19 Morning Run

I am not entirely sure what I am doing right now in front of Nathaniel's apartment. I can't even remember how I got here. I just know that I woke up around five o'clock in the morning then rode a taxi with me, dressing like I was going for a run.

Well, I did run a few laps around Nate's apartment. I had to look sweaty right before coming in, or I would look stupid wearing my gym clothes, yet there's not a single drop of sweat on my skin. I checked my watch, and my eyes widened when it was still quarter to six o'clock in the morning.

Damn!

I couldn't sleep last night because many thoughts were coming into my head—for example, Valerie's confrontation and her latest actions on provoking me. I should definitely need to make her remember who the Queen is here. But what she said about my heart has been stuck in my head. It's like I want to prove her wrong, but a part of me tells that I don't need to prove anything.

All these thoughts got me right before Nate's apartment door. I didn't even realize that I had ridden the elevator up to his floor. I shook my head, trying to pull myself together. But before I could even press the doorbell, I walked away, but it was as if fate was bullying me because the door opened at the same time.

"Nate, you have a visitor!" his Aunt shouted gleefully. Her reaction made my eyebrows raised in question. It was as if they were talking about me, then seeing me just made her confirm what she thinks about - which I don't have any idea what it is.

Gosh! All this overthinking is making my head burst. This is not me to overthink things like this. I hate that I cannot feel at ease at all with my thoughts. My life is messed up as it is. Now my brain too? This brain can't even handle a simple math problem. Geez!

Nate followed, catching the door before it closed because I didn't. He placed his right arm on the door frame and his left hand on the doorknob. His hair was still messed, but he looked fresh and… h-hot. His white shirt draped over his sculpted body. Damn, my mind is flying with the wind, thinking of ways to rip that shirt off to see what's underneath.

I shook my head again and slapped my forehead to wake up from my stupid daydream. 'What the hell am I even thinking?' Grr! I think Val really got into my head.

"Hey, what are you doing so early here in the morning? It's still like quarter to 6 am?" Nate smirked.

I was trying to think fast of why but all the excuses I could think of were all lame af. "I--Uhmm, was running around the neighborhood and just wandered here to say 'good morning,'" I said. I tried to sound convincing, but I think I just ended up trying to convince myself and not Nate because he pulled me into his apartment, locked the door behind, and held me by my shoulders while my back is against the wall.

Our eyes locked, but I looked away after how many seconds passed. I can feel the heat coming up again. I can sense my cheeks flushed, and my eyes seem to wander off everywhere but his eyes.

He placed his index finger below my chin and held it, making me face him. For a split second, I felt his nervousness, but then I could only feel these butterflies in my stomach, making me uneasy.

"Why are you really here, Luna?" Nate said intently.

"I--"

// 14 hours ago.

Valerie walked towards me with a smirk on her face. She placed her hand on my shoulder and whispered, "Your heart has been stolen by that geek."

My eyes widened with this confrontation. I froze from where I was standing. I wished I didn't challenge her then because I know she got the reaction she wanted from me, right there and then.

"Seeing you all froze up just means I am right," Valerie said.

I wanted to argue, but she had already left the bathroom. I walked towards our table, but I saw their silhouette from a distance. She leaned on Nate aggressively. Nate was clearly caught off guard based on his reaction.

"VALERIE!" I shouted. Valerie glanced my way with a smug on her face. She mouthed "boo," enough to tell me I lost her little game.

I rushed towards the table and grabbed Nate's arm, then dragged him out of the cafe. I can hear Valerie laughing, which then woke up Jane and Kate.

I kept walking and walking when I realized we were already a block away from the cafe. But I never heard even a single protest from Nate. So, I stopped and looked at him. He was catching his breath, then he was suddenly bursting into laughter.

"What's so funny?" I asked, lifting an eyebrow in confusion.

"You," he said, trying to calm down to be able to converse with me properly.

"What?!" I said in annoyance.

"You're cute," he said, ruffling my hair in a mess.

"Stop it!" He stopped and started walking.

