The Man Beside Me

The Man Beside Me

Waking up is one of the moments I find fascinating in my life. Just like today. The bed is warm and comfortable, the light from the window is not that blinding, and the man beside me is gorgeous. The man… beside me? I almost screamed at the realization of a man beside me in a bed. I don’t know if he felt my panic because I felt him stirred. All of a sudden, he snaked his arms on my waist and pulled me closer to him. I felt like a blush slowly creeping on my face. Its shade grew darker in a millisecond when I realized how close we are to one another, our faces most especially. My breathing hitched when I felt his breathing on my mouth. I can almost feel his celestial nose that is centimeters away from mine. And his lips, I almost lost all my senses when I saw how red his lips are and how adorable his open mouth while sleeping.

I am scanning his whole face when suddenly, a memory flashed through my mind—the first time I saw the face of the man beside me.

I saw him for the first time on a pavement near his tall maroon-colored gate. I can still remember how the leaves of trees sway and how dusts from the road try to stick on my already sweaty body. It was not my intention to stop there; I just felt that my legs are numbing from walking for hours. Why was I walking? Ah, I can’t find my own house—or rather I have forgotten where it was.

Minutes later, a black BMW slowly halted in front of the gate. I was about to leave but a tall and dark man, wearing a white v-neck shirt and a blue tattered jeans, go down from the car and called my attention. I was glued to my seat and I can’t take away my eyes from the sight of the curly-haired, gorgeous man towering in front of me. His brown eyes pierce through me as he scanned me from head to toe. I felt shy from the way he was looking at me. Will he arrest me? Will he call the cops? The atmosphere was unnerving that my tired legs want to run away from him and from the situation.

I was about to act on what I was thinking when I felt him touch my head. He sat down at my level and threw me a question that also I don’t know what to reply: “Where are you from?” I was not yet answering his first question when he threw another question. I just bowed my head because I don’t know what to reply to him. I just lifted my head when I heard him sigh and spoke his first statement during the whole five minutes he was looking at me. “If you don’t know where to stay, you may have my house as your place.” I suddenly felt my eyes widen when he pulled me inside his house without asking for my approval.

How come did he know what I want? This question was bothering me when I realized that I must return his kindness in any way he wants me to. I will submit myself to him just to pay for the place he offered to me.

I am in that situation when I saw the house inside. The floor felt clean and smooth. Even the air is colder inside compare to the wind outside.  I was appreciating my new home when I heard noises from the different parts of the house. Suddenly, I saw bodies running towards the man. “Okay, calm down, I am now here,” the man announced and he kissed them on the cheeks one by one. I was appalled by the scene I saw.  He talked to them and what happened to their day while I am here, being forgotten on a corner near the door. All of them want to speak of their experiences. How do I make him notice me?

I tried to call his attention first. When he noticed me, I ran fast towards him. He introduced me to others there in the house. Afterwards, I tried to show him my talents and skills. He just watched at first. He seemed to be uninterested because he walked away from me and walk towards a room with a large box of food and plates. I thought that his attention was not able to be taken by my talents.

I followed him. It turns out he just want to get his slippers. I run fast for me to get his slippers first. I took them and gave it to him. He thanked me while flashing that boyish smile of him. I almost squeal but stopped myself from doing so when I saw him walking towards a room in the second floor. I run fast and followed him there but was put to a halt when I saw him slipped. I run faster until I felt his body above me. It turns out spilled water made him slip. I felt him lifting himself from me. Seconds later, I passed out, while hearing his voice asking me how I am feeling.

I was returned to the present when I saw his eyes open. I was about to feign asleep but it was already late. I already saw his boyish smile and I felt like my heart skipped a beat because of it. “How are you feeling now?” he asked me. I kissed him instead of answering. “Okay, okay, I understand now,” and he smiled again at me, warmer this time. “But seriously, how do you feel now? How are your paws?” I showed him my paws and he kissed it. “How about your tail?” I wagged my tail playfully to show that he does not need to worry over me. “Come on, I’ll give you a reward.” I followed him when he got off of his bed and went straight to the kitchen’s cupboard. He poured something to a bowl and give it to me.

“As a reward to your heroism when you saved me earlier, I’ll give you a bowl of dog food,” he said while patting my head. “Keep on being a good dog, okay?” As a reply, I just barked happily to him.