? Wingless And Beautiful
?EPISODE 9
“Hunter… I’m sorry.” I stepped closer to him and
because I didn’t know what else to do, I gave him a hug. “Of
course I didn’t mean that.”
“Good. Because here’s your chance to explain what
you’re really doing here with me,” he whispered.
I didn’t know what he meant by that until I heard
somebody behind us call, “Hunter Vaughn!” The shrill voice belonged to an old nurse who was standing by Hunter’s
door, arms crossed over her chest. “This is a rehabilitation center, not a motel room.” She gave me a look of disapproval.
Sht!
I opened my mouth to defend myself, but no sound
came out. She raised a brow at me.
“Mrs. Devlin? Shoot! Did I not lead my guest to the
library?” Hunter asked, faked innocence enveloped his
voice.
“No. You’re in… you’re in your room.” The woman
looked confused now. She was starting to look guilty too.
Hunter’s feigned innocence was working on her.
“I’m sorry. You know… being blind and all. I still get lost
in this building,” he continued.
Get lost? Ha!
Hunter probably knew every turn and corner of this whole estate. Maybe even better than the nurse herself.
The lady looked at me. I cleared my throat. “He… he
said he wanted to play chess with me. Thank God you got
here in time! I was beginning to think he was… not being a
gentleman.”
I heard a low growl coming from Hunter’s chest and I
couldn’t help smiling to myself.
Mrs. Devlin shook her head. “Library is two floors down.
Hurry. Visitors that are not family are not allowed here.” And then she left.
I laughed as soon as she was gone.
“What did you say to her?” Hunter asked. The tone in
his voice told me I was in trouble. “I was not being a
gentleman?”
I laughed. “Come on, Hunter. I was joking.”
He shook his head. “Oh, my angel… I was trying to be a
gentleman all day. But since you mentioned I wasn’t…”
Without warning, I felt him snatch my waist and pull me
against his chest.
Then he pushed our bodies towards the wall. I stared up at him in panic. His face descended towards mine and he took my lips in one heart-stopping, head- spinning kss. Laughter died in my lips and I savored the sanity-disturbing ksses he was giving me.
When the kss was over, I felt like I have been
recharged… electrocuted even. I was thankful that Hunter
was blind. Otherwise, he would see how disoriented he
made me. My lips were probably bruised, my skin was
flushed, my eyes looked lost.
His face was a few inches away from mine. He raised his
hand and touched my scars. I flinched at first. But he kept
caressing the damaged skin with his cool, soothing fingers.
“You’re beautiful,” he said.
I took a deep breath. “You couldn’t even see me.”
He shook his head. “I see you… Angel. And you’re
beautiful to me.”
He leaned forward and I thought he was going to kss
my lips again. But instead, he turned to the side, to where my scars were. He took his fingers away and replaced them
with his lips.
I fought the urge to cry. I always felt ashamed of my
scars. I hid them, afraid that they would scare people away.
I’m scared to look at them myself sometimes. But Hunter
made me feel that I had nothing to be ashamed of. That I
was perfect… even with my past and my nightmares… even
with my scars.
Meredith picked me up at exactly six in the evening. I
had a lovely time with Hunter. It was my first for many
things. First date, first kiss… first thrill, first spark. I never thought about boys before my domestic ordeal.
And every day after that, everything I went through seemed like a veil
of smoke that still looms over me. But today… I realized I
haven’t thought about that night since I started dressing up for my date with Hunter.
Before we parted, he took me to the gates leading to
the parking lot. He took a step closer to me and said, “I had
the best date of my life.”
“I’m glad,” I said. “It was perfect for me too. It was a
wonderful first date.”
“I’m happy I measured up to your other first dates.”
I gently blushed at that. “It was… it was actually my first
date… ever.”
He stood still for a moment and then he grinned. “Good
luck topping this one up,” he said in a smug voice.
I laughed. “You’re unbelievable. Well, I’m glad the best date you had since your accident was with me.”
His lips curved into a smile.
Then he leaned forward and
kssed me again. One kiss. And yet it lasted for a couple of
seconds… it was so gentle, so sweet, so electrifying.
