The Man of My Dreams (Fitzmael 2) - SOON TO BE PUBLISHED

04: Catch the drift

I FELT DIZZY when I got out of his car. "Are you okay? You look pale," Marcus asked, concerned. When we got inside my apartment, he carried me all the way to my bed. "Hey, you really don't look well."

"It hurts... My head and stomach hurt..." I said while hugging myself. I felt his hand gently caressing my back. He kept doing that for a few minutes. Then I felt a tightness in my chest. "M-Marcus... I can't breathe."

"Shit!" he exclaimed as he lifted me and rushed out of the apartment. "You're having an allergic reaction! This is what happened to my cousin too."

He helped me into his car and sped away, clearly panicking. I saw him typing on his phone and making a call. I couldn't catch what else he was saying as I felt myself slipping into unconsciousness.

I WORE UP in an unfamiliar room. Marcus was sleeping next to me, his head resting on my bed. The room was spacious, but I recognized I was in a hospital. I gently ran my fingers through his hair, and that stirred him awake.

"You're awake," he said, then smiled sweetly.

"Sorry... I made you worry too much. What time is it?" I asked him.

"It's seven in the morning. Don't be sorry. I will call the doctor. Wait here, okay?"

A few minutes later, Marcus returned with a doctor. "Ngayon ka lang ba uminom ng pain reliver?" the doctor asked while the nurses examined me.

"Yes, I don't usually buy medicine for my dysmenorrhea. There wasn't anything wrong with what I ate last night..." I explained.

The doctor nodded, glanced at Marcus, and then turned back to me. "You had an allergic reaction to the medication you took. Don't take that again. What happened was serious, but we're glad that you're okay now. To ease your pain and muscle cramps, try using a hot compress..." he continued, providing more instructions. "I'm leaving now, Mr. Fitzmael. You can take her home this afternoon," he added.

I ALMOST FORGOT that his family owns this hospital. "Okay, thank you!" he said, giving the doctor a pat and a smile. The exhaustion on his face was clear. He probably hadn't slept well. Once the doctor left, he turned his attention back to me and let out a heavy sigh. He hugged me tightly, and I held him back just as tightly. "I'm sorry. I was the reason you ended up here. I won't be able to forgive myself if anything happens to you."

"Thank you for saving me. It's not your fault, okay?" I said as I caressed his back. "I'm alive."

He peeled an orange for me and fed me the slices. I spotted a paper bag with the logo of a well-known fast-food chain. He opened it, and I saw fried chicken inside. I felt a surge of joy at the sight of the food. "Marcus..." I called out to him.

"Hmm?" he replied, looking at me with his mouth full of spaghetti.

"Can I have your chicken skin? Please. I'll buy you a bucket later."

He didn't answer. I just watched what he was doing. He took the chicken and peeled off the skin, then held it up to my mouth. "Ahhh..." he said to me. I was surprised, but I followed his lead. I opened my mouth and let him feed me. "Chicken skin is also my favorite. I don't give it to my cousins or siblings when they ask for it. Pasalamat ka gusto ki—" he suddenly stopped and continued eating.

"PASALAMAT AKO KASI ano?" takang tanong ko dahil hindi ko naintindihan ang kanyang sinabi. He filled his mouth with food again, so he couldn't speak. I shrugged. "Okay. Whatever that is... thank you. I owe you a lot," I said to him while looking around the room where I was confined. "This room is so big!"

"I want the best room for you. I want you to be comfortable. Just finish your food."

I nodded. "Sigurado akong mahal 'to."

"Mahal nga..." aniya habang pinupunasan ang aking kamay at saka niligpit ang mga pinagkainan namin.

"Talaga, mahal?" I chuckled. I remembered those random posts on social media about this 'mahal' conversation.

"Oo mahal."

"Ah, gano'n ba, mahal?"

He offered a faint smile, but it quickly faded. Turning away, he went to throw out the trash from our meal. "We own this hospital, so you don't need to pay. Your hospital bills are already covered."

WE WERE IN the elevator going down the building. "I definitely owe you a lot," I said, glancing at him.

"That's not something I'll charge you for."

We reached the ground floor where the hospital's parking area was located. "Anong gusto mo, mahal?" I asked him, feeling giddy. I caught another glimpse of his smile, and I loved it. It made my heart race. He looked great, too. I didn't want this day to end. I wanted to be with him all the time. I truly enjoyed his company. "Kailan ka ba maniningil, mahal? I'll do anything for you!"

He stopped in his tracks, looking at me seriously. "Stop!"

I was taken aback by what he said. "Huh? What do you mean?"

"Stop teasing me. Stop fooling around. Sisingilin kita, pero hindi pa sa ngayon. You need to rest."

I got into his car, still thinking about what he had said. His words cut deeply, and my chest tightened. I fought back tears, wrapping my arms around myself as the cold air filled the vehicle.

"Are you cold?" he asked gently.

I just nodded, still looking away. I didn't know what he did, but I could feel that it wasn't cold anymore.

WHEN WE GOT to my unit, he didn't leave immediately. Instead, he started cooking my favorite food. I was conflicted—I had been forcing myself not to cry earlier because he had broken my heart, yet my heart fluttered at the sight of him like this.

"Stop staring at me," he said in his monotone voice, not looking at me. He was too focused on chopping the vegetables.

"You're gorgeous." There it was—I saw his smile again. He just shook his head slightly. "You can actually cook? Nice! That's impressive!"

"My sister Serene likes to eat in the middle of the night... but we don't want to wake up the household staff, so I learned how to cook for her," he explained to me.

"Wow! You really love your family, don't you?" I really admired how Franco and Marcus cherished their family, especially Serene.

"Yes. I would do anything for them," he said with a smile as he looked at me. "I'm really lucky to have them."

"I'm jealous!"

"Why? What about you?"

"My family is in Canada. I've been on my own since 11th grade."

"How many years have they been in Canada?" he asked while tasting what he was cooking.

"Since I was born. I just chose to come back here."

"You're really strong, Jarzaiah. You've managed to be independent at such a young age. If I were in your position, I wouldn't be able to handle it. I can't imagine being away from my family."

I nodded."That's why I'm going to get married—to avoid feeling lonely and havesomeone to take care of me!" I joked.

He just stared at me anddidn't say a word. I couldn't read his expression, so I shrugged it off. Hereturned his attention to what he was cooking. After a while, I saw him pouringthe dish into a large bowl. "Kain na tayo?"