Falling In Love With The Man Nextdoor

| Chapter 8 • Its Official

Vera woke up with Patrick's presence. She remembered what happened with her and Patrick last night. She smiled to herself with the thought of it. Patrick's arms wrapped around her body. Both of them were still undressed. She glanced at him, peacefully sleeping with his face buried at Vera's caramel brown hair.

While taking in the peaceful silence in the bedroom, Vera suddenly felt an ache in her heart. The question of who she is for Patrick or what's her status in his life suddenly bothers her. After all that happened, they still haven't cleared anything between them. She realized that they're just basing on their mutual feelings but have not cleared or sorted things out. Like labeled anything whether this relationship is just a fling or a serious one.

The thought of it makes her feel uneasy. So she sighed deeply and slowly moved Patrick's arms off of her so she can slide out of the bed. She feels distraught all of sudden. She wears the robe she wore last night and sat at the end of the bed. She glared at Patrick one more time, wishing that he would love her as a lover and not only a fling. Her mind is in dilemma after thinking that she might be just a fling for Patrick and would never be taken seriously just like her past relationships. She thought that all of the kisses and evenings they shared were nothing but a pastime and is temporary.

"What am I to you Patrick?" She asked wearily, hoping for an answer but the man in front of her is in a deep sleep. "You said I love you. But do you mean it as a fling or as a lover?" She whispered and looked down, looking so sad and desperate for an answer.

She stood and walked towards the door, it pains her to leave Patrick without any notice but she felt the need to be alone and the need to console her emotions. She was about to turn the knob and return to her apartment when suddenly, she felt his strong arms wrapping around her waist.

"You don't have to be worried," Patrick responded while tightly hugging Vera and his head buried at the crook of her neck. "I love you. I love you not as a fling or a side chick. I love you as my lover, I love you as my other half." He added and placed a soft kiss on Vera's neck. "I'm not like the others, I can assure you that." He said and placed another kiss on her neck. Vera got surprised that Patrick heard her questions. She thought he was in deep slumber and there's no way that he can hear her words.

Vera sighed and turned around. Her eyes were filled with tears and her lips quivering. She launched herself on Patrick and sobbed.

"Why are you crying?" He asked so sweetly while caressing her back and carrying her back to the room.

Patrick lifted Vera and propped her legs to his waist then carried her back to the bed.

"Because I thought that I'm just a fling of yours. There was this sudden feeling of uncertainty and skepticism that my heartfelt. I. I thought. I thought that you weren't sure or serious about this, about us." Vera responded while still clinging to Patrick's embrace.

"How can you say that?" Patrick asked while letting Vera calm herself in his arms.

"Because we still haven't cleared anything between us and, and because you haven't labeled what's going on with us," Vera replied, sounding like a girl explaining to his Father.

Patrick put Vera down but still tightly holding her in his embrace and spoke "The moment I saw you, I knew that we will be together. At that time, I'm not quite sure yet if we will be together as friends or as lovers. But after what happened, after that accident, It was all clear to me that you're not just a friend Vera. My heart skips a beat every time you came into my thoughts. All I know and all I can feel is certainty and willingness. Certain that I will be with you and you will be with me. And a willingness to be by your side, now and the near future whether as a friend or as a lover. I'm just lucky that God has given you to me not only as a friend but also as my lover." Patrick replied and Vera looked at him with tears flowing down to her cheeks. She sniffles and Patrick can't help but smile.