Chapter 7

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"One thing I can't forget about us was during the time we celebrated our own kind of anniversary. I told him back then that I hated anniversaries. What was their worth when couples would always part ways as time went by? But he also knew that, in my heart, I secretly wished for an anniversary.

We danced under the moonlit sky while listening to the melodies of our hearts. There were flowers around. I loved the way he held me in his arms."

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"So, are the two of you officially dating now?" Madison asked.

I shook my head in an unsure reply. Well, because I also had no idea how to answer that question. As far as I was concerned, there was still no 'us' and there was nothing 'official' between us.

The girls and I gathered in the living room at my place that Saturday evening. We were having a nice friendly chat over potato chips, a bottle of Sangria, and a game of Monopoly.

Yes, we loved to play Monopoly; we even placed bets on it just like what gamblers did in card games. But lady luck was not on my side tonight. I never won and I was now running out of chips. My mind was wandering. I could not concentrate on the game.

The Spanish red wine I sipped made me reminisce about the kiss that Cliff and I shared in the rain a few days back. At that time, he clearly told me that he loved me. I heard it through the howling wind and the heavy downpour. It was in Spanish but the term was a common one so I understood it. I bit my lower lip at the sudden remembrance of that scene.

Is it even possible to fall in love with someone so fast and easily? Surely, he only said it in the heat of the moment. Or perhaps to make me feel good. Yup, it cannot be real!

"Shame... Just leave him to me then," Sidney said.

My wandering thoughts bounced back to the present. I rolled my eyes and suppressed a laugh at Sidney's statement. My friends always knew what weird things to say. If I had not known them by heart, I would think they were bullying me.

"To be honest, I don't know. We haven't really talked about it," I told them after completing my move on the Monopoly board.

"Maybe he's waiting for you to talk about it," Hillary said.

"Me? Why would he even wait for me?" I asked.

"Hill could be right. Maybe he's waiting for you to feel ready to talk about it," Madison agreed.

I shrugged. Waiting for what? Does it even need waiting? I have no idea what they're talking about.

"I don't know. And I don't think I'll ever be ready to talk about things like that. That sort of stuff is serious and complicated to discuss. It's scary," I said.

What would be the point anyways? Cliff and I were already in an implied mutual understanding. It was enough for now. I wanted to just go with the flow and see where everything led. No discussions. No expectations. No close commitments... at least not yet.

Most couples I knew did not really live happily ever after... my own parents for instance. So what was the use of mere words? Promises were often easily broken at any time. #ForeverIsNOTReal

"Well, if Cliff is not the one for you, just give him to me already," Sidney said.

"Shut it, Sid! You already got plenty of prospects, you don't need to add Cliff to the list," Hillary said.

"Yeah, but Cliff would be in different criteria... Wait a minute! Oh, you want him for yourself, don't you?" Sidney teased Hillary.

We all laughed aloud.

"It's not that I don't want him. It's just that I want us to take things nice, slow, and easy. Give it some time. Just have fun for now. See how things go. If we both can survive for the long haul then good for us. If not, then there's nothing else to do but move on," I said.

"It's your call," Madison said with a shrug. "But a friendly piece of advice, sister... Nice guys like that don't just come knocking into the heart of some stupid girl. So thank your clumsiness that you even bumped into Cliff like that."

I sipped from my wine glass and then heaved a sigh. I stared at my diminishing properties on the game board. After a second of thinking, I lowered the last few chips that I held in my hand. Hillary clapped when she won. I lost again. I scratched my head in frustration as I placed another chip in the betting pot.

Hours later, Madison won all the chips that accumulated in the pot. We emptied the entire bottle of Sangria. We chatted and made fun of each other until we felt tired and sleepy. Then the girls finally dozed off in the living room at way past one o'clock in the morning. The night went candidly just like that. It was cool, clean fun!

I climbed onto my bed and rested my head on the pillow. Then I grabbed my phone from the bedside table and smiled as I typed a text message.

