20. PUBLIC AFFECTION.

“Do you think you have a problem?"

Olivia fastened herself to the back of the horse, holding it’s leash still. She turned to Damien beside her and the winds breezed into her hair. He looked to her, filling his nostrils with air.

The skies above them were a dark grey, although it was still morning. And he silently prayed that it wouldn’t rain. Damien hated the rain—it was honestly no surprise. That someone as void and empty as he was could detest something as beautiful as water from the heavens. “What?” A drizzle fell on the bridge of his nose and Liv adjusted her glasses.

“That one moment you’re good, and the next, you’re back to being your most hatable self. I genuinely think it’s something you can’t control” Her voice was low as he straddled his horse to cross in front of her and they exchanged paths.

“What are you saying?”

“There’s something called a bipolar disorder and honestly i wouldn’t even be surprised if you had that” He eyed her and she rose past him once again. For someone who had never ridden a horse, she seemed to be an expert at it. An expert at whatever she did. “I’m not into your gen z type of shit” He croaked.

“You do know you’re gen z right?”

He shrugged his shoulders. “Less than you are. Being bipolar is some sort of an umbrella term you use for being cool. I had a little brother—i have a little brother and although we didn’t grow up together, Amanda wouldn’t shut up about all the things he said and i remembered that being apart of it” He continued. “Oh except it is an actual mental disorder, Mr Archer” She rolled her eyes and he cleared his throat.

“Are you saying my brother was sick?”

The question fell on dull ears and she remained quiet. “I’m saying you are” She whispered, and he fastened his horse, halting in the dirt. Before them, was a field of purple dandelions and roses, a field they were to ride through. And Vienna didn’t fall short of those. What were they doing riding, you ask?

Well Toni thought it a good idea that they be seen in public, perhaps it would revoke every spreading rumor, as if it weren’t true. And the moment he stopped, Liv did as well, sneaking a glance at the sky and then behind them.

There were also grasses, and few trees surrounded by colorful shrubs. They had strutted for far too long and now, they were in the middle of nowhere. And if it did start raining, then they’d be a mess. “It’s just an opinion.” Olivia whispered, breaking the silence between them before the rumbling thunder did.

“My opinion”

“It doesn’t matter”

She gasped and he stuttered. “Not your opinion, i’m just saying it doesn’t matter, being bipolar or what not” He shrugged and a smile crept to her lips. “So my opinion does matter?” She said slyly before he rolled his eyes. Smacking his horse, they moved forward and Liv watched him go from behind. “Shut up” The wind carried his voice back to her and she bit into her lips.

When he was anything other than his usual self, he was good.

They were good, like right now, riding horses in the dirt—it wasn’t forced, rather it felt like a friendship or something more. But she could never be ahead of herself. She could never have hopeful balloons because his sword of unpredictability will slash it through.

“Come on”

“We need to find cover, before the rain starts” And immediately he said that, a lightning struck the fields and she let out a shrill scream, somehow awakening the rain that began to fall. His hair was wet as they rode towards the apple tree, the only one in the center of the field. “Wait for me” She yelled, getting the water in her mouth as her dress became see-through from the moisture.

And Damien turned back to her and seeing how she much she struggled, he had a smirk creep to his lips. But then suddenly, the horse neighed, forcing her off balance that Olivia slipped. He turned around, yelling her name with only a blurry vision. But he heard the sound of a thud, like she had fallen to the ground.

Fallen to the dirt.

“Olivia” He jumped off his horse, taking off his blazer over his head and his boots went deep into the water. He yelled her name because she wasn’t there. Olivia wasn’t there.

And suddenly he could see how much of a bad idea that was.

-

Alli sat there, fighting the tears in the eyes.

Aaliyah was smitten was Omar, convinced it was a match made in heaven and even one time, she’d turned to him to wink and he forced a nod—as if he didn’t know the entire truth.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” He gritted through his teeth as he leaned towards the glass with a broom in his hands. Omar did as well, picking some with his pocket square.

“I swear i had no idea she was your sister”

“My cousin” Alli eyed. “It doesn’t matter, you have to end this. You cannot take a vow to spend the rest of your life with my sister when you’re—“

“Gay?” Omar interrupted in a whisper, staring an untethered gaze with him. “I could be bisexual, or queer Alli” He added and the latter shot up. “I don’t care. The fact that we ever had a thing is haram enough. You call it off, or i do, Omar. You hear me?”

“You wouldn’t dare” His voice haunted him from behind, so much that he turned around. And Omar stood to his feet. “Because they don’t know about you either. They don’t know you’re g—“

“What’s happening here?” Aisha immediately entered the corridor. “I heard a loud sound, and i needed t—oh my” She clasped her jaw, seeing the broken plate on the ground. “How clumsy could you be, Alli” She brushed past him to Omar. “Hope no one got hurt. I hope you apologized to our guest” She guided him out. “You don’t worry about that, my son will clean it up” She said.

And he nodded, like he always did.

He watched both of them walk away, and he stood there, a glass in the back of his foot. Slipping his hands through his hair, he realized how much of a nightmare this was. What were the odds, that Omar would be his cousin’s suitor?

