NovelEnglish"I've beening back to see you over the years, but the Olson family's mess just never got sorted. I was scared of dragging you into danger, so I kept it all bottled up, spending my days zoning out to your pictures." As Abner recalled past events, a fleeting harshness crossed his face, but he quickly reined it in. "I couldn't bear the thought of hurting you, always worried I'd lose control and you'd end up getting kidnapped because of me. If I ever did that, it could've been the end of us. So, I had no choice but to wait. Wait until my troubles were over, until things with the Olson family settled down. That wait turned into five years." All those days, he got by on just the thought of her. Whenever another guy showed up around Shirley, he'd be irrationally irate. Luckily, Shirley never seemed interested in dating, which gave him speace of mind, albeit with a bittersweet taste. Their chance meeting at the mall felt like a first encounter to Shirley, but for Abner, it was one of countless times he had seen her. He had seen her walking through the snow, chatting on the deck, talking to male classmates. Every smile, every frown of Shirley's was etched deep into his mind.
No one adored Shirley more than he did; he wanted to keep her all to himself in an almost pathological way. Yet, he feared that revealing every little detail would make her think he was sick, scare her away. So, he had to pretend, act like his feelings for her were just casual. Abner's love for Shirley was total, but he dared only show a fraction of it. And that tiny fraction had already overwhelmed Shirley.
"Abner, I thought..." She had assumed he was embarrassed about being with an older woman, which was why he kept their relationship under wraps. Slipping the ring onto her finger, she buried herself in his embrace. Abner, towering over her, enveloped herpletely in his arms. He glanced at the group chat, where friends were teasing him about his long pursuit of Shirley, saying he still hadn't won her over. He couldn't be bothered to look anymore, ruffling Shirley's hair with a hand before leading her upstairs.
Surrounded by the sound of waves, the moment the door shut, Shirley was pinned down. Abner's movements were wild, as if he couldn't get enough of her.
"Shirley." "Shirley." He called her nseveral times, lost in emotion. Their ring-adorned hands intertwined tightly. Shirley looked up at him but had to avert her gaze from the intensity.
"Look at me." Abner's other hand was on her chin, insisting. "Am I that ugly? After all this time, you've never really looked at me." Or was it that she was unsatisfied with his looks? But it was too late for returns now.
Inwardly, Shirley rolled her eyes. It wasn't dissatisfaction but too much satisfaction that made her shy away. Abner's kisses fell again, as if he wanted to merge her into his being. From the bright daylight to the starry sea night, they were entangled all through the night. Later, Abner opened the window to let the sea breeze in. Shirley nestled in his arms, gazing at the stars above the sea. Their current life felt like a dream; she was tired but afraid to sleep. Everything with Abner had happened so fast; it left her feeling surreal. Abner, leaning against the bed, gently patted her back. Aside from the sound of the waves, it seemed only their heartbeats filled the room. This was what Abner had always wanted: to hide away with Shirley where it was just the two of them, so she could only have eyes for him. He looked down at her, and Shirley looked up to meet his gaze. Abner smiled and softly said, "Honey."
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