"But you can"t do it that way. If I were you I will stop being foolish by trying to lose weight in that manner", she heard a male voice speaking at her side. She turned her head around and was struck dumb. She didn"t realize her eyes were so round like marbles and her mouth was gaping wide as if her fist can fit in.She saw a young man in his early twenties with wavy black hair, long nice nose, and sparkling black eyes. The man had no s.h.i.+rt on. He had toned abs. He was only wearing his swimming trunks and his right hand was holding a snorkel. Beauty was staring at his face and body shamelessly. The man felt awkward about the way she looked at him. He felt like being scanned by a CT scanner that he wanted to cover his body with his hands. Gooseb.u.mps were seen all over his body.
He coughed twice and woke her up from her dazed look. All of a sudden she felt the urge to run and hide in a hole if there"s one near them. She really felt so ashamed. She wished she could transform into a crab and dig her way down the sand to hide but that won"t happen at all. She, instead, ran back straight to the house without even saying anything to the guy.
"Wow, if she can run fast with that body for even ten laps every day she might lose weight as she hoped." He was laughing at her reaction. Then he saw a red towel on the sand where she was standing.
"Hey, you forgot your towel," he shouted but she didn"t stop running. He picked it up then went to follow where she went.
The guy was actually a gym fitness instructor on his vacation. He went there to enjoy the hot sun and swim at the fish sanctuary of the island. After hearing her words of determination, he thought of teaching her a little, but she ran away.
Back in her room, she covered her face with a wet towel. Her face was so hot, like steaming hot with shame and another feeling she was unsure of, which was foreign to her.
"Why did I stare foolishly at him? Who was that guy? It was his fault for appearing near me all of a sudden. It was his fault for being attractive. How can I go outside again with that guy around?" She slumped on her bed feeling tired from running away.
"Beauty? Beauty dear. Are you in there?" Grand Mommy knocked twice.
"Yes, the door is open. Please come in."
"Dear, a handsome guy came handing us your towel. He said you left in a hurry leaving it behind." Grand Mommy said nonchalantly as she went in Beauty"s bedroom.
"What? Don"t invite him in, Grand Mommy. Where"s my towel now."
"What"s wrong, dear? What happened? Did that guy try to do something bad to you? Tell me and I will beat him good." Grand Mommy spoke with a grim face.
"No no no no Grand Mommy. Ahh! how to explain this? Actually, he didn"t do anything to me. I just ran after he tried to talk to me." She answered helplessly that way. She couldn"t bear to say that she was ashamed for staring at his face and even on his body. Shameless girl, totally shameless.
"Oh, if so then come down and thank him. Don"t be shy now. I think he is a good boy. I already put the towel in the washer. By the way, your Grand Daddy invited him for lunch. I"ll be going now to prepare the table, so dress up a little." Grand Mommy winked at her to hint her on something and left the room with that statement.
"What was that wink for?" Our MC was quite innocent and couldn"t get the meaning of the teasing wink of her playful grandma. Then she realized the exact situation.
"What? Why did you invite him? Please, no, Grand Mommy." She tried to stop her grandma but the latter couldn"t hear her anymore. Grand Mommy was in a hurry to set the table since it was already 11:30 before noon.
"If I won"t go down then Grand Mommy will come up again to get me that won"t be good. Oh, what am I supposed to do? But, I think he"s a good guy so what"s to be scared of?"
She went to the door but she remained standing there. 10 minutes had gone by but she was still not moving.
"Beauty?" Grand Mommy called from downstairs.
"Yes, Grand Mommy. I"m coming down now." She went to the mirror and made sure she looks fine. She just realized she was still wearing the sweaty jogging outfit. She changed right away and was now wearing a simple black s.h.i.+rt and a pair of jeans. She went down slowly without thinking more but fighting the urge to go back to her room.
She sat in front of that handsome guy who was grinning foolishly at her. The man was now wearing a s.h.i.+rt. He might have gone back to his hotel room to get that. (Filipino boys were taught since young to wear a s.h.i.+rt at the dining table to show respect.) She lowered her head with her chin almost reaching her chest.
"Hmph!" Grand Daddy harrumph trying to get her attention signaling her to stop lowering her head that much. She sat straight. Grand Daddy prayed a short prayer for the blessing for the food.
"Beauty, this is Lionel from Cebu City. I think you"ve met already. He said he"s a fitness instructor" Grand Daddy introduced him to Beauty.
"Hi, Beauty, nice to meet you. You have a pretty name." He extended his hand as a courtesy.
With so much effort, Beauty extended her hand and pulled it right away, almost not making contact at all. "Thank you and nice meeting you too." It was said in one breath but almost like a whisper nearly only herself can hear.
Lionel couldn"t hold back his laughter with her reaction.
"Lionel?" Grand Daddy called his name curtly.
"Sorry, sorry. Your reaction was so funny. Sorry, I can"t hold back laughing. Promise I won"t do it again." he explained while trying his best not to laugh again. He coughed and looked up the ceiling to hold back the laughter in his stomach.
"Beauty, I"m a professional fitness instructor. I admire your determination so I thought of giving you some guidance in these three days I"m here. I hope that you will continue and follow all of it when I leave."
"Really?" she blurted almost without reservation which was opposite on her earlier behavior.