Her Memories

CHAPTER 10. Morning Kiss

Asia hasn't seen Joaquin again since he confessed to her, even in school, and it's been two days already. It's not like him being absent in any subjects. She also tried calling him, but he's not answering either.

She is now at her apartment reviewing for her exam next week when she heard a honking of a car. She peeks through the window and sees that it was Joaquin stepping out of the car. She immediately ran out of her apartment and saw him slumped on the side of the road.

"Are you okay?" She asked when she ran to him, but he didn't respond.

"What are you doing here?" She inquired worriedly.

"Oh my God! Are you drunk?" She panicked when he stumbled while getting up.

She helped him to get up and guide him to get inside her apartment.

"My goodness, you're so heavy!" Asia groaned.

"Why did you get so drunk?" Again, she asked but still didn't get any response from him.

He slumped his body on the couch when they got inside.

"Can I have a glass of water, please?" Joaquin finally uttered.

"Sure, just wait here." She said and quickly went to the kitchen.

She gets him a glass of ice-cold water, squeezes lemon on it, and then adds some honey. When she came back, she saw him standing already, staring at her father's photo displayed in the living room, with a serious cold face.

"Joaquin?" She called him, holding the lemonade, and he turned to look in her direction.

"Here, drink this. It will help you to sober up." She said.

"Thank you." He said and drank the lemonade in one gulp.

"Do you feel better now?"

"Yes." He said while looking at her intently. Something is strange about him. She can't point it out.

"Annastasia," he mumbled her name.

"Asia, I love you, and I really do." He said, holding both of her hands.

"I-I do-don't know what to say." Asia stammered, feeling confused about the moment.

But he just smiled and slowly closed the distance between them. Asia felt shocked as electricity traveled throughout her whole as her body stiffened. He is kissing her, so gentle yet passionate. She can't move her body, and her eyelids get heavy as they slowly close themselves.

Later on, her lips also follow the rhythm of his. He holds the back of her head and the other on the small of her back, pulling her closer to him, and she just let him. She can't deny that her body likes the feeling he is given to it. Asia likes it. They don't know for how long they are kissing, but they are already both panting.

"Is it your first kiss?" He whispered, connecting their foreheads.

"No," Asia said, and his expression changed, though it doesn't matter. He was certain that it was her first because of the way she does it.

"It was the guy in the club, but this is my first real kiss," Asia explained, but his face was still dull.

"So, it's a yes?" He asked.

"Yes? What do you mean?" She was confused about what he was saying.

"That you are mine now." He said, still looking straight at her eyes.

"Yours?"

"Yes, mine." He repeated, holding up her chin.

"You're drunk. Maybe when you wake up tomorrow, you'll just forget about this," Asia said, looking into his eyes.

He holds her hand and sits on the couch; he also pulls her to sit on his lap. Asia's heart beats so fast that he seems to act weirdly, and she doesn't understand. Though he said that he loves her, yet she still has doubts when suddenly he didn't even message her after he confessed at the park.

"Yes, but I know what I am saying even before getting drunk." He said, smiling while looking at her.

"But why haven't you come to school for days? Is everything okay?" She asked worriedly.

"Yes, my love," He said. She suddenly felt her cheeks heated up with his endearment.

"Lo-love?" She asked, stammering with her word.

"Yes, from now on, you are mine. You are not allowed to talk with any other guys and no more night-outs with your friends. Do you understand?" He possessively demands.

"No, What. What do you mean? You can't just tell me what to do." Asia argues and is about to stand up on her feet, but he quickly stopped her.

"Annastasia."

"What?"

"I love you." He said, looking straight into her eyes.

She doesn't know what to respond to him. She isn't even sure whether the feeling that she is feeling right now is love. It's all new to her.

"I heard you the first time, okay? And yes, I like you. I enjoyed being around you, but this thing is weird for me." She explained.

"I understand, and it's okay. You still have until tomorrow to decide."

"Really?"

"Yes, for now, just let me hug you first because I missed you so much," Joaquin said and laid down on the sofa with Asia.

Her mind said to get up already, but her body is so stubborn not to listen.

"Are you hungry? Would you like me to prepare food for you?" She offered.

"Shhh..." Is his only response before he completely dozes off.

Asia didn't realize that she slept with him on the couch while Joaquin was embracing her.

When she woke up the next morning, Joaquin's face was the first thing she saw. She is now lying comfortably in her bed while he is also lying on his side, facing her.

"Good morning, love." He greeted her, smiling.

"Good morning." She greeted her back with a smile, but it still sounds groggy.

"I love you."

"I love you too," she responded quickly, but suddenly her eyes became wider because of her own words, and Joaquin smiled even wider.

He slowly leaned closer and was about to kiss her when she quickly covered her mouth with her hands.

"It's okay. You'll get used to morning kisses from now on." He said while hovering on top of her.

He took her hands off and held them on top of her head. He then kissed her. Never in her wildest dream that Joaquin and she will be kissing like this in the morning.

"Aren't you going to school again?" She asked when he broke the kiss.

"I will. I can't afford to miss school again. The final exam is coming." He explained.

"Then why are you still here?" Asia asked while slowly sitting up.

"Because I want to." He quickly said.

"Come on. You can't go to school without changing your clothes. I can still smell the alcohol in your shirt." She teases him while covering her nostrils. Even the truth is he still smells so good, like she can even snuggle with him all day, even without him showering.

"Oh! I'm sorry about that." He felt embarrassed while scratching the back of his neck. Asia chuckled with his expression.

"I think I should go home now." He said, smiling.

"Okay? But you might get late for your first subject." She reminded him.

"It's better than being absent again, I guess."

"Wait! I'll make breakfast for us before you leave." Asia immediately runs to the kitchen, but to her surprise, the breakfast is already served. There were toasts, eggs, and bacon, but she can't see the most important thing in her breakfast, the coffee.

"You made this?" She asked, astonished.

"I just thought that you might say yes to me if I do something to impress you, but I guess there's no need for that," he explained and hugged her from behind.

Asia was stunned by his action, and that made her whole body shivered.

"Oh, okay, let's eat them so that you can go home already. I'll make us a coffee." Asia said, but he pulls her to sit down in front of the table and said,

"Just sit, I'll make the coffee, and I hope you don't mind me using your stuff."

"No, not at all."

Asia keeps her gaze on Joaquin while he is moving around the kitchen, which seems like a different person. This is not the Joaquin she once known for almost a year, he's always smiling now, and no one thought he would be a sweet person like this. She felt so lucky,

'What would be my friend's reaction if they learn about us? They might bury me six feet underground.' She thought of herself.

"Uh oh, does this mean no more parties for me!?" Asia asked loudly with widened eyes, but Joaquin only chuckles at her.