Chapter 15
1915 Words
It was already past midnight when thirst finally forced me awake. I didn’t want to leave the room. I was too lazy to get up, but I had forgotten to bring water earlier. I had no choice. Veronica was still sleeping peacefully, her breathing slow and steady.
I went downstairs, opened the fridge, and poured myself a glass of cold water. I drank it in one go—then poured another. I was really thirsty. Which was strange, because I wasn’t someone who liked drinking water. It usually makes me nauseous. But tonight, I couldn’t explain it. My body was craving it.
“Hey.” I turned at the sound of a familiar voice.
“You’re still here?”
“Yes. Your dad insisted.”
“Ah.”
“So… she’s your wife?” I didn’t answer. It was obvious—why ask?
“Why am I even asking?” he continued. “I just wish I’d stopped your wedding. I didn’t know it was you. The news was everywhere, but I didn’t know you were the woman she was going to marry. Is it true your marriage is just… arranged?”
“You really have gossip in your blood, don’t you?”
“I’m just curious,” he said, stepping closer. “Especially when it comes to you. You know I really like you, Zyhra.”
“I’m married.” He was too close now and he even held my hands.
“But it’s a fixed marriage,” he said softly, staring into my eyes. “You don’t love her, right? You’re a woman. It’s against the church—especially here in the Philippines. Woman to woman.” I looked down, then pulled my hands away.
“I’d rather love a woman like me,” I said calmly, “than a straight man whose only talent is judging others. Excuse me.” I walked away.
At the foot of the stairs, I saw Veronica standing there. She smiled and reached for my hand. I took it without thinking.
“Thank you,” she whispered, kissing my forehead. We went back to the room.
Honestly, I used to be judgmental about the l***q+ community too. I wasn’t against people being gay—but I was against same‑sex relationships. That’s what the world taught me growing up. That was shameful. That it was wrong. But meeting Veronica changed something. Now I was confused.
What was right? What was wrong?
Inside the room, she made a phone call. I heard her ordering a mini refrigerator—immediate delivery.
“At this hour?” I complained. “That’s embarrassing.”
“It’s Jason,” she said casually. “His team’s on standby 24/7.”
“Still… they should be resting.”
“Don’t worry. Night shift.” She looked at me. “I don’t want you going downstairs again. You might catch something.” I laughed.
“You’re sweet,” I teased. “If you were a guy, I’d probably fall for you.”
“But I’m a woman.”
“Yeah. Which means you probably have a lot of women.”
“Not anymore. Not since I married you.”
I scoffed. “Wow. So you’re loyal now?”
“A little.”
“A little?”
“There was someone beautiful I was planning to court.”
“Then go court her.”
She laughed. “Relax. No shouting.”
“I’m not shouting!”
“I said relax.”
“I said I’m not shouting!”
She burst out laughing, tears forming in her eyes.
“She’s really beautiful,” she said when she calmed down. “And sexy.”
“Then court her.”
“Only if you agree.”
“I don’t care.”
“So you agree?”
“Do whatever you want.”
“So that’s a yes?”
“Do. Whatever. You. Want.”
“So you’re really agreeing?”
“Yes! Go already—so annoying!”
She grinned. “You really agreed, huh.”
“Stop!”
“No take-backs. You agreed—I’m courting you.”
“What?!”
“You’re the one I meant. And since you agreed, there’s no turning back. I’m courting you now.”
I was speechless.
“No take-backs, Zyhra,” she said softly. “I’m courting you.”
“I don’t understand you.” She just laughed.
“You’re disgusting.”
“I love you too,” she said, smiling.
“Go to sleep,” I muttered, lying down.
“Yes, my love. Sleep well,” she said teasingly.
I didn’t know why my lips curved into a smile. I felt like I was floating. Whatever happens next… happens.
The next morning, I woke up alone. I fixed myself before going out and searched the house, but she wasn’t there.
“Manang, have you seen my wife?” I asked, smiling at myself.
“She has already left.”
“Where did she go?”
“She didn’t say. Maybe the hospital.”
“Hospital?”
“She goes there often.”
“Is she a doctor? A nurse?”
“No, hmm. It’s better if she tells you herself,” Manang smiled, tears in her eyes. “Please take care of Veronica. She’s a good child. Because of her, my life was extended.” Later I learned the truth.
