Chapter 31

"I'm glad that you guys had no issues upon your arrival." Rayne said as her fingers flew on the keyboard of her laptop.

"Yeah, we're all clear. We're in the bus right now." Russell chirped.

"Wow, that was fast. Are you sure you don't want me or Christie meeting you at the station?"

"Very sure. It's not like I'm very important."

"You're just my boss and company CEO."

"Still no. Don't bother. We know the place like the back of our hand so we'll be fine."

"Very well, see you soon."

Rayne tapped on the end call button of her phone and stared at it contemplatively. It was a relief that the government lifted the travel restrictions against the United States, enabling her boss and his husband to travel and meet with all his Philippine staff. Russell had already met with the Manila branch a week ago and was on their way to Baguio.

It was not that she would be meeting him for the first time. She had met with them several times during her tenure as a VA. She was intimidated when she first saw her boss in person, mainly when he talked, as he had a low booming voice. This was in contrast with Victor, who, despite being as buff as Russell, sounded like the stereotypical gay man lisp and effeminate gestures, which surprised her.

Years passed since then, and she got used to her boss and his spouse's antics. Now she was looking forward to seeing them because she was fond of the pair and the free meals she would eat, as Russell always ordered food while in a meeting.

"Rayne! Are you busy?"

Rayne jumped at the sound of the male voice behind the door. She ran a hand along her hair, sighing at her reaction. She had forgotten she was not alone this evening. "No, come on in Harold."

The door opened, revealing Harold in a snugly fit gray shirt and black boxers, carrying a silver laptop. "You're on break?" He asked as he plopped on her bed.

"Yup," She said, stretching her arms up in the air. "What are you doing here? Got tired of Bubbles as your companion?"

"No, but he loves to help a little too much. Actually, I'm done with my lecture, I just wanted to see you before I go back to sleep."

"Mmm," She briefly glanced at the screen and then back at him. "You miss me already?" She winked at him.

Harold smiled as he set his laptop aside on her bed and went to her. "Don't I always? The school was tiring as usual." He wrapped his arms around her, which had her hugging him by the waist.

"Better now?"

"Very much so. Hold on, let me adjust myself."

"Huh?"

Confused at first, Rayne frowned and then let out a screech when Harold lifted her off her chair and carried her to the bed. He sat at the edge and set her down on his lap. He held her close to him like a stuffed bear.

"Harold, this is nice and all but I got to get back to work."

"I know, let me just hold you."

"I am not a teddy bear."

"I know, but you're my teddy bear."

"Are you always this cheesy?"

"Only with you."

Before Rayne could protest any further, Harold bent down and kissed her. It was a light kiss, then became more heated and intense. As she was used to it now, she responded to his kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"How long do you have?" Harold asked in between kisses.

"Five minutes and counting." Rayne replied through his lips.

"Then we got time." He growled as he laid her on the bed.

"Time?! What are you…Harold!"

Once on the bed, Harold was all over her. His mouth was on hers again, kissing her like she would disappear if he stopped. His hands roamed her body, frantically searching for a way to lift off her sleep shirt. When he was able to find the hem of her shirt, he began to lift it.

The sound of an otherworldly siren filled the bedroom, and Harold nearly jumped off Rayne and out of the bed, looking around in alarm. His eyes landed on a mint green smartphone on the computer table, its LED blinking rapidly. He glanced back at Rayne, who was slowly getting up from the bed.

"Of all the alarms you have to use, why that one?! What a way to kill the mood." Harold muttered, eyeing his girlfriend in both horror and amusement.

Rayne sauntered towards her table but deliberately brushed past him, her hand caressing his stomach. She pointedly ignored his groan and turned off the alarm on her phone. "I told you I need to get back to work. That alarm is the only sound I respond to."

"I'm surprised you didn't end up with PTSD."

"With that siren? Goodness, I played SH1 and SH2 with my brother a few times so I'm fine with it and besides, the city's own siren makes me want to buy a gun."

