“Are we going home?” I asked as we walked holding our hands back to the hut.
“Do you want to go home?”
“Honestly, yes. It looks like we have nothing else to do here because apart from the trees here, I can’t see anything else.” Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate his effort and I love what he did. But I’m just scared here because it’s so quiet. I hope he didn’t misunderstand me.
“We can do something else here.” I stopped walking because of what he said so he also stopped and looked at me. “Why?”
“Nothing.” I stepped forward to go ahead of him because I felt my cheeks turn red from what he said. I don’t know if we have the same thoughts or if I really have a dirty mind.
“Hey, you walk fast. Is there a problem?” he asked but I ignored him. “Wait.” He stopped so I stopped too because he pulled his hand.
“What?!” I ask but the truth is I’m ashamed of myself because of what I’m thinking.
“Hey, calm down, it’s just me. Why are you in a hurry?”
“Why? I want it.” But he only gave me a smile.
“Is it because I said we can do something else?”
“N-no!”
“Why are you blushing?”
“Hot.”
“It’s your thing to blush. You keep getting more and more beautiful.” I glared at him because of what he said and my earlier shyness suddenly disappeared. “You do not believe?”
“I used to be beautiful, you only saw it now because you always fight with me.”
“Nah, I’ve been seeing it for a long time and I just said it now.”
“What?” But before Enrique could answer, the wind suddenly got stronger and I saw his frown. “Something wrong?” I ask.
“It’s like, it’s getting rain.”
“Rain?” Even I was surprised. Although, before we left earlier it wasn’t that hot but there was no sign of rain either. “How is it going to rain?”
“I just feel it, Daddy taught me. Come on, let’s hurry so we can get home and the rain might catch us here.”
We moved fast but after that, the wind got stronger. The surroundings also darkened.
“Climb. It’s dangerous if we get caught here because we don’t have anything with us.” He helped me get on the horse. He first went to the hut to close it. After making sure everything was ok, he then went up and made the horse run.
“YAH!” He made the horse run fast. Unlike before when he was a bit slow, now he is fast. But we hadn’t gone far when the rain started pouring and was accompanied by lightning.
“Ah!” I screamed when suddenly there was lightning. He hugged me tighter with one hand.
“YAH!” he shouted again.
“Enrique, let’s just go back.”
“No, relax. Let’s be quick. We can’t go back because we don’t have anything with us. It’s dark there and we don’t have food either.”
I was nervous because we were surrounded by trees. They say that trees are greedy for lightning especially when wet.
“Pinchy, faster.” And he pulled faster as the rain got heavier and heavier. I also felt sorry for the horse because of her speed. For sure she’s also having a hard time because it’s raining and the way is blurry, add that there are two of us on board. I just hope she doesn’t stumble or else I just don’t know where to pick us up.
I caress the horse’s hair. Secretly praying that she will be fine because our safety depends on her. One of Enrique’s hands was on my stomach while the other was holding the rope. We’re both wet and I’m cold too.
Until I saw the hacienda and we went straight to the mansion. He got down first and helped me get down but went up again.
“Where are you going?” I ask.
“I’ll just take Pinchy to the stable. Go in and get dressed.”
“But—-.”
“I’ll be back.” And he made the horse run until I couldn’t see them because of the rain fog. I followed what he said and entered the mansion.
“Ma’am, are you okay?” The maid greeted me.
“Yeah, where’s my daughter?”
“In your room ma’am, she’s sleeping.” I didn’t answer and went into the room. I found Ixora’s nanny sitting on the side of the crib while my daughter was sleeping. I still couldn’t touch her so I just passed her. It’s ok for me to see her ok.
I took a towel and wrapped it around my body and went out again. Honestly, I’m shivering from the cold but I’d rather meet Enrique because I know he’s cold too because for sure he’ll just walk back to the mansion after delivering the horse.
I’m waiting outside. But a few minutes ago he was not here. My knees are shaking a little and the cold is gnawing at my body.
“Ma’am get dressed first.”
“I am ok, I will wait for my husband here.” Where is he? Maybe it passed out from the cold. I was about to walk to see him when I saw him running. When he got close to me, I handed him the towel.
“What are you doing here? I told you to go inside.”
“I waited for you here, I was worried about you.”
“Come inside and you might get sick.” Both of us went inside together.
“I’m going to take a shower in the other room so you can take a shower in the other room,” I suggested.
“Fine, after you take a shower, go back to our room and I’ll make coffee.” I just nodded in response. I just take a quick shower to remove the rain from my body. I don’t use shampoo, just soap. I put on a pajama suit and then went to Enrique’s room. Just then an assistant came out from inside.
“Sir coffee is already inside, ma’am.”
“Thank you.” When I entered, Ixora’s nanny was still there. Just a few moments later, Enrique came out of the bathroom wearing shorts and a T-shirt.
“You can leave, Mae, we can take of her.”
“Ok, sir.” The assistant left immediately. Enrique approached our daughter and then kissed her and returned to me.
“Drink, to warm you up.” Then he handed me a cup of coffee. He also took one and then drank. We sat together on the bed holding the cup.
