I couldn’t do anything when he started walking towards the stairs. This hotel was small compared to the one owned by Ismael, but the interiors were sophisticated. Unlike Ismael’s hotel, which had a touch of white, gold, and glass, this one was black and red with a hint of wood.
He opened the door with the keycard, and a beautiful and clean room suddenly appeared before us, even its fragrant smell, very familiar.
“You can sleep on the bed in the meantime while we wait for the storm to stop. I’ll be on the couch, so don’t worry,” said Ismael before he took the box of cake from me. He placed it in the refrigerator.
“Take a shower first,” I said, stopping him and looking at me. I could see in his eyes that he wanted to make sure of what I meant. “I mean, you got wet in the rain. I’ll just take a shower after you’ve finished, before I go to bed.”
“Alright.”
He went straight to the bathroom. I don’t know why he stayed there so long, so I didn’t even realize I was dozing on the carpet while waiting.
“Tsk. Such a sleepyhead.” I heard the man’s voice, so I was startled. I was just surprised when someone picked me up and laid me on the bed.
Ismael?
Our eyes met. He could see that I was awake now. We stared at each other for a few seconds, and I couldn’t help but stare at his lips, tempting me to possess them.
“Sorry, did I wake you up?” he inquired. “I was just worried because you slept on the floor. You might catch a cold.”
I shook my head. “I-I’m fine. I just slept on the floor for a moment because I was waiting for you. Thank you; I’ll take a shower now.”
I quickly got up before heading to the bathroom. I clutched my racing heart. Just seeing his face up close made me feel like I was going crazy. It was hard to breathe, especially since we were in the same room together. How could he control himself? Meanwhile, everything was just coming back to me. It’s hard to forget.
I came out of the bathroom after taking a shower. I was wearing my bathrobe while drying my hair with a towel. I saw Ismael on the couch. He was lying there. Is he asleep?
I walked over to him to peek at him. He was asleep. I took the blanket from the bed before I covered him. He was wet from the rain earlier; he would definitely be cold if he was only wearing a bathrobe.
“What are you doing?”
I almost leapt when I heard his voice. I thought he was asleep!
“Ahh, n-nothing. I just woke you up,” I replied nervously when I saw his eyes open. If I had known he would wake up, I wish I hadn’t woken him up! “To be fair, you can have the blanket because I’ll be the one sleeping in the bed,” I said.
“How can you say that it was fair?” he asked, but it seemed he was talking about something else.
“H-ha? Why? Do you want to sleep in the bed? Because if so, I’ll be the only one here, but leave me the blanket,” I said.
He sighed. “Are you dense or are you doing it on purpose?” My forehead furrowed. “Are you really okay after all that happened or are you just like me, pretending?”
His questions were serious, just like the way he looked at me. I knew it; he was referring to something else. I knew, but I couldn’t face it. I was scared.
“Let’s go to sleep.”
*****
It was morning, and the rain had stopped. The typhoon had apparently left the country, so Ismael and I decided to return to the resthouse.
Miss Levanier greeted me with a radiant smile. I also saw Miss Sapphire in the cottage, as well as Erl, Caylie, Zedee, Mill, and Miss Ayu, along with the rest of the LMC.
“How are the two of you? Have you two fixed your relationship?” Miss Levanier asked, clearly excited. I also noticed Caylie and Zedee glancing at each other and giggling at the same time.
What’s with them?
“No?” I replied with a frown before placing the cake on the table that Ismael and I had bought. “Happy birthday, Erl!” I greeted her enthusiastically.
Miss Levanier’s and Miss Sapphire’s smiles immediately disappeared.
“My birthday?” Erl asked in surprise while pointing to herself. Caylie nudged her. “Huh? Oh, yes, it’s my birthday! Today is my birthday! Thank you, Jothea!”
She hugged me. “Nothing, but-”
“Seriously?” Miss Levanier exclaimed, cutting off what I’m about to say. “After all my efforts, you and my cousin still haven’t made up?” Disappointment was evident on her face. “Where is he? Why aren’t you together?”
“Huh? Ah, he just parked his car? I came up before him,” I replied softly.