"Goodnyt, mi chico Latino!" I sent the text to Cliff.

A few seconds later, my phone beeped. I immediately tapped the screen.

"Who? Me? Good morning by d way," Cliff replied.

I stifled a laugh.

"Sorry. Thought u were asleep," I texted back.

A couple of minutes later, my phone rang. Cliff was calling! I covered my mouth for a moment to suppress a tiny shriek of excitement. Then I tapped on the screen and answered the call.

"Fiona," he said and chuckled.

"Cliff! Did I wake you up?" I asked.

"I don't mind at all. I can wake up anytime just for you, bella. Me da lo mismo (I don't mind)," he said.

"Aww! That's sweet! Gracias (Thank you)," I said and laughed.

"¿Quién es tu chico latino (Who is your Latin guy)?" he asked.

"What was that?" I asked back.

Ha laughed and asked again, "Who's your chico Latino?"

I laughed when I heard him say the term.

"Oh, that's what my friends call you when you're not around," I said.

"So... I am your chico Latino?" he teased.

"Oh, I don't know! Are you?" I teased back.

"Well, if you ladies insist," he said while laughing.

I related to him about how my girls and I spent the night in my apartment. He laughed and politely responded to all of my boring girl talks. I liked listening to the sound of his masculine voice on the other end of the line.

"How about you? How did your day go?" I asked.

"Well, I'm here in my parent's house in Alexandria. It's their wedding anniversary. We had a small barbecue party out in the garden," he said.

"Wow! That sounds fun and delicious. Surely, you enjoyed it!"

"Yes, and I told them about you. They wanted to meet you. I'll bring you to meet them next time."

Wait, WHAT???

I was speechless for a moment there. He told his parents about me and now they want to meet me. Seriously?! I did not know how to respond to that.

"Bella? Estas bien?" He asked if I was alright. Probably because he noticed my sudden silence.

"Yes, I'm still here... just listening to you. Go on," I said softly, urging him to talk more.

"My parents like their anniversary celebrations. It's always been a tradition in our family. So that's why I came here to spend time with them," he said.

"Wow! You got a sentimental family," I said.

"Oh, we really are," he said with a chuckle. "How about you? How do you feel about anniversaries?"

"Hmm... Honestly? I hate it," I said with a subtle laugh.

"May I know why?" he asked after a brief silence.

"Well... I don't really see the point in there. You know my parents are divorced, right? I've never seen them celebrate an anniversary when they were still together, not even once. Forever does not exist! Normal couples are bound to drift apart at some point. To me, anniversaries are great only in Disney movies where fairy tale happy-ever-afters exist," I said.

It took seconds before I heard his reply.

"I see," he said.

I heard him heave a sigh on the other line.

"Esta bien, bella. Entiendo que (It's okay, beautiful. I understand that)," he said.

I did not understand what he said in Spanish, but it sounded serious so I did not dare ask for a translation. I was able to capture the hint of sadness in his voice. It worried me a little. There was an awkward silence in the line for a moment.

"Are you alright, Cliff?" I asked.

"Yes, I am. I just think... Well, I had a tiring day," he said.

"Okay, let's go to bed now. It's way past midnight already," I said.

"Let's go to bed. I like the sound of that," he teased.

His next words made me blush. "I miss you, Fiona. I'm glad I'm able to hear your voice."

My heart just did a somersault. I smiled at his sweet revelation. Was this how a long-distance relationship felt like? Oh, sh*t! We do not even have a 'relationship' like that... So double sh*t! #LDRBlues

"I miss you, too, Cliff... Goodnight," I said before ending the call.

Days turned to weeks and weeks to months. The flow between Cliff and me was smooth sailing. Whatever it was that we had, I never expected that it would last this long. We never talked yet as to whether or not our relationship needed any particular 'label' — if we even had some kind of 'relationship' in the first place.

Yeah, I hadn't met someone quite as numb as me!

