Reaching The Brightest Star

CHAPTER TEN

Chloe

Remembering the Endearment

I felt like I was floating. My eyes open but also immediately close because of the weight it feels. The pine trees seemed to be left behind because I was ahead of the progress. I came from a man I can't name, my vision is still dark. My stomach growled. I feel the painful liquid that I need to expel rising up my throat. I struggled with his lifting even though I was weak.

"Stay still, Chloe." He adjusted my position again and continued walking.

"I'm gonna puke," I whispered. I struggled again so he could lower me. I was sick and I couldn't stop myself. I felt nauseous and immediately covered my mouth. Maybe he saw what I did so he stopped walking.

When he put me down I immediately vomited. I grabbed my hair so it wouldn't get wet from my vomit. The man who lifted me earlier helped by grabbing my hair. I touched my stomach when I felt it boil again. My intestines seemed to swell up with my nausea. He himself held and collected the strands of my hair that covered my face. I needed a catch so I held on to the pine tree just next to me. Otherwise, I might just feel like I've slipped on the cement.

What am I thinking? That I could drink without getting drunk? Nonsense! That I could still be righteous after five glasses Nonsense! Maybe I've changed. Maybe I can. Total nonsense!

I am not really a heavyweight drinker. I lack alcohol tolerance. Even just one shot has that edge on me especially when the percentage of alcohol in a drink is high. Bethany and I are the same. That's why whenever there is talk of drinking, we are not allowed. Or just a glass for compensation.

Yeah, I lied to everyone about this thing. But who cares? I am desperate.

My puke splashed on my clothes, especially on its hem. When I finished vomiting, I straightened up and felt myself again. I looked at the man next to me, my vision gradually brightened. Suddenly my chest tightened, the familiar man was in front of me. I was still dizzy so I didn’t force myself.

I didn’t expect it. Is what I'm seeing real? Am I dreaming?

"Marco?" I asked.

I stared at the man the most because I wanted to know who it was. In the light of my vision, it was also the return of my heavy eyelids. I fell on his body. That was the last thing I noticed before I lost consciousness again.

I woke up to the sunlight hitting my face. I have not yet opened my eyes. I stretched out my arms and legs. The blanket dropped up to my abdomen as my legs were carried over to the stretch. I immediately felt the cold hit my chest. I finally opened my eyes. A different design of the room came to my mind. I immediately got up from lying down. I looked around the room and realized it was indeed different from the hotel I was staying at.

I glanced over my body, I had no cover except the underwear I knew I was still wearing yesterday. The linens on this bed are different colors. And it was bigger than the room I rented in Bauan. I quickly pulled out the comforter and wrapped it around my body. I'm nervous. I heard running water in another room in the bedroom.

I have someone with me! I am not alone here. Oh s**t!

I don't remember checking into this room. Where am I then? What am I doing here?

I can't even see my clothes. Only the silver clutch was next to the bed, resting on top of the small table. I picked it up and immediately grabbed my cell phone. It didn’t function, I repeatedly pressed its power button but it didn't really open.

Really, now? My cellphone has a dead battery. How can I leave this place? I don't have cash either!

"Where's my car key?" I rummaged through the contents of my clutch and poured it in front of me. That’s not here and even the hotel key isn’t here either. I remember hanging it with my car key.

"Where is it?" I almost tweak myself in frustration.

I heard a click of the door knob. Fear immediately grew over me. I can’t escape it if I don’t act. I wrapped the comforter around my body. Sweat is already forming cold on my body. I put my belongings in the clutch and stood up, hurried to get closer to the door. Before I could take a step, the door to the bathroom opened. The cold made my forehead sweat with nervousness. When I felt his presence behind me I turned to face him. To my surprise I didn’t know what to prioritize. My body swayed to the side and I stepped on the comforter. I let go of my hold on the comforter and knocked my body to the side.

"Oh my gosh!" Words escaped my mouth.

I don’t know where I should be ashamed of. My slump or my nakedness in front of Marco. My body dropped and the comforter caught it so I could barely feel myself falling to the floor. Just a slight pain from the impact.

"Ouch!" I cried. The part of my buttocks and side hurts.

"You okay?" He asks. I shot him a sharp look. How dare he ask me if I'm okay without helping me up? He's just standing there! In front of me. Calm, composed and unbothered!

I slowly stood up as the comforter wrapped around my body. The fact that he saw me almost n***d sends shivers all over my body. Embarrassing! Annoying! The proximity of the door out to my side seemed to be far away. The gap between the two of us brought cramps to my muscles. So many questions are spinning in my mind right now as if only he could answer.

