22| Galaxies, stars and moon

By the time we got back home, I became better than how I was before I left. All thanks to Dexter who took fast action on my health. He was so concerned about me, just the way he was caring towards my kids and family.

I understand if he doesn't likes the word 'I owe you big time.' I told him this a couple of times when we were at the hospital, returning back home but he kept on declining it. Saying he has done nothing.

Meanwhile, all those time we were driving to the hospital, I couldn't take my attention off him. Not even one bit. I'm beginning to find myself so addicted to this guy. I want to know and more and plenty of things about him. His personality is just as cool as him.

Never in my life have I been this treated like a princess or like a woman. If I can remember, the man I had spent twelve years of my life with, stopped giving me oral sex because I had vagina infection which by now I observe the infection leaving me little by little.

He never cared about my health, not even one day. If I was to be sick, he'll still fuck me till I pass out and if am not, he'll still do the same to me. I've been going through all these since we were together, thinking I could change him for good and I could fix the marriage.

But it seems like that's not what I was born for and born to do. Every passing time, my mind comes to daze, asking me if I truly deserve a good, caring, loving and valuable man in my life. Whenever such thoughts comes across my mind, I just admit it, denying the fact that I don't deserve good.

But here comes 'Mr. Goody too shoes' stepping into my world to pick me out of my dirt. And for the past one month, I've beginning to spend my time, adoring him like a god.

There might still be people who deserve good, but not to a woman like me. A woman who has been destroyed, not even a shaft left of me. Leo has already taken everything that made me a woman. My dignity, my confidence and so on. He destroyed me, not even bothering to keep a remain of me.

I almost died until the day Dexter came to my rescue. Several times, he'll punish me with staving. Commanding me to go to bed without food and then he'll come fucking me on empty stomach. And that has been the reason why am so used to not eating most times and staying a whole day like am on 'Dry fasting' even without water.

Time is very fast these days, just take a look at Christmas approaching at the corner. I can't wait to see what Santa brings me this season. I remembered last year's Santa, whispering 'All these tantrums will soon be over' in my ears last year.

Was that a present? I guess no. But it seems like they already were and am set out free.

Stepdad Carlos and Shawn went back to NY just last night. Well if you're curious, I'll tell you why. As you all know, it was an unexpected rush that brought them to Switzerland. They weren't prepared for it in the very beginning, it just occurred overnight. So, one month past, stepdad Carlos demanded for a transfer to work here but his company didn't grant him. He had to go back if he truly values his job, working for one big company in NY.

Whereas, Shawn is still to fragile for an heartbreak. He missed his princess so badly that he needed to see her and outside the fact that he has missed class for a month now, he wanted a good fuck with his girlfriend. I'm not jealous because I couldn't get one for long now.

But don't worry, they'll be coming few days from now for the Christmas holiday. And the good thing is that Shawn will be bringing his girlfriend Nina Dobrev along to spend quality time together.

This Christmas will be the best I've ever experienced in my life and a good one to remember in twelve years.

I watched the way grandma looked at us when Dexter walked me to my room upstairs. She had this cheeky smile spread across her little pink lips and I began to wonder what's floating in that granny head of hers. She greeted us when we walked in, seeing that we held hands together and Dexter's one arm around my shoulders, carefully nudging me to watch out for the stairs.

She knew I've never been cared for like this in my life, yet she just stood there, witnessing and enjoying the whole scenario. I was ashamed. If only I could yell at her to get herself to work or make herself useful at that very moment but I couldn't. She's my grandma and the only person that gives me hopes whenever am downcasted. Outside that, she's the only person I could tell and share my little deepest secret with. Though she has a big mouth but not anymore. She's getting old everyday and doesn't have time talking things out but picking on a magazine and whiling away her time.

I thought grandma's peeking on us will probably end there. Well, it didn't. She came spying through the small hole in my door when Dexter left me to make something spicy and hot for me, just to get me totally out of the cold weather.