“I’m sorry, Dandelion, you got wet because of me. I didn’t expect it. It was clear earlier and there was no sign of rain.”
“It’s ok, I was just a little nervous earlier.”
“Why?”
“Because the horse runs fast and then there is lightning. Maybe he will be surprised and something will happen to him or maybe we will be struck by lightning.”
“Horses can sense lightning. They knew if it was close to them so they were able to avoid it before it landed on the ground. They also don’t just stumble because they have calculated the path, especially if they always go through it. Are you ok now?” he asked me.
“Hmp, I’m just cold because I got a little wet.”
“Want me to hug you?”
“No, it’s fine.”
“I insist.” OMG! I am thrilled, I’ve been waiting so long for him to offer me something like this.
“It’s up to you, I already told me, I’m fine.” But he put down his cup and moved the table then came closer to me. He sat beside me and pulled me closer to him and hugged me. Ok, let’s calm down little pussy, and maybe something else will happen.
“It’s still better to have a hug when it’s cold. Hug me too because I’m cold,” he said so I looked at him.
“Huh?”
“I said, hug me. I’m the only one hugging you and then your two hands are doing nothing.” I put down my cup and slowly put my hand to hug him. “Tighter, princess.” He ordered which I obeyed.
“Is it okay?” I’m off now. I used to do nothing but tease him, but now that I’m the one being teased.
“It’s nice to have a hug, isn’t it?” he asked to which I nodded. “We will do this always. It’s even better if we hug each other when we sleep.”
“You tease me.” But he just laughed and then left.
“I have something to give you. I should give it to the forest before we go home in case the rain is at the wrong time.”
“What’s that?” He stood up and then took something from the drawer and when he came back he handed it to me. “What is this?” I asked as he handed me a red square box.
“Open it.”I opened the box and a customized gold bangles was revealed to me. My name is engraved on it and there are also two dandelion flowers engraved on the side. On the back is written— ‘Stay what you are, princess. -Kisa.
‘I smiled and shuddered because of what I read. But why would he give me a gift?
“Is it beautiful?”
“Yeah, is this for me?”
“Yup. Unless you know another Dandelion.”
“But you gave me the already. Why are there more bangles?”
“Oh! That was supposed to be my gift to you on your eighteenth birthday. I just didn’t give it to you so I just hid it.”
“My debut gift?” I wondered. Why didn’t he give it to me? Dimwit!
“Yup.”
“Why didn’t you give it to me before, why didn’t you come?” I asked because I was still confused. He didn’t come even though he was supposed to be my last dance. Then now he has a present for me. Is he abnormal? He’s messing with my mind.
“I had an accident on my way there. There’s a woman who wants to commit suicide and she crosses the roads. As I wanted to avoid him, I crashed into the tree. I called for help but I couldn’t walk right away because I was stuck. So I called Ervic and told him what happened.”
“Ervic knows?”
“Yes, your brother Dylan also knows because he asked his staff to find me. So when we talked on the phone I told him not to tell you what happened because I don’t want you to worry about me. Even Ervic, I told him. I don’t want to mess up your b-day.”
“But it’s already messed up because you didn’t come. You know that I will be waiting for you at that time.”
“But not the same if you know what really happened. You can’t focus and maybe you will sneak just to see me.” I couldn’t answer what he said. All I really thought was that he was skipped for my bday.
“When I was ok at the hospital the party was over.”
“Why did not you tell me? Why do you let me believe that you didn’t really come?”
“Because I think it’s the best way. I thought maybe it’s good that it happened so you don’t have to rely on me anymore.”
“Enrique.”
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry for hurting you since then. I’m sorry I scolded you and you think I didn’t appreciate you. Everything I showed you was just my defense mechanism because I don’t want to get hurt.” He wiped my tears that started to fall.
“I don’t get it.”
“Hailey was my first love-I think coz I am not sure either. When she said there was no hope for us, I could handle it and was not affected because I didn’t really rely on her. I gave up on him easily and didn’t fight because I didn’t like it that much. But you, you are different. Ever since Ervic brought you here, I think of you differently. But I stopped when you introduced yourself as the girl I helped. And when you told me you loved me, I can’t erase you from my mind. Since you guard me, I feel different about you. I stopped myself because I didn’t want to gamble with you and I thought you were young and maybe you were just infatuated. I’m afraid to gamble because I feel different and I might not be able to handle it when you get tired of me and leave me.”
“What do you mean?”
“Do you think I don’t notice you? I just hold myself to love you because I thought you were just infatuated with me. You have no idea how I stopped myself every time you’re near. But I’m afraid, I’m afraid you might change and hurt me. I don’t want to get hurt because I know when you become mine, and you will hurt me. I will kill and crash anyone just to get you back to me.”
“I’m not going to hurt you, I already know that I love you. You hurt me.”
“I’m sorry for that. And take note that now you are mine, now that I have confessed everything to you—–you are truly mine and nothing can take you back. You can’t even leave my life because you belong here.”
“Enrique.”
“You heard it? you are mine and I stand by it because we are together forever. You’re fucking mine, Dande, mine alone.” Did he call me Dande? OM—-I was shocked when he kissed me.