"I look okay," my tone was sarcastic. My face grimaced as I tried to move but my side hurt.

In front of me was Marco, looking intently at me. Observing me. He rolled his eyes at my body. I tightened my grip on the blanket that wrapped around me. My heart was pounding at the speed of its beating.

"Sit down," he said stiffly. How dare you to command me?

"Where am I? Why are we here together? Where are my clothes and shoes?" He walked over to the cabinet and got some clothes. He put it down on the bed.

"Your clothes are still wet, this is what you should wear for the time being." He pointed to a white shirt and boxer shorts lying on the bed.

"Where's my keys?" I asked again.

"Sit down," he ordered.

"Marco where am I?" I am now frustrated. I was horrified at what I said. My lips trembled with nervousness and cold. I don’t know how to talk to him. He crossed his arms on his chest, looking at me intently.

"Batangas City," he simply answered.

"Why are we here? I need to go back to the hotel." I can no longer be comfortable with my position. The only thing I can think of now is to get back to the hotel.

"Stay," he sat on his bed without breaking his eye contact with me, or my body.

"Why?" I questioned.

Why does he want me to stay here? Isn’t he overwhelmed by our atmosphere? And what am I going to do here? Shall we talk? Why is he alone here?

"Where does it hurt?" He asked me as he fixed his gaze on my sheet-covered body.

"I'm fine," I replied as I struggled with the pain of my body.

"No, you're not." He claimed.

"I am fine," I repeated.

"Okay," he replied sparingly. But he still looks at me. Never breaking a single stare.

The scenarios I saw on television suddenly came to my mind. When I watch telenovelas, there are various things that haunt my mind. It was the same as our situation. Woman and man together in a bedroom. Often something is done unexpectedly. I dismissed that and faced him. He was still staring at me and seemed to have no intention of cutting it.

I know this will sound crazy, but...

"Did something happen to us?" I immediately closed my eyes. I was immediately embarrassed by what I told him. I counted ten seconds before I opened my eyes again and looked at him. He is still looking at me.

Sitting on that bed like he owns it. His legs spread widely. I just noticed now that she doesn’t have a top dress on yet! I looked down at his arms, it flexed when he shifted on his position. I even looked down at his chest and abdomen. It was ripped and a bit bulky, obviously taking care of it in the gym. I just swallowed every time he flexed. I looked at his face. His grin and sharp stare at me did not escape me. My mouth fell open at what I saw. In front of me is a God, having a body like Adonis and a face like some Greek characters in movies.

"What do you think?" He whispered. Even that whisper I still heard. I quickly shivered.

"Marco!" I stamped my feet on the floor. And then, he chuckled.

"Are you feeling sore?" He asked. Teasing me like we're okay. As if I hadn’t slapped him last night.

I felt my body but I didn't feel any pain.

"No," I hesitated to answer.

"I'm sorry. Come here, baby. Dress up first." I was stunned by what I heard. He called me that. Hearing it again after six long years feels like music to my ears. My lips were pressed in a thin line when suddenly the chisel drew on my body.

"We won't talk while you're like that," he said. The bitterness overflowed my body even more. He doesn't want to see me like this? Does he prefer Dorothy to be like this?

"Why? You like Dorothy's body more than mine?" I couldn’t help but show my frustration.

"You just saw my body! And you prefer hers more than mine!" I hissed.

Hmp! Asshole!

I walked closer to the bed. The dress he lent me was just next to him. I immediately picked it up and went to the bathroom.

Baby your a*s!

The thickness of his face to call me baby? What about that Dorothy? Did he call her baby too, or something else? You shouldn't just believe what she said, Chloe. It was poison! If you are bitten, you will die even if you are still breathing!

And what was that earlier? What did I just say? How can I come up with that situation? Now, I really am a weird woman.

I saw my long dress still hanging on the hanger. It was even wet according to the texture of the fabric. Does that mean I'll be here longer? No way! What about my car? Is that here too? Did I bring that? I forgot to ask him. I was so fascinated with him.

Oh! Little by little, I remembered what happened last night. I was a little drunk, I guess. I am dancing with some other guy behind me. I really don't know him because I didn't get a chance to even look at his face. And then I saw him. Looking at me with dagger eyes. And after that, all black. And when I wake my senses up, he's lifting me. He's walking while carrying me. In the dark! With pine trees and benches we just passed by. Does that mean he brought me here? He really brought me here.

