"Shoot, I overslept!"
Frank suddenly sat up. The only light in Mariely's room came from the soft glow of the bedside lamp. He looked around, expecting her to be beside him—but the space next to him was empty.
He scratched his head, slightly disoriented. Checking the time on his wristwatch, his eyes widened.
"It's midnight?" he thought to himself, sighing.
Everyone's probably asleep by now… he figured.
He gently turned the doorknob, careful not to make any noise. The house was indeed quiet. I need to go home, he reminded himself, tiptoeing through the hallway so he wouldn't wake anyone.
Then he noticed someone asleep on the couch, wrapped in a blanket. Despite having overslept, Frank felt better—rested.
He leaned in to see who it was.
It was Mariely, sound asleep.
"Are you really going to leave without eating?"
He jumped in surprise at the voice behind him, stepping back with a startled gasp that made a noise.
Quickly turning around, he sighed with relief when he saw who it was.
"No need," he said. "I really have to go."
Nathan studied him carefully. "It's fine with me… But she waited for you to wake up. She must've fallen asleep waiting. Don't you think you should at least say goodbye?"
"Kuya?" A sleepy voice interrupted. Mariely stirred on the couch, rubbing her eyes and yawning. "Who are you talking to?" she asked her brother.
Her eyes landed on Frank.
"Frank." She immediately got up and walked toward him, still in her pajamas. Her brother, understanding the moment, excused himself and went upstairs to give them some privacy.
"Are you okay now?" she asked gently.
He smiled. "Yeah. I'm okay now. Thank you for taking care of me, Faith."
Her worried gaze lingered on him. She smiled softly. "Are you hungry? Before you go home, have something to eat."
"Come on, I saved you some food. Mama also said you should eat before leaving." She turned to heat the meal she'd prepared earlier.
He couldn't say no—his stomach was starting to growl.
Without thinking, he wrapped his arms around her from behind.
"Thank you," he whispered.
"Let's wait for the food to heat up… Are you sure you're okay to drive?" she asked, slightly turning her head.
"Yep, I'm fine now," he said.
Still, he didn't let go.
This feeling again—the one where he never wanted to let her go. He just wanted to stay wrapped in her warmth. In this embrace, he felt her love and care deeply.
They stood there quietly, holding each other, until the microwave beeped.
"There, it's ready. Go sit down. I'll serve you," she said cheerfully.
He nodded and sat down. The smell of warm rice and soup filled the air.
"Eat up," she said, placing the food in front of him.
"Yeah, thanks."
She sat nearby, watching him eat with a smile.
"Faith, you should eat too," he said.
"I already did. I'm full. It just makes me happy seeing you eat," she replied.
He smiled at that and continued eating quietly.
The food is really warm, he thought. It warmed not just his stomach, but something deeper, too. He ate slowly, savoring every bite.
"I'll just get you water—and here's your medicine. Take it when you get home," she said.
****
I'm glad he liked the food, she thought, relieved as she filled a glass of water from the dispenser.
She handed it to him and watched him quietly. The sleepiness she had earlier faded completely just from seeing him awake and well.
"Faith, you need to sleep soon. You still have class tomorrow, right?" he asked gently.
"Don't worry, I'll sleep once I know you're home safe. And please, don't force yourself to work if you're not feeling well yet," she reminded him.
"I can manage. It's nothing major."
"Frank, don't push your body too hard," she insisted, concern in her tone.
He chuckled softly. "You really take good care of me… I might get used to this."
She grinned. "Don't worry, I will take care of you."
He leaned in and kissed her lightly on the lips. Her cheeks flushed instantly.
Even though they had kissed many times before, her heart still fluttered every single time.
"Speechless?" he teased, grinning at her flustered expression.
She frowned and shot him a playful glare. "N—No, I'm not!"
He laughed, clearly amused. Seeing him so happy made her heart feel full. She'd do anything to keep him safe and loved.
"Do you want some more food?" she asked.
"I'm full now," he said, having cleaned his plate.
"Let me wash these," she offered.
"Faith," he called softly.
She turned to him. "Do you need something?"
He stood up and brought his forehead to hers, looking at her with intensity.
"I love you," he whispered.
"I will always love you," she replied.
"Rest a bit more, Frank," she added.
She went back to washing the dishes. Glancing at the clock, she noticed it was almost 1 a.m.
"Faith, I need to go now. I'll text you once I'm home," he said.
She nodded. "Drive safe, Frank."
He gave her a nod and headed to the door.
"Go back inside—you might catch a cold," he said with concern.
"Oh, please. I'm fine. I'm just standing here," she replied with a smile.
He sighed, leaned in, and gave her another kiss. "Go inside now."
"Not until you're inside the car," she insisted.
"Bye. Love you," he said.
"Bye. Love you too," she echoed.
He headed to his car, waved to her once he got inside, and drove off.
She waved back and waited until the car disappeared from sight before finally going back inside.
"He's gone?" her brother asked, appearing suddenly in front of her.
She jumped in surprise. "Brother! You scared me!"
"Go to sleep. You still have work," he reminded her.
She nodded and headed back to her room.
She sighed as she looked at her bed.
I still can't believe he lies here, she thought, smiling faintly.
The scent of his perfume still lingered in the sheets.
"Gosh, Ely, you need to sleep," she scolded herself silently.
Her eyes finally gave in, and she drifted off into a peaceful sleep. The next thing she heard was her alarm clock blaring.
Time flies, she thought groggily.
She sat up and checked her phone—Frank had messaged her that he arrived home safely. A smile spread across her face.
She stretched and went straight to the bathroom for a shower.
Her brother gave her a ride to work.
"Thanks, brother," she said.
"Take care, Ely," he replied.
She nodded and headed to the faculty room, logging in at the biometric scanner.
Time to be a teacher to her students once again.