Chronicles of a Newborn Angel

...

on your conference just to meet me.. to see me through this. and i cried myself to sleep with you cradling me in your arms. you’re nice.. you’re a wonderful guy, and.." she slowly looked up to meet my tear-filled gaze, "i just wish you’d let yourself be taken care of.."

with that, she buried her face on my shoulder. whether she was crying or not, i couldn’t tell. i just put my arms around her and held her there. tightly.

"hey, don’t mind me.. i’m a hard-headed stubborn fool who wouldn’t get hurt that easy, okay?" it was my turn to lift her chin up for her to see me. she nodded slowly, and then the corners of her lips turned up to form a half-hearted smile.

"if ever that i couldn’t take it anymore, i promise you this.. you’re the first person i’d run to.."

i was surprised when she jumped me and pushed me down on the bed, with her laughter pealing across the room.

"yey! you promise?? really, really, really, really, really promise??"

"yes, yes! i will! now, cut it out, will you? i’m still a guy, and what you’re wearing doesn’t help for temptations... hahaha"

she joined my laughter, pulling herself to her full frame to stand beside the bed. haley ashton. model. actress. beautiful face, gorgeous body, broken heart. last night, she got into another row with her family over her choice of career. her dad got violent, her mom got abusive. she called me up, her voice breaking.. and asked me to pick her up at her hotel. we went back to my place, here.. and talked. had milk and coffee and cookies and sandwiches, and talked. watched DVDs, listened to music, read books side by side, and talked more. and she fell asleep in my arms, crying her sorrows and frustrations away..

she held out her hand, and i reached for it. what once was a broken human being last night was a sweet, shining person this morning. tears were replaced by a smile, and there was a glow about her now that my friends say she gets after talking or spending time with me. she pulled me closer, kissed me a good morning kiss on my cheeks, embraced me, and tugged me out of the room to the dining table where she set out the breakfast she prepared.

and i sat there, eating, with my head still throbbing from lack of sleep, and my eyebags graduating to "eye-luggages." but looking at haley, watching her smile from across the table, and munching on her inspired cuisine (she cooks a mean batch of pancakes, bacon and the most perfect sunny-side up eggs on the side of this planet), the pain goes away, even for a fleeting moment..

looking at her, sleeplessness was worth it..