I screamed silently because I was annoyed. How dare he ?!

I looked at the white T-shirt he lent me. I place that on my body. It looks like a dress on me. Its hem has already reached my upper thighs. Just enough to cover my butt and some parts of my legs. He's really big now. I didn't expect him to be that good looking.

"How will you know if she's the one for you?" I asked while looking at the sky. It's our picnic day, he planned everything before he went to my boarding house. He actually traveled just so we could have time with each other.

"If she's really the one for me, I'll just feel it. There's no perfect explanation for that." He said and then looked at me. He smiled sweetly as if he could only see me. I bit into the club house sandwich I made. He also took a bite of my sandwich and looked at the cloud.

"Shouldn't you really have an explanation about that? What if someone else asks you? What will you answer?" I felt his arms covering my back and left shoulder. He even squeezed it before answering. I smiled.

"I will tell them the same answer I gave you," he fixed his eyes on me. Seems to memorize every detail of my face.

My cheek grew hot, so I immediately avoided him. I drank the glass of juice I had poured earlier. He touched my chin with his thumb and index finger and guided me to slowly face him. He wiped my lip on the wet part because of what I drank.

"How about you? How will you know if he's truly the one?" He whispered.

With our faces so close, I felt like I had slipped. I could smell his breath as he spoke, it smells like fresh mint. My eyes widened as I looked at his lip.

"The same answer," I said without leaving my eyes on his lips. It curved in half smile.

"What are you looking at, baby?" I went back to the trance at what he said. I turned my face away from him. I moved so we could have some distance.

"Nothing," I hissed.

I feel like this is illegal. Everything about him seems perfect. So I can’t blame the other woman approaching Marco. Sometimes even when we are just walking, he immediately catches our attention. Even before he speaks, the women are distracted. And every time that happens I’m just like air just going with him.

But even so, he never made me feel unwanted and invisible. He always introduces me to the women he talks to. The others are familiar to me because they have been classmates or friends. In that case, I was relieved. There are times when I don't even know the others who approach him. And every time he introduces me their faces immediately frown. They suddenly change their gaze when they approach me. Marco doesn't even notice but they suddenly growl when I'm the one talking.

I know how to be jealous and when to be jealous. I know where my jealousy is. I am not superficial to be jealous of the smallest thing. He has a lot of friends, and all his friends are my friends too. It’s really hard for me when we’re in that situation. It is as if they were simply getting angry for no reason at all. I didn't do anything but it seemed like I was immediately behind them.

The sky is turning orange, the birds are flying to take shelter in the trees around. I put away leftover food and drinks to put them in the basket. He folded the blanket and put it in the basket. He made it a pile of food.

"You know I can do that, right?" I asked.

"I know, but I won't let you." He said.

"Why?" Why don't you want me to serve you? Even just now.

"I am your man, Chloe. And I won't let you do it even if I know that you can." What? I am not following.

"It's just a simple packing," I insisted.

"I know, baby." He said.

He took the basket in his left hand and folded our fingers in his right. We walked along the park towards the jeep ride. He paid our fare back to my boarding house. I was left with the basket because he wanted me to consume leftover sandwiches and other food. We are right in front of the gate of my boarding house. Men are not allowed here so I will not be able to invite him in.

"You've been up all night," I took the basket from him and laid it on the floor first.

"I'll go now," he caressed both of my cheeks and kissed my lips.

"Can you promise me that you'll be okay here?" He spoke hard as our lips parted.

"Yes," I nodded.

"Baby, will you promise me?" He never leaves my cheeks unoccupied. His both palms rested softly on my cheeks.

"I promise," in return, I gave him a shallow and quick kiss. I took the basket and opened the gate before entering.

I glanced at him one last time, waving goodbye before turning my back to enter my room.

Baby. He called me a baby a thousand times before. Hearing it again from him makes my knees tremble. It's not just his presence and sharp eyes that make my heart beat faster. What I heard from him was that word as if I were in heaven bringing me so much happiness. I know that's old, but when he says that it's like I've never heard that before.

He sometimes wished that my second name would be 'Baby'. Then that's what he would call me. And he is the only one who has the right to that name.

Cheesy, right? Don't be innocent. We're all experiencing this kind of act when we're in love. And it's normal.

The word I love you conveys a thrill to women. But for me, he would just call me baby, I would be thrilled. He wanted me to have a nickname that only he can call me.