Chapter Fourteen: Sad Goodbye:

Cephalla stood in the bathroom doorway wearing nothing but a towel. Michael tried not to make eye contact.

“Yeah?” he asked.

“Did I do something wrong?” she asked. Michael buried his head in his hands, shaking it.

“No, no,” he said. “You’re fine.”

“I am so sorry for this.”

“You are fine.”

Cephalla took a seat next to him. Michael pressed his lips together. He turned his head to face the wall.

“I don’t understand you,” he admitted.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“I try to push you away, but you keep coming back.”

Cephalla leaned on his arm. Michael contemplated pushing her off, but what would be the use? She glanced up at him with sweet doe-eyes.

“I can’t answer that myself,” she replied. “But I just feel that I have to be near you.”

“Even if I won’t be here long?” he asked. Cephalla’s frown deepened.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

Michael sighed. He didn’t want to have to come down to doing this, but the truth would have to come out eventually. “I’m leaving this island tomorrow morning.”

Cephalla sat up with big eyes. “But why?”

“My boss has called me back to states. He has a new job for me.”

“Can’t you stay?”

“No.” Michael tried not to look at her disappointed face. “Look, this war will be over anyway. There is no point to me staying around.”

“You can’t mean that.”

“Yes, I do.”

She grabbed onto his body, but Michael tried to push her away. “Stop.”

Cephalla grabbed him by the arm again. “Just let me stay like this. Please?”

Michael shook his head. “It wouldn’t work between us. I don’t do long distance relationships.”

“I don’t care.”

“This is what I don’t get about you. Why do you like me so much? What will it take to chase you away?”

Cephalla gave him a little smile. “I’m sorry, you just can’t get rid of me that easily.”

“Yeah, I noticed.”

“It’s a bad habit of mine. Once I see something I like, I don’t give up on it.”

“Yes.” Another thought crossed his mind. “How did you know I was here?”

“One of our neighbors told my grandmother.” The smile died from her face. “Are you really leaving in the morning?”

“Yeah.”

“Could I walk you to the airport?”

Michael shook his head. “There will be no need. I will be gone before you wake up.”

Cephalla gave him a strange look. “What do you mean by that?”

“Aren’t you staying with me tonight?”

Her jaw dropped. “You mean it?”

“Yes!” Michael said aloud. Cephalla wildly hugged him. Michael tried in vain to push her away.

“Come on now,” he said. “Get off.” The photographer managed to push her away. Cephalla pressed her lips together, repressing a laugh.

“Stop,” he said. Cephalla giggled, sticking her tongue out at him.

“How’s your knee?” he asked. The girl looked down at her bandaged right knee.

“Fine,” she said. “It didn’t even hurt when I came here.” Michael gave her a dumbfounded face.

“Really?” he asked.

“Uh-huh,” she replied. “I just pedaled my way here.”

“Wow!” Michael narrowed his eyes at her. “Does your grandmother even know that you are here?”

“Nope,” she replied. “But she probably will.” Her older crush gave off a nervous laugh. I was afraid of that, he thought. He would soon be in for a bigger shock when she said the next thing.

“Kiss me,” she ordered him. Michael came back to reality crashing. His eyes darted back towards his young admirer.

“What?” he asked. Cephalla did her best to look like a sweet little angel.

“You see, I have never had a kiss before in my life,” she replied. The girl grabbed him by the hands. “Please be my first?”

“Uh…” he murmured.

“Please?” Cephalla pleaded. Michael’s eyes darted around the room, nervously. This girl never ceased to throw him for a loop.

“Please?” his young crush begged again. Michael reluctantly dropped his shoulders.

“Alright,” he replied. “Close your eyes.” Cephalla tilted her head at him.

“Why?” she asked.

“Do it,” he said.

“Alright,” the girl answered. She drew her eyes closed. Michael gulped as he could already see where this was headed in his head. Here goes… The photographer leaned and gave her a little peck on the lips. For some reason, he didn’t want to pull away as fast as he had planned. What is this? Why can’t I pull away? About fifteen seconds later, Michael pulled away. Cephalla looked him deep in the eyes.

“Well?” the photographer asked. She rushed forward and kissed him again on the lips. Michael found his mind in another whirlwind. His hands reluctantly reached up for her arms. Before he knew it, the photographer pulled her closer to his body. Cephalla used her weight to try and push his body back on the bed. His head hit the pillow as his mind sank deeper into confusion.

This isn’t right. This isn’t right! However, Michael didn’t know how to stop her. Cephalla sat up, staring at him.

“What’s the matter?” she asked. Michael gulped as he tried to piece together how he wanted to respond to her. Cephalla leaned down for another kiss, but he pushed her away.

“We can’t do this,” he said. “It doesn’t feel right.” She tilted her head at him. Michael held up his hand as she opened her mouth.

“I don’t want the islanders here to chop off my head,” he said. To his surprise, she broke down into giggles. Michael raised an eyebrow at her.

“What?” he asked.

“Yeah, they really love me that much,” Cephalla replied. She crawled into bed and pulled the sheets over her shoulders. Michael’s face burned bright red.

“What are you doing?!” he shouted. She peeked up at him from the sheets.

“What does it look like?” the girl asked. “I’m going to bed.”

“In a towel?!”

“What else can I do? My clothes are too dirty and there is only one bed in this room.”

“Why can’t you sleep somewhere else?”

Cephalla had already fallen asleep. Michael smiled as he shook his head. Good night, he thought. He reached over and turned off the light.

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When Cephalla awoke the next morning, she found herself alone. She couldn’t stop the tears from falling.