C21 Strong Emotions

"I can't believe this," he said as he looks at her with utter surprise. Leila could not contain her fear. Not only was the night ruined but maybe even her future. She was certain he was going to tell the principal at her school. Her mother was going to yell and beat her for sure, she believed.

He reaches his hand while holding on to his crutch with his arm. He grabs her hands that were still holding to her sunglasses, causing her to jolt, "it really is you!" he said excitedly, "you're the one who saved my life."

Leila was confused at this moment. She was truly expecting him to yell at her, but she quickly snapped out of her spell as she realized what he meant. He continues, "I had a feeling it was you, and to think I finally found you. You were the one who pulled me out of that burning car, right?"

"Uh... yes," she said as she pulls her hands away from his, "that's right. That was me..." she was uncertain if she should reveal herself in such a manner, but she figured he hasn't actually figured out who she really was.

"I can't believe this," he continues, "I've been dreaming of meeting you ever since then. Before I lost conscience, I saw your face for a brief moment. I thought it was an angel taking me to heaven, but only after I woke up in the hospital, I realized it must have been the one who rescued me. All I ever wanted to do since then was search for that person and was going to spend the rest of my life doing so. To think that I just so happen to find you on a dating app!"

"Oh, is that so? What a coincidence."

"But why did you run away? Why didn't you stay?"

"Oh, I was... just so scared..."

"Scared? But you were so brave to go into a burning car and pull me out."

Leila didn't want to tell him the real reason, that she was afraid of her mother who was demanding her to be home at a specific time. In fact, she feared revealing any information may give him clues to her real identity. She had to think of something before he found out who she really was.

"I got sick."

"Sick?"

"Yes. I'm allergic to smoke. And the smoke got into my lungs and I was getting sick so I ran home."

Dexter was quite confused about this. It wasn't that he didn't believe her but this was quite a strange story, "I never heard of being allergic to smoke."

"It exists. It does," Leila was just making things up as she went along. She was bad when it came to lying on the spot.

"I see," said Dexter, "well, I'm so happy to finally have met you. I wanted to thank you... but I got another confession to make. I don't know how to say this..."

"What is it?" she asked with much anticipation.

"Amber, I must confess, I may have fallen in love with you." Leila was taken back at this as she once again froze in place, "ever since I have seen your face, ever since I have found you on the dating app, and even now that we have met, I've had a feeling of strong emotion in me. I have never felt like this before because no woman has ever made me feel this way. You are the one, Amber. I'm sorry if I am saying this suddenly, but please understand, that I have been alone for so long, looking for the perfect woman who just so happens to be..." he dared not say that he was in love with her because she looked like a younger person. He thought that might lead to her finding out about his secret, "I'm just going to consider this faith. You are the one fated to be with me for the rest of my life! I know it!"