DARE TO LOVE ME

CHAPTER 8

(Hera's POV)

*Ding*

The elevator opens.

I walk out the elevator and headed to my unit. I was about to press my passcode.

I turn around and look at her door. Is she home? I glance at my watch and it's 9:30 pm. It's quite late, so maybe she's already home. I press my pass code and open my door as I headed inside.

I must take a shower before going to bed. I take off my clothes and headed inside the bathroom.

While taking a shower, I can't help but think about Hera.

*sigh*

Do we really have to be a neighbor? I just said the other day that I should distance myself from her but here she is, close enough to me.

I want to ignore her pero hindi ko matiis na hindi siya tignan.

Damn Zachary...

Were friends right?

I should act as a friend then. I should not complicate things.

I got out the bathroom as I finish my shower. I hear my phone ring but it went off. I pick up my phone to see a 14 missed call from mom.

I was suddenly felt nervous. I was about to call back her when she called again. I pick up immediately.

"Mom, what's wrong?" I ask as I am worried.

"Can you check Hera if she's home?"I sigh then rolled my eyes.

"If your curious, just call her, mom. I have things to do." Hindi talaga titigil si mom sa pagiging cupid.

"We can't reach her, kanina pa." Natigilan ako. "Amanda is worried, she don't know that city."

I immediately walk outside and reached her door. I press the doorbell.

"Hera!" I press the doorbell again. "Hera!"

I knock at her door now. "Hera!"

Still no response.

"What's her code?" I ask mom on the phone. Tita gave me the passcode while pressing them one by one.

I open the door and enter inside. I search everywhere but there's no Hera.

Nervous came to me.

"What's the shop address? Maybe she did overtime in the shop." Mom gave the address. "I will call back mom when I reach her."

"Okay, son. Please, call us back. We're freaking worried."

"Yes, mom." I hang up and rush inside my unit to get dressed and grab the key.

I don't know why but I'm really nervous. She's not familiar in the street and especially he is new to this city.

As soon as I'm outside. I reach for my car and drove to the address mom gave me.

But the shop is already close. I got out of my car and check if it was lock, yeah.. it's lock. She already left.

I look around and check my watch, it's 10:55 pm. It late, where did she go? I get inside my car and turn around.

She knows where to headed. So maybe she is stuck by entering the wrong street. I drive inside the first street I saw. I drive until the end of the alley. But can't find her.

I got out of the street and enter the second street I spotted.

Still, no signs of her.

God damnit!! Where are you Hera? I texted mom to give me Hera's number. Once I got it, I called her but can't reach her. Her phone is dead.

She's really making me crazy.

(Hera's POV)

This handsome man is walking towards me. I step back slowly. I don't know him. Even if he's handsome, I'm still scared as he is a stranger.

He is in front of me now lifting the umbrella to me so that I won't get wet. I bet his back is wet now.

"Your Nicole's friend, right?" He ask me, wait who's nicole? I don't know any Nicole. Is this his game or tactics to kidnap a woman?

I shook my head walk pass through him but he grab my arm as he put the umbrella at me.

"It's raining." I shook off his hand in my arm.

"You know what, you can't fool me at your tactics to trick woman. I'm not dumb. But I still need help, so can you say where is the exit of this f*cking street?" Stare at him seriously. He laugh.

"What tactics?" He's smiling ear to ear. God! So handsome! He has dimples.

"Wh--." He cut me off.

"I actually saw you in Nicole's i********: post. On Tita Marina's birthday. I bet you are friend with Zachary Montenegro, right?" I stop on what he said.

Ahhh... That Nicole. Zach's friend.

"You know Montenegro?" I ask suspiciously.

He take out his phone and show me a pic of him with Zach and the rest of his friends that I met on tita's birthday.

"How did you know that it's me on Nicole's insta?"

He chuckled. "I have good eyes." He then put back he's phone inside his coat.

"Ohh, sorry." I felt embarrased.

"Don't be... Let's go. I'll drop you to your place." I am still hesitant to get in his car but I don't have a choice. I don't want to sleep in the street.

He lead me to the passenger seat and open the door. I get inside the he close the door. He run to the other and open the door in the drivers seat. He take off his coat and gave it to me.

"It's cold." I accept his coat and cover myself.

"Thanks." I shyly smile at him.

"By the way, I'm Zion." He extend his hand.

"Hera." I reached his hand for a handshake. "Thank you for recognizing me, Zion."

"Hahaha, no problem to me." His dimples is killing me. He's so damn cute.

"You know Zach's condo right?" I ask him.

"Well... Yeah, why?"

"You can drop me there." He look at me as he is shock. "No, we are not living together, I'm his neighbor." I automatically blurted out while waving my both hands to him.

