Thirteen: Please Let It be Me
“Come with me,” he announced slowly.
I opened my eyes quietly asking what he meant. My eyes were blurry and I felt the warms tears.
“Let’s go,” he whispered.
“Go where?” I asked, even if the answer doesn’t matter, knowing I will go anywhere with him.
“Somewhere we can talk,” he explained in a soft voice but I detected a subtle hint of impatience.
“Now?” I asked.
He nodded with a determined expression on his face, his right arm sliding around my waist, urging me to rise.
“Okay,” I mumbled, wiping the tears on my eyes and cheeks with my hands and made the mistake of raising my eyes.
Everyone in the room was staring at me.
I froze. And time stood still.
“Mikaela?”
Kap was looking at me, studying my face apprehensively.
I opened my mouth but no sound came out. Tres, I mouthed.
He raised his brows but didn’t speak. Instead, he released me, rose and turned around. He muttered something unintelligible and returned his attention to me. He reached out for me, held my hand and pulled me up.
My knees felt weak and I stumbled.
An arm shot up to hold me before I lost my balance.
I felt Kap’s strong arms. One on my arm and another on my back.
“Steady. Slowly,” he commanded gently.
I smiled weakly and tried to stand on my own but my knees gave away.
He stared at me for a second and circled his arm on my waist. I saw the top of his head as he bent down, and in one swift move, with his arm on my back and another at the back of my knees, he lifted me off the floor.
“Tres!” I gasped, surprised. “What are you doing?” I asked, automatically wrapping my arms around his neck for balance.
“I’ve’ waited long enough. I’m taking you out,” he replied, as his gaze travelled around the room, stopping his gaze to where his parents are. “We are leaving,” he announced.
I felt hot flush spreading my cheeks, as I glanced at my dangling feet. “Put me down,” I whispered, the tone of my voice was both pleading and commanding, self-consciously pulling down the hem of my dress.
“I will,” he said, gazing at me, and then he bent down, closer to me and murmured, “later.”
“Please,” I pleaded, looked up and bravely met his gaze.
He continued to gaze with probing intensity into my eyes, making me speechless.
Seconds seemed to pass and we just stood there, gazing at each other, my feet dangling on the air, and my arms wrapped around his neck.
I could feel his warm breath on my cheeks and I became aware of the throbbing ache starting to spread, from the center of my being, and to every part of my body.
My lips involuntarily parted as he leaned closer and I waited, expectant, but suddenly it was gone.
Kap released a long sigh before he muttered, “We have to leave now,” and started for the door without putting me down.
I heard soft voices around us and I could feel their stares boring into my back. But Kap ignored them, looking straight ahead, until he reached the door.
Once outside, he continued his stride, stopping in front of a large door. He glanced at me briefly, reached forward and pressed a button.
I glanced over. It’s not a door. It’s an elevator.
“Will you put me down?” I demanded, now struggling but his hold tightened around me.
“Mikaela, stop squirming,” he warned but his eyes were smiling.
He was enjoying this.
I opened my mouth to protest but he leaned closer.
“I’m not letting you go, You should realize that by now,” he whispered, his lips touching my hair very lightly. His voice was very gentle but the gravity of his tone was evident. It both sounded a declaration and a threat.
Confused and resigned, I suppressed a sigh and stared at the wall, at the ceiling, anywhere, but him.
A loud ring sounded before it opened and Kap walked in.
Fortunately, Kap and I were the only passengers, except for the elevator guy in a red uniform, who was curiously staring at us. When he saw me looking at him, he smiled.
I smiled back and transferred my attention to Kap.
“Seven please,” Kap caught the brief exchange of smile and frowned before informing the guy in the red uniform where we are going.
“Seven please,” he ordered curtly.
I thought of asking him if his foul mood was because of my weight but changed my mind. Instead, I asked, “Where are you bringing me?”
“Somewhere we can talk,” he replied, the irritation I detected earlier was now completely gone.
“Okay,” I mumbled before I heard the familiar ring, and the door of the elevator opened.
“Seventh floor,” the elevator guy announced.
Kap murmured, “Thanks,” and walked out.
He continued walking, carrying me effortlessly, and then suddenly stopped.
“Do you still want me to put you down?” he asked, smiling.
His Josh Hartnett eyes crinkled and my heart somersaulted.
I can’t get used to it. Him smiling with his Josh Hartnett eyes.
“No. Yes. I don’t know,” I stammered,
His smile widened and his Josh Hartnett eyes became more endearing.
This time, my heart melted.
“All right. Let me just get the key from my pocket,” he informed me as he shifted me on his arms.
I tore my gaze away from him and I looked down.
Kap was searching on his pocket and then his hand came out holding a set of keys.
In less than a minute, we were inside a room.
I looked up and met his gaze.
Without a word, he gently put me down, his arms circling my waist for support.
I stood up beside him, grateful for his support and I looked around the room.
The room was bigger that the bedroom Kap shared with his brother during his childhood.
Bright yellow curtain covered the wide window, matching the gold lampshade on top of a small round red table.
Picture perfect, I thought.
My gaze travelled and ended at the center of the room, to a huge pristine white bed. On top of the bed was a long stemmed red rose. And beside it, rested a large pink envelope. The bed was so immaculate that the red rose and pink envelope seemed to popped out of the bed. The envelope pulled my attention.
“Why are we here?” I asked Kap, trying to control my curiosity but my mind was on the pink envelope and on what’s inside it.
Kap looked at me. The Josh Hartnett smile was now gone from his face, replaced by an unreadable expression.
“Forgive me, Mikaela,” he replied in a different tone, serious and hesitant, gesturing his long hand to the bed. To the pink envelope.
I followed his gaze. The pink envelope seemed to jumped out of bed. For reasons I can’t explain, it seemed significant. To him. And to me. To both of us.
