MICKO TOOK off his jacket and covered my body with his jacket. Inalalayan niya ako sa pagtayo. Nanghihina iyong mga binti ko at hindi ako makapaglakad ng maayos.

Nakita kong tumayo si Scarlet sa pagkakabagsak niya. Lalapitan niya sana kami, pero agad siyang tinitigan ng masama ni Micko.

I've never seen Micko this furious...

"Micko—"

"Don't you dare come near me, Scarlet." galit na sabi niya. Nagulat si Scarlet dahil sa sinabi ni Micko at hindi na siya nakagalaw pa sa pwesto niya.

Nilingon ko si Jayden na nasa sulok at duguan ang mukha dahil sa ginawa ni Micko. Agad rin akong nag-iwas ng tingin dahil parang hindi ko sya magawang tignan.

He almost raped me...

He touched and kissed me without my consent...

I felt a shiver down my spine just thinking about what he could've done more if Micko didn't come...

Paglabas namin ng kwarto ay mabilis akong binuhat ni Micko dahil sobrang nanghihina na talaga iyong katawan ko at hindi ako makapaglakad ng maayos. He carried me bridal style. I buried my face in his neck, inhaling his familiar scent while I encircled my arms around his neck.

Mabilis kaming sumakay ng elevator at ramdam ko iyong mga mata ng mga tao samin kaya pag dating namin ni lobby kaya mas isinuksok ko pa ang mukha ko sa leeg niya.

Dahan-dahan niya akong ibinaba sa passenger seat ng sasakyan niya. His eyes became soft while staring at me. He squatted after he put me down and gently caressed my face. He wiped the remaining tears in my eyes and planted a kiss on my forehead. Bakas pa rin iyong galit sa mga mata niya pero nawawala rin agad iyon kapag tinitignan niya ako.

"I'll be back... Just stay here, okay?" sabi niya, pero agad ko siyang hinawakan sa kamay bago pa siya makaalis.

"Balik ka kagad, ha..." I mumbled. He gave me a small smile before nodding his head and leaving.

I hugged myself as soon as Micko left. Nanginginig iyong buong katawan ko dahil sa nangyari.

Veena betrayed me...

Jayden almost raped me...

and Scarlet assaulted me.

Kusang tumulo ulit iyong mga luha sa mata ko. Napaka-sama nila! Wala naman akong ginawa sakanila pero binaboy at sinaktan nila ako!

I just kept on crying while I was waiting for Micko to come back.

Nakahinga lang ako ng maluwag ng makita ko si Micko na naglalakad pabalik. Bakas na naman ang galit sa mukha niya. He was holding my clothes and bag that he took from the other room. He was also holding the camera that Scarlet was using to take videos of me.

Agad ko siyang niyakap pagsakay niya sa driver's side.

"Thank you, Micko..." I whispered against his chest. Ang lalim ng paghinga niya at ang lakas ng tibok ng puso niya.

I pulled away from our hug and stared at his face. His eyes automatically softened, and his jaw relaxed when his eyes landed on mine. I cupped his face and gave him a kiss on the lips.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there with you... They will pay for what they did to you, I promise you." Micko said. I nodded my head and he pulled me again for a hug.

Inside his arm is my haven. He makes me feel warm, and safe and comfortable. His familiar scent makes me feel relaxed. And being wrapped around his arm is my favourite place.

"Do you want to go home?" he asked after we pulled away from our hug.

Agad akong umiling. "Puwede ba akong magstay muna sa condo mo?" tanong ko sakaniya.

Agad syang napangiti dahil sa sinabi ko at tumango. "Of course, you can," sagot niya bago nagsimulang magmaneho paalis.

Hindi ko namalayang nakatulog ako sa byahe at nagising nalang ako sa kwarto ni Micko. Ramdam ko iyong pananakit ng buong katawan ko. Lalo na iyong magkabilang pisngi at labi ko dahil sa pagkakasampal ni Scarlet sakin. May suot na rin akong damit. Naalala ko 'tong tshirt na 'to. Eto iyong pinasuot sakin ni Micko noong nagpunta kami sa Enchanted Kingdom.

I smiled inwardly while reminiscing that day... My heart melts while feeling nostalgic for that day.

Naupo ako sa kama at eksaktong pagpasok ni Micko. I smiled at him. He was holding a tray with a bowl and a glass of water.

"Kain ka muna," he said before sitting on the chair beside the bed.

He placed the tray on the bedside table. He grabbed the bowl of soup and took a spoonful and tried to feed me.

"Ako nalang, Micko. Kaya ko namang kumain mag-isa," sabi ko sakaniya, pero umiling lang sya at mas inilapit iyong kutsara na may soup. Wala akong nagawa kung hindi hayaan siyang subuan ako.

"How was it?" tanong niya pagkasubo niya sakin.

Nag-thumbs up ako sakaniya at ngumiti. "Masarap," sagot ko. He smiled because of my answer before feeding me another spoonful of soup.

Naubos ko iyong isang bowl ng soup na dala ni Micko. At saka niya ako pinainom ng tubig.

"Just stay there and rest," sabi niya ng kunin niya iyong pinagkainan ko. I pouted because I don't want him to leave me alone.

I heard him chuckle. "I'll be back. I promise," he assured me before he left the room.

Kinuha ko iyong cellphone sa bag ko na nasa tabi ng kama at saka nag-text kay Mama na baka hindi ako makakauwi ngayon. Sinabi kong matutulog ako sa bahay nila Lara dahil late na kami makakauwi dahil sa trabaho namin. Nagreply naman agad si Mama at sinabing mag-iingat raw ako palagi.

