Kim was drowning. She never felt like this before.

To find perfection in such a mind-blowing kiss.

To be scorched by so much heat emanating from him and not get burned.

To be branded by his mere touch. 

To melt just by his soul searching glance.

To feel such a strong connection in such a short period of time.

To breath him and only him…

An alarm rang in the distance…

Kim: Wow….

Gerald: Wow is right. (trying to catch his breath)

Kim: Do you know that this was the time I woke up yesterday?

Gerald: Me too… well actually… I was just getting back to my apartment after going for my morning run.

Kim: I should get up and turn the alarm off.

Gerald: Maybe it will turn off on its own.

Kim: I don’t think so… which is why now I am regretting the reason I bought it.

Gerald: Hard to wake up?

Kim: More like I would prefer to stay in bed all day.

Gerald: How about we do that today?

Kim: I have no choice.

Gerald: Why?

Kim: I have now no sleep for the past 24 hours. Your fault. And you have your leg draped over mine, pining me down on this thankfully comfortable couch. Your fault.

Gerald: My fault? Is it a good fault, at least?

Kim: A good fault.

Gerald: I see you are finally accepting us.

Kim: Is there an us?

Gerald: I hope so.

Kim: Are you asking?

Gerald: I’ve been asking.

Kim: You have?

Gerald: Well you agreed that I could court you.

Kim: I did.

Gerald: So I guess, if my understanding is correct, it is your say on whether you would accept me as your boyfriend.

Kim: If I do, does that mean that you will no longer court me?

Gerald: I will romance you for the rest of my life.

Kim: And what does that mean?

Gerald: Flowers, dinners or breakfasts, serenades, walks in the park, beach, romantic get-a-ways, and most importantly whatever your heart desires.

Kim: Are you serious?

Gerald: Yes.

Kim: Wow.  I’m impressed. You are a true romantic.

Gerald: Anything to please my girl.

Kim: So am I your girl?

Gerald: So will you be my girl?

Kim: I don’t think I can say no.

Gerald: Why?

Kim: Do you want me to say no?

Gerald: No. Do you want to say no?

Kim: Because of how crazy this is… yes… but I can’t.

Gerald: (smiling) I’m glad you can’t. So are you saying ‘yes’?

Kim was silent and buried her face in Gerald’s shirt.  Gerald kept silent but he kept his arms around her as they lay facing each other on the couch.

Kim: I’m saying yes. Yes to today. Yes to this feeling. Yes to you.

Gerald did not say anything. He could not say anything. He had never felt so overwhelmed in his life until he met Kim. All he could do was pull her even closer in his embrace.

Kim: Gerald?

Gerald: Babe?

Kim: Babe?

Gerald: Babe.

Kim: Are you okay?

Gerald: I’m okay.

Kim: You didn’t say anything.

Gerald: Thank you.

Kim: Thank you?

Gerald: Yes. Thank you. Thank you for today. Thank you for this feeling. Thank you for you.

Kim: That was pretty good.

Gerald: I aim to please.

Kim: (smiling… finally gathering the courage to look at him) Thank you too.

Gerald: (smiling back at her) You know… this feels right.

Kim: It does… doesn’t it?

Gerald: You’ve accepted this.

Kim: I can’t seem to ignore it.

Gerald: I’m glad you are not ignoring this.

Kim: It’s so overwhelming that I can’t seem to shoo it to the side. I’ve tried but without much success. So what happens now?

Gerald: Well… I do think we need to go to sleep eventually but now I understand that song that Aerosmith sings.

Kim: What song?

Gerald: ‘I don’t want to miss a thing’. Do you know that song?

Kim: How does it go? (smiling to herself)

Gerald: Are you asking for your first serenade?

Kim: (smiling)  You don’t have to sing if you don’t want to.

Gerald: yeah… yeah… here goes some of the lyrics…

Gerald begins to sing…

I could stay awake just to hear you breathing
Watch you smile while you are sleeping
Far away and dreaming
I could spend my life in this sweet surrender
I could stay lost in this moment forever
Well, every moment spent with you
Is a moment I treasure

(Chorus)
I don't wanna close my eyes
I don't wanna fall asleep
'Cause I'd miss you, babe
And I don't wanna miss a thing
'Cause even when I dream of you
The sweetest dream will never do
I'd still miss you, babe
And I don't wanna miss a thing

Lying close to you
Feeling your heart beating
And I'm wondering what you're dreaming
Wondering if it's me you're seeing
Then I kiss your eyes and thank God we're together
And I just wanna stay with you
In this moment forever, forever and ever…

Kim clapped in appreciation of Gerald’s slightly off-key rendition and kissed the side of his cheek.