Manang’s child had been in an accident. The hospital refused surgery without a down payment. Veronica happened to be there. She paid everything—and even sued the hospital. How could they let someone die just because they were poor? I couldn’t even find the right word for it.
I tried distracting myself, but I kept checking the door.When she finally arrived, I pretended to read.
“Hi,” she said, kissing my forehead.
She flipped my magazine upright. “It’s easier to read when it’s not upside down.”
“I like it that way,” I said, flipping it back. She laughed. Then she revealed the bouquet.
“For the most beautiful girl I’ve ever known.” I ignored her.
“You came from the hospital?”
Her eyes widened slightly, and for a brief moment, her perfect composure faltered. Her lips parted in a tiny gasp, and I could see genuine shock on her face.
“Yes,” she said finally, still looking a little unsettled.
“Are you sick? Are you dying?” She laughed—but something in her eyes was different.
She kissed my forehead. “I’m fine.”
I placed the flowers in a vase. She stood behind me, wrapped her arms around mine and rested her face on my shoulder.
“Your hand fits mine,” she sang softly, dancing with me.
And then she sang Little Things.
Not perfectly.
But perfectly for me.
Her voice matched my heartbeat.
"But bear this in mind, it was meant to be
And I'm joining up the dots with the freckles on your cheeks
And it all makes sense to me."
She turned me to face her. She was only a few inches taller, but the closeness made her feel overwhelming. I was too near, close enough to breathe in her scent, that soft blend of strawberry and menthol that wrapped around me like a spell.
I felt like I was drowning. The thought terrified me, the way drowning always should, but even as fear tightened in my chest, I realized I wasn’t fighting it. I wasn’t trying to escape.
I was letting myself sink…
Because I was drowning with her.
"I know you've never loved the crinkles by your eyes when you smile
You've never loved your stomach or your thighs, the dimples in your back at the bottom of your spine.
But I'll love them endlessly"
I closed my eyes as she did it. It wasn’t just the beauty of her voice—it was the way she sang, like she could touch every fiber of my emotions. It felt as if she was singing directly to my heart, matching the rhythm of its beat, and with every note, I could feel her presence wrap around me. She was the best singer in the world to me—not just because of her voice, but because of the way she owned every word. Cute… and utterly captivating.
"I won't let these little things
Slip out of my mouth
But if I do
It's you
Oh it's you
They add up to
I'm in love with you
And all these little things"
I admit it—these little things made me fall in love. It felt like I was under a spell, beautiful and dangerous at the same time. A spell I was afraid of, because I knew it could turn poisonous, and in the end, it might be me who would suffer.
Now, I’m no longer afraid of loving a woman—someone just like me. The fears about what other people might say no longer matter. This time, I’m only afraid of one thing: getting hurt again.
"You can't go to bed without a cup of tea
And maybe that's the reason that you talk in your sleep
And all those conversations are the secrets that I keep
Though it makes no sense to me
I know you've never loved the sound of your voice on tape
You never want to know how much you weigh, you still have to squeeze into your jeans
But you're perfect to me..."
She placed her lips on my forehead, her hands resting gently on my waist as I lay against her chest. She was the kind of person who made you feel that, despite all your imperfections, you were perfect in her eyes. She made my flaws feel beautiful. Even though we had only been together for a few days, I never expected to feel this kind of true happiness in her presence.
"I won't let these little things
Slip out of my mouth
But if it's true
It's you
It's you
They add up to
I'm in love with you
And all these little things
You'll never love yourself half as much as I love you
And you'll never treat yourself right darlin' but I want you to
If I let you know I'm here for you
Maybe you'll love yourself like I love you, oh"
Even though this was just a fixed marriage, she never made me feel like our union was just about business. She gave this marriage a real chance, even if it was Dad who requested it. Maybe it was because Dad wanted to make sure I would be in good hands before he was gone. And he didn’t even care about the gender of the person I married—as long as I would be cared for and loved. Maybe he saw that same goodness in Veronica.
"I've just let these little things
Slip out of my mouth
'Cause it's you
Oh it's you
It's you they add up to
And I'm in love with you
And all these little things
I won't let these little things
Slip out of my mouth
But if it's true
It's you
It's you
They add up to
I'm in love with you
And all your little things"
When she finished, she kissed my forehead again.
Simple. Gentle. Real.
I don’t know if I’m fully in love with her yet.
But all these little things—
They made me fall.
- Writer
