Chapter 22:Beneath Me,The Blue Sky

The world felt eerily silent after Caesar's confession.

Blythe stared at him, her blue eyes wide with surprise. The air between them was heavy, charged with something unspoken, something fragile.

Caesar, for once, didn't overthink. He had already put his heart on the line. Now, all he could do was wait.

"…Say something," he finally muttered, avoiding her gaze. His fingers curled into fists, his nerves eating away at his usual guarded expression.

Blythe opened her mouth, then hesitated. She took a breath, glanced at the sky as if searching for words, and then met his eyes.

"Caesar…" she started, her voice softer than usual. "I… I don't know what to say."

A cold pit formed in his stomach. He had been prepared for rejection. But somehow, hearing hesitation felt even worse.

"That's… fine," he said quickly, forcing himself to sound indifferent. "You don't have to answer now."

Blythe frowned. "It's not that I don't want to answer, it's just…" She bit her lip, struggling. "I don't want to ruin what we have."

He blinked. "Ruin?"

"You're my best friend, Caesar. You mean so much to me. I don't want to rush into something and then—" She sighed, shaking her head. "I don't want to lose you."

Her words hit him harder than he expected. He wasn't sure what to say. Should he tell her that he had already fallen too deep? That no matter what happened, he could never see her as just a friend again?

Before he could answer, a sudden gust of wind swept through, making Blythe's platinum blonde hair dance wildly. She let out a small yelp as the wind knocked her balance, and Caesar instinctively reached out, grabbing her wrist to steady her.

They froze.

His fingers, rough yet warm, wrapped around her skin. Her breath hitched, and she looked up at him, her lips slightly parted.

The moment was fragile—delicate, like a glass on the verge of shattering.

Blythe was the first to move, gently pulling her hand away. "Let's… let's not talk about this here."

Caesar exhaled sharply, stepping back. "Fine."

---

A Night of Restlessness

Caesar lay in bed that night, staring at the ceiling. His mind replayed the conversation over and over, analyzing every word, every hesitation.

He had finally said it. He had confessed.

And she hadn't given him an answer.

A part of him wanted to believe that hesitation was a good thing. If she had rejected him outright, that would have been the end. But uncertainty meant there was a chance—right?

His chest felt heavy. He closed his eyes, but sleep never came.

---

The Unexpected Getaway

The next day, Zach, of all people, interrupted Caesar's brooding.

"Hey, loser." Zach leaned against Caesar's desk in the classroom, smirking. "We're going somewhere this weekend. You're coming."

Caesar frowned. "What?"

Blythe, who had been quiet since the confession, suddenly perked up. "Where?"

Zach grinned. "The beach."

Caesar blinked. "The beach?"

"Yeah. A little getaway. You two have been all weird and moody lately. I'm sick of the tension." Zach crossed his arms. "So, we're going. No excuses."

Caesar glanced at Blythe. She looked surprised but not opposed to the idea.

"…Fine."

Zach clapped his hands together. "Great. Pack your bags. We leave after school tomorrow."

---

The Ocean and the Truth

The drive to the beach was long, but strangely peaceful. Caesar watched as the scenery shifted from city streets to open highways, then to the vast blue of the ocean.

They arrived just before sunset. The air smelled of salt, and the waves crashed rhythmically against the shore.

Zach immediately ran toward the water, stripping off his shirt and yelling something about "freedom."

Blythe laughed, shaking her head. "He's ridiculous."

Caesar, however, couldn't focus on Zach's antics. His gaze remained on Blythe, who looked breathtaking under the fading sunlight. Her platinum blonde hair shimmered, her blue eyes reflecting the colors of the sky.

He sighed. "Blythe."

She turned to him. "Yeah?"

"…Can we talk?"

Her smile faded slightly. She nodded. "Yeah. Let's walk."

They strolled along the shoreline, their feet sinking into the cool sand. For a while, neither of them spoke.

Then, Blythe finally broke the silence. "I've been thinking about what you said."

Caesar's heartbeat quickened.

Blythe took a deep breath. "You're important to me, Caesar. More than you know. But I don't want to make a decision just because I feel pressured."

"I'm not pressuring you," he said quietly.

"I know." She offered a small smile. "That's why I wanted to come here. To clear my head."

She stopped walking, turning to face him. "I don't want to say yes just because I feel something in the moment. I want to be sure. And I think I finally am."

Caesar's breath caught in his throat.

Blythe reached out, taking his hand. "Caesar… I like you too."

The words hit him like a wave, washing over him, overwhelming and real.

His fingers tightened around hers. "You do?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I do."

A slow, genuine smile spread across his face. He didn't know what to say. For the first time in a long time, words weren't necessary.

Blythe laughed softly. "You're really bad at this romantic stuff, huh?"

Caesar chuckled, shaking his head. "Yeah."

"Well, lucky for you," she teased, "I think you're cute when you're awkward."

The tension that had weighed on him for so long finally disappeared.

Under the vast, endless sky, with the ocean singing its timeless song, Caesar finally felt at peace.

And as Blythe squeezed his hand, smiling up at him, he knew.

This was the start of something beautiful.