DAZED

Chapter 2: Blissful Moments

After that night, I can't seem to wrap my head of what had happened and for a moment on the following morning, I blamed the alcohol but I knew it wasn't the booze that really did it that night. I knew deep down that the attraction was there and something was bound to happen and I let it.

We never acknowledged what we were to each other nor did we have a discussion on the topic. We just felt that we somehow belonged, even with the difference on our age, we never approached the idea. We know that fact, yet we didn't have the courage to bring it up, for now, we just needed each other.

She went back home to the city after another two days of stay and we planned that I would visit her on the second weekend of January, and we'd do that alternating, on weekends and holidays. Well, a six hour bus travel can be endured if I wanted to see this in the long run, we both do. For now, it was all I could look forward to.

That was what we did, I would ride the bus to the city after my Friday classes and come back on Sunday nights. My mother even noticed my absence during those weekends that she started to question my disappearances. It was something I couldn't tell her, it was a formidable and sinful truth she would uncover from her child, raised from a traditional and Christian family. It would make her distraught and surely reject me as her child and I can't afford to do that. I don't have the courage to do it, honestly.

Growing up from that kind of family, you learn to be a great liar and having said that a friend and I are having study sessions and sleepovers were the best and believable excuse I could give.

Still, that known fact wasn't informed to Alexis that came to surprise me on February fourteenth on my own home and doorsteps. With white roses, chocolates and a gift in hand, she knocked on my door smiling,

"What are you doing here?", I looked at her confused and a bit upset by the sudden appearance without notice, in my very own abode.

Her look changed with worry, probably second guessing herself of doing such a thing that upsets me, as she fully knows how I hated surprises, let alone appearing on my mother's doorsteps.

"Who is it?", mother asked appearing by the hall that looked over towards the door.

"Uh-, a friend mom. Alexis", I replied, my hands starting to sweat. Looking over at Alexis, of when it finally dawned to her on what the situation was, she smiled and introduced herself to mother, giving her the flowers.

"What a nice friend you have Sam", mother stated seemingly confused but probably convinced since I do love the company of older people than people my age. She knew that simple fact about me, and she doesn't have a problem of me getting along with her co-workers or my college friends. Instead, she loved it, the idea of having someone older than me by my side as she describes it, 'makes me think more mature and independent'.

Mother left for work after some grueling minutes of interrogation, finally convinced that she was a friend I met on the city while I was visiting my sister last summer. Alexis and I didn't further the topic when she left, knowing well the reasons and differences between it all. It was something we can never, even if we wanted to, share the world.

Dinner was great that evening, she offered to cook and made me sit and watch refusing any help,

"You know, you might leave a stain on that silky suit of yours"

"That would be the best reminder for tonight, Honey", she giggled and pecked my lips.

"By the way, open the present I gave you. The roses were supposedly for you but your mother seemed to fancy white roses as much as you do"

"She loves all flowers, she's got a side job gardening for Mr. Heywood down the street"

I grabbed the small box she handed me a while ago and unwrapped it to a watch I've always wanted to buy and had been saving up for. Instead of feeling grateful and joy for having something I've always wanted to have, I felt repelled and stressed out for receiving a magnificent gift.