Chapter 10

7 years ago...

"Someday, I will be a well-known painter all over the Philippines, Mama!" The young girl told her mother with a wide smile on her face.

Rafael couldn't help but look at the family sitting on the bench next to him when he heard that shrill voice of the young girl. Next to the girl was a boy who looked like her brother while on the other side of the young girl is their mother. On the other side is their father.

"Then I will be rich so that you won't have to work anymore, Daddy. I will also get a lot of maids so that Mommy will no longer have a hard time taking care of Michael and me. Then I will buy a huge house and lots of cars!"

Rafael laughed at what the young girl said and at the same time, he admired her too. She was still young yet she knew very well what she wanted to achieve one day. The determination in her eyes could be seen which impressed him even more.

"Yes, you will, princess. One day, that dream of yours will come true. You will be a successful painter and you will impress many people around the world." The girl's father replied.

The girl's smile widened even more which made him smile as well. Her smile is so sweet and so innocent. Until he realized that his gaze was glued to that family, especially to the girl who did not lose a happy smile on her lips.

He did not know what the child had and he could not take his eyes off of her. Maybe because of her cute round face? Her chinky eyes? Her smile?

"Mommy! Ice cream! Ice cream!" The girl's younger brother shouted as he pointed his small fingers at the man selling ice cream.

The mother of the siblings smiled and was about to buy ice cream when the girl raised her hand and presented herself to buy the ice cream. He did not know what came into him and he followed the girl towards the seller of the ice cream.

He asks himself why he is doing these things but he couldn't find an answer. He is following a young girl. A guy like him who is already in his 20s is following a kid! He must be crazy!

He stood behind the little girl while they waited for the ice cream.

He stared at the young girl. She is very beautiful and he is sure that she will be more beautiful once she turns into a full-grown woman.

He imagined an older version of the young girl holding hands with him and he couldn't help but smile while thinking of that.

He was still staring at the girl when the two kids in front of them suddenly got into a commotion and a child accidentally pushed the young girl but before she landed on the grass, he immediately took her one hand, not letting her lose her balance.

They looked at each other. Rafael can't take his eyes off the young girl. He would not have even let her go when the girl distanced herself from him. He suddenly felt shy of what he had done. And he turned even more shy; he blushed in front of the young girl.

"Thank you!" The young girl said and smiled at him sweetly.

And he was startled when his heart started beating so fast while looking at the girl who was smiling at him. His heart is beating so fast and so loud that that is all he could hear.

And with his cheeks flushed, he asked himself in silence.

Is this crush? Or love?

Present-day…

"You are in love with her, huh?" His friend, Ronan commented.

They are inside his office to talk about the upcoming homecoming of their school where they graduated from elementary.

He and Ronan have been friends since high school. Their parents got to know each other so they became friends. They've been very close with each other, he even considers him not just as a friend but more like a brother. He knows all about Ronan and its secrets. And so does Ronan. He knows about his obsession with Michelle as well.

"What?" He asked while frowning.

"It's just that, you look stupid. Smiling while staring at the photo of your first and only love." Ronan said with a grin on his face as he shook his head. "I wonder what kind of a woman she is that she is driving you crazy. 7 years, man! You have been in love with that girl for 7 years!"

"She's not just a girl anymore." Yes. Michelle is not just a girl anymore. She is now a woman. He made her a woman.

"She's still young, Rafael and you know that. For goodness sake! She's only twenty. That's still young!"

He raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms over his chest. "So what are you trying to say?"

Ronan was pointing at something he could not get either so he wanted to hear him say it.

"What I am trying to say is, she is too young. We do not know what will happen in the future. She might end up falling in love with somebody else."

"Future. Since when did you start thinking about the future?"

His friend just raised his middle finger on him and mouthed "fuck you" which made him laugh.

"Sorry dude. I don't swing that way. I don't fuck men." He replied to Ronan.

Ronan punched him lightly on his arm which made him laugh out loud. And when he looked at him, he saw a shocked expression on his face. His eyes widened while his mouth was hanging open.

"What?" He asked to suppress his outburst of laughter because of his friend's funny face.

"You laughed!" Ronan said while pointing a finger at him.

He just grinned at Ronan.

Ronan just shook his head then he took the picture frame displayed on his office table where Michelle's picture was placed.

"What did this woman do to you? Did she cast a spell on you or something?" Ronan said while looking at Michelle's picture.

Rafael smiled. That was also the question he asked himself. What did Michele do to him?

"I won't be surprised if one day I found out that you have been taken to a mental hospital. You are smiling again for no reason at all." Said Ronan.

He has been smiling lately. Ever since Michelle and he got home from the waterfall, the times he frowns nor in a bad mood have lessened. Even the employees of his company are surprised. They are used to his serious appearance that they got intrigued on why their boss has suddenly changed.