She just sat down and patted her head. “We’re all going home, but nothing happened.”
She walked out, but after a few minutes, she came back. She was with Ismael, and it seemed like they were having a serious argument.
“No! I won’t take Jothea! You take her! How dare you? She’s living in a small studio-type room, and you’re just letting her in? You have a lot of rooms in your hotel; you have a lot of money; you can even buy her a piece of land; why are you not doing it?”
I was speechless when I heard that from Miss Levanier. I didn’t know that she also overreacts.
I noticed Mr. Roize looking at me as if he was examining me. He smiled and shook his head. He was already carrying some of our luggage.
Hey. The day was going by so fast. I didn’t even enjoy our two-day, one-night outing here in Tagaytay very much. I didn’t even take a bath in the hot spring. I hope they enjoyed it, even though I didn’t feel it because Ismael and I had experienced storm on our way.
Just like Miss Levanier wanted, they left me at the rest house with Ismael. They hurried the car away.
Ismael cleared his throat, which is why I glanced at him. “Let’s go in the car?”
I nodded. “Okay.”
He opened the door for me before putting my small suitcase in the back. I just waited for him inside the car while watching him.
I couldn’t help but smile as I remembered what happened last night.
He walked into the driver’s seat. “Jothea, where-” I cut him off. When he turned to me, I immediately grabbed him and kissed him.
“Baby, call me baby, love.”
A smile drew on his lips while we kept on kissing each other’s lips. He held my head as he deepened the kiss. “Alright, baby.”
*****
“Let’s go to sleep.” I was about to leave when he grabbed my arm.
“We won’t sleep until we talk, Jothea.”
My tongue froze. I was even more scared because of the way he spoke.
He stood up before making me sit next to him. I felt like a child who couldn’t face him because of nervousness and shyness. I was losing my courage.
“W-what are we going to talk about?” I asked, but he didn’t answer. Silence enveloped the two of us.
I mustered up the courage to gaze upon him, I saw him staring at me. I was already defeated. Just by his gaze, my entire being was dissolving. “I want to fix this, Jothea. I want us to get back together. I want you back,” he said bluntly.
I didn’t know those words were that easy to say, but they were so hard for me to do. I was driven by fear that he might not accept me back because of the sin I had committed.
“How about you?”
I bowed my head again. Even saying what was in my heart was difficult for me. Ismael and I had agreed on this before, that I would be honest with my feelings, but why couldn’t I do it? Should I just let him disappear completely when he was the one coming to me when I should be the one doing it because I was the one who left?
But how?
I heard his sigh.
“Am I the only one who wants this?”
My throat became blocked. Even my nose was stung by the pain. My tears were starting to fall again.
“Do you really not want me anymore?”
My heart broke because of his questions. God knows that I wanted him back. I love him with all of my heart.
“Do you no longer love me?”
I bit my lower lip hard. I can’t stand the sight of his face pleading with me. Why can’t I speak? A simple yes and no, mouth can’t even get it out.
“Kiss me if your answer is yes. Slap me if your answer is no.”
I gulped.
“Do you want me back?”
I want to cry. He’s the one who does know how to beg. He’s the one who always makes things right for a coward like me. I’m really stupid for letting him be like this.
“Jothea, I’m waiting…”
He lifted my chin, and because of that, he saw my eyes full of tears. “W-why? Why do you still want to continue? I’m already giving you a chance to find someone who’s more worthy of you.”
He blinked; it seemed like he didn’t expect what he heard from me.
“I don’t want that chance but a chance to put things between us together. Why don’t you understand it?”
“Because even my body, which is all I can give you, has been defiled by others! What else can I give you in exchange for the love you give me?”
“Your heart! Your heart, Jothea! That’s the only thing I want in this world. Just love me; I will be complete. Your heart is what I want, and you can give it to me easily by opening it for me. All you have to do is speak out your heart-nothing else, nothing more. It is more than enough.”
He caressed my face. “What does your heart really want? I want to know.”
I kept staring at him, and a memory came back to me.
His face… I’ve seen it before. And this familiar place, I’ve been to. And he’s the one who brought me here.
“You.”