Ibinalik ko na iyong cellphone ko sa bag at naramdaman ko nalang ang pag-galaw ng kama at pagyakap sakin ni Micko mula sa likuran habang nakahiga ako. I scoot closer to him, letting him spoon me. He wrapped me inside his warm body.

Tahimik lang kaming dalawa habang nakayakap siya sakin. Tanging paghinga at tibok ng puso lang namin ang ingay na naririnig ko.

"Lindsey..." Micko whispered. Breaking the silence. He held me tighter and closer to him.

"Hmm..."

"I love you." parang tumigil iyong pag-tibok ng puso ko dahil sa sinabi niya. He slowly turned me around so he could see my face.

He took my face in his hands. His beautiful pitch-black eyes pierced right through me. "Lindsey, I love you... You are not obligated to respond to me right now. I just want you to know that I love you and that I want to tell you how I really feel."

My breathing became strained. Inside my chest, my heart begins to pound erratically. I had butterflies in my stomach that I had only read about in books.

How can this beautiful and fine-looking man in front of me fall for someone... like me? It's almost as if I'm in a dream. It's a beautiful, beautiful dream.

"Mahal rin kita, Micko." sabi ko sakaniya at diretsong naka-tingin sa mga mata niya.

He's unreachable and yet I was able to reach him because he meets me halfway. It wasn't only me who grasped for him, because I've seen him reach for me a thousand times more.

A smile appears on my lips. "Mahal kita, Micko. At gusto ko ring malaman mo kung ano iyong nararamdaman ko para sayo,"

"You have no idea how happy I am right now," he said before crashing his lips against mine. As I kissed him back, my arms automatically encircled his nape. As he hovered on top of me, I drew him closer to me.

"I'm in love with you." He continues to utter those words against my lips.

His lips moved southward. He began kissing me on the neck and chest with small kisses. He lifted my t-shirt and bra off, and I began unbuttoning his jeans. He returned his lips to my chest and began sucking my hardened nipples. 

When he gently pinched my nipple, I moaned. He threw his t-shirt and jeans on the floor after removing them.

"Micko," I muttered. While sucking my chest, his thumb starts rubbing against my clit. Because of the incredible sensation I'm having right now, I arched my back. I snatched his hair and drew him in closer.

"Fuck, Lindsey," he muttered as I reached for his length and began stroking him.

"Micko, make love to me." I whimpered as the sensation in my stomach grew stronger.

Micko slid between my legs and eased his way into my core. While he's thrusting inside of me, he keeps muttering sweet words to me. While we were doing it, I didn't close my eyes. I was afraid to close my eyes and wake up from this dream, so I stared at his face instead.

"I love you," he whispered one last time into my ear. And with one final thrust, both of us reached our zenith.

"I love you too, Micko." sagot ko bago siya niyakap habang nasa-ibabaw ko.

***

We stayed in bed after making love. He was spooning me under the sheet while he was playing with my fingers.

"Pakiramdam ko nananaginip lang ako," sabi ko at narinig ko iyong mahinang pagtawa ni Micko.

"You're not dreaming, Lindsey. Because if this is just a dream, then I don't even want to wake up from this spectacular dream so I can be with you forever," he sweetly said, and that made me smile.

"Ayaw ko na ring magising pa sa panaginip na 'to, Micko." sagot ko sakaniya.

He brought light into my life, which had been dark...

Through the rain, he became my sunshine.

When I was on the verge of breaking down, he made me feel loved. He made me feel important and adored. He was always there for me when I needed him.

He stayed especially when everyone else had left.

He embedded in me the belief that I could be anyone I wanted to be... He never judged me for who I was; instead, he accepted and respected me for who I was.

I never expected someone like him to fall in love with someone like me...

I woke up the next morning with a smile on my face because Micko was sleeping beside me. While our bodies were entangled, he was sleeping peacefully.

Dahan-dahan akong tumayo sa pagkakahiga at tinanggal ang nakadantay na katawan ni Micko sakin. He stirred a little when I got off the bed, but he was still fast asleep. Napagod masyado kagabi.

I bit my lower lip when I remembered what we did last night. It was one of the best nights of my life.

Lumabas ako ng kwarto ni Micko at saka dumiretso sa kusina para ipagluto siya ng agahan. Nagluto ako ng French toast, eggs, and bacon. Ipinagtimpla ko na rin siya ng kape. Inaayos ko iyong lamesa para pag-gising niya ay naka-ready na ang lahat ng maramdaman ko iyong braso niya na pumalupot sa bewang ko.

Nakayakap siya sa likuran ko, bago niya ako hinalikan sa pisngi. "Good morning," bati niya sakin at halatang inaantok pa siya dahil sa boses niya.

Hinarap ko siya at saka hinalikan sa pisngi. "Good morning. Kain na tayo. Nagluto ako,"

"Nagising ako dahil sa bango ng niluto mo,"

"Bolero!" sabi ko ng natatawa. I handed him the cup of coffee and he took a sip from it.

Nagsimula na rin kaming kumain. 7 AM palang ng umaga at may pasok pa kami dahil lunes ngayon.

Binigyan ko ng French toast at bacon at egg si Micko sa plato niya at nagsimula na kaming kumain.

"Let's talk to your parents after we eat,"

Bahagyang kumunot iyong noo ko at napatingin ako sakaniya. Inabot niya iyong kamay kong nakapatong sa ibabaw ng lamesa at bahagyang pinisil at saka ako nginitian.

"I want to ask their permission to officially date you, Lindsey."

WHATYASEY