In The Arms of An Angel
Chapter 10
Mark felt her body go rigid. "What's wrong?" What could be wrong again? he
wondered. "Is there something on my face?" He felt conscious all of a
sudden, reaching for his cheeks and wiping it off from some invisible dirt.
Gaby shook her head. "It's just that…" her voice trailed off. Something was
clogging her voice. She cleared her throat and started again. "It's just
that, um, I recognize who you are now."
"Does it matter?" he asked. Sigh. This is what sucked being in Westlife. I
don't know if people want to get to know me for who I am or for what I am
doing, he thought despondently.
"Of course not!" she retorted quickly. "It's just that I've been waiting so
long to see you and look at you. It's almost surreal." A blush crept from
her face and she looked away. "I'm embarrassed with what I did. It was
totally improper. I'm so sorry."
Improper? She's sorry? I thought it was amazing, Mark thought. Well, maybe
except for the Sean part. "Don't be sorry. I should have stopped you. I'm
sorry," he apologized, realizing that maybe he had actually taken advantage
of the situation. Am I that perverted now? he asked himself.
Gaby was surprised. Right infront of her was her biggest crush and he was
apologizing to her when she was the one who grabbed and kissed him! "Can we
just forget about it? It's embarrassing, really." But it was awesome, she
thought, giggling to herself. Mentally, she touched her fingers to her lips
and felt it. His lips touched mine. Wow, she exclaimed silently.
Forget it? Forget it, she's asking me? Mark thought to himself
incredulously. How can I forget that kiss? It was nothing compared to the
past kisses he's had. What was in her kiss? Was it the passion? The hunger?
Or her lips? Or am I just getting hormonal? He shook his head and crossed
the last statement. He was definitely not getting horny. It must be the
feelings she poured in that kiss. "Ok, let's forget about it if that's what
you want."
She smiled, flashing him her teeth. "Thanks. Boy am I glad I'm not getting
star struck! But I got star struck with Shane, I'm telling ya!"
"Shane? You met Shane?"
"Yup! We were seatmates in the airplane! I had an amazing time with him.
He's my friend now. I poked a gun on his side and demanded he becomes my
friend!" she let out a loud laugh.
Mark laughed at the idea. Wow, Shane got to meet her first. Wow, I wish I
were the one on the plane. "What were you doing on the plane?" he asked,
and slapped his head at the stupid question. It slipped from his mouth
before he thought about it.
She smiled. "I was on my way here, I believe. Isn't that the purpose of the
airplanes? To transport people from one place to another?"
Mark bit his lower lip and looked at her sheepishly. "It was a stupid
question. I just didn't know how to phrase it."
"I'm from the Philippines and I met Shane aboard a plane going to Sligo,
Ireland," Gaby explained, looking at the sun shining so high up in the sky.
"Cool. Now I know. So, do you have relatives here? Or are you staying in a
hostel?"
"I wished I was staying a hostel! I practically sneaked out of my cousin's
house to see this place!" She looked at her watch and realized she's been
gone for almost four hours. "Any minute now Anya will call me and demand
that I go home!"
Mark looked at her big round dark eyes. She had dark circles under them and
she looked tired. "Wow! Your cousin is so protective. Well, I'm glad you've
discovered this place first. This is my favorite part in the whole world!"
She stood up and took a deep breath, letting the smell and feel of the
place embrace her. "I'm glad I went this way as well. I love this place.
This is so calm and peaceful compared to where I live."
Mark followed suit. The need to be close to her was so strong. The
persistent fluttering of butterflies in his tummy was driving him mad. He
remembered watching an episode of Dawson`s Creek. Pacey`s brother was
telling him about butterflies in the tummy. He said that it's not everyday
that someone gives butterflies to your stomach. You should tell that person
who makes you feel that way because as you grow older, the butterflies stop
fluttering. What does that mean? he asked the voices in his head. You like
her, idiot! the voices retorted loudly. He shook his head and brushed it
off. It was too quick to feel that way. "I still don't know your name," he
whispered in her ear, trying his best to ignore the pounding of the voices
in his head.
She didn't look at him. He wanted to turn her around, look at her face and
kiss her for God knows how long. "It's Gabrielle. Call me Gaby. Everyone does."
"Gaby," he softly said, uttering the name silently, liking the feel of her
name on his lips. He inched closer, his body now touching hers. A jolt of
electricity ran through his entire body. Static, he thought, brushing the
idea that he's falling in love with the girl who grabbed and snogged him
unceremoniously and passionately.
Gaby was standing still, her eyes closed, a sad-happy smile playing on her
lips. If you only know how lucky I'm feeling right now, Mark, she mused to
herself. I feel so much braver now that I know you're here beside me, ready
to protect me. I'm so lucky.
She turned around to face him and smiled brightly. "Do you know what I'm
feeling right now?"
He reached up to her, holding her in an arm's length and gazed at her face.
"No. What is it?" he asked, his thumbs caressing the sides of her flushed
cheeks. "I feel so…" her voice trailed off.
Then a loud ringing startled both of them that they jumped apart! Mark
searched for his mobile and so did Gaby. "It's mine," she said, smiling at
the though that they were so close to kissing.
Mark watched her talk on the phone. Her left hand was perched on her hips,
her eyes rolling, her lips pouting as she argued with the person on the
other line. "I like you," he whispered, the words escaping his lips. He was
shocked. How can I like someone I've just met? This is insane, he thought.
He shook the idea away from his head and grabbed some grass and started
nibbling it. He needed a diversion---anything, just to dislodge the feelings
sprouting inside him.