When Cassie and Lance's eyes met, it was magical. It seemed to make time stand still. As they looked into each other's depth, they felt a pent up emotion waiting to be released.

Lance waited for her to approach. He felt giddy and nervous and he doesn't understand why. He never felt this way before. Everything he was feeling with Cassie was new.

Cassie continued to approach him. She felt like she was floating towards him. A gravitational pull so strong that her feet moved involuntarily towards him. Never leaving their eye contact, she sat beside him.

"Hi. Did you sleep well?" He smiled at her. He cannot help but caress her face as he asked her.

"Yes. Thank you. Are you okay?" Shivers ran down her spine at the contact but she managed to smile and respond.

"Yes. I am okay now that you're here."

At those words, Cassie cannot help but give him her sweetest smile. And she heard Lance's intake of breath at that gesture.

Lance was caught off guard with her smile. It has such an effect on him. He was acting very strange whenever she was near him.

Regaining his composure, Lance pressed a button to signal the flight attendant to their seats.

"Yes Sir? How may I help you?" The attendant seem to purr out the words to appear seductive. And Cassie cannot help but glare at her.

"You may serve our dinner." Lance replied without removing his gaze from Cassie.

"In a moment Sir." And the attendant left them with a flirtatious smile toward Lance who doesn't seem to notice.

But Cassie saw how the girl acted towards Lance and she felt like she wanted to claw out the attendant's eyes so she cannot look at him that way. She cannot look at him at all!

Lance saw the change in her expression and he wondered what was wrong.

"Cassie, are you alright? Dinner will be served early since we have not eaten anything before the flight. You must be hungry. This would be a 15 hour flight at the least. We may have to do some stop over to refuel but will stay mostly on this plane."

"Wow"

"What?"

"This must be the longest conversation we ever had." She teased him.

Lance cannot help but smile at her in response. He liked her this way. Playful and not so serious.

"I am hungry but now I feel better that I was able to sleep properly. Thank you." She smiled.

Lance looked away upon seeing her smile again. He cannot control his heart beat that goes haywire each time she smiles at him.

"God, I am screwed." Lance muttered to himself as he looked away.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing. Now, here's our food. Lets eat."

The attendant came in with a trolley bearing a five course meal. Wow. He really knows how to impress a girl. Cassie cannot help but think that this is a date, and she felt happy with just that thought.

They ate heartily without uttering any word. Sometimes, they will just catch each other's stares and just smile while resuming eating.

After dinner, they were sitting across each other in silence. An awkward tension between them.

"So, please tell me where are we going?"

"To my island in the Philippines."

"Wow. Isn't that in Southeast Asia?"

"You sure know your Geography."

"When are we going back?"

"We haven't even arrived and you already want to go back?" He tried to tease her.

"No. It was just that I want to be prepared." He did not expect her to sound so serious.

"Prepared for what?"

Silence.

Lance saw again the fear and hesitation in her eyes. She was very easy to read. He was beginning to see how she was feeling just by looking into her face and expressive eyes.

"What's wrong Cassie? Do you have a problem? Please tell me."

"Tengo una pero no tengo un plan de decirle. No quiero que te involucres. Puedes salir herido. Yo no quiero que te hagan daño." I have one but I don't have a plan to tell you, I do not want you to get involved, you can get hurt, I do not want you to get hurt.

Cassie was not aware she answered in Spanish, her native language. She was so caught up with her thinking. She did not see his expression of utmost concern nor expected his response.

"No me importa si me lastimo. Lo único que importa es hacer que sus preocupaciones desaparezcan. No me gusta ver que usted miedo." I do not care if I get hurt. The only thing that matters is to make your worries disappear, I don't want to see you scared.

"You speak Spanish? Why would you worry about me?"

"Yes I do. Honestly, I do not know the answer to that but I will make sure no one will ever harm you. Do not fear about me getting hurt, it is me who should worry about you. I will help you."

"Thank you. You don't know how much this means to me." Cassie's voice was soft and gentle but for the first time after the engagement was forced on her, she cried.

Lance was flustered seeing her cry. He never would want to see her cry and right now all he wanted to do was kill the bastard or whoever that was who made her feel this way.

She felt him get closer to her and engulfed her in his arms so that her face was pressed on his shoulders. She cried out all her fears, worries and hurt. She cried for her parents whom she knew was looking for her not because they were worried about her but because they care about the merger and their business. She cried for herself, for all the years trying to be the perfect daughter while sacrificing all