Gerald walked closer and sat next to Kim in the lounge. He looked at her blank face, unsure of what’s on her mind or what state her emotions are in.

Gerald: I couldn’t find you. It was driving me crazy. I was so worried I almost called the police for help just before I heard from Matteo.

Kim looked down at her lap.

Gerald held her chin and made her face him.

Gerald: Baby…I’m so sorry sa nakita mo this afternoon. I wish it never happened. I wish you never got hurt for the most stupid reason. I was set up.

He placed his hand over hers but she snatched her hands away and turned her back on him.

He scooted right behind her and wrapped his arms tightly around her.

Kim: Gerald ano ba! (She tried to wriggle out of his arms but he held on tight, resting his head on her shoulder.)

Gerald: Baby I know it didn’t look good and I would be very upset too if I were in your shoes. You know I would never give Alison the time of day much more do whatever it is you are thinking right now.

Kim: Why not? Maybe you feel like you need something new in your life. She’s pretty and I’m the same old ordinary Kim that you see everyday.

Gerald walked over to her other side so she is facing him and he lifted her chin. “Baby look at me.”

Kim: Leave me alone.

Gerald: Please don’t ever say that! You are far from ordinary and I have told you a million times, I would never get tired of looking at your beautiful face. You are all I want Kimmy. I swear there’s no chance of me looking for someone new. Everytime I see you I get this excited, happy feeling that I don’t get from anyone else. My day feels so empty until I’m with you babe so please don’t ever think that I would want to let you go.

Kim: She was in her underwear. That is going to give me nightmares for months!

Gerald: She must have taken her clothes off when I was heading for the door. You don’t really believe her lies, do you? I could never do this kind of thing to you babe. I wouldn’t do anything that despicable especially with Alison! Besides I knew other students were heading for the same room, why would I put myself in that embarrassment?

Kim knew the whole thing really just didn’t make sense. She knew it’s just so out of character for Gerald to do such a dumb thing.

Gerald: Kim, I love you. Please believe me. I don’t know what else to say to prove to you that I really wasn’t doing anything with Alison.

Frustration and overwhelming emotions got the better of him and he held her tight as he tried to hold back the tears.

Kim’s anger melted away the minute Gerald’s shaking body was pressed tightly against hers. Although she could not shake off the hurt that she was feeling, seeing him so sad and sorry reached that soft spot she had for him. She hugged him back, rubbing his back as if to comfort him.

Kim: Hay! The things I do for love! Ang martyr ko siguro talaga to put up with a guy who gets girls throwing their scantily-clad selves at him every chance they can get. They say that I am setting myself for heartbreak and I can see why they are probably right.

Gerald: I don’t want to cause you heartbreak Kim. Seeing you unhappy is the last thing I want. You know I can’t make it without you. Everyday I look forward to seeing your beautiful smile and I don’t know how I could live without having you around. It really is so gut-wrenching to hear that staying with me is such a big chore in your part.

Kim: I can’t take back what I said just to make you feel better Ge. I know we’ve been through a lot all these years but I’d be lying if I say that being with you is like a walk in the park. I’m just sick of all these girls and trying to compete with their beauty all the time. I’m scared that after all these years, you’ll finally give in to temptation and satisfy your curiosity.

Gerald: It really hurts that you think I’m the type of person that would just throw our love and all our wonderful moments away just to satisfy my curiosity Kim. Kung ganun pa rin ang pagkakilala mo sa akin after all these years, I’m hurt. I tell you everyday that I love you and you’re the only one that can make me feel this way. If you still don’t believe those words after all this time, then I don’t know what else to do. I never gave any of those girls the time of day. I have always hoped that you could trust me based on the honesty and faithfulness that I have shown you all this time.

Kim: Look I don’t like where this whole conversation is going. It’s getting late, we’re both tired and upset. The image of you and Alison is still so fresh in my mind. Although I don’t believe a single lie that comes out of , it still doesn’t change the fact that I’m upset and I could be saying nasty things, things that could be really hurtful. I think we should sleep on it first and talk when we both have cooled our heads.

Gerald: Kimmy we both know that neither one of us will be getting any sleep so we might as well get everything out in the open. Tell me honestly Kim, are you unhappy in this relationship?

Kim: Sometimes I just wish that you were not so darn desirable to every female species that you encounter. Sometimes I wish na hindii na lang ako naging selosa.

Gerald: Baby I never want you to get hurt like that too but I also feel glad and flattered that you would fight for me and you’re very territorial when it comes to me. It makes me feel so loved and wanted. That’s exactly how I feel about you. I only want you for myself babe and no one else. I need you to trust that I feel the same way as you do. I am happy to belong to you and I don’t want anyone else to come in between us so there really is no chance for me to look for another and let go of something as wonderful as what we have.

Kim: I know…

Gerald: I don’t want to lose you Kim. Please don’t say that you’re unhappy. I do my best everyday to show you how much I care and how much I want to make you the happiest woman on earth.

Kim: I’m not unhappy. I get this feeling of utter contentment when you’re holding me like this. I’m just upset at what I saw today.

Gerald: I’m really sorry you had to see such a horrible thing baby. If it’s any consolation, I had to go through the same traumatic sight as you did. As a victim of harassment I might be getting nightmares from such a terrible ordeal. The horrible, wretched feeling I was suffering from while going crazy looking for you, wondering what you were thinking or feeling, had also added to my trauma.

Kim: Gerald, are you fishing for my sympathy?