Cliff never asked me regarding our status anyway. And I did not dare bring that topic up every time our talks got a little bit serious. Hell no! I won't be the one to even suggest the idea of it!

I was completely fine with the way things were going between us. I believed that it was better this way. No labels, no deeper attachments, no half-hearted promises, at most of all... no pressure!

The only pressure I got was from my friends — of all people! They failed to understand why I would not grab the chance to make things certain with Cliff. It was hard to blame them, though.

Cliff had always been Mr. Nice Guy, especially to my girl friends and me. Well, he was good to everyone... even to my enemies!

Of course, Cliff and I still quarreled and argued a few times. I mean I quarreled and argued with him a few times. Cliff, on other hand? He just heaved a sigh and would not even snap back at me.

I wondered if he knew how to get angry. Or perhaps the length of his patience reached way past the vast solar system. One time, I got so frustrated because I did not know what to do with my anger anymore. He just would not ever take me on it.

I hated how warmly he still treated Katherine whenever they met on campus. It irritated me every time he smiled at her. The way he held her hands or gave her friendly bear hugs. It made my blood boil all the time. But I did not tell him about it. I did not want him to think I was being possessive. That would put pressure on us!

Even if he made it clear to me that my nemesis was a good friend and classmate to him, I still did not like the idea of it. I had the feeling that my wicked stepsister was planning some evil design. I believed she liked him so much that she wanted something more than his friendship.

There were times when she deliberately pecked him on the lips in front of me and other people on campus. And it was frustrating how nonchalant he always was about it. He probably thought I did not care because, well, he was totally clueless about how I really felt.

Of course, I knew my own feelings. I just did not want to tell him because... I did not have the strength yet to admit this absurdity.

Summer break.

"Hi, daughter! Well, this is your one and only dad. Just wanna ask what your vacation plans are for this summer. Call me back. That's an order! I miss my princess!" I sighed after hearing a voicemail from my dad.

"Sweetie! F u're comin home, we can go 2 d beach. There's a new resort w/ awesome spa!" And that was a text from my mom.

I decided to not go to either of my parent's houses. Going to my father's place meant that I would have to put up with Katherine's presence. Going to my mom's place, on the other hand, meant forcing myself to smile and spend time with a total stranger — my mom's boyfriend.

So, I planned to just hibernate inside my apartment for the entire summer break. I would spend my time working on digital freelance projects. And I would be able to relax, not think about school stuff, and my friends could come by anytime they like. Or we could hang out somewhere else if we wanted to.

"Come with me to Alexandria," Cliff invited unexpectedly.

It was Wednesday afternoon. We sat side by side on the couch in my apartment and watched a random movie on Netflix.

He planned to spend summer break at their family residence. And he wanted to take me with him to meet his parents. He said that they had been asking about me a lot of times already.

"I... I don't know if I'm ready to face them. Are you sure you want to introduce me to them?" I said.

I always turned down all of his prior invitations. I reasoned that I was not ready and that school stuff kept me busy. But this time was different. No research papers. No pre-scheduled appointments with friends. No rainy days. Nothing! I failed to come up with any valid excuse. Well, except if I would go to either of my parents, which I was determined not to do.

"It would be fun, Fiona. You do not have to be shy about anything. If you can just see yourself in my eyes. I'm confident you will get along well with my family," he said.

I just stared at him as he held my hands. His eyes were begging, like those of a puppy's. The way he stared back at me melted both my heart and my pride.

"Por favor (please), bella... even if just for one day," he pleaded.

I took a deep breath, looked down, and closed my eyes. Then I forced myself to nod as I opened my eyes to look at him again. I saw his face lit up. He gave the warmest smile and then pulled me closer to him in a tight hug. I bit my lower lip as I reciprocated his hug. Oh well, whatever! Come what may!

"Gracias, mi amor (Thank you, my love). You would have broken my heart if you refused again this time," he said.

"When are we going there?" I asked as he released me from his hug.

