The door was closed and we are both alone together in the room. The room we were in was large and has a high ceiling, but the moment we were left alone, it seemed like the room suddenly become smaller. There was a moment of silence but was broken when Raziel decided to speak first.
"What brought you to talk to me, Carmela?" He asked with a serious tone. His voice echoing through the room.
"I have something to ask?" I said nervously.
"What is so important that you decided to finally speak to me just to ask a question?"
"I need to ask...
I breathed in and breathed out before I was able to calmly ask the question.
...Do you really like me? What do you even like about me? I'm just a simple girl, I'm sure you've met other girls more beautiful than me already."
"Liking you just came to me suddenly. I've met a lot of girls, they have different kinds of beauty, and sure, there are others who were prettier than you, I don't know, but I found myself drawn to you. I just like you with no particular reason, I liked you the very first moment I've met you, I liked you with every moments we have spent this past two weeks, I liked you more and more as I get to know you. So Carmela, can you please give me the chance to prove myself to you? No matter how many years it takes for you to accept and love me, I'm willing to do that as long as I get to be with you, to know you more, and to be there when you need me. I just like you, so please, Carmela, grant me the chance to court you?" He confessed and I could feel his desperation and the pleading on his tone and I answered him.
"You know how I gave someone the same chance you are asking now, right?"
"Yes I know, but we are different, Carmela. "
"I know so hear me out first."
"Okay, I'll listen as you talk."
"I've been hurt once, I've been disappointed and it's hard for me to open up my heart again just to give others the opportunity to hurt me again.
Waiting is hard, I know, I understand that it's difficult to wait for someone for years until graduation when there are so many others you can like out there, but that is something that I decided and I won't change my mind about that just to be clear to you."
"I respect that, Carmela. I know that you will need sometime to heal the wound that bast*** had caused, I know it would take some time or years before you open your heart again but I'm willing to wait and I won't allow you to mend the wound without me, or give the chance for others to enter your life in the process. Just let me be with you, lean on me as you heal and I'll be there to comfort you. "
"I thank you for that, Raziel. Thank you for understanding and I'm grateful that you are willing to take wait just to be with me. I don't know if you'll be there until the end of you'll be able to wait until I'm ready. I don't even know if you and I will be together in the future but I'm willing to take the chance and open the possibility of having a future with you. So Raziel, please be patient with me and don't break my heart."
I was still about to continue speaking but was interrupted when he suddenly hugged me. "Thank you so much, Carmela for giving me the chance to prove myself to you. You don't know how happy I am just to hear yeh words coming out form your mouth."
The closeness of his body to mine, his breath on my neck and his arms that surrounds me made me really conscious and stop on my track and I can't even focus on what he was saying because this was the first time I've ever hugged someone or be this close to someone I'm not related with blood with. In both lifetimes, it's a first for me to experience the heatness of a body next to me.
"Uhmm, Raziel....you---your too close."
"Oh I'm sorry. I was just happy, I was not able to contain myself. Don't worry, I'll behave myself."
"Good. That's good. Uhmm so what happens next. I'm completely new to this so I don't know what happens next. But to be clear, okay, I'm just giving you a chance to court me, we are still not together."
"I know, Carmela. It's perfectly clear to me that I still have a long way to go. But the elation your words have brought to me cannot be compared to what I'm feeling right now. Don't worry, I'll patiently court you even if I have to come to your school or your home, I'm ready." He said excitedly but I stopped him in time.
"Wait, wait, wait. You don't have to go that far. We can just communicate through messages first and can we keep it a secret that you are courting me?" I said nervously and panicking inside.
"Huh, why? I'm serious about you."
"Well it's not about that, the problem is, the school prohibits being in a relationship early and my parents won't allow it."
"But we are doing nothing wrong and we'll practically be far away."
"I also need to get used to it first and I wanted to be low-key about it." I said these things nervously because I was afraid he will be angry and won't accept my terms.
"Honestly, Carmela, you have a lot of what not's and terms. But I will agree to it now but I won't always be the one to adjust, you have to have your fair share of adjustments too."
"Don't worry, I will. I just have to get used to it and build you up in my life. Thank you, Raziel"
"No worries. All's good then?" He asked while smiling.
"Yes, no more additional terms." I also smiled at him this time.
We are smiling with each other and grinning from ear to ear. There is also a bit of awkwardness in my part because I am not so used to be alone in these kind of atmosphere that is beginning to tense up as we stay together longer. Thankfully, a knock in the door got our attention next.
"Are you done talking?" Asked sister Trisha.
"Yes sister, we are finished talking already."
And the door opened revealing the faces of our two groups. Their expressions were a mixture of happiness and curiosity.
"We're you eavesdropping?" Asked Raziel with his one eyebrow raised.
"We couldn't help it. It was interesting."
"Surprising"
"Entertaining"
"Curious"
"Amusing"
"Addictive"
"Intriguing"
The two groups said and exchanged words that are both annoying and amusing at the same time. But it also made me shy knowing that they've heard our conversations.
"Stop it now. Can't you see that Carmela is embarassed now."
"Aww, he's not yet the boyfriend but he is already a worrywart."
"Yes, yes, look at him being so protective already what more if they officially become together."
They all said teasingly and being harmonious inteasing us both. It was only when Trisha spoke that they stopped.
"Well, it's good that your both okay and everything is clear now. Don't worry, Carmela, I'll make sure that they won't speak a word about it. You are in charge in your part, Raziel."
"Thank you sister. " I said to Trisha.
"Don't worry about it. Well its goodbye now, folks. The other groups already went ahead."
"Yes, we will keep in touch. Be sure that you'll do the same, if not, I'll go to your school personally, Carmela."
"Don't worry, Raziel. I'll keep my promise. You have to yours as well."
"Hmmm. I'll miss you." He said whisperingly in my ears. It was really tickling so I covered my ear while saying.
"We will still be talking on the phone."
"But that's different from talking personally. "
"You just have to get used to it. "
"I know, but just knowing the distance between us makes me miss you already even if you are still here with me."
I don't know what to say or do to solace him while going in the direction of our car. It's hard to speak with all these people who might hear so I just kept quiet along the way. I know that it's going to be quite hard to make this work but we will try and see what the future holds.
And as I gaze in the side mirror of the car while we depart to our destination, back to our homes, the realization that I am not going to see him for quite a while dawned on me. And now, I am experiencing a sense of dread, dreading what will happen, with the problems we are going to face and now, what this chance I gave will bring me.