Gerald: Is it helping my cause?

Kim: Maybe a little.

Gerald: I love you babe.

Kim sighed and smiled back, her fingers unconsciously playing with his hair.

Gerald: I don’t want you to get hurt babe. It feels so awful to know that I’m the reason why you’re hurting.

Kim: Alam ko naman that I can’t hold it against you that you’re a hottie. I know what happened today wasn’t your fault so don’t feel so bad. I’m just upset and I’m sorry I’m taking it all out on you.

Gerald: What can I do to make you feel better babe? Would having a hottie holding you tight for the rest of your life be enough?

Kim: Is that hottie really going to hang around for that long?

Gerald: Of course! As long as you keep calling him a hottie.

He leaned in to give her a soft, warm, loving kiss. They were both teary-eyed when they emerged. Their emotions were high and they sobbed in each other’s arms trying to make each other feel better by their comforting touch.

Gerald: Kim, are we okay?

Kim: We will be tomorrow. I just need to sleep this off.

Gerald: Let’s go to your room, I want to keep holding you babe. I want to kiss all those fears and pain away.

Kim: I’m okay. Go have your dinner, you must be starving.

Gerald: No I’m good. I had a muffin earlier. Let’s go.

Kim was about to protest but Gerald scooped her into his arms and led her to her bedroom. He laid her down gently and kissed her softly on her lips. He brushed her hair off her face and kissed her all over her face with soft feathery kisses causing more emotional outburst out of her.

Gerald tucked her in bed and laid next to her. He held her close, caressing her hair lovingly. “Shhh…Baby. Don’t cry. I’m so sorry babe.”

Kim relished in Gerald’s loving embrace until she surrendered to her tiredness in the comfort of Gerald’s strong, protective arms and warm, affectionate kisses.

***********************************************************

Gerald woke up at around 3am to the growling sounds of his stomach. Although he didn’t want to leave Kim’s side, he was majorly hungry. When he came back into her room, the moonlight illuminated her like a beautiful Goddess tempting him with every delight even in her deep slumber. Her nightie was riding up, showing her delectable legs and giving him a little peek of her y, lacy black underwear.

Every bone is his body was definitely awake and his groin was aching more and more the closer he got to the bed. Try as he might, he could not divert his gaze away from her beautiful legs, as if they were begging him to take a nibble.

Kim was only half awake, enjoying the most beautiful and dream of someone’s hot mouth feasting on her thighs, pleasuring every nerve, going up to her belly travelling north to her chest, neck and finally consuming her , hot lips. She kept her eyes closed as she indulged in the most experience in her sleep.

Kim’s moans of pleasure and the way her body swayed and wriggled as a response to his exploring tongue encouraged Gerald to continue his mission to increase her pleasure until her whole body explodes with hot passion. His kisses travelled back lower towards her thighs, enjoying her y, sultry moans and the way she screamed his name as he brought the heightened heat she was feeling to an ic level.

Pleased with what he had accomplished, he kissed her lips passionately while she was still trying to catch her breath and make sense of what just happened. Her insides twisted with excitement as soon as she heard his plea. “Baby, I want to make love to you.”

She responded with a moan, kissing him with all intention to tempt him to finish what he started. “Ohhh babe, you are so good at this! You sure know how to satisfy a woman!”

She grinded her hips against his to meet his s, enjoying every minute of the warm, shivering sensation deep inside her.

“God baby you feel so good! I want to make sure that I am keeping you happy babe. I don’t ever want to lose you baby. I love you so damn much.”

“I love you too Ge.”

They were at a loss for words as Gerald increased his momentum, both indulging in a world filled with mind-shattering pleasure.

An hour later, they were both worn out and they held each other tight while working out their recent dilemma.

Kim: Mel’s theory was right. is even better while you are sleeping.

Gerald: My aim is to keep you wanting for more, to make it impossible for you to let me go. I hope I have done enough to convince you babe to let me stick around.

Kim: How can I even think of letting go of the greatest pleasure that I have ever known? Sorry babe ha that I doubted you. You have been a good boyfriend and you haven’t given me any reason to believe that you would do something like that.

Gerald: Sorry din babe na nasaktan ka. I thought we know each other well enough not to get affected but it’s not easy when you’re in the receiving end. You really got me worried when you stormed out. I was so afraid of the possibility of losing you.

Kim: Well, you don’t play fair baby. If you keep seducing me in my sleep, it’s pretty hard not to hold on to my man.

Gerald: You’re done for babe! I guess you will be holding on to me every night then, my gorgeous Kimmy.

Kim was giggling when Gerald brushed his fingers through her hair and kissed her lips softly. “So, we’re okay right? You don’t want to rip my head off anymore?”

Kim: Yeah, we’re okay. We’re more than okay. My entire body is still tingling. Pinatalsik mo na lahat ng negative feelings off my system when you showed me how much you really love me.

Gerald: It was definitely one sweet and wild act of love baby. Wanna go at it again? Just to make sure na wala ka na talagang tampo?

Kim: Ano ka ba! Matulog na tayo, puyat na naman tayo sa school mamaya.

Kim closed her eyes, feeling comforted by Gerald’s warm body and protective arms that enveloped her. When he whispered “I love you baby” against her ear, she couldn’t feel more complete and blissful. She knew he is worth fighting for. Although the road ahead will not be so easy, she knew that as long as he is by her side, loving her, all the challenges will be so worth it.