Chapter 2. The Day After

As she was wondering if he would get furious at her, he suddenly said, “Please tell me exactly what happened?”

“I was sitting on my desk when suddenly my classmate David pulled me out of the chair accidentally because he was catching something. Then when we landed on the floor, he was on top of me, and he kissed me.” She started fiddling with her fingers and was not able to look up, embarrassed and flustered with the situation she was in.

“It is okay; it was an accident. I do not expect you to keep your promise, but I don’t want to hear about it again, okay?”

She nodded her head and kissed him on the cheek, not minding that he did not shave, which she usually had an issue with. 

“Thanks, daddy. I love you to the moon and back. I am grateful that you understand the situation.” She smiled. She was looking forward to taking a nap before diving into studying.

As she slept, she dreamt of David and the kiss. She was awakened by the knock on the door by Annie, the housekeeper. 

“It is time for supper.”

She instantly flew off the bed. 

“What time is it?” She mumbled as she looked for her phone.

“8:30 pm, Ma’am. I know I should have woken you up earlier, but your father forbade me to do that. He saw how tired you were and let you sleep till dinner time.”

“Okay. Will be out in a minute.” Oh, how thoughtful of daddy.

As she was getting ready, she could not forget how passionately David kissed her. She felt like the situation was not accidental at all and was set up. 

How could that be? As she thought about that, she went to the bathroom to freshen up before dinner, and amidst her ponderings, the phone went woosh down the bathtub. She forgot she was holding it. As she reached down to hunt for her phone, she knew that she needed to go to the repair center sooner rather than later.

What was happening to her?! Could this day get any worse? First, she had her first kiss and then her phone. She could not believe this was happening!

She hurriedly finished her bath and wrapped herself in the towel. She heard a knock on the door. It must be Annie, so she decided to open it. When suddenly, she saw the familiar face of the one she had dreamt about. Why is he here? She reached out to touch his face to see if he was real or just a figment of her imagination.

He spoke, “Michelle, I am here to apologize. I am truly sorry for stealing your first kiss. It was an accident. I hope you believe me and you will give me a chance to date you. Do not worry; I am a nice guy.” 

Noticing her flustered, rosy cheeks, kissable lips, her hourglass figure beneath the terry towel, it took so much effort not to haul her back into the room and kiss her on the bed.

She was transported back into her senses and closed the door a bit so he would not see her in a towel. So this was not a dream. What a shame. Stop that! Hold those thoughts. She cleared her throat and tried to regain her composure.

She was trying to concentrate, but her mind was transported to the time when her childhood friend and long-lost brother, Arold, almost, just by an inch, had the same accident of kissing her without the intention to really do that.

She pretended to concentrate on what he was saying, but she was not looking at his eyes but rather at his mouth. He must think that she was a maniac for looking at it. This is just too bothersome. She decided not to think of anything, but her plan seemingly did not work.

She usually pretended that things had not happened, and even before, she had a phase of having an imaginary friend. Like most fathers, Frank was worried about her. That was why he asked his friend’s son to play with her when she was a child.

It was not that she was lonely. Maybe she was, but she knew she was loved. Her mother died from childbirth, and her father never remarried again due to heartbreak. She was always an only child, so she cherished and loved her childhood best friend.

She had lots of cousins, but there was something about her cousin Mike that she just could not pinpoint. Yes, she loved him, but at the end of the day, there was a mystery about him that she wanted to figure out.

There was just something about him that was like a magnet attracting her to him. She did not like him like that. It is just that she wanted to be closer to him.

David was wondering where her thoughts had brought her. She was in a daze, and her towel was falling off her body, and she had to be reminded of that fact. He was such a gentleman he applauded himself. Then he remembered what his father said: “Be humble.”

“Michelle?”

“Yes?” 

She loved it when he said her name like that, with yearning. Oh, where did that thought come from? No, she should not think that way. It is just so out of character for her. She was generally the studious type, the plain Jane. Now not so plain, after all.

“Your towel?” He said, hiding his annoyance for the nth time. Although he would not mind, he did not want to see her body like this. Maybe in a more romantic setting, he thought. He really wanted her to be his girl for a long time since he saw her in the library with her long brunette mane untied, and her eyes were also the color of hazel. He, of all people, would not have had the courage to approach her if not for this incident.

As if waking up from a senseless sleep, she took ahold of her towel and decided to take her time prepping for dinner.