“They’re coming. “
“Who's coming?”
He’s shaking now. But he won’t turn around, and I still can’t see his face.
“They’re coming for us Rowena! Hide!” He shouts, but he’s still sleeping.
“Shhh, shhh, no one’s coming, love.” I say, trying to calm him down.
Something’s hit the window. I turn to see what it is, just as a figure opens up the window. The figure was big and bulky. He smelled like dogs. Usually the scent comforts me, but this one is different. I began to tremble in fear.
“Who are you? What do you want?” I hear my own voice waver as I say this. The figure stays
I wake up just in time as the figure stabs a knife through the body next to me.
I bolt awake to the sound of the loud advertisements in the television. I’ve dropped my pen and notebook when I dozed off. I pick them up and hear loud knocks in my door.
As I opened it, I see Mrs. Tsu’s frowning face glaring at me.
“Keep it down!”
“Sorry, sorry. I fell asleep in the couch.”
She glares at me even more and left without another word.
I turn the television off and sigh. Sweat had trickled through my face. That was the creepiest dream I’ve ever had. It seemed so real. I go to bed and tuck myself in. It says 1:32 am in my alarm clock as I see a fly buzzing through my window. I let my thoughts wander from unicorns to mythical gods, anything to keep myself from remembering the nightmare I just had. Anything, to keep myself from succumbing into fear.
I fell asleep once again. But this time, I don’t dream anything.
***
The next few days, Daniel and I begin our brainstorming. He presents all his prototypes to me as I scribble down quotes about it in my notebook. I feel the tingling familiarity again, but I don’t say anything. Instead, I keep my head low, and avoid eye contacts with him as much as I can. I force myself to look at him every once in a while, just so he doesn’t get suspicious of my avoiding him. I suggest improvements about his illustrations to me and he does the same about my writing. Even with the awkward aura, we manage to finish half of the total 100 required designs for the spring season in less than 2 weeks. Mrs. Cheng is very pleased with us that she’s given all the investors a copy of our samples. Its nerveracking enough presenting an idea to the investors, sending them samples has got to take a lot of guts, even though it seemed that simple. The company had a reputation to keep after all.
We are an incredible team, Mrs. Cheng had said to us when we reported our progress to her. Two peas in a pod. I smile shyly as Riley teases us when I tell him about it on our way to lunch.
“You did a very good job Rowena. I was lucky to have you as my partner.” Daniel says, and I don’t know how I can still stand in front of him when deep inside I know I’m falling. I’m falling? I can’t be falling too fast. I have to remember my dreams, my book, I can’t have distractions right now. Especially not with my co-worker.
“That’s very nice of you to say Daniel, you did just as well.”
I say that to him genuinely. I can’t have my feelings bias my judgements. I remind myself that I have a goal, that I have a dream. And that is where I should put my focus on, not this petty crush.
My good mood finally began flourishing until Martha came to my vision.
“Hi Rowena! You look nice in that sweatshirt. Really hides your belly very well. Mind if I have lunch with Daniel today?” She said.
How can so much evil be inside in this girl? She’s even wearing sparkling shoes for christ’s sake. Literally sparkling shoes.
Glitter was everywhere Martha’s feet landed on. But she was obviously not pleased about all this. She manages to drag Daniel to her table before I can even reply. He was nice enough not to refuse. I sigh. The tightness in my chest, which I didn’t notice ‘till he left is slowly lifting away. Daniel’s expression was sorry. I shake my head and smile at him, so he knows its okay for me.
Why does he even need my opinion about this? He can have lunch with whoever he wants to. But why do I feel this lump in my throat? As if I don’t approve of him having lunch with that bitch? No, I can’t be jealous. I shake my head for what seemed to be the millionth time that day. I’m not jealous, I tell myself.
“Girl, you jealous?” Riley asked.
“No.” I said, rather abruptly.
“You’re jealous. I can see it your eyes.”
“There’s nothing in my eyes”
Riley sighed. “You can be as defensive as you want. But I know in my heart that you’re jealous. “
“Whatever.” I say as I roll my eyes at him.
At lunch, I don’t talk to Riley. I just sit there and let him do all the talking. I nod with disinterest as he asks me unimportant questions. Blah blah blah he goes. I don’t know why I’m like this, but I feel like he’s exposed me, like an open book. I’ve spent enough time with open people that I know how not to be like them.
After lunch, I realize how stupid I am for ignoring Riley. After all, I’ve considered him as the closest thing I’ve ever had to having a bestfriend. That must mean something, right? So as a peace offering, I ask him about the projects he’s been doing. He replied like nothing ever happened that lunch. I’m not sure he knew I was mad at him, but nevertheless, this should make everything better.
“You need any help?” I ask.