"Oh come on, it's not that bad. Anyway," Harold said as he saw Rayne sitting on her chair and typing her password on her laptop. "I'm off to bed, I got an early class tomorrow. Online, in case you're wondering. Good night, lovely." He then bent down to kiss her briefly on the lips.

"Good night." She murmured as she turned on her softphone app and changed her status to online. As she resumed her work, she thought she was utterly alone until, from the corner of her eye, she saw Harold lying on her bed. She abruptly turned her head to face him and sighed silently.

Since they became a couple, Harold spent most of his time in her place. He only returned to his unit to take a bath and get his clothes or teaching materials. He even ended up cooking in her kitchen and having his meals there. He practically lived in her condo. She wondered if he would move in with her, and a part of her would not mind if he did, but another part of her was not too keen on having him around all the time.

Harold did not bring up about it, and she never said anything. Maybe it was because, aside from Bubbles, she gained another companion in the form of another human. Her quiet world was now filled with sounds she was not accustomed to. She was also getting used to the presence of another person. She had mixed emotions at the idea that she was in a relationship. It was her first time to have someone feel the same way as she did, and she was delighted, but at the same time, she also felt uneasy, wondering how long this would last.

It was not because she was being pessimistic about her relationship with him but because she was doing her best to be realistic about her current situation.

"Hello, are you still there?" An annoyed voice cuts through her thoughts.

"Oh sorry! I was having some connectivity issues. I'm here and still am. Have you reached the decision regarding your home?" Rayne asked as she smiled sheepishly at her screen even if she knew no one would see it.

"Yeah, about that, I was planning to sell this year so your timing is just right."

She silently sighed in relief as she could lie smoothly when she sensed the customer's mood change from mildly annoyed to focused on the topic. For now, she would stop overthinking and make the most out of it as she had always done.

Rayne looked away from Harold's sleeping form and resumed working. Take it one day at a time. She told herself.

* * *

Jasper and Agatha were observing Harold, who was intently reading a thesis draft a group of third-year Biology students had submitted a few minutes ago. While there was an aura of concentration around him, they noticed something unusual about his demeanor.

Agatha turned to her colleague and whispered. "Is it me or he looks very happy to you?"

"Ecstatic. He looks absolutely ecstatic." Jasper murmured dryly.

"You sound jealous."

"Hardly. I should be thankful to whatever caused him to be like this."

A third voice piped in. "Then you better thank Rayne."

The duo jumped at the sound of an amused female voice behind them. "Tracy! Your classes are over?" Jasper asked as he mindlessly took the books she was holding.

"Yup. Oh, thanks. It was stressful. Students are whining about the test results."

"So the usual. Got it. On the bright side, none of us had to write a letter of explanation to the department head on why we failed half the class."

Agatha groaned. "Don't even bring that up. I hate writing those."

"You got one again?"

"Thankfully, no. So, her name's Rayne? Do we know her?"

Jasper nodded. "You haven't met her yet, but you will eventually. She's the guy's next door neighbor."

"How convenient."

"Okay, you guys had fun discussing my personal life, how about we actually do our jobs?" Harold suddenly spoke as he gave his colleagues a withering look.

The three burst into loud laughter as they went to their respective desks. "You'd make a great department head one day," Tracy said.

"And bypass Agatha? No thanks." Harold made a face.

"You can have it. It's too much work for me." Agatha turned on her tablet and scrolled through some documents.

"But you're here longer than I am."

"I didn't know this was based on seniority."

"Will you two quit it?" Jasper's exasperated voice echoed within the half-empty faculty room. "Both of you deserve the position." He added sarcastically.

Agatha and Harold glared at him. Jasper let out a snicker and resumed his work. The other two also went back to work.

Harold's phone vibrated, and its LCD flashed on his table. Frowning, he took the phone and saw a message from Rayne, which made him smile slightly. It felt good receiving anything from her, be it a message, a call, or a gesture of affection.

They had been on several dates since they got together, but he made it a point not to go overboard as he sensed her hesitation. He was not the type of person who would force himself on his romantic partner. Rayne was extremely special to him, and the last thing he wanted to do was hurt her.