Then he whispered, “I didn’t mean that was my best date since my accident.” He took a deep breath and added, “It was my best date… ever… Angel.”
I sucked in a deep breath. I felt flattered that even
though Hunter may have dated tons of gorgeous girls before his accident… I, somehow, measured up and stood out.
“Will you come back tomorrow?” he asked.
“Okay,” I replied. “You wanna hang out?”
He shook his head. “No,” he replied. “I’m asking you out
for a second date.”
I stared at him for a moment. He looked serious and
nervous at the same time, as if he was unsure that I would
say yes.
“What time?” I asked.
He let out a breath that told me he was actually holding
it for my response.
“Seven in the evening,” he replied. “I will send
somebody to pick you up. Tell your aunt that you will be
home by midnight. She doesn’t have to worry, somebody
will drive you back home and make sure you are safe.”
I didn’t know what he was planning, but suddenly, I felt
excited. “Okay. Seven it is. What should I wear?”
“It doesn’t matter. I… wouldn’t be able to see you,” he
said, there was a trace of sadness in his voice.
I stepped closer to him and said, “It matters to me. I
want to look good for you.”
Hunter smiled and I knew that what I said meant a lot to
him. He wound his arms around me and he gave me a hug.
“Then wear a dress. Blue if possible,” he whispered. I smiled and nodded, knowing he could feel me nod against his
chest.
I heard Meredith honk behind me. I pulled away from
Hunter.
“Your aunt?” he asked.
“Yes,” I replied. Then I gave him my house address so
he would know where to have me picked up. “I’ll see you
tomorrow.”
“Can’t wait,” he said, smiling at me.
Then I turned around and hopped into Meredith’s car.
While we drove in silence, I replayed the details of my date
with Hunter.
“You look like an idiot, you know,” Meredith said,
snapping me out of my thoughts.
“What?”
She laughed. “If you had seen your face, you looked like
an idiot.”
“I did not!” I protested.
“Yeah, you did. You were staring at the dashboard and
you were smiling like a clown! I’m pretty sure the dashboard
wasn’t funny, and neither was I.
And yet, you were smiling
to your ears. I’ll bet you would scream if you could.”
I rolled my eyes to hide my embarrassment. Was I really
that obvious?
“Well, he looks cute. Although I didn’t get a full view of
him,” Meredith said.
I bit my lip to keep from smiling again.
“When’s the next date?” she asked.
It took me a while to reply. “Tomorrow night.”
“Hmmm… he’s not wasting time, is he?” she teased.
“He asked me to tell you that somebody would pick me
up tomorrow and also take me home by midnight,” I said.
“Fair enough,” Meredith nodded. “Where is he taking
you? I mean… because… you know, he can’t drive or go
around. Options are limited.”
I shrugged. “I guess I’ll find out tomorrow.” I really do
not have any idea what Hunter was planning. “Which
reminded me that I have to wear a dress. Blue if possible.
Something cute, chic and does not show much skin.”
“Hmmm…” Meredith said thoughtfully. “Do you have
anything?””
“To be honest, I’m sure. When my stepfather was alive
and earning decently, he used to take me shopping and I
would buy some clothes for special occasions. But I haven’t really rummaged through my closet recently.”
When we got home, I went to my room while Meredith
cooked dinner. I offered to do it, but she insisted I try to find something to wear for my date instead.
I opened my closet and checked what clothes I had.
Since my parents died, the only things I felt comfortable
wearing were jeans, baggy shirts, sweaters and pajamas, of course.
I went through some clothes I had not seen in a while. I
pulled out a sleeveless blue dress with subtle prints of dark gray. It had a wrap-around waist, a V neckline and a
wraparound self-belt.
A sad smile crept through my face.
When my mother and I bought it, I thought it was too chic,
too sophisticated, it wasn’t me at all. I didn’t like it at first but my mom insisted we buy it.
“It’s on sale, silly!” my mother said.
“It doesn’t matter, Mom. I would never wear it!” I said.
It was an expensive brand but we were getting it for a
bargain. My mother couldn’t resist it. She insisted that I go to the fitting room to try it on.
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