True Love Waits

Sheffield wrapped his arms around Evelyn's waist, and their bodies pressed against each other. "Evelina, have no fear. I'm right behind you."

Biting her lower lip nervously, Evelyn nodded.

"Miss, mister! Would you like for me to take a picture of you two together? Only twenty bucks for one," a man shouted to them, standing by the elephant and pointing to his camera.

"Sure. Take a few," Sheffield said with a grin.

"All right!" the cameraman said gladly.

"I don't like taking pictures," Evelyn muttered.

Never once in her whole life had her pictures been exposed to the press. Carlos was a protective father.

Evelyn thought that Sheffield would ask the cameraman to leave. But he didn't. "Rest your head in my chest. Then, nobody will see your face," he suggested.

She didn't reply, so he leaned forward and blocked her face. "You're here on a trip. You're supposed to relax and have fun. No matter what you were like in the past, nobody knows you here; you can be yoursel and live the way you want. Even though it is only for a few days, you can be happy."

'Live the way I want... I want freedom, ' Evelyn thought bitterly.

The cameraman didn't know what the two were talking about up there. But since Sheffield was blocking Evelyn's face, he couldn't take a satisfactory picture from any angle. After reshooting several times, he started yelling impatiently. "Dude! Don't block your girlfriend. If I can't get the picture right, what are you going to use as a memento of this moment?"

"I'm not his girlfriend!" Evelyn explained hastily.

But with the elephant being so tall and her voice so low, only Sheffield could hear her.

He burst out laughing and leaned back to reveal her face so that the cameraman could take the picture. "Evelina, I don't have a girlfriend. If you want―"

"I don't want anything," she declared firmly.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" he queried. If she did, that would be a problem.

answer his

silence

and moved back to keep

"Don't move away.

stealing another man's girlfriend." He had

was hurting. It was painful to think back about her relationship. "Sheffield," she

"Hmm?"

Too

She needed an outlet.

asked. He could tell that she

was diagnosed with clinical

to her clothes, but still

to go there. Is that okay?" She pointed

the man leading the elephant

know how to find the happiness that I am missing."

you agree, I can help you," he

it dawned on her that he had never told her how old he was. She paused before he could figure out

younger than her. Evelyn assumed

then she might have considered going out with him. But he

know

Evelyn nodded.

you don't have a boyfriend, then I'll chase after you. And if you do have one, I'll steal you away from him." It was love at first

had asked her if she had a boyfriend, she had remained silent.

now, he decided not to be a coward. He felt that she was trying to make him believe that she had a

my name. You're being impulsive," she argued. Even the name

more about each other. You

had thought that