As with everything involving her, he would have to go slow.

"OMG, I AM SO HAPPY FOR YOU!!!" Christie practically screamed as she grabbed Rayne by the shoulders and shook her hard.

"Stop it, Christie!" Rayne protested as her voice wobbled since she was still shaken like a Raggedy Ann doll.

Christie stopped and gave her a sheepish smile. "Sorry, but I couldn't help it. You finally got yourself a man!"

Rayne scowled at her friend. "What is that supposed to mean?!" She snapped. "You made me sound like some freak."

"Don't think like that. I meant, you got a boyfriend and it's long overdue."

"You know; each time you speak you're becoming more offensive." Rayne pointed a butter knife at her friend.

Christie hit the knife with her fork. It made a tinkling sound. The two women ended up laughing.

Currently, they were at a steakhouse restaurant in one of their infrequent time out together. Rayne was surprised that Christie's daughter was not with her since seeing the mother and daughter together was common. The other woman said the kid was with her grandparents, finding a trip to Tagaytay much more fun than her mother's girl time.

Personally, Rayne was relieved. While she didn't mind having the child around, she preferred without her. It made Christie less distracted, and Rayne would not feel she had to adjust around a child as she tends to swear. She did not want children to learn anything terrible from her.

Rayne took a forkful of her steak and chewed slowly, her expression thoughtful. She did not intend to reveal her relationship with Harold to her friend. It was not because she was possessive over her boyfriend but because she wanted to keep it private. She inadvertently revealed it to her friend, who reacted like it was the most miraculous event since the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta in Fatima, Portugal, in 1917.

"Okay, okay, I'll stop. But who is he? How did you meet him? Does he have a brother?" Christie began to fire her friend with questions.

"Harold. Next door neighbor. No, only kid." Rayne answered just as rapidly.

"Ooh, so close. What does he do for a living? Is he good in bed?"

"Professor. Wait, what?! Bed?!"

Christie smiled at her with an innocent expression on her face. "Yes, bed."

"What the hell?!" Rayne's voice was so high that the other diners were looking at the two women.

"What? There's nothing wrong with having sex with your partner."

She eyed her friend closely. "Yeah and where did that lead to? You're lucky that you have a caring guy." She said, referring to Christie's boyfriend, Sam.

"I know. I was rash, but well it couldn't be helped," Christie shrugged. "Okay, enough about me, how about you and this Harold guy? No fun in the sack?"

"NO!" Rayne snapped. "Does it have to lead to sex all the time?"

"Most of the time, yes."

"Ew. I'm pretty contented with the talks, sharing food and watching horror and dark fantasy anime with him."

Christie let out a choked laugh. "Boring. To each their own, I guess."

"I guess." Rayne echoed as she resumed eating, although the conversation with her friend about sex was slowly beginning to bother her.

Rayne was relieved she was back home as her time with Christie drained her. She plopped on the sofa like a doll and even ignored Bubbles when he climbed on her lap. It was when he walked on her chest did she notice his existence. She let out a groan at the cat's weight and then hugged him.

"You're lucky that you're a cat. You don't have to worry about human stuff like sex and shit." Rayne said as she kissed the cat.

"Meow." Bubbles said and sounded like he was agreeing with her.

"Although you have no balls anymore…ow!" she shouted as the cat lightly bit her on her arm. "Hey! What was that for? You're neutered and that means no kittens for you. Isn't that neat?"

Bubbles ignored her and went to sleep. She scowled at the feline and then sighed. She would never understand the importance of physical intimacy in a relationship. It was not that she was a prude, and there were times that she and Harold made out a few times, but nothing went beyond that. He had explained that he was not a forceful man and would be patient with her after she had confided in him about her lack of sexual experience. She was grateful to him as even though she had the hots for him, she preferred their quieter times.

But would that be fine with Harold? Was she weird? Was she making a big deal out of nothing? Would she ignore this one as usual?

Rayne was not so sure anymore.