CHAPTER 13: Trembling heart

We slept comfortably and wake up early in the morning, at 6.30. We head straight to breakfast after packing up and washing up then drive around to look for the venue. It's quite a task, since there are plenty of lodges, but we managed to get to three venues with the closest classifications that Kimberly wants just a little after lunch, so I think we're pretty good. I took a lot of pictures too.

The three venues are really big. Located between the ocean and the hills, so the committee can arrange many activities. The lodges are also spacious and can hold more than 300 people overall. The second place me and Allen went to (my personal favorite), is a little more expensive because it's bigger and the buildings are newer and they also have central water heating system thingy (not gonna stuck, I promise). They also have an amazing man-made lake.

Since Kimberly said that three's enough, Allen and I decided to hang around the beach after lunch. He wants to play with the local kids (he saw them play soccer earlier when we drive to a restaurant) and I want to take pictures for the competition.

We walk along the beach barefooted and Allen leaves me to my camera as he plays with the water before joining the kids for some soccer game. He laughs a lot when he plays with those kids. He looks just like one of them. With a big, boyish smile on his face. His clothes are wet from sweats and sea water when they begin to mess around more rather than playing actual soccer.

I unconsciously stare at him as I realize how bright he looks under the afternoon sun. His blonde hair sparkling as the sun lights hit them. And his fair skin (not pale like mine) glowing. His laugh is hearty. It's beautiful. He's beautiful. I watch him through my viewfinder, capturing him as much as I can.

I laugh and bring down my camera when the kids from the opposing team tackle him to the sand. I never knew he's very good with kids.

Maybe I should let my younger siblings meet him. I thought happily and kinda hopefully.

Huh? What was that again? Happy? Hopeful? I think I'm starting to get a little heat stroke because my head feels light, my face burns, and my stomach feels weird.

I shout at Allen to let him know that I'll go back to the car and rest for a while. I quickly turn around and walk back to the car when he nods. I have the car key with me so I just run towards it, open the back door, after cleaning my feet, lying down on the backseat and closing my eyes. I don't feel good. My stomach feels funny. Did I eat something bad? But Allen and I ate the same thing since yesterday and he's totally fine.

Maybe I'm just tired, I thought and decided to just rest for a while.

I must have dozed off because I can feel someone is shaking my body to wake me up. It's Allen. I open my eyes and meet with his worried face.

"Hey..." my raspy voice greets him and he frowns as I get up.

"Are you okay?" he asks, putting his palm on my forehead, feeling or any fever.

"I'm good. Just tired maybe," I tell him. Sleeping doesn't seem to do the trick, because I still feel slightly uncomfortable.

"Go back to sleep. I'll drive slowly," Allen says, getting off from the back seat. I do too. "What are you doing? I told you to sleep," He frowns deeper.

"I'll sleep on the front." I tell him, walking to the front passenger seat. "I'll just lower the seat. That way, you won't feel so lonely," Oh, so I can still tease. That's a good sign.

"It's better than you getting sick," He says slowly but I brush him off, getting into the passenger seat, him into the driver's seat, defeated. I lower my seat and lie on it as Allen starts the car. I lie on my right side so I'm facing him, that way, we can still talk.

Allen worriedly looking at me. He reaches out his left hand and places it on my right cheek. It stays there for a while and I so don't mind it. It feels good. Comfortable. His hand is big, warm, and soft. I can feel the drowsiness is back.

"Sleep," Allen commands softly.

"Hmmm..." is all I can manage to say before I fall back to sleep.

The next time I open my eyes, I am lying on my bed, in my pajamas.

Huh? When did that happen? I blink in confusion and turn to the kitchen when I hear sounds of plates scraping each other. I see Allen there, busy doing something. He changed his clothes and now he's wearing a pair of shorts and a white shirt that clung to his toned body. He looks serious. I turn to see the clock on my wall. It's two in the morning.

"Hey," I sit up and call out to him.

His surprise turns into a smile then a concern as he approaches me. "Hey," he says, "You're up," I smile at him apologetically.

"You carry me all the way here?" I ask him.

"You're surprisingly light," He says, "Where did all those foods gone to?" He teases me and I smack him, of course. "Feeling better?" he asks, more seriously. I lower my head in embarrassment.

"Much better," I tell him, "Thanks."

"You have to eat something, then you can go back to sleep," He walks back to the kitchen and back to me with two bowls of steaming porridge.

"Thanks," I say, taking one of the bowls from him. He sits beside me and we start eating.

"What's your schedule for tomorrow?" he asks.

"In there," I gesture towards my organizer book thingy. He puts down his bowl on the bedside table, reaches out for the organizer book thingy and starts reading through it.

"Submitting the venue details to Kim at 10..." he mutters to himself, "I can do that."

"Huh?" What did he say?

"Fixing fencing team's uniform a little after ten... I don't know how to sew so I'll just take them here..." Allen mutters again.

"Wait!" What the hell is he doing? I try snatching the organizer book thingy from him.

"Helping the decoration crew for the fashion show. That I know how," He says again with a sense of pride.

"Allen! Stop!" he closes the organizer book thingy quite harshly, making me flinch. He then turns to look at me, staring at me, with a look I haven't seen on him before, and it makes me cower. Yes, cower.

"You are exhausted. You need to rest," Allen says with a chill in his voice that makes me tremble. Yes, tremble.

"I'm fine!" I try to argue.

"You can still do your jobs without having to go out," Allen says, a little softer now, but still stern. "I can help you with the things that have to be done on the spot."

"You have practice," I remind him.

"I won't miss it," He assures me. It seems that none of us wants to back down. He stares at me while I glare at him. Until he finally sighs. "I don't want anything to happen to you. I can't let anything happen to you," He says softly.

I frown but almost laugh. Maybe he's that afraid of Chuck and Marsha as to go this far in keeping me checked out. Well, I'm hella scared of them too, so, unwillingly, I wave my own white flag.

"Fine," I say finally, "But be sure to let me know if you're troubled or anything, okay?" he nods and finally smiles. "Thanks," I smile back and continue to finish my porridge.