“Nah, I can do this. Plus you’ve got a lot more to do with Daniel.” He says ‘Daniel’ with obvious emphasis. He glances towards Martha and Daniel, in the other corner of the room. She still hasn’t let him go yet. Daniel was staring at me while Martha was gaping all over him. He shrugged and formed a gun with his hand and shot himself with it. Martha laughed annoyingly loud. She doesn’t even notice his looking at me. I had to laugh, Daniel laughs too.
When I look at Riley again, he was smirking at me. He was even singing, ‘Daniel and Rowena sitting in the tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G’. I shook my head and smile. It made me think about kissing Daniel. His lips into mine, my hands brushing his beautiful hair. For a while, I stare at nothing, thinking about it, with my mouth half open. Riley’s singing puts be back to reality. I cover my face when I realize I’ve been blushing.
***
3 weeks later, we finally finished the project. Everyone was happy with the results, especially Mrs. Chang.
After work that day, me and Daniel decide to have a little picnic. Even though it was a little late for that. We bought books from the library and read them together.
It was a happy night for me. Just reading and looking at the stars, talking about our dreams in life. I’ve found out a lot about him in our 3 weeks of working together. I noticed that whenever the questions become too personal, he switches the subject into something else, which I absolutely understand. I don’t blame him for not trusting me. After all, it’s not like we’ve known each other for a long time now.
“The stars are beautiful tonight.” I say.
“They’re always beautiful.” He says, but I get the feeling that he’s not talking about the stars.
He’s staring at me. I shift uncomfortably as I realize this. I didn’t even take the chance to put lipstick today.
“Yeah. I just didn’t notice it ‘till now.”
“I’ve always noticed before.” He tells me, still staring at me.
What do I do? I feel myself panicking, I don’t like being looked at for too long.
“Umm, want to grab pizza?” I ask, trying to change the subject. I turn to him, his bright blue google eyes still staring at me.
“Look I-”
“I’m in love with you Rowena.”
No, this is not happening. I don’t believe this is happening.
“I don’t know what to say.”
“These past few weeks have been the happiest I’ve ever been,... I’ve never felt this feeling in my entire life. I’ve been with other girls before but… they’re not like you. You’re smart, professional, witty and all things I thought I m
ight never find in one girl and yet, here you are! I just wanted to tell that, I’m just so happy that you exist and that I get to meet you and that…”
And that what? I think I know what he’s going to say, but I don’t know if I’m ready to hear it.
“And that I love you.” He says it at last and stomach feels like I had eaten fireworks. “Its okay, you don’t have to say it back.” He added.
I found myself speechless. This guy just said the most beautiful things anyone has ever said to me. I never thought I’d hear these words in my entire life. I stare at his eyes, and realize the truth. The truth I’ve been trying to hide for weeks now.
“I love you too.”
His face lifts up into a smile. He hugs me tight and I hug him back tighter. I can’t believe how happy I am. I will remember this for the rest of my life.
He leans toward me, I realize I’ve been staring at his lips. Oh, how it would feel to have his lips on mine. He leans closer, as if he’s read my thoughts and my heart beats faster than ever.
“I want to kiss you.” He whispers.
“Then kiss me.” I tell him, and he does.
He kisses my lightly at first, but the longer we kiss, the more intense it gets. He begins kissing my neck, and oh it feels paradise to me. He had aroused something in me that I had never thought existed before.
We get into my apartment, trying to control our turned-on bodies as we ascend to the stairs. Each heartbeat of mine feels like an atomic explosion. I get my keys and open the door. Quickly we get inside and he kisses me with such passion and starts caressing my ass.
“Nice ass” He says as he smacks it softly. I bit my lip, I can’t control myself now. I’m so horny.
We make our way into my bed as I take his clothes off, pass the bookshelf. We’re half naked as we reach my bed. He’s on top of me now. I open up his zipper and take his pants off, he does the same to my panties. He kisses me all the way down to my...
“Oh, Daniel” I moan in pleasure. He’s so good with his tongue down there, I can’t not moan.
“I want to make you feel good. I want to please you.” He says, and I swear I’m melting. After that, he steadies himself, I feel it, its hard and big. He puts it in position and pushes it forward.
I moan even more, I don’t care if Mrs. Tsu hears it.
He kisses me all over my body and I can’t help but want even more.
Every push and pull felt like heaven. Oh Daniel. His scent is all over me. I can’t think straight anymore. We are gasping for air when we finish. He kisses me one last time in my forehead. So familiar...
We both fell asleep after, and I dream again.
I’m looking at the mirror, wearing the purple lingerie. I’ve dreamt this before, I know what’s going to happen. I hear the clink of the door, and just as I thought, footsteps start coming towards me. I walk to where footsteps came from and find him standing there, outlined by the streetlights. As usual I say, “Honey, you’re here.”
