3

We reached the fountain in no time. Sumakto naman ang pag ulan at agad na kaming nababad sa tubig. I laughed so hard while feeling the rain dance on my skin.

Noong nagdilat ako ay nakita ko lamang si Joaquin na nakatitig sa akin. I faced him and stared at him too. Basa na iyong puti niyang polo, iyong buhok niya ay nakalaglag na malapit sa kanyang mata. I can see traces of his body under his wet shirt and I can't help myself but to stare.

"Where do you want to go?" aniya. Inabot niya iyong palad niya sa akin at kinuha ko naman iyon. I smiled at him and looked straight into his eyes.

"Anywhere." Sagot ko. Tumango siya.'

"There's a plane waiting for me. I have to meet someone in China. If you want I can take you there. Your father will not know." Anas niya. I nodded.

Is it weird if I feel safer with him than with hundred guards around me? I don't know why but I am sure that I have a certain connection with him. He is.. I can hardly explain him.

I know he is special. A once in a lifetime man.

Sumunod ako sa kanya. true to his words, there is a jet waiting for him. Kahit na basang basa kami ng ulan ay hinayaan niya akong makasakay roon.

Pagkapasok ko sa eroplano ay binate ako ng malalambot na kulay kremang mga upuan. The chairs have gold linings on it while bottle of champagnes are prepared. May lumapit sa amin na steward at inabutan kami ng tig isang towel.

Joaquin spoke in Chinese before giving me the towel. Tumaas ang kilay ko at tinanggap iyon. I looked around the luxury jet with disgust. Kung hindi lamang ako makakaligtas sa kulungan na ito sakay ang jet, baka bumaba na ako ng wala sa oras.

Tiningnan ko ang repleksyon ko sa salamin noong lumapit na sa akin si Shawn.

"Please sit. The jet is only being refueled. We will take off in a few minutes."

Tumango ako. I faced him. "Do you own this?" I said. Nangunot ang noo niya. Iyong towel na nakasabit sa leeg ko ay kinuha niya at pinunasan ang tubig na mula sa noo ko.

"You know, my father owns like three of these luxury jets Joaquin. Each one of this costs tons of money. I hate him more for it." Pagkekwento ko. Natigilan siya sa pagpupunas sa akin at tinitigan lamang ako.

"If only he had the decency to spend that money in sending children to school or building an orphanage or helping poor people, that would have been better right? Sometimes, rich men have more money than sense. I just hate them." Tuloy tuloy kong sabi. Bahagya siyang napalayo sa akin kaya naalarma naman ako.

"I'm sorry. Did I say something wrong?"

Umiling siya. "No. Not at all." Sagot niya. Lumawak ang ngiti ko at tinignan ulit iyong jet.

"I.. I don't own this. My boss does. But he is in.. uhm.. somewhere. He let me borrow this so I can come to China." Sagot niya. Tumango ako. How nice. His boss might be really nice to trust him with this jet.

Alanganin siyang ngumiti bago umupo sa aking tabi.

"You can change your clothes. But you have to wear my shirt. We don't have any dresses here." Sabi niya. Tumango lamang ako.

"No. It's fine. Thank you."

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Bumaba kami sa isang pribadong building sa may downtown China. Nakabihis na ako suot ang itim na polo ni Joaquin. Problema nga lang ay wala silang naibigay na shorts sa akin. My legs were bared for everyone to see and I am not comfortable with it.

Noong palabas na ako ng jet ay hinarangan niya ako. Tiningnan niya ang mga tao sa ibaba na naghihintay na sa amin.

"Go away. Get far from here." aniya. Nanlaki naman ang mata ko sa sinabi niya. Kinuha niya iyong jacket niya at tinali iyon sa beywang ko bago ngumisi.

Nauna siyang bumaba habang ako naman ay halos di na mapakali sa pagtingin sa kanya. My heart is racing too fast.

Inabot ko iyong kamay ko sa kanya habang siya ay hinawakan ang beywang ko para makababa ako ng maayos. He held me so close while we ran towards the building.

We went inside and he led me towards one unit. Nilagay niya iyong code roon at pinauna akong pumasok.

"We'll buy clothes for you tomorrow." Pangako niya. Tumango lamang ako at dumiretsyo sa kanyang sala.

Humarap ako sa floor to ceiling window at pinanood iyong buwan sa langit. I closed my eyes as I let my selenophile self emerged. Oh how I loved the moon so much.

I stilled when I felt Joaquin behind me. Nakatukod iyong mga braso niya sa magkabilang gilid ko at ikinukulong ako.

"Can I ask something Lane?" malambing niyang sabi. I almost smiled with his nickname on me. Humarap ako sa kanya at halos maputulan ako ng hininga sa sobrang lapit naming dalawa.

"Y-yes?" nanghihina kong sabi. He smiled and I almost hyperventilated seeing him.

"Why did you run away?" aniya. Nawala iyong ngiti ko bago ako napayuko.

Hinawaksn niya iyong baba ko. "Honey I'm sorry for upsetting you. I just want to know." masuyo niyang sabi. I sighed and then touched his chest.

"Because I wanted to be free Joaquin. I have everything that any girl could ever wanted and yet I am denied of the only thing I have ever asked for."sagot ko. His face inched closer.

"What is it?"

Tinitigan ko ang mata niya. "Love. I want to feel how to love and be loved. With all the wars,and hunger and pain, love is the only thing that makes the world bearable." anas ko. Lumayo ako sa kanya at umupo sa sofa.

"If I will marry a complete stranger then I will lose my only chance to fall in love Joaquin. I don't want to be just the girl who married for money. I want to marry for love. That is why I ran." paliwanag ko. Lumapit siya sa akin at lumuhod sa aking harapan. He touched my cheeks and looked at me with his soulful eyes.

"I like you so much Lane. If you want love then I will give it to you." anunsyo niya. Ngiti lamang ang naisagot.

"We only just met."

"That is why this is even scarier honey. We just met and yet I feel this kind of emotions already. What more if I spend the rest of my life with you?" natatawa niyang sabi. I nodded and hugged him after.

"I'm scared." bulong ko sa kanya. Ramdam ko sa kaibuturan ng puso ko na malapit ko ng mahanap ang gusto kong mahanap. Love is staring me straight into my eyes. It us too wonderful and I am scared for it to end.

"It's normal, I guess. Love is actually, a wonderful fear." aniya. Tumingkayad siya ng kaunti at halos magdikit na ang mga labi namin.

"Let's fight this fear together Allanis. You and me." pangako niya. Tumango ako at sinakop na niya ang labi ko.

He's right. Fighting for our own happiness is never wrong. I will fight until my very last breath. I won't marry a complete stranger. I will marry for love and for happiness.