"Hey, our things, we left them at the cafe," I said to him while following behind.

"Let's just circle back. I'm sure you don't want us to cross paths again with Valerie, right?" he asked as if already reading my mind. I nod as a response.

We walked until we reached a small park. There were a few kids with their mothers and some with their guardians. Nate sat by the bench, which was looking towards the playground. His eyes looked sad but nostalgic as he observed the children laughing and goofing around.

I tilted my head in his direction, hoping that I crossed his line of sight. "What's the matter?" I asked.

"I… I just miss my mom a lot!" he said. He breathed in deeply and exhaled it along with his feeling of loneliness.

"Oh, I'm sorry," I said, ashamed that I brought up a painful memory of his. This is the first time that I am hearing something about him. I thought her mother was just busy working somewhere far away, that's why he's living alone. I didn't expect her to have already left the world.

"It's fine. I don't talk a lot about myself, but I can't help and reminisce about the good times I had with my mother when I was still a kid," he said.

"I envy you," I whispered.

"Hmm, said something?" I shook my head and smiled.

I envy him for having such wonderful memories with his mother. I, on the other hand, are nothing but bad memories with my own up until now.

"Should we go back now?" I asked. I looked at him, and I can definitely see from his eyes that he is reliving the moments he had with his mother. I didn't want to disturb him, so I didn't push the button to leave then.

I noticed that a kid was wandering the park, crying. His face was smudged with a mix of his tears and snot. He seems to be looking for his mom or guardian.

I was about to go to him when Nate walked past me and kneeled before the kid.

"Hey, what's wrong? Are you lost?" he asked, patting his back to comfort him. Yet, the kid suddenly burst to cry louder. Nate tried to calm him down by carrying him over his arm and patting his back. "Shhh, don't cry. Everything will be okay," he said.

"Luna, I'm sorry. But can you grab something sweet for the kid? I promise you, it will help him calm down," Nate requested. I smiled and nodded my head.

"I will be waiting here for you," he said.

"Don't go anywhere, okay?" I said.

"I won't," he replied with a comforting smile.

I finally arrived after minutes of going to the nearest convenience store and back. But when I arrived at the bench where I last saw them, Nate and the kid weren't there anymore.

"Damn it. You said you're not going anywhere, Nate!" I said in anger, realizing that I can't find him anywhere.

"I… I'm s-sorry! I'm here," a familiar voice from behind me said. I turned around and saw Nate bending his back - his arms holding his knees to support his entire body.

He breathed in deep and straightened his back to face me. "I didn't mean to leave you wondering where we've gone. It wasn't my intention, but when you were still getting something for the kid, his mother came. His mother was so grateful to see his kid again. She gave him a soft smack on the head for going astray. I offered to see them off. Then when I realized I left, I started running back to you," Nate explained.

"Back to me?" I sound dumb when I rhetorically asked the statement again.

"Yes, you. Who else should I come running back to? Isn't YOU who I said I wanted to go out on a date with?" he said with a smirk on his face.

"W-wait, what?" I was caught off guard by his statement.

He took a step forward, and I took a step back. Ugh! He's teasing me again, and every time he does, I just lose all the will to fight against him. After how many steps I took, I almost lost my balance and fell, but Nate was just trying to catch me.

"Why are you so flustered?" he asked, moving away from a lock of hair from my face.

"I-I… don't know," I said. I always find myself amusing because Nate is the only one that makes me lose words.

He helped me back up and pointed at the bag that was hanging around my arm. "Is that supposed to be for the kid?" he asked.

"Oh yeah, right. Oh, shoot! I think the ice cream already melted," I said, checking inside the bag on the condition of the ice cream if it's still edible to eat as ice cream or if it's already a drinkable version of it.

"Well, it kinda melted already. What should we do about this now?" I asked.

"Eat it, of course!" Nate laughed at my question. I also laughed, realizing how dumb I sound again.

