7 The Talk

When we arrived at our destination, Kyle took sweaters from the back and handed me one. "You might need this later," he said mysteriously.

"Are we going to be here all night," I asked, taking the sweater from him.

"Only until sunset my sweet," he says as he leaned down and gave me a short kiss.

He took my hand and we walked towards the entrance that read Table Mountain and I gasped!

"How did you know?" I exclaimed.

I was speechless. Table Mountain was always on the top of my bucket-list. Rita and I wanted to come here for the longest time but we always got caught up with work or something. And now she was lying in a hospital bed..

"I happened to watch your interview on Saturday Night Live the other day, purely by default," he explained, "I was scheduled to perform a song from my new album after your interview and I was watching backstage . So during the interview you said that Table Mountain was on your bucket-list. So here we are.." he gestures with his hands.

"And you remembered" I asked,looking at him with puppy-eyes. I really was touched.

"I'm not ashamed to say-but yes I did," he said, staring down at his shoes.

"Well, I thought I would never see the day! " I laughed as I playfully hit him on his shoulder.

"What?" he said, trying to act surprised.

"You're actually capable of being shy!" I teased, "It looks cute on you though," I smiled.

"I follow you on social media as well," he said under his breath, not meeting my eyes.

"So do I," I said, walking away with a swing in my step. Leaving a gaping Kyle.

"Stalker!" He says jokingly, grabbing my hand once again as we continued to walk to the entrance. "So is it like your personal accounts or do you get your PR team to manage your social media?" he asks.

"I think I am more than capable of handling my own accounts on social media," I laughed.

"So, are you saying that you're like my fan or something?" He teased, "I didn't think you had time to pay attention to a small time musician like myself,"

"Kyle," I said "don't push it" I roll my eyes at him and he rolled his back.

"FYI I'm paying our entrance fee," he says firmly.

"Oh, I don't have a problem with that honey," I said batting my lashes.

"What are you up to? Why did you agree so easily?" He eyes me suspiciously.

"I forgot my purse in the car," I mumbled quickly.

"Ahhh-huh. ..Well you should do that more often baby," he laughs and hands over the money to the attendant.

"Come this way please" our tour guide said.

We had barely made it past the gate when we heard someone shout "OMG ! It's Kyle Kinley!"

Next thing we were surrounded by adoring fans, mostly female of cos. And they all seemed oblivious to the fact that he was standing hand in hand with another female in tow..

"Never mind me," I muttered under my breath.

Kyle was just too popular for his own good. And he was so modest, which made it even worse.

"I'm so sorry babe. I really wanted this to be special for us," Kyle said morosely as he attended to his adoring fans.

Kyle signed a few autographs and took apics with his fan with ease. Fortunately for us, the place wasn't that crowded today, so he managed to disperse the fans faster than usual.

"I am really sorry about that," he apologized again.

"No need to apologize, it isn't really your fault. Besides the fans are everything," I said, "plus I guess I'm going to have to get used to it," I said laughing.

"You're the best do you know that?" He smiles his million dollar smile, causing my heart to leap.

We got to the cable cars and we jumped in. "It's not to late to back out if you're afraid of heights," he joked.

"I wouldn't dream of it" I replied.

"Why I wouldn't expect anything less from the woman that does skydiving and bungee jumping as hobbies. This is probably a walk in the park for you," we both laugh.

The cable car starts to glide across and we just pretty much enjoy the view.

We sat in a very comfortable silence,side by side, with my head resting on his shoulder. We watched the sunset and it was a beautiful mix of gold, yellow , orange and red colors. It was breathtaking. The sun illuminated Kyle's features and he looked like a skillfully carved bronze statue..with unruly hair.

"The view is so beautiful," he said breaking the silence, "almost as beautiful as you," he said rubbing his hand against my cheek.

"Oooh, is that a compliment?" I batter my lashes and pout.

"I'm sure you have heard that one time to many? " He laughs. Suddenly his face grew serious.

He grabs my hand and looks me straight in the eye and says, "Maya, I really like you and I want to be with you. Exclusively,"he puts emphasis on the last word and I laugh nervously. "I rarely ask a girl this but I think we have something special and I think we can try us and see how far we can go.What do you say?" he says still staring into my eyes. He looked so vulnerable and he caught me off-guard. I must say I was not expecting this.

"Kyle, this is so sudden," I manage to blurt out.

"I know but why should we go around in circles, like some soppy couple in a -in a romance story on Wattpad. I like you and I want to be with you. All you have to do is tell me whether you want us to be together or not. It's that simple," he says firmly.

"You-you read Wattpad ?" I laugh.

"Is that all you took from what I just said?" He shook his head. "I just poured out my heart to you and you're making jokes out of it," he sighs deeply, anguish all over his face. He looks like a wounded animal.

I turn his face towards me and I feel bad for hurting him. He's been so kind and attentive to me. I'm practically a stranger to him but he has gone put of his way to take care of me. "Kyle, I'm sorry," I apologized. I turn away from him unable to meet his gaze.

"Any kind of relationship we have would never work. We are from two different worlds-and our schedules would clash-and-I-I, I've never been in a steady relationship. In fact I don't think I even know how to relationship" I confess quietly twisting my hands in my lap.

"Maya, I-," he started but I cut him off before he could continue.

"Let me finish, while I still have the courage okay?" I plead, still not looking up.

"Everyone I have ever loved always ends up getting hurt, or dead," I said, " My parents were killed in a car crash-they died on the spot. Then there was this guy that I was dating-and was beginning to like him-he died in a motorcycle accident.. Then when I tried to move on with another guy-he had a heart attack and died suddenly. He was only 22..and-now -there's Rita and-and Richard. I don't even know what's going to happen to them, " I whimpered, close to tears.

"Maya, babe..that wasn't your fault. Bad things happen all the time. We don't have control of them most of the time. But we can't blame ourselves... or live in fear for that matter. So sto grasping at straws and just take a chance on us," he said pulling me into his arms and gently,rubbing my back, "You deserve to love and be loved in return," he said his voice breaking. "I care enough to be patient with you," he continued, "because I think you're worth it."

"Don't waste your time trying to love someone like me, you'll only get hurt..and you deserve better," I pleaded, looking up at him. Tears in my eyes.

"Baby, don't make that decision for me. Only I get to decide whether you're worth my time or not,"he says as he wipes my tears away.

"But you don't understand-" I try to argue.

"I don't wanna hear it okay?" he says firmly, "Now stop this crying thing- and-let's try and take this, one day at a time okay? Sounds good?" He says gently with a smile on his handsome face. He holds my face in between his hands and gives me a lingering kiss.

We lapsed into silence once again until the end of the ride. Kyle helped me out and we walked back to the car hand in hand. He grabbed me into a tight, warm embrace. I brought my arms around his neck and we stayed that way for a while. Not even saying a word. Just basking in the warmth and safety of the embrace. He opened the car door for me and I slid in.

"You're ready to go see our "patients" now?" He asked.

"Yeah, I guess I am," I respond as I put on the seat belt..

"I have another song for you," Kyle says as he flips though his IPod again.

"Oh no," I laughed.

"Here goes," He smiled.

No Brainer by DJ Khaled and Justin Bieber starts blaring through the speakers and I laugh while I face-palm myself.

"Special dedication babe," Kyle starts to sing to me again as we drive off into the sunset.