Chapter 14: The World Stopped

Herbie was pacing the floor of their apartment’s lobby. He was nervous and excited at the same time. He was shaking his limbs because he felt like his nerves were taking over his body.

“Herb!” Mandy called as she was entering the lobby.

Herbie kept on looking at the elevator and was surprised that the person he was waiting for was be coming from outside.

“Mandy!… You look…” The words in his head were beautiful, gorgeous, stunning but he instead said “different.” which he regretted. He could normally say those words to her but now that the tickle in his heart had grown into a full-blown flame, he was afraid things would be more awkward between them than it already was, at least on his end.

“Wow, thank you, Herbie. I’ll take different. Although I’d love it if you’d say gorgeous or stunning.”

“Well, you are stunning.”

“I got a haircut and hair color!”

“Yeah, I noticed.”

“And you’re not so bad yourself… So what happened to your date with that Photo Shop girl?”

“Nothing. I just made that up?” Mandy was surprised to hear that reply. She turned her whole body to face him/

“You made that up? Why?”

Instead of answering. Herbie held her by the small of her back as they both walked out of the building.

“Wait, I called you because I wanted you to accompany me to Mr. and Mrs. Cuevas.” Mandy said trying to turn back towards the entrance of the building.

“It’s pretty late if we are to personally deliver the wedding album. Let’s go somewhere else.”

“What? Where?”

“I don’t know. Just come will you?” Herbie linked his hand with hers and Mandy could not do anything but follow.

After walking a few blocks with no clear direction of where they were heading, Mandy stopped on a spot and pulled Herbie back to face her.

“Talk to me, Herbie. What’s happening?”

“Nothing.” Herbie refused to look into her eyes. He just bowed his head.

Mandy placed two fingers under his chin to lift his face up so he could look into her eyes.

“So what is it?”

Herbie walked past Mandy. “I just, I just don’t know what to say.”

Mandy followed him. “Something’s bothering you, I can tell. And since when did you not know what to say? I mean, it’s me, Herbie. We tell each other everything.”

“Not everything.” Herbie’s mind objected.

Herbie found an empty bench in the part of the park where there’s not much people. He sat resting both elbows on his thighs covering his face with both his hands.

Herbie felt Mandy when she sat beside him. And as always, everything seemed to be fine once he felt Mandy’s hand rubbing his thigh. She did not need to say anything. Mandy just knew how to calm him in all of the times he was confused, angry, nervous, and excited, too.

“Okay, Herb, if you’re not ready to tell me what’s bothering you, it’s okay. You don’t have to say anything now.” Mandy pulled his arm and wrapped it around her shoulder. Mandy rested her head on his chest. Herbie tried to resist it but  her scent was too enticing. Herbie closed his eyes then smelled her hair before planting a long kiss on the top of her head.

Both were secretly asking what that moment meant. There was a long silence between them. They were both enjoying the moment when they were in each other’s arms.

While Herbie was already certain, he had fallen in love with his ex-girlfriend’s sister, Mandy was still navigating through her feelings. She was attracted alright, but she was still debating with herself whether or not to entertain the idea of falling in love with her sister’s ex-boyfriend.

Neither would like to be the first one to say anything. They were so close, so comfortable with each other yet so afraid to burst that protective bubble that shielded their feelings towards each other.

“Migs kissed me.”

“I saw Migs kissing you.”

They both said at the same time.

Herbie stood up, inserted both hands in his pocket and turned his back towards Mandy.

“You’re together now?” rubbing his chin this time, not wanting to hear her reply.

“No! It was weird, Herbie!” his heart leapt. There was sudden joy brought about by that bit of information.

“What do you mean?” he asked still with his back towards her.

“I mean, I find him handsome and all but even I was surprised that I did not feel anything!”

Herbie closed his eyes and smiled before facing her and sitting beside her again.

So the question that bothered Herbie the whole day was answered without him asking anything. There was a name for how he acted that day - jealous and insecure. And that’s only because things were not clear between them.

“It’s just difficult you know, I need this job and it is such a distraction that my boss likes me.”

“He likes you? Did he tell you that?”

“Well, he was actually asking me out tonight.”

“What did you say?” Herbie turned his back on her again.

“I tried getting out of it so the best I could do was reschedule.”

“So you’re still going out.”

“Yeah, I guess.”

“QUIT!” his head screaming the word. Instead he said, “Oh.”

“Oh? That’s all you could say?”

 “No!” Herbie faced her, brushed her hair aside then pressed his lips on hers closing his eyes, memorizing the feel of her lips on his. Electricity flowing all over his body.

He slowly pulled back Mandy was obviously shocked. She was frozen. But before he could think about something to say, Mandy had her hand on his face, she sipped his upper lip. Herbie’s world stopped. Mandy was kissing him. He started to sip her lower lip, too. Her lips tasted even sweeter this time. He went deeper into her mouth and she deeper into his. Their tongues were colliding. Their heads tilting from side to side as they explored each other’s mouths.

They broke the kiss to catch their breaths. They exchanged little kisses for a while.  Then Herbie took everything he was feeling for this girl from within him and kissed her lips again. This time, it was not just Herbie’s world that stopped. Mandy’s world, too.