We ate the ice cream as we watched the sun sets beyond the park view we were looking at. I placed my one hand over the edge of the seat. My gaze focused on the red-tinted sky that was fighting over the orange and yellow hues. A thought passes my mind: 'What a romantic moment it is.' Then I felt a warm hand that covered mine. I looked at Nate's, and he was just gazing straight as if his hand has a brain of his own.

"You know, I still meant it. I am still waiting for that answer to my question," he said.

My eyes widened by his declaration. My heart suddenly was beating fast, and I felt butterflies in my stomach. My cheeks were burning up, and I'm pretty sure Nate caught every bit of change with me that happened as soon as he said those words.

"Come on. Let's finish the ice cream and come back to the cafe to get our things back," he said.

// Present Time

"Why are you really here, Luna?" Nate asked.

"I- As I told you, I was running around the neighborhood. See, look at me. I'm in my morning run attire. I came here hoping to get some breakfast. Hmm, that smells yum," I said, pushing him away from me and walking to his kitchen.

He laughed at my answer.

"Didn't you say that you were just here to say 'good morning'?" he asked, tilting his head slightly, and a smirk was plastered on his lips.

"D-Did I?" I said in embarrassment. He laughed again. His laugh is so genuine, as if nothing is weighing on his shoulders. There were times that I thought he's just putting on a show, but somehow a part of me wants to believe that who he is around me is who he truly is.

"Well, you're just on time. Aunt just delivered a delicious English breakfast meal," he said, moving his one arm from left to right, presenting the food on the table.

I was looking over the meal served and didn't know that I was drooling a bit. I realized that I hadn't eaten anything last night except the ice cream that Nate and I ate at the park.

"Earth to Luna, are you listening? Are you that hungry?" he asked.

"Oh, wait… what?"

"I asked you if you want to take a bath first before eating."

"Oh. Uhm…"

"I have fresh clothes. You can borrow a boxer and a white shirt. I'll just buy something for you after we eat breakfast," he said.

"But, I can just eat and go…."

"How rude of you? What do you think my house is? A fastfood restaurant?"

"I didn't--I can just go," I said. I turned my back on him and the delicious meal, but suddenly my tummy rumbled loud enough that Nate heard it.

"I don't think your tummy is letting you go anywhere but here. Just go fetch a nice warm bath. I will get your fresh clothes if you don't feel like borrowing mine," he said.

"Where will you get one? It's still 6 am," I said.

"Don't bother. Just go and take a bath," he said, pushing me towards his bedroom door.

"Fine! Don't touch me. I'm too sweaty," I said.

"I don't mind," he said.

As I was taking a bath, a thought comes to mind. I tried to convince myself that it's not true, but the more I prove to myself that it's right. I always feel uneasy around him. I can't win over him. Every time he says something, my heart flutters, and my cheeks flustered.

"Luna, I got your clothes. I will leave it at the door of the bathroom. I will be waiting for you in the kitchen, okay?" he said.

"Okay! Thank you," I said.

He always comforts me even if I don't say that I'm going through a rough day. He teases me a lot, but I don't actually find it annoying, but rather fun. He makes me smile in a way I haven't smiled before.

After that refreshing bath, I picked up the clothes that Nate brought me. I washed my face and borrowed a perfume of his. I really love his earthy smell.

I walked out of his room and saw him standing by the kitchen stove. His back was facing me. I find myself walking towards him, hoping that he won't turn around to face me when I am at his back.

"Luna, are you--" He stopped mid-sentence when I wrapped my arms around him.

"Don't move. Don't turn around. I honestly don't understand anything right now. I'm still confused. This is my first time feeling something like this. I don't know what to do, but will you be patient with me?" I asked him while holding him tightly in my arms. He held my hands and tapped them lightly. I loosened my grip, and he faced me.

Our eyes locked. His gaze was dead serious and loving at the same time. A smile was painted over his face.

"When did I not have been patient with you?" he said.

That statement was enough for me. We hugged one another, and he gave me a slight peck on the forehead.

Whatever this is… I just know that I don't want to lose it.