Before I could groan 'Grandma, I can see you from here,' She disappeared like she already knew what was about to come out of my mouth.

After dinner, everyone was expected to go to sleep like my kids are right now, but I couldn't. How can I go to sleep when my mind is not ready to relax? I just find myself processing everything that Dexter did for me today. I never cared to share it with mom and grandma and I knew they were very curious to know. Even before dinner ended, grandma was playing KICKING with my legs under the table, literally punishing me for not sharing anything with her but I know I will. I just need time to come over these cheeky things in my head that makes me smile like a psychopath every now and then.

My kids are gone to sleep. I wanted to make use of my time to share how part of my day went with someone but that was actually the moment I realized Dexter at the balcony. I took advantage of the time to go meet him.

He was all alone, standing there and staring into the stars above the sky. He wasn't shirtless this time and I assume why because of the cold. He was on a complete pair of beige sweater pajamas. The moon giving its full reflection in the balcony as it spreads its rays all over him, giving a full view of his image. His dominant arms rested on the handrail as his gaze locked in the sky.

"Do you enjoy solitude like me?"

I thought I'd startle him, but he never flinched. What If it was an assassin that came in here to meet him and not me for an instance? I believe he would do the same too. Not moving, but answering my question without looking at me.

Wow. This tells me much of how brave he would be. Or let's just assume maybe he noticed my footsteps and recognized my voice.

"Well you don't seem like you enjoy solitude for too long." He said, smiling before turning his head to my direction.

And that moment, I got freeze and carried away by his sweet view in front of me. As the moon delightfully share its rays on him, he was like a knight in a comic book. I wanted to take risk of the advantage between us to go kiss him, but I kept on fighting back that urge.

I drifted off from my thoughts, returning the smile as he looks down to me. "Who says I don't?" I scoffed, now placing my arms on the handrails as I turn my attention to the stars and mood. "I told you the other day that am an introvert and it's true."

"I already knew about it before you told me."

My brows creased, looking at him again, "How the fuck did you know? Do you study humanity now?"

He laughed, trying to keep it on a low key. He shook his head, "Hell no. But I wish I did. It's just my kinda thing...." He shrugged slightly, "More like an observation. When I see people, I already know what type of personality they have but I don't tell it."

Hmm, so interesting. Don't you think? My lips smirk to the side and one of my brows corked upwards, "Wow, nice gift and talent. Do you mind briefing me what my personality looks like?" I say, playing with a strand of my hair like I was a cheap brat trying to lure him.

"You have a shallow personality, Triana." He started and my brows gave him the 'How'? Gesture. "Outside you being an introvert, I can tell you're quite low self-esteem as well." He is absolutely right. "Judging from how you buffered out of the living room when my friends were there and how you wanted to keep things personal within yourself."

"You know that was too judgemental of them." I say, pointing out Cyrus and Maverick's faults.

He clicked his tongue, holding back his chuckle as he turn his gaze to the sky again, "See what am saying? I'll just put a full stop there. I won't go further."

I frowned, thinking he was just defending his BFF behind their backs and not me. "You have to go on, tell me more about my personality." I say, now raffling my hands with his shirt like I was tickling him.

All he did was laugh at the little hands slightly lacing punches on his shoulders and torso. "No, I won't. My mission has end there."

"No, you have to continue or I'll keep punching you until you speak up."

"Fucking shit," He laughed hard again, still trying to dodge my little punches but he couldn't do anything to stop me other than stand there, allowing me to hit him like he was my son. "Am I a fore-eye guy?" He says, flinching as he jumps backwards, trying to dodge my punches.

"Yes, you are and you're gonna keep on telling me things that I need to know and things that I don't. Now, speak up silly!" I snap at him.

"I have zero words to tell you."

"Ah, you crazy thing, believe it or not, you have a million thing spilling inside your head—" I swallowed the rest of my words and paused when he held my wrists in the air, causing a pin drop silence to surround us.

We stared into each other's eyes for long before I heard him say, "Do I?"

