“REALITY KISS”

The same night after their team-building seminar, they ate dinner at the resort's restaurant.

"Oh Lana, why are you so quiet?" Rodora asks when she notices her silence. "Since lunch, you've been like that. Why, don't you like your cottage?” she said in a teasing tone.

Lana shook her head, then handed over the glass of orange juice and drank. “N-No Rodge, I'm just tired. I haven't slept yet,” she reasoned.

Rodora nodded and then finished the food on her plate. “I'm going back to my cottage. I'm going to rest. You wanna come with? ” she asked her afterward.

Lana thought for a moment and then forced a smile before she consecutively shook her head. "I'm fine, just go ahead," she said.

Outside the restaurant, she parted ways with Rodora along with their other co-workers.

Lana smiled, just waving them goodbye, then started walking around.

She couldn't understand the nervousness she had been feeling since she found out that Andrew's cottage was next to hers.

The young lady laughed softly there.

After all, she must be happy. She should have been excited similar to the normal reaction of a fangirl. But she feels differently and that is the real reason she has been silent since earlier.

Lana also had fun walking around for a few minutes when she saw a familiar coffee shop.

The young lady smiled there. As a fan, she knows that Andrew and his sister Samantha own Scott’s Cafe.

She could not deny that she was one of the many loyal customers of that coffee shop. It's not because she idolizes the owner but also because their coffee is really delicious.

She likes their brewed coffee, which, for her, would be even tastier if it was partnered with Special Scott’s Kababayan or Scott's Special Muffin.

With that in mind, adding to the aroma of the coffee she was smelling, it was as if Lana’s feet had a mind of their own as they entered the coffee shop.

She had been sitting there for a while and was currently enjoying her coffee when one of the male employees of the coffee shop approached her.

"Excuse Ma'am," he told her with a smile.

"Yes?" she said, shifting her gaze to the sliced lemon cake in his hand and then to its nameplate where his position in the store as Branch Manager was written along with his name. "I didn't order a lemon cake," she kindly replied.

The man shook his head one after another. "This is a gift," he said.

The young lady's beautiful eyebrows met. "Gift?"

"It's from my boss," he said as he laid the plate on her table.

Lana couldn't speak at what she heard. Even when the man left her, she just nodded and then looked around as if she was looking for someone.

She automatically gasped when he saw at the end of the counter what she knew the branch manager was saying.

None other than Andrew.

Lana quickly felt mixed emotions because of that. She couldn't believe that Andrew had bothered to give her a present.

Actually, the gift is not the reason why she feels this way now. It was the thought the young man noticed her so he thought of giving her a simple gift.

She returned the smile to the man she had noticed who remained to stare at her. She doesn't even admit it, but his stares are disturbing and give her a strange feeling as if it is absorbing her energy.

When she saw him move, Lana's nervousness intensified. She knew he would approach her.

She is not like this; she knows herself. She has always been dignified when about everything. She was not shy, nor has she ever been shameless as well.

Lana secretly laughed at the last thought. But now, with Andrew? Actually earlier she was wondering to herself. The man just waved at her when he saw her on the veranda as if she was a rat hiding inside her den.

As the man approached, the feeling she had felt before was there again. But she knew it wouldn't look good if she ran out of the cafe, so Lana forced herself to stay there at the same time as she tried to retain her composure which she knew was slowly collapsing.

"I hope you don't mind," Andrew said, referring to her opposite vacant chair.

She shook her head and then sipped coffee to somehow cover up the intense nervousness she was feeling. "Thanks for the cake," she tried to normalize the tone of her voice and she succeeded there.

Andrew just smiled as he remained to stare at her. "By the way," he held out his hand to her. "I'm Andrew Scott," the young man introduced with a smile.

Lana's mind worked quickly. At that moment, she really feels like she is being blessed. But the intense nervousness in her chest still lingered.

It was as if she was slowly losing her brain, knowing what to do or what was right. That's why even before she was finally eaten by the strange magic spell of Andrew's charm, she accepted his handshake.

"Lana, Lana Montes," she replied smiling at the man.

The corner of Andrew's lip lifted, then he raised her hand and kissed it. And because she didn't expect that, Lana couldn't stop the slight panting that reached the man's hearing.

She saw the intense amusement in Andrew's eyes as he spoke. "It's beautiful, can be a screen name," he complimented, keeping her hand on his.

Lana felt the intense heat on her cheeks because of Andrew's words. Then she simply decided to withdraw her hand and smiled at him.

"Thank you, I'm sorry, but I also need to rest," in the end, due to the intense discomfort she felt, Lana decided to just say goodbye.

Even with the truth in her heart, she wanted to talk to the young man for a long time.

"Okay, allow me to walk you to your cottage," Andrew offered, but she immediately refused.

"Thanks but I'm good," she stood up. “Nice meeting you Andrew. By the way, I should tell you that, I’m a fan,” she also decided to admit the truth before leaving.

*****

Lana had just come out of the bathroom wearing pajamas and a cotton shirt when she heard a series of knocks on her door.

Her eyebrows met immediately. But thinking that maybe one of her co-workers is knocking, the young lady did not bother to use the peephole before opening the door.

"Hi!" Andrew's happy greeting to her.

Lana was stunned as she remained to stare at the young man standing outside the door of her cottage. "A-Andrew!" she exclaimed when she recovered.

"I just came to give you this," he said, handing her a paper bag.

"W-What is this?" she asked in surprise.

"Lemon cake, you didn't touch it because you are too busy to think of a way to avoid me," was Andrew's teasing tone followed by a weak but husky laugh.

Lana raised an eyebrow quickly at what was heard. “Hey! What made you think ---? ”

Lana couldn't continue her plan to reprimand the man because he suddenly bent down and kissed her on the lips.

The young lady's eyes widened as the pounding on her chest intensified. In addition to that is the delicious sensation like a voltage of electricity quickly spreading throughout her.

That is why she felt a great loss in her being when Andrew released her lips.

"Hey," Andrew whispered to her after a while, and she remained to stare at him, gaping.

Upon hearing that, it was as if Lana immediately woke up.

So next to that was the quick recoil of her hand that landed on Andrew's left cheek.

“Rude! Beast! Do you think because I am your fan and you are a famous celebrity I will just allow you to do what you did?” she said angrily then pointed a finger at the young man.

Andrew didn't answer and just stared at her instead. In his eyes was a mixture of amusement and intense longing for her.

“I’ll see you around. Good night,” the young man replied instead, and for the second time, he bowed again and then kissed her hard on the lips. And at that moment Lana seemed to find nothing else to do but close her eyes. "Let's continue kissing in the next few days," he whispered when he heard the unintentional growl of resistance that voluntarily escaped from her lips.

Lana's face quickly warmed at Andrew's words. Honestly, she couldn’t believe the sheer speed of events. It was like only yesterday that she dreamed of Andrew kissing her. And now, it has happened. Here on the paradise island of Palawan.

And his kiss. Just like how the young man kissed her in her dream. As well as the kind of feeling he gave her.

Eventually, the young lady just sighed and then closed the door. There were things she knew needed to be in private, and one of those was what happened between her and Andrew.

And why does she seem to have a feeling that that wasn't the last time something like that would happen to them?

Because the truth is, she feels strongly about being more likely to follow. At the last thought, Lana quickly shook her head.