The Secret Between Us
Chapter 13

His lips as always take me to another universe, and his happiness at my question is the best prize of all. I would love it to be a real wedding, one that would unite us before God and the whole world, but it’s not possible, that would result in tragedy.

-I love you. – I say against his lips and he smiles.

-I love you. Thank you for showing me how much you love me by doing something like this. – she whispers to me.

I caress his face delicately, I get lost in his gaze and smile at him -You know I’d give you a real wedding without a minute’s hesitation, but… -I know.

-I know, but for me this will be the real one, no matter what happens. – She answers me and sometimes I wonder what I did to deserve a love like the one she gives me. We are a bulletproof love, no matter how many battles we have to fight, we will always try just to be like this looking at each other the way we look at each other now.

-Mia, Izan…” Santino calls out to us and we quickly turn to look at him.

-We are ready. – I tell him, taking the hand of the woman I choose as my wife every day no matter what it says on a piece of paper.

Santino smiles and stares at us – when Izan called me to ask me for this favour, the truth is that I thought I had lost my mind. I couldn’t understand why he needed this union with you so badly. – he says to Mia and she smiles, “After asking him a few questions, he explained everything you meant to him, how they would rather live their love the way they do than be separated forever, and I realised that even though he thought he knew what love was, he was completely wrong. Love is not just being with that person when things are going well and there is a possibility of a future together, love is being together even though you know that possibility is almost non-existent. I have never met a couple like the two of you, who look at each other the way you do and that every minute you spend together is a memory that makes you survive until you can see each other again. That’s why I agreed to be this kind of witness in this symbolic union, you two are the clear example of what it’s like to fight for what you feel. So, having said that, you can say your vows. – He tells us in complete excitement as we turn to face each other, facing each other. -Izan De Luca. – says my friend.

-My love…my beauty…precious…- I say and we laugh nervously – you know I can call you in different ways, but in the end the word I say the most is “I love you”, they are two words I never want you to forget because I will always, but always, fight for you even if the whole world is against us. I will always choose you to share everything that happens to me in life, to give you everything I am and these beautiful feelings that are all for you and because of you. – I tell him while I see how his eyes start to crystallize – I would love to promise you a perfect future for both of us, but the only thing I can promise you is that whatever happens, you and I will always be closer than ever, I love you Mia Morelli, and you are and will always be the love of my life. – I finish saying and Santino quickly hands over the small pendant that I had made for both of us – I can’t give you a ring because it would only get you in trouble, but I can give you this pendant that as I said has a key, that key represents that only you can enter my life and do with me what you want always. It’s my way of telling you that I belong to you. – I explain and quickly put the pendant on her.

She looks at me as she realises that now is your moment and laughs nervously, “I’ve never been so nervous in my life, but I also never thought I’d experience something like this and hear such beautiful words from you. – She confesses -where to start? you know you are my love, my bad boy… I always saw myself in your green eyes even the night we met, you changed everything about me. You taught me what it means to be truly in love, that love is only for the brave and you and I have a prize in being brave… no matter what happens, who gets in the way or if the whole universe refuses this thing we have, I will always walk by your side no matter if what we walk through is burning lava. My promise to you tonight and always is to give you the best of me and that you will be part of my life forever and when I say forever, it is forever…” she says and now I am the one who is completely excited while she looks for the other pendant, “I accept to enter your life and do with you what I want always, and I also want you to enter my life and do with it what you want, I give you everything I am today and always. I love you love of my life. – he tells me, leaving me breathless.

-As the groom’s best friend and witness of this union, I declare you husband and wife. – The groom may k**s the bride. – He finishes telling us and feeling this enormous happiness of having sworn eternal love to the woman of my life, I k**s her as if we were inventing a new way of kissing, one where we leave each other our whole heart.