Our steps were awkward. We stepped on each other, bumping into each other. We laughed at our mistakes and how clumsy we were. But, we were both engrossed in the moment—in our messy, inexperienced little tango.

I looked at Hera, and she looked at me. How lovely she was—the deep brown eyes, serene and fierce. Her nose, alluring and beautiful. Her skin, dark as the night, glowing under the moonlight. The curly black hair, lovely and gorgeous. The sweet lips, calling for my kiss.

“Can I kiss you?” Hera asked first—perhaps, realizing that I was fixated on her lips.

I nodded, and she leaned in. Our eyes closed as our lips met on a light, small peck. She drew away, and I opened my eyes. We were both gazing at each other, smiling ear to ear. I noticed a red tint on her cheeks, indicating that she was just as embarrassed as I was.

Our hands, already linked, and I squeezed them tighter. “Can you kiss me again?” I plead.

“No,” she replied, essentially disappointing me, but continued with a cheeky tone, “It’s time for you to kiss me.”

I chuckled. I tiptoed and kissed her, wrapping my arms around her neck. She wrapped her arms around my waist, pulling me in closer as our lips locked. Our tongue met; our kiss intensified.

Then, I pulled away, gasping for air. I was engrossed on having our lips linked that I forgot to breathe. Gazes met, hugs a little tighter.

“I love you, Vega,” Hera said, in the softest, sweetest tone I had ever heard. Just that word, and I felt butterfly on my stomach.

“I wanted to say it first!” I pouted, though immediately changed into a smile again.

Hera held me, resting her head on my shoulder. “Then say it,” she challenged.

I replied by rubbing her back slowly. “I love you, Hera,” I said. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Vega,” she repeated. We held each other, savoring each other’s presence, exchanging words of love, conveying our feelings for each other, until we were tired of it. We held each other dearly for the longest time.

Even when we were back into our room, I still felt euphoric. The day had been an abundance of affection and enchantment. It was overwhelming. All I could feel was joy—and Hera’s warm.

We laid on top of the bed that belonged to someone we didn’t know, cuddled up in each other. I smelled Hera’s scent—her natural scent and the soap she used. Could she smell my scent too? I hoped she could and that she found it as calming as I found hers.

“Are we going to sleep?” I whispered—maybe I was half asleep myself.

Hera scooted on top of me. “Do you want to sleep?” she asked, rubbing my cheek with her thumb.

I turned to face her. Resting my palm on her cheek, I leaned to rub my nose on hers. “Do you want to?”

“I want to kiss you,” she grinned cheekily.

“What’s stopping you?” I challenged, then leaned upward to kiss her first.

She fell on top of me, nuzzling her face on my neck. “I love you so much, Vega,” she repeated. “I wish this moment never ends.”

“Me too,” I patted her back. “I love you so much.”

“I’m glad I met you, Vega,” Hera admitted finally. “You saved me.”

“You were the one saving me, though?” I rubbed my cheek on top of her head, feeling the nice texture of her curly hair.

“Yeah,” Hera said absentmindedly. “But you also saved me.”

Though I wasn’t sure how I saved her, I didn’t say anything else. I just wrapped my arms around her body.

All I remembered after that was a little bit of trivial talks before we fell asleep.