It took me seconds to find out he was just using it as an opportunity to stop my simultaneous questions and upcoming punches.

But when he laughed, I realized, frowning as I jerk my hands off his grip and continued to hit him playfully again like cats and dogs. I won't lie but it was fun doing this playful act with him. I've never been this happy in my life before. I've never even had the chance to play with a guy like this. Not even once. And we were playing like five years old in the balcony. I don't know what am thinking but one thing I know for sure is that I want to enjoy every moment I spend with him.

We continued to play like kids in the balcony until a word hits my head, then, I paused and his laughter seized thinking it was my turn to take advantage of the moment.

"Thank you," That's the only word that escaped my lips as I captured his eyes in mine.

But it seems like he misunderstood, "What for?"

"You saved me today, I—"

He whined, cutting me off midway. "Oh Triana, please don't be ridiculous. I told you before, I've done nothing, okay?"

"You did something, Dexter." I corrected, fishing the next right word to tell him. "I just can't appreciate you enough. For everything, most especially for what you did for me today."

His chin cups as a smile forms on it. He nods and said, "Come, I'll show you something." Without waiting for me to ask what thing he wants to show me, he took my hand, bringing me closer and now crossing his arm around my shoulders, making our bodies to meet.

During this moment, I feel more than safe, secure, protected and loved. My eyes was looking up at him but he wasn't looking down at mine. His attention was directly towards the sky, defining and explaining moonlight folktales about the galaxies, stars and moon.

Does he realize how much closer we are? Because I literally do. There's no space between us and am just enveloped by his huge tall beefy muscular body like a tower standing behind me. I know I have a small stature and petite body.

"You see these stars?" He started pointing his fingers towards every tiny shining trace that leads to each stars and I just looked at them like am studying something. "Each of them has a million reason for standing up there. When I was growing up, my grandfather would say, each stars signifies humanity. Which means, the day we were born there was a plus one star added to all the stars in the space out there."

"Wow," I gasped.

It sounds so true to me.

"And he further told me that the stars grow bigger as we turn mature everyday. And if babies are born, they have their stars standing up there too."

And that was when I witnessed two bright shining stars standing so close to each other. I thought the myth was a fairy tale but when I saw these two stars, shining the best amongst the rest, my eyes bugged wider. And I gasped, pointing at them like a little kid. "Dexter, look?! Two stars are so close, I've never seen such in my life before."

Stars are supposed to be parted with distance apart, right?

He chuckled, nodding his head, "That is us, Triana. You see? I told you. We have stars too."

"I can't believe stars represent us, I mean, this is crazy."

"I felt the same too when I found out about it." He said and paused for a while.

Later, the both of us beamed, staring at each other eyes wide open. "Shooting star!"

"Let's make a wish." I suggested.

We closed our eyes and each of us had something that we said inwardly within us. But mine was something I hoped for in the future that's yet to come.

Something tantalizing....

I took a deep breath, heaving the cool breeze that sweeps across my face. Life is too precious to be short.

"Of course it's very precious to be short." I jolted, startling from my daze with my eyes widely opened in shock. How the fuck did he know that? Does he reads mind too? Jesus, I'm beginning to fear this guy. He is truly a Duke. That was when I realize he just said that with his eyes closed. But before I could go further with any questions, he added, opening his eyes and now piercing them in mine. "I know a nice place we can go to have a drink."

"A drink?" I whispered, rubbing my arm with my other hand.

"Believe it or not, I know you're shy and not good around people." There he goes again. "But don't worry, I promise you at this hour of the night, lot of people are out of the bar and deadly drunk on the streets or maybe in their homes."

"Okay, just one drink and we'll head back home, right?" I say, still sounding scared to step out. Knowing that the loft is safe with the smart household personal assistant, Frida. And my protection under Dexter's care.

"I don't drink much, so.....I assume you don't too." He winked and I blushed, hiding my face in my palms. Gosh, this guy will murder somebody with his cuteness. I can't even fight back the shyness in me whenever am standing before him, especially...right now.