The Ilokana

Chapter Nine

Kalasag B&B, Vigan, February 21, 20XX

"Vic?" Richie was knocking on her door. "Vic, are you all right? Look, it's okay! It wasn't that weird."

Victoria flung herself across her bed and laid with her arms and legs splayed out around her. She was face down against her pillows, humiliated.

"I can't go back...." she said to herself as she imagined her awkwardness just a few minutes earlier. It was a ridiculous assessment, as she had to go back downstairs eventually.

"It's fine, Vic." She heard her cousin assure her from behind her door. "He thought it was funny!"

She groaned out loud and tried to bury her face further into the pillows. She couldn't believe she what she did. She was in her 20's, a grown, college educated woman. What was she thinking?

Upon his practiced Ilocano greeting, Victoria reached out and cupped Adrian's face like a dazed idiot. Her grandmother and cousin looked confused as she moved closer to Adrian and ran her hand over his face as if she were blind and his face was brail that revealed the secrets to the universe.

Adrian stood there, unmoving with wide, confused eyes. When no one else stepped in, he spoke up. "What....what are you doing?"

"You look the same," she said, muttering mainly to herself. He had the same kind eyes and straight nose and facial angles. His lips were pink and his stray hairs fell over his eyes in the same manner; as she realized all of this, Victoria opened her mouth. "You're so handsome."

She'd never seen someone's pale face turn such a bright pink-ish red so quick.

She probably wouldn't have stopped if Lola Aming hadn't cut in with Ilocano. "I know that he's handsome, but do you need to keep touching his face?"

That smacked Victoria back into the present and the horrifying reality that she was stroking his unshaved jaw like a lunatic. She pulled her hand away, as if he were made of fire, and stumbled back, trying to apologize.

When her confusing jumble of words failed her, she made an abrupt retreat to her room. How was she going to look Adrian in the eyes again after groping his face?

"Victoria?" Another knock sounded from her room and she sucked in a sharp breath. She wanted the earth to swallow her. "I'm sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable."

"Why are you apologizing?" Richie asked. "She's the one who grabbed your face."

A pained, muffled groan was released into her pillow as Victoria curled into a ball with the pillow over her face.

"She didn't grab my face." Adrian sighed. "It's early and I'm sure she's not fully awake yet."

"...do you not know how long she was stroking your face, bro?"

"Manong!" Victoria threw her pillow against the headboard and scrambled off her bed. She rushed across the room and grabbed her door knob, pulling it open. "Stop it-"

All her words seemed to die in her throat as she found Adrian standing on the other side of her doorway, looking just as surprised to see her. She wasn't sure who flushed deeper; him or her. Leaning against the column behind him with his arms crossed was Richie, who stood up straight as she appeared.

"Vic, listen-"

"I'm sorry." Adrian cut him off and Richie gave him a confused look. Victoria continued to stare at the man who looked every bit as handsome and kind as she remembered from her dreams. He looked apologetic and lowered his eyes. "Did I upset you?" he asked, shifting awkwardly before her.