"Oh, ok." He look agan in the front having that serious expression. Did I ruin his mood? Why he is so serious.

We were just quite. I want to ask why he's not on tita's birthday but that does not matter, it's their private matter.

He drove me in front of Milano Residences. I got out of his car.

"Thank you. I almost sleep on the street tonight hehehe." I shyly smile at him.

"No worries." he smiled back at me. God his dimples!! It's killing me.

Oh! The coat! I was about to take off the coat and give back to Zion.

"Hera?" I look at the person who called me. It's Zach!!!

"Zach!" I flauntly a teary eyes with him but when I saw his expression I got nervous. Is he angry? What did I do again?

He looks at Zion. "What are you doing here?" He grabs my arms pulled closer to him, I bump my nose to his abs... I mean his chest.

"Hey... Zach. It's been awhile." Wait... What's with the mood?

The way Zach look at Zion makes me think that they had a past.

Not the same past as I had with Zach but... Did they fought?

I'm curious too why Zion is not on Tita's birthday where in fact they are so close on the pictures that Zion shows me earlier.

(Zachary's POV)

I enter every street I see and I still can't find her.

I decided to go back to the Milano Residences to ask for help to their security. They are very accomodating and willing to help you even if the owner of the unit is missing because it's their obligation to keep us safe while paying tons of money for this building.

As soon I got out, I was about to enter the entrance when I saw a silhoute of a woman. The body built looks like Hera and the same clothes she wore this morning.

But the guy in front of her makes me rage in anger.

"Hera!" She turn around. Yeah, it's really Hera. I look at Zion. Did he take her here? Do they know each other?

"Zach!" I walks toward them and I grab her arm.

"What are you doing here?" He knows that I don't want to see him for the rest of my life.

I heard they divorced but the hell I care. That does not make our friendship back as he is a traitor.

"Hey... Zach. It's been awhile." Tsk.

"Zion helps me and bring me home. I almost sleep in the street tonight." I look at her. She's drenched. She's wearing men's coat. Her feet is red while her heels is not tuck properly.

"Did you lost your way?" She nods.

I grab the coat and throw it to him. "Thanks for taking her home." And I carry Hera in a bridal style.

"Hey---" she exclaims. "Bye, Zion. Thank you again!" She shout while waving at him. Tsk.

We entered the building people are staring at us.

"I can walk, Zach." She whisper to my ears. I had goosebumps when her lips touches my ear. The way her breathe touches my skin makes me out of control.

"Your feet is hurt." She stop moving her legs. "True." She then rested her head in my shoulder.

"Do you know, how worried your mom and my mom is?" We enter the elevator.

"My phone is dead." She then grab her bag to look for her phone. I lift her because she's sliding down.

"Quit moving!" I can't help but to yell at her. Can't she see that I'm carrying her.

"Then put me down!" She then move her legs again.

"Stop it!" She still kicking in the air.

"STOP IT, HERA!" She stop. "I'm having a bad day, don't make me angrier!" She having that poker face on her.

"I did not force you. So why taking out on me!" She yell too.

I was surprised when she yell close to my ears so I put her down. She's getting on my nerves.

"Do you know how worried I was. If you don't know the street, take a cab! Where's your brain?!"

"No one informed me that all cabs here are all full, so why is it my mistake!"

"Then don't go home late, be early that's the business mindset!"

"I'm sorry if I don't have that business mindset of yours!" She then kicks my knee.

*Ding*

She run out of the elevator. That woman!!

I chased her. I grab her arm to face me and pulled her face towards me.

I kiss her...

I kiss her in anger...

I kiss her in frustration....

I kiss her because I am goddamn worried of her.

She push me but I hold her arms up in her head. She tried to kick me too but I corner her legs.

I pinned myself to her. I close our gaps as I devours her mouth.

After seconds, she stops moving and move her lips opposite my motion. I let go her hand and grab her waist close to me and my other hand is grabbing her cheeks.

I deepened the kiss as I thrust my tongue inside her mouth. She gladly accepts mine as it keeps dancing with hers.

She roam her hands at my back trying to pull me close to her. Her hands slowly touches my chest up to my neck and crossed her arms while tiptoeing to kiss me more.

I held her waist with my both arms and lifted her while pressing her to the wall.

I bit her lips and she moaned. The way she moaned makes my body heated. I touch her legs and lift it to my waist. She wrapped her one leg to my waist and I'm getting hot.

It's getting wild...

Wait...

I pull myself from her. She opened her eyes. We are both panting as we were out of breath while staring at each other.

Why is she doing this to me?

Why am I doing this to her?

.

.

.

"Your really making me crazy."