He pulled me close to him for a cuddle before he answered. "On Saturday. I'll come to fetch you early in the morning."

Weekend came.

I was forced to get up so darn early! I woke up to Cliff's call at five in the morning. I knew it was him calling since I set a unique ringtone in my smartphone for his number.

"Yeah?" I answered his call with a very sleepy voice.

"Time to wake up, bella," he greeted on the other line. His voice sounded so wide awake.

"Huh? Is it morning already? But it's still dark outside," I said, wanting to go back to sleep.

"Bella, get up and open the door. Or I'd be mistaken for a burglar if I go through the window," he said.

Surprised at what he said, I automatically rose from my pillow.

"What?!! You're already here? Oh, come on! I did not expect you meant THIS early," I complained.

I crankily left the bed and went out of my room. I heard his laughter on the other line so I ended the call. D*mn!

His smile was so wide when I opened the door. I could not help but frown as I stared at him. He looked so fresh in his casual attire. He wore a blue hoodie paired with gray shorts and white sneakers.

"Buenos días, amor (Good morning, love)," he greeted.

"Come in," I groggily said.

He immediately stepped inside the apartment. My frown was still on when I closed the door. I miss my bed already. God, I'm still sleepy!

I headed for the stairs when he suddenly pulled me towards him.

"Hey, come here," he said as he locked me in his tight embrace.

My consciousness awakened at once. Oh, this power hug is effective! So much better than my alarm clock!

I was suddenly conscious of my 'just-woke-up' look. My hair was a mess. The pajamas I wore had such sheer fabric, it was almost see-through. And I was not wearing a bra! So I could feel the hardness of his muscled chest against my... Gosh! How can I be thinking like this so early in the morning?

He kissed me on the forehead, then on my nose. When his lips almost touched mine, my hand immediately covered my mouth. He paused and looked at me with a puzzled expression. Shame on you, girl! Your smooch partner smells so fresh and heavenly. While you stink of morning breath!

"You don't want a good morning kiss?" he asked.

I shook my head and released myself from his embrace. "I haven't brushed my teeth yet. My morning breath does not smell so good. Sorry."

He smiled with amusement in his eyes. His hand reached out to lightly pinch my cheek. Then he nodded before he spoke.

"Alright. Go brush your teeth and shower. I'll prepare our breakfast while I wait for you," he said.

Without another word, I dashed upstairs to the bathroom for a shower and a toothbrush. My every move was swift. After taking a shower, I mindlessly grabbed a gray-colored casual short dress. Then I covered it up with my plain blue sports jacket. I put on a pair of white high-cut sneakers to complete my outfit for the day.

When I got into the kitchen, Cliff was already preparing the table. I noticed how he hid a smile the moment he saw me. And then I realized how color-coordinated our outfits were. What's this now? Some sort of couple attire? This was not intentional, I swear. Oh, how cliché!

After breakfast, we helped each other in tidying the kitchen. Then we headed out for our trip. Thankfully, Cliff did not comment on our matching outfits. I did not bother to change my clothes. I figured that we would be late for our trip if I take some time to select another outfit.

It was quite a long drive to Alexandria. I just slept in the car during the whole ride. I woke up to his warm kisses on the back of my hand.

"Huh?" I gasped. "Where are we?"

Then I noticed that he was still driving. I thought we already arrived at our destination. I slightly panicked for a moment there!

"We're almost there, bella. Just a few minutes more," he said, chuckling.

I sat up straight in the passenger's seat. Then I combed my hair with my hand.

"How do I look? Do I look okay?" I asked.

Cliff looked at me for a second. He nodded and gave a reassuring smile.

"Te ves preciosa (You look gorgeous)," he said.

A few minutes later, he entered the car into a driveway and parked beside a Spanish colonial house. He excitedly got out of the car and opened the door beside me. As I stepped out of the vehicle, I swept my gaze around the beautifully structured residence.

