A month had passed. My relationship with Daniel had somewhat tightened, a bit. Still, I hadn't gotten what I wanted from him: which is for us to be more than friends.

After he left my apartment weeks ago, I did not see him for four day until I ran into him on my way to my usual hang out. We talked for an hour about exams and studies.

Walking side-by-side with him now after lectures, inflamed an unrelenting feeling deep inside of me. Its magnitude increases my frustration, thereby interrupting my physical concentration. I kept wondering what it was about him that left me in a confused state. Disturbed because I didn't know how to deal with the complicated situation.

"Careful, or you hit your head."

Startled, reality kicked in. I stopped to look at him. Mainly to understand what he meant by that.

"Do you wish to go back?" The plain amusement in his voice, as he bit down his red full lips, had me inserting a portion of mine between my teeth in longing. My right hand, at its own will, trailed to my blue handbag. I held it with the intention of stopping my fingers from shaking. The emotion I battled with was maddening. Worst, when I knew that the only person capable of quenching the fire raving in me is close physically, but far in heart. If someone had told me two months back, that I would fall not only hopelessly in love, but also be desperate about it, I would have looked the person in the face and laughed mockingly. The thought of never having a chance in a relationship with him pushed tears to the back of my eyes.

"Do you want me to come in?"

I shot a brow up at him in confusion. Glanced ahead and back to him––snapped it ahead again when something I'd seen earlier surfaced in my mind. My apartment... We'd reached without me realizing. Who is to be blamed for it? I asked myself with a scowl. "Oh," I mouthed moving from my spot to my door. At the same time, I searched for my key inside of my bag. When I found it, I selected one, inserted it in the keyhole; my trembling hand accentuated itself more by each passing second as I continued to struggle with the deadbolt. I cursed under my breath twisting furiously.

"You need help with that?" I heard him approach from behind. Surprisedly, I felt his closeness even though he wasn't all that close... yet, making matters worse. His being nearer never fails to scatter my sense of reasoning.

I all but aimed the key, slammed it in the keyhole like a grieving lover avenging the death of his beloved. I turned the knob giving the door a shove with my arm. Still, it didn't budge.

"That's not the key. Try the next. I'm curious as to why you don't know the particular one."

Feeling embarrassed, I passed a smile over my shoulder at him. The way he directed a brow up in reply in what I pictured to be uncertainty told me I'd succeeded in turning up a grimace.

Knocking myself mentally, I detached the bunch of useless keys, concentrated as I fished-out the right on. Without effort, the door opened this time. I breathed a sigh of relief pushing my way in.

"Not too..." Before I could turn, he grabbed my hand, tugging me firmly to him with a force that knocked my breath off, in a matter of split seconds. Ruled by the unexpected moment, I stared into his eyes, lost for words. What I saw in there catapulted my senses to oblivion. Like the sun drawing into the fog of possessiveness, dominating dim clouds of the night, so I witnessed the brightness of his eyes disappear without trace into the darkness of his optic.

My already knocked out breath, gushed back in my throat. The cold, strangely electrifying hand he had around mine tightened, pulling me closer.

Twack twack.

The sound streamed in my ear, over my head. That snatched me from the merciless claws of Daniel's enchantment. I forcefully jerked free, plastering an accusative glare at him. That was when I noticed we were crouched on the floor. Shocked about how we ended up in such an odd position, I stood up wondering what the hell had gotten into him.

The glare occupying my eyes switched to mere wonderment on watching his darkened eyes turn to its normal color. If I hadn't been sure about seeing the earlier change, I would have diagnosed myself with madness.
"Why did you pull me in such a manner?" Winced discerning the vulnerability in my voice. Saying differently while my body speaks another language of its own. I shamefully admit to wanting him to do it again. The sensation of having my body hit him was so overwhelming. A miracle I didn't scream for him to do it over and over again.

What is wrong with me?

Twack twack!

This time, I barely shifted my head as it sped over, connecting with my door. Then... I realized what had bebeget Daniel's sudden reaction.

Dazed, I looked down at the four small stones, similar to the ones David, used on Goliath. Before the entire episode could register fully to me, I heard a retreating foot step. Raising my head I saw, Daniel marching down with vigor toward a large palm tree. Almost immediately, two beings roughly the ages of eight and ten raced away from their hiding down the street as fast as their legs enabled them to.

"Daniel, stop." I hurried after him.

He halted, his back to me. His gaze followed the fast sprinting kids. One had a sling dangling from his hand as he went. "Does this happen often?" He turned to me. The center of his brow creased in what appeared to be worry. My stomach fluttered. I instantly forgot about the children, unable to stop the feeling blazing inside of me. A feeling that contains a notch of pain. I remembered how my heart pounded in my chest as it came in contact, matching the rhythm of his. So amazing as the voice of an excited maiden about to be betrothed to her heartthrob.

"Are you okay?" His left hand started up, just as quickly, it dropped back to his side. He blink as one would when trying to get rid of a spell.

Could it be...

Ugh! Don't start imagining silly things already.

"What... ah... yes... I meant no... yes!" Gush! I forced a smile. Shifted awkwardly.

The strange way in which he glanced me up-and-down told me he'd noticed my discomfort.

Congratulations, sweetie.

"Are you sure?" The unadulterated care laced in his voice and face, melted my inside.

"Yeah, I'm good." I nodded, swallowing heavily.

"My apology for pulling you. I was af... I saw the stone approaching so fast I couldn't help but tug you to the floor. It would have hit you in the head, and I can't bear seeing my good friend, hurt." He smiled slyly.

Friend right?

I suppressed the urge to glare at him. "Thank you," I said. But it sounded more like a hiss; and I did not mentally slap myself for it, this time.

"You haven't answered my first question. Do they haul pebbles at you often?"

"That's not funny."

"You don't see me laughing, do you?"

"I don't know them. And yes, this is the first time."

"Be careful around here, then."

I took another step to the side, unsure of whether to invite him in or tell him to be on his way....

"Do you need anything?" He asked, interrupting my musing.

You!

I shrugged. "Nothing I can think of."

"Very well, then. Bye."

"Bye." I gritted out. Using all my strength, I turned on my heels, walked to my door.

"Isabella?"

I stiffened. "Yeah?" I muttered willing myself not to look behind.

"I w-will..."

He stuttered for the first time. How sweet.

"Will like to... um... invite you over to my house, tomorrow... If you don't mind?"

Joy unceremoniously leaped in and out of me. I constrained a smile whirling to look at him. This is a development, I thought.

"Was thinking you'd never ask," I blurted.

He chucked. "I shall text you the address. Good day."

For a full minute, my eyes were on the floor, but my mind a thousand miles away... In a world where the two of us only exist. So many things to do... Things to say to him. For so long... Well for the short time since I met him, he finally said one of the hundreds of words I'd wanted to hear from that eye-catching mouth of his. The happiness I felt knew no bound.

Recalling my back had been to him all the while without drinking in his sight to last me the day, I pivoted only to stare at an empty space together with his tantalizing masculine scent.

Finally...