Chapter 4

• While she felt relieved after saying it, she also wished for the earth to open and swallow her whole. Despite not seeing him face-to-face, Serene felt bashful about her declaration. It’s so unlike her. As an introvert, she was not used to expressing her emotions openly.
• So much more to somebody she was crushing on. She hid her flushed face in her shirt.
• Ever the gentleman, Bryan did not tease her any further and opened a new topic, which made her at ease. Like at lunch, Bryan listened to her with sincerity. From time to time he would crack a joke. They are corny, to be honest, but they made her laugh.
• The more they talked, the deeper she fell for him. It’s hard to imagine that they had a lot in common. They liked anime, seafood (although both were allergic), and the ocean. Although they’re both models, they’re both not into fashion. He loved music while she loved to paint.
• They talked over the phone until close to midnight. Bryan had reluctantly ended the call and said that she should go to sleep since she had class the following day.
• How could she go to sleep when she was on cloud nine? She stared at her ceiling with a silly expression on her face. If somebody were to see her, they would think she had gone crazy. She probably has because all her mind could think of was Bryan. She replayed their conversations during lunch, their instant messages, and their phone calls. Each memory made her lips stretch to a smile.
• She hugged her pillow tight as she recalled the sound of his laugh, and how the corner of his eyes wrinkled whenever he laughed hard.
• Her heart swelled from the happiness she felt. She had not experienced this level of euphoria in her life.
• She did not know how sleep eventually got the better of her because at the next moment, as if just a wink had passed, her alarm sounded.
• Although she only got a few hours of sleep, she did not feel irritated at all. Rather, she reached for her cellphone from the bedside table and switched off her alarm with a smile on her face. It was another night of sweet dreams. Her lips stretched to a wide smile when she saw a message from the culprit why she did not complete her sleep.
• “Good morning, dear! Have fun today.”
• Serene typed, erased, and re-typed her reply countless times. Finally, she settled with “Good morning”.
• She face-palmed after hitting send because she felt her reply was perfunctory. Alas, she got her confirmation. Seconds after sending her two-word message, she received a phone call.
• “Hi.” His voice was husky. He seemed to have just woken up, too.
• “Hi.” Like last night, she felt shy talking to him even if she cannot see him. She stared at her feet and played with the carpet.
• “What’s with the brief responses? Where was the spirited girl I was talking to last night?” There was a hint of teasing in his voice.
• “Uhm…” She heard crisp laughter from the other line.
• “Have fun today, dear. I’ll catch some Z’s and will see you later,” he said in a single breath, and ended the phone call.
• The other line has long dropped the call, but Serene kept looking at her phone with a stupid look on her face. “Did I hear it right, see you later? Is that what he said?” These questions kept circling her head throughout the day.
• Things between them kicked off that way. They would have regular phone calls at night talking about how their day went. During the day, whenever they both find free time, they would chat with each other.
• Not content with the phone calls and chat exchanges, they would occasionally go out on group dates or hang out with their friends. In this way, they got to know more about each other in a relaxed manner. After several group dates, they transitioned to going out together. They would have casual meals or would watch a movie. Sometimes they would stroll at a park, seat on a bench and talk until the sun sets.
• In one such moment, she and Bryan were sitting on a bench on the campus as they waited for Mary’s class to finish. From out of the blue, Bryan took her hand, held it tight and planted a kiss on it. He looked at her in the eyes, and in all seriousness said, “I love you, Serene.”
• The declaration surprised her but also made her feel like walking on clouds. She had dreamed of this moment over and over. And hearing him say these words surprised her. She could not believe that the man she treasured in her heart felt the same for her.
• Her eyes fixed on him for half a minute. She stared at the bottomless black orbs that showed her reflection. Her heart was beating in her chest like crazy, and her brain seemed to have stopped functioning. For the life of her, not even in her wildest imagination would she dare do what she was about to do next.
• She leaned closer to him and planted a soft kiss on his lips. Even Bryan did not expect the kiss. It was out of Serene’s character to start such an action.
• Although surprised by her sudden kiss, he reached out to her cheeks and deepened the kiss. Both were oblivious to their surroundings. Serene did not mind that they publicly displayed affection, and it was she who started it, for crying out loud. Nothing else mattered to her at that moment but this.
• Bryan rested his forehead on hers, his eyes locked on hers. There’s a smile on his lips. “I love you, Bryan,” Serene said, after catching her breath. Bryan gave her lips another peck before wrapping her in a tight embrace.
• “I love you, Serene. I am the happiest man in the world right now.”