In the middle of the night, half asleep, I vaguely sensed someone standing by my bed, quietly watching me.
Slowly, I felt a gentle touch on my cheek.
It was that person caressing my face.
A shiver ran down my spine, and I instantly woke up, fumbling in fear and panic for the light switch.
When the light came on, I saw it was Tate.
His eyes squinted slightly, reacting to the sudden bright light.
Me:"..."
Is he crazy?
I pulled my blanket tighter around me. "How did you get in?"
Tate opened his hand, and there it was—the key to my apartment.
I had completely forgotten to ask for it back before he left!
I couldn't help but scold him, "If you sneak in like this in the middle of the night again, I'm calling the police."
Tate pressed his lips together. "I'm sorry."
Still angry, I said, "Are you a stalker? You almost scared me to death, you know that?"
He softly replied, "I missed you."
I was at a loss for words.
Gathering my thoughts, I jumped out of bed, confiscated his key, and took him to Siena's door to return him.
After a few rings, Siena groggily opened the door, looking at me and then at Tate, a bit confused. "What's going on?"
I said, "He snuck out and came into my place."
"Ah?" Siena seemed like she wanted to laugh but held it in. "What's up with this guy?"
"Take him back and give him a good talking to." I turned to Tate. "Go on in."
Tate lowered his head and didn't move.
Siena pulled him inside.
I stood in front of her door for over a minute before heading back home.
……
The next day, I slept in until late morning. Zaiden called to tell me he had just visited the hospital's head of equipment and had a dinner meeting later, which would probably end after seven.
Even though he was busy during the day, he mentioned seeing in the news that there would be a Capricornid meteor shower tonight, best viewed in a dark, open area in the suburbs.
He meant to take me hiking.
I was already feeling tired.
That evening, when Zaiden came to pick me up, he was driving a luxurious car.
I was surprised. "Where'd you get this car? You didn't buy it just to go hiking, did you?"
"Borrowed," he replied curtly. "Didn't you say you faint whenever you exercise?"
I chuckled as I got into the car.
He glanced at his watch. "The best viewing time is between 8 PM and 11 PM before the moon rises. We'll make it."
At the end of the road leading to the mountain summit, there were already some astronomy enthusiasts and couples gathered.
We got out of the car and started walking. I don't know if I was just being paranoid, but I couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching me.
Zaiden purposely told a ghost story to scare me.
I angrily scolded him and then, trembling, grabbed onto the strap of his backpack.
Zaiden burst out laughing.
I looked up at the sky and couldn't help but worry. "The clouds are so thick. Are we not going to be able to see it?"
Zaiden replied, "The effect might be a bit diminished."
I was disappointed. "I worked so hard to climb up here."
He handed me a bag of chips.
And just like that, I was happy again.
When we reached the summit, a cool mountain breeze swept over us.
From here, we could see the lights of the entire city.
Zaiden stood beside me and took my small hand in his.
Sensing that the atmosphere was a bit off, I quietly pulled my hand away.
The truth is, I had a crush on him back in middle school.
Zaiden, Zaiden—such a nice name.
Just saying it gave me a fluttery feeling.
But then he got together with another girl and went to college in a different city. My feelings for him faded away as my teenage years came to an end.
Drizzles of rain started to fall, landing on my face.
Great, it was getting heavier.
Fortunately, Zaiden was well-prepared and had brought rain gear and an umbrella.
There was no chance of seeing the meteor shower now. He put the hood of my raincoat over my head, getting ready to head back down the mountain.
The path back was dark and slippery, and I vaguely saw a familiar figure ahead.
At first, I thought it couldn't be, but the closer I got, the more certain I became.
Tate was wearing a black hoodie, almost blending into the night. He stood in the rain, like a wet dog, his lips pressed together as he looked at me in the darkness.
"Why did you sneak out again?" I asked in disbelief, looking around. "How did you get up here? Did Siena bring you?"
He shook his head.
Zaiden looked at him, raising an eyebrow.
After getting him into the backseat of the car, I pulled out a towel, covered his head, and began wiping the water off his face and hair.
"We're over ten kilometers from the city," Zaiden asked. "How did you get here?"
"Took a cab," Tate replied, his eyes downcast.
To prevent him from getting lost, I had indeed taught him how to take a taxi and made sure he memorized our home address.
"So, you were following us," Zaiden said with a laugh. Zaiden burst out laughing.
Tate gently squeezed my hand.
His hand was cold.
When the car stopped outside the neighborhood, Tate and I got out one after the other. Conveniently, the rain had stopped just as we arrived.
Zaiden opened the car door and stepped out. "Do you want me to go in with you?"
"It's late, so it's fine," I said. "I'll just take Tate back and head to bed."
Zaiden was silent for a couple of seconds before a smile tugged at his lips. "Alright."