"But what if, just what if, okay? What if Michelle doesn't fall in love with you? What if she doesn't reciprocate your love and she found someone else? Because we have to accept the reality Rafael, Michelle is too young. We don't know what will happen next. What if she fell in love with someone of the same age as hers?"

Suddenly, Rafael's fists that are on the table clenched and he suddenly remembered what he saw a few days ago. When he saw Michelle and her male classmate talking happily.

The jealousy and annoyance he felt arose.

He knew that guy liked Michelle. He could clearly see the spark in his eyes while talking to Michelle and he hates it. He hates it when some other guy looks at her the way he looks at her.

"She won't go to anyone else," Rafael said with possessiveness. "Because I will not let that happen. I was the one who loved her first, I have been loving her for seven years, I waited for her to be of legal age and be mine. And I won't let my love for her, that I took care of for seven years, be ignored. Michelle is mine from the very start and I intend to keep it that way."

No other bastard can take his little angel from him. No one.

Michelle was trying to find the best words that she could say to reject Stevens' invitation to go shopping.

Right after their class, Stevens has been constantly asking her to go with him to the mall.

They were already outside the campus and she was waiting for Rafael but Stevens followed her and tried to ask her again.

"Come on, Michelle! It's still early. I promise I'll take you home before the sun sets." Stevens pleaded.

She heaved a deep sigh then faced Steven. "I told you, I can't. My brother is alone at home. I already told you about his condition again, didn't I?"

She lied. The private nurse is with Michael therefore, she still has time to go and hang out with Stevens but it's Rafael that she's thinking about. She knew he would be mad again if she disobeyed him.

Earlier, when he drove her to the University, he strictly told her not to get too close to Stevens because apparently, he doesn't like the guy.

"Is that really the reason or is it because of the man who has been constantly coming to pick you up?" Stevens asked her directly to take her aback. "Is he your boyfriend?" He asked again.

She was about to answer him when someone had already answered for her.

"Yes. I am her boyfriend." Said that familiar cold voice.

She turned her gaze to the owner of that voice and she saw again that familiar emotion in his eyes. Jealousy.

She automatically walked away from Stevens then she went to Rafael. She was nervous as she approached him who was not even hiding the annoyance on his face.

When they were only a few inches away from each other, Rafael grabbed her by her waist and kissed her lightly on the lips which surprised her greatly.

Rafael's lips on hers lasted for only a second and when he withdrew his lips from hers, he stared at her for a moment before looking back at Stevens who was behind her.

"I don't like it when some other guy is trying to make a move on my girl. So beware kid." Rafael said with a very cold voice that is as cold as the stare he is giving Stevens.

And before she could even speak, Rafael had already guided her to his parked car. She was not even able to see how Stevens reacted to Rafael's remarks. And she must admit, she was somehow annoyed at what Rafael had said to Stevens.

That is not right. Stevens is not doing anything wrong.

But even though she was upset with Rafael, she still tried to calm down.

When they finally got into the car, she then talked to him. "That was rude. Stevens is not doing anything wrong." She said.

Rafael turned to look at her. His face was dark and he didn't seem to like what she said.

"Are you defending that asshole?" Rafael asked in a very dangerous tone.

If they had just been in another situation, she would probably have been scared to just even look at him. But it's different today. She is annoyed right now.

She was so annoyed at what he did. They are not even official yet but Rafael is already acting like that. What more if they become lovers officially? His possessiveness should be put in the right place and the right situation. And he doesn't even have a reason to be jealous!

"I am defending him. I just didn't like what you did! You shouldn't have treated him like that. He's not doing anything wrong and Stevens is a good guy." She explained.

She is trying her very best to make him understand and so that he wouldn't think that she is defending Stevens.

"He's not doing anything wrong? He is trying to make a move on you and that is what I can't accept!" Rafael snapped angrily. His tight grip on the steering wheel is a sign of its anger.

She took a deep breath to calm herself. Just one more word and her annoyance and anger would finally explode.

"He is not trying to make a move on me, okay? Stevens doesn't like me that way. He just invited me. He wanted me to have fun, to enjoy because he noticed that I was too serious in life." That's exactly what Stevens told him. He wanted her to have fun and enjoy and not just focus on her brother and her studies. But Rafael didn't seem to like it. He just got even angrier.

"Can't you see the way he looks at you? It's obvious from that guy's actions that he likes you and what are you doing? You are entertaining him! Why? Do you like him? Do you want to go out with him?"

It was there that Michelle finally lost her temper.

"I don't like him! And if I like him, what's it to you? I am not your girlfriend so you have no right to dictate to me whatever I want to do! You!," she pointed a finger at him. "When you kissed whoever was that cynical and flirtatious woman, did I say anything? Did I ask you? Did I confront you? I didn't, right? It's because I know that I have no right even though the truth is I was very jealous and I'm hurt! I wanted to ask you who that bitch is and why you let her kiss you when I am fucking her and I can fucking kiss you anytime you want, you pest!" She said in fuming anger before she got out of Rafael's car and left him speechless.