Kim: That was sweet babe.

Gerald: Babe?

Kim: Babe.

Gerald: (smiling) Perfect song for how I am feeling right now.

Kim: We do need to sleep, don’t you think?

Gerald: We do. Are you comfortable?

Kim: Are you?  You are pretty tall.

Gerald: If staying here is going to keep you pressed up against me, then I’m fine.

Kim: Let me know okay.

Gerald: Okay… (silence) Kim?

Kim: hmmm… (closing her eyes)

Gerald: May I take you out to dinner tomorrow? Or actually tonight?

Kim: I’d love to. Where to?

Gerald: Let me surprise you.

Kim: Dress code?

Gerald: Dress to the nines. This will be our first official date.

Kim: Wow. Now you are getting me excited.

Gerald: (smiling) Good.

Kim: So if I’m going to dress to the nines, we are going to have separate at some time.

Gerald: Why?

Kim: I need to go shopping.

Gerald: Kimberly Chiu of K Chiu?

Kim: I forgot about that. Look at that. You make me forget things. (laughing)

Gerald: As long as you don’t forget me.

Kim: Nut.

Gerald: Nut?

Kim: You’re a nut.

Gerald: I’m your nut. Here… turn around so you can get comfortable. … wait.  I need one more kiss to tide me over.

Kim smiled at him but her smile slowly faded away as Gerald gently took control of her lips. Her moans spoke to him as he deepened the kiss between them. Gerald pulled Kim closer to him as Kim wrapped her arms around his neck and head. He couldn’t get enough of her and vice versa. They were wrapped in each other’s arms, teasing, pulling, caressing… feeling the passion grow between them.

Gerald finally pulled away… each trying to catch their breath once again. Kim slowly turned around in his arms without saying a word. Gerald silently pulled her back close to him, adjusting their position to make sure they were both comfortable.

Gerald: (whispering in her ear) Are you comfortable?

Kim: Extremely. Are you?

Gerald: Most definitely.

Kim: How did you find me?

Gerald: I opened my eyes and my heart and there you were standing in front of me, ready to fight.

Kim: I do have an attitude.

Gerald: It’s one of the things I love about you.

Kim: Really?

Gerald: Who’s going to take my and give it back? I need a strong woman to stand next to me, not a trophy but an intellectual match for me.

Kim: I am smart.

Gerald: (smiling) Smart yes. And modest too.

Kim: Ha. Ha. Very funny.

Gerald: Confident, definitely.

Kim: I do have a question with everything that’s happen today.  It’s something that I can’t seem to figure out.

Gerald: What’s that?

Kim: How do we say good bye?

Gerald: We are not going to.

Kim: What do you mean?

Gerald: I’m never saying good bye to you.

Kim: I hope not but what I mean is that we have been together for now almost 24 hours. How do we separate from each other?

Gerald: Good question. I need to take a shower and get dressed for our date. I still have to go to school but thankfully I don’t have classes today/tomorrow. Whatever day it is today.

Kim: Oh. 

Gerald: So you have me until your heart desires.

Kim: I don’t know… I just can’t picture us apart… weird huh?

Gerald: It’ll just make our reunions so much sweeter but I agree with you. Now that I found you, I don’t know if I want you out of my eyesight. It’s like I might lose you.

Kim: I don’t want to become obsessed.

Gerald: Be obsessed by me because I am with you.  However, I promise you space to be you.  I will be here when you need me and ask for understanding for the moments I have to focus on other things such as school or work.

Kim: I ask for the same. I have a business to run. I have New York Fashion Week coming up, which by the way, are you going to be one of my models?

Gerald: I would be forever honored.

Kim: I need eye candy.

Gerald: (playing along) Is that the only reason you are bringing me?

Kim: Yes. (silence) And I will miss you if you don’t come.

Gerald: Much better.

Kim just giggled and then yawned.

Gerald: Okay gorgeous… you need your beauty sleep.  I promise to hold you until you are ready to wake.  I’ll be here until then. 

Kim: Thank you. (slowly closing her eyes) Goodnight babe.

Gerald: Goodnight gorgeous. Sweet dreams… of me.  And just in case you didn’t figure it out… I love you Kimberly Chiu. 

Kim: (smiling  to herself)  I don’t know how but I love you too Gerald Anderson…

Kim and Gerald fell asleep in each others arms, lying down on the couch in Kim’s condo. They both fell asleep with smiles on their faces and their hearts filled with the new love they discovered in each other that day.  It was the beginning of an amazing journey where 2 strangers unexpectedly found love in one day.