The vibrations of Daniel’s phone reverberated through the air, competing with the melodic cadence of our voices. Despite the distraction, his gaze remained fixed on me, undeterred by the insistent demands of the device that lay on the glass table before us. The noises continued to emanate from his phone, each buzz and ring growing louder and more disruptive, creating a dissonance that clashed. Yet, his unwavering attention stayed rooted in me, as if he had intentionally prioritized me over the device that had been ringing for the past few minutes.
“I think you need to take that,” I suggested gently, directing his attention to the device that seemed insistent on capturing his focus. The noise echoed through the room, reverberating against the delicate surfaces of the glass table, further magnifying its disruptive presence.
Daniel’s expression shifted slightly with a quick glance at the persistently buzzing phone. The lines on his face tightened briefly before he finally decided to retrieve the device from the table.
“I’ll be outside for a bit,” he informed me.
I nodded in understanding.
I glanced over the place we were now on. It was the same yacht we usually hung out with back then, especially in the summer, where we would jump into the ocean when the sun was out, and the weather wasn’t too hot.
We had spent endless hours lounging on the deck, soaking up the sun, and indulging in our favorite guilty pleasure: ice cream. I recalled when we would devour the tubs, sharing spoonfuls and laughing until our bellies ached. Those moments were simple yet filled with joy, reminding me how fun it was.
He returned and took a deep breath, “as much as I want to keep you here, Alex wants you back.” He reached into his pocket and carefully placed his phone.
“So, I guess we have to end this now.” He said, with a hint of sadness in his eyes.
I glanced at the watch on my left hand and realized how late and fast the night was. I didn’t realize I’d spent hours already at his yachts, surrounded by the calming sound of the sea.
“It’s midnight already,” I said as we were on our way out, leaving the place where I heard the harsh truth of the past and the hope of the future at the same time. His expression stilled like he didn’t want to leave, and neither did I — I still had things I wanted to ask him — like how he ended up working for Formula One.
Things seemed to have changed for him. He swiftly his profession — I always thought that he’d be working with his family — managing The Aswara Group, which has been leading the world’s real estate and land development markets.
“Do you have any plans?” he asked, his voice cutting through the bustling energy of the crowded streets. The city lights shimmered around us as we made our way towards the hotel, the rhythmic pulse of the nightlife. It was a simple question, but apparently still gets my heart pumped faster than normally — I also happened not to think if he would ask me (again) this fast.
I turned my gaze back to him, a smile tugging at the corners of my lips. “No plans,” I finally replied.
“Perfect.” He said, grinning like he wanted to hear that from my mouth. “Because I happen to have something I want to show you.” He added, igniting a flutter of excitement within me.
After around ten minutes of walking, we finally reached my hotel room, where Alex had been waiting inside since I just realized I had left my phone at the hotel. That’s why he called Daniel and asked how long it would take me to reach the hotel.
“I’ll see you in a few hours, then?” He said before leaving.
I nodded, “See you, Dan,” I replied.