“It’s complicated” He always said, and now looking at him in that chair next to his father, an appealing grin on Aal, and an affirmative nod from Aaliyah while he battled his tears—he realized what those words meant. It wasn’t just complicated. It was worse, It felt like a heart attack, or one of anxiety.

It felt like death.

-

“Bo.”

Damien shook, startled by the arm that wrapped round him. It was Olivia and he rolled his eyes on realizing it was her. She’d gotten a smudge of dirt across his flowing white shirt and he looked to her with squinted eyes. The rain fell between with lightning striking just above them. They shriveled towards the apple tree, making their way unto a single rock that struck out of the soil.

The leaves were barely any shade as the rain dripped through her hair, which plastered on her bare shoulders. Her shoes pressed against his as the struggled for space. And his hands fell to her waist, just below the riding corset she had on. It wasn’t a tense moment, yet as rain got in her mouth.

And he struggled for balance.

“How about you turn around?” She whispered, finding room on the thin rock. The horses stood beside them, next to the tree, and unlike them, those ones didn’t worry about getting their shoes dirty. Damien was hesitant, but he turned around alas. And their backs rested on each other—making more than enough space on the rock. He wiped his eyes and remained in the silence.

Olivia set her sights on the hills that were distant from them, and all she imagined was standing next to edge of them, with the whistling in her eyes. Next to him, she was overcome with inspiration. “Bet Toni would find this pleasing?” There was a crack in her voice and he hummed. “I’m not having the best time too”

“Because of the rain, or because of me?”

He scoffed, before raising his voice over the rain splatters. “Because i’m stuck in the rain with you” He added and Olivia rolled her eyes. “Would you rather it be the hostess?” She asked.

“I wonder when you’re going to admit it” He replied.

“Admit what?”

“Your jealousy. The only ever reason you went on that date with Sam” He spat out, so confidently. “You must think yourself so highly, Mr Archer” He loved when she called him that, and she knew. It was some sort of leverage she had over him. The rain poured around them, and their backs sank into each other the more. They didn’t detest themselves in that moment, but rather just allowed themselves to soak in everything.

“You allow me too” His voice went deep, and although she struggled to hear his voice, she could feel his heartbeat. Her arms fell next to her, brushing against his.

“How are we going to get home?”

He turned around to her, and she held her arm across her transparent chest. The rain that washed over the color of her dress, letting her red brassiere shine through and his eyes fell on her shoulders, devouring every piece of skin shown to the skies.

“That’s what you’re worried about?” He asked.

“What else would i be?” Her voice went shrill, like she was beginning to shiver and he still had his jacket in his hands. “You’re stuck here with me, and all you want to do is go back?”

His went slipped into a whisper as she pushed a lump down her throat. “Is your brother anything like you?” She asked him and he scoffed. “Why do you ask?” He inched closer to her.

“Because i want to be sure where exactly it went wrong, with you. Or are you just like this” His fist opened up, and her little fingers trailed up his moist skin. Their gaze was imminent, tense and their skin brushed against each other, like a iron magnet.

“You like that i’m like this” He whispered, coming close to her lips and she let out a heated breath. “No woman likes a man like this” She replied and a smirk invaded his lips. “That’s good” Said he. “You’re not like any other woman” He held unto her hands, and subsequently her chin. The rain dripped down the side of her face like lemon juice and his lips brushed against it.

Olivia went quiet, submitting herself to his touch.

“You’re insane”

“You drive me mad” His tongue pressed against the side of her cheeks. “And you, me” She whispered, letting her neck rest on his shoulders and he pressed himself against her. There was a noise that invaded the skies above them, and his eyes went up—

—seeing the drone.

“They’re here” He said.

“Who?” She immediately opened her eyes. “Just stay still” His hands trailed the loose shreds at her back, and she held unto him for dear life because one slip, she’d find herself in the mud.

Damien pulled away, his eyes narrowing at her plump lips. “They found us” She whispered and he nodded, holding unto her neck. “They’d do anything” He said. “Toni was right” He added as the sound drew closer to her eyes, the rain had subsided but that was when he held his jacket above her head.

“Kiss me” She whispered.

And his eyes locked into hers. “What?” He said. “Kiss me.”

“So much for no public affection huh?” He stated her rule, and her nails dug into his skin. Her gaze was intense, with a burning desire for him. “For them. Kiss me” Liv urged, and Damien leaned into her, leaving so little space between them that their breathes lingered in the air. They were beneath the beautiful tree, and his eyes were set on a beautiful woman.

And each second brought them even closer till Liv closed her eyes, waiting for him. However, he halted and she could feel him draw away. She fastened her grasp against his shirt.

“What the fuck.”

His eyes looked to his watch, and then back at her. “We’re running late for the gala” He cleared his throat and she pushed a lump down hers. “Here” He handed her his blazer before setting his sight in the horse. “We need to hurry back” He croaked and her hands held the jacket over her skin.

“Of course” She whispered.

To be continued…