I’ve expected myself to wake up, but I don’t. Instead I keep dreaming this time, and was able to finally see his face. When the man turned around, I was able to see Daniel’s face.
I wake up suddenly. Daniel is the man in my dreams, I realize. But that can’t be true, impossible. I’ve never met him before. I turn to my side expecting him to be there, but he’s not. Maybe it was all just a dream. But I know, last night was real, if not then, why am I naked right now?
I don’t know why Daniel snuck out of the apartment. But for all I know, maybe he’s just in a hurry. What time is it anyway?
I look at the clock, its 8 am. I’m late for work again.
I quickly do my morning routine and go to work.
When I arrive at work, I find myself anticipating to see Daniel. I ask Riley, he says he didn’t see Daniel this morning.
I didn’t see Daniel for the rest of the day. I don’t know why. Didn’t he just say to me, the other night that he loved me? Maybe it was joke. If it was, then it certainly pissedme off.
Days pass. Daniel still hadn’t showed up at work. People are beginning to wonder where he’s been. I tell them I don’t know. Martha is spreading lies about it, that attention seeking bitch. She’s been telling everyone about Daniel going on vacation and that he’s asked her to come with her.
“Then why are you still here?” I ask when I overhear her talking.
“Eavesdropping much?” she says, and I roll my eyes at her. “Oh, just drop it down Rowena, I know you’ve always been jealous of me. And now you can’t handle it that Daniel prefers me. How could you ever think that Daniel would want someone like you?”
I ignore her and walk away. I murder Martha inside my head a lot of times as I walk home. I wasn’t assigned any new work anyway.
The next day I am called at the meeting room with Mrs. Cheng, 2 days after we’ve passed final output to her. Presenting it to the entire office had been fun, since Daniel had gotten along with almost everyone in the office. He’s even close with Julius, the office janitor. Daniel is all kinds of nice and pretty, and everyone wants to get along with him.
I remember when we finished with our presentation that day, everyone in the room clapped. It was by far the best project I’ve had since day 1 here at Greetings Corp.. After the presentation. All of the office staff went to a bar to celebrate, I didn’t go with them.
“Are you listening, Rowena?” Mrs. Cheng asked.
“Yes.” I say, even though I’m not.
“Oh there you are Daniel!”
I look around and there he is, entering the meeting room. I want to ask so many questions, but I control myself. I don’t want to look like I’m not a professional. I don’t want to look like I care.
“Sorry for being absent Mrs. Cheng. I was sick and I didn’t have anyone to tell you for me.” He continues talking, ignoring me, like I don’t exist at all. I don’t understand him. I thought he loved me.
When Mrs. Cheng let us go, instead of asking him all my questions, I ignore him. It hurts me not talking to him this way, but it hurts more that he’s not talking to me. That he’s fine ignoring me this way. Riley notices my coldness towards Daniel and tried to ask me about it. I told him I wasn’t feeling well today. I advises that I go home to rest. I do as he advised.
As I got outside the building, I realize Daniel has been following me. I turn around to look at him, my eyes very close to crying now.
“I’m so sorry, but we can’t be together Rowena.”
“Why?”
“I’m not- I’m not like the others. You deserve someone who’s better than me.”
“I don’t understand Daniel! You tell me you love me but you say we can’t be together! I don’t understand any of this at all.”
“I’m so sorry.” That’s all he says. And I walk away.
That night, I cry my heart out in my apartment. I shouldn’t have told him I love him too. I shouldn’t have let him inside my heart. I shouldn’t have…
I can feel my heart breaking into several pieces as I think through all things I shouldn’t have done. I hear a knock in my door.
“Who’s that?”
“Its me, Rowena.” I hear Daniel’s voice from the outside of my room. I don’t get him at all. Just recently today he’d told me we can’t be together, and now here he is in my apartment.
“I need to talk to you.” He added
“I just don’t feel like talking.” I told Daniel.
“Please I have something to explain to you.” I don’t talk back to him. I thought maybe if I just leave him there, he’ll go away and I can finally cry in peace. But even after midnight, he’s still at my door.
“Okay.” I finally let him in.
“I’m really sorry about- everything.” He says. “But there’s something you need to know about me. I’m not safe. You’re not safe with me.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I’m not normal.”
“What?” I am so confused right now.
“Its s
omething like a disease.”
oh my god, what if…
“Do you have HIV?” I ask.
“No, no” He laughs and then turns serious again. “Its not that. Its not a contagious disease.”
“Then, you need someone to take care of you.”
“No, its not safe.”
“But I thought it isn’t contagious.”
“Its not safe for you.”
“But what if I don’t care about my safety.”
“I care.” He says, sternly.
Paranormal Curves (BBW Collection) Page 2