He took my hand, gave a slight encouraging squeeze, and then led me to the courtyard. Nervousness took over my system when his family came into view. They sat in a circle around an iron garden set.

A dashing respectable Spanish man, who was probably in his late fifties, was the first one who stood up. He had a bright facial expression as he approached to greet us.

"Hola, hijo (Hello, son)," he said, putting his arms around Cliff for a warm embrace.

"Papa! Como te ha ido (Dad! How have you been)?" Cliff asked.

"Estoy bien, gracias (I'm fine, thanks)!" his dad said.

I started to feel out of place. I did not understand a word they said. Just a little more Spanish talk and my nose would bleed due to language shock. Mercy! Can they please talk in English?

I froze when they turned to me. Cliff's dad had an inquiring look on his face. Yay! At last, they remembered my existence!

"Quien es esta señorita (Who is this young lady)?" the older man asked, a look of amusement in his eyes.

Cliff stepped towards me and placed a hand around my waist. He pulled me closer to him.

"Mi novia, papa (My girlfriend, dad)!" he announced proudly.

Uhm... Translator, please! #Lost

"I told dad that you're my wife," he whispered to me.

My eyes widened and my mouth opened in surprise. Appalled, I looked at him. He only answered with a naughty smile and a wink. But then, my nervousness wavered when his dad heartily laughed. I turned my head to look at the old man in awe.

"Esta bien? Que bonita (Is that right? How beautiful)!" his dad said.

Again, I did not understand a word! But it sounded like a compliment. So my mouth curled up into a shy smile. I blushed.

"Hi! Mi nombre es... Fiona Bell (My name is Fiona Bell)," I said, awkwardly introducing myself. I held out a hand to Cliff's dad. Hah! How d'you like that? I got myself some basic Spanish!

I expected a firm handshake but I was wrong. Instead, he smiled then held my hand, and bent over to give it a light kiss.

"Gabriel Castellanos. Como estas (How are you)?" he said.

I was in awe for a second. I remembered the first time I met Cliff. He did the same sweet gesture back then.

"Estoy bien (I'm fine)... uhm... Lo siento, señor (I'm sorry, sir)... uhm... Mi Español es malo (My Spanish is bad)," I said apologetically.

Thank goodness for Google! I was able to refresh my stock knowledge of basic Spanish phrases.

"Oh, don't worry, dear! Speak English and they will understand you just the same," an American woman, also in her late fifties, spoke as she finally approached us from behind Cliff's dad.

She looked charming and sophisticated in her white sundress. She smiled warmly at me and then stepped closer to give me a quick hug.

"I'm Caitlyn, by the way. Don't mind the men, sweetie," she said. She gave me a playful wink before she continued. "Like father, like son."

I smiled at her. She reached for my hand and gave it a comforting squeeze. Like mother, like son as well, it seems!

"Esa es mi mamá. (That's my mom)," Cliff said. He bent and gave a peck on Caitlyn's cheek.

"What? Are you all gonna stand out here all day? Food is getting cold on the dining table."

We all turned to the approaching woman. She was coming down the porch stairs to greet us with a wide smile. Her bodily build was large and she wore a cheerful expression on her chubby face.

"Tia (Aunt)!" Cliff called out.

I watched him as he ran towards the woman. He instantly wrapped his arms around her for a tight embrace. The woman laughed as she caressed his back.

Cliff's dad, Gabriel, walked in front of us and motioned for everyone to get inside the house. We all followed him.

The mood was casual and light during lunch. We were gathered around an elongated dining table. Just like Cliff, each member of his family was very easy to talk to. I guess it runs in the blood.

"You should try this, Fiona! Mom cooks the best seafood paella," Cliff said. He scooped a serving of the dish onto my plate.

I looked at her mom and smiled when I saw her eager expression. I grabbed my spoon and shoved a spoonful of the food into my mouth. I closed my eyes as I carefully chewed. God, it's so delicious, I can die happy now!

There was a wonderfully blended explosion of salty and sweet in my mouth. I tasted the quintessence of a seafood surprise. I could almost feel the warm ocean waves splashing all over me in one flavorful gastronomical delight.

"Mmm... Wow! This seafood paella is to die for! It's super good, I almost forgot Cliff's name," I exclaimed in pure amazement as I opened my eyes.

Laughter filled the dining room. Caitlyn's eyes glowed and she clapped with joy.

"The girl has a sense of humor! I like her already," Gabriel said.

"See, mama, I told you she's not a picky eater," Cliff said.

Everyone laughed again. I smiled and turned to look at Cliff with a questioning gaze. His eyes were full of amusement. He winked and leaned over to me.

"Sorry, seafood paella is actually one of mama's weakest recipes. So we're really glad you love it," he whispered audibly.

I chuckled before turning back to my plate to resume eating. This is so delicious and yet it's her weakest recipe. How much more perfect could her strongest recipes be?

The next morning, I woke up with a smile at the warmth of sunlight on my face. The morning sun penetrated through the glass window and onto the bed where I slept.

I spent the night in the guest room. Cliff's mom, Caitlyn, convinced us to stay over for a day or two more. I found it hard to refuse since I felt so at ease with them.

My smile widened as I recalled what happened late last night...

Seeing that everyone was already asleep, Cliff sneaked into the guest room and lay down beside me on the bed. I jerked awake when he snuggled me.

"Cliff! Hey! Why are you trespassing in the guest room? This is not your bedroom," I said, hiding my smile.

"You want me to leave?" he asked.

"You disturbed my nice dream! I was already asleep."

"If you're already asleep, then why are you still talking?"

Oh, right. He has a point there!

He snickered so I turned on the bed to face him.

"Why were you looking for me? Was there something you wanted to say?" I asked.

He silently stared at me for a couple of seconds. Then his hand moved to caress my cheek.

"I missed you. I couldn't sleep knowing that you were just in the other room. Te necesito, amor (I need you, love)," he said. His voice was low and sincere.

I was speechless. My mind went blank for a moment. This guy knew what he wanted and asked for it nicely. I knew then how this night would turn out. And I did not have the willpower to stop what happened next.

The back of my head was pressed onto the pillow when Cliff instantly moved to kiss me with ardent hunger. And when I responded to him with equal fervor, his kiss deepened even more.

We both let ourselves drown in passion, caressing and feeling each other. Letting out all unspoken emotions in the open. Was this what they called 'euphoria'?

The steamy night went on until we fell asleep in a tight cuddle.

I stopped reminiscing about last night when Cliff's arm tightened on my stomach. He pulled me closer to him. My bare back firmly touched his solid chest. Then he gave out a muffled sleepy groan as he buried his face into the hair at the back of my head.

A few seconds later, Cliff adjusted on the bed and hovered his body over mine. I straightened my back on the bed to look at him. He smiled and bent to kiss my forehead.

"Buenos dias, bella (Good morning, beautiful)," he said with a loving gaze.

I lifted a hand to caress the side of his face.

"Good morning, Cliff," I said with a smile. Then I asked, "What are we doing today?"

"Nothing. We're not gonna do anything. Do we have to do something? Perhaps another round of what we did last night?" he teased.

I blushed in an instant.

"Hey! That's not what I meant. Are we not going out for a walk? If not, I might as well go back to my apartment," I told him.

He suddenly looked serious.

"You're not going back today. We'll drive back tomorrow instead," he said.

"Why? What are we doing today? Take me out for a walk then! I've never toured Alexandria before," I cheerfully said.

"Yes. Later, love," he said with a meaningful smile.

I was about to utter something when he bent down to seal my lips with his kiss. There was no mildness in it this time; it was immediately torrid and needy. The roughness of it suddenly erased from my brain whatever it was that I wanted to say. I just closed my eyes in submission as I responded to him. Another round of the heat we shared last night was about to transpire.

Oh, crap! I haven't even brushed my teeth yet! Morning breath be damned!