go of my arm and try to lighten the air between us.

“It is getting late now, I think we should go home.”

“Yes, that’s a good idea.” For the first time, I agree with him.

I walked in the direction of my car and he is following me from behind.

I was about to grab the handle of the door for the driver’s seat when his hand suddenly opened it.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“I am going to drive you home.” He said flatly.

“No, no, Mr. Fuenter, I can take care of myself, thank you.” I wave both of my hands in front of him.

He chuckled.

“As you can see, Ms. Croven, it is already dark now, and it is very dangerous for a woman like you to drive yourself alone.”

“No worries, I can handle myself. Besides, I went here on my own, so I am certain that I can also get home on my own.”

“Ms. Croven, I just want to make sure that you can get home safely. I am your fiancé, remember?” 

Agh! This guy!

“Whatever.” I rolled my eyes.

“Alright, then. It seems like there is nothing I can do to change your mind.” He placed his hands on the packet of his jeans and shrugged.

“I am glad you are quick to get that.”

“Have a safe trip home, Ms. Croven.” He smiled and jogged toward his car which is park across from mine. How come that I did not notice that there is a car which is park there a while ago? He waved his left hand outside his window car before driving past me.

Before I knew it, I was alone on the road again.

I opened the door of my Bugatti and roared my engine to life. My radio is still playing in the background, I turned it off and drove back to my father’s manor, wondering what tomorrow got for me.

But whatever tomorrow may bring, one thing is for sure and that is I will do whatever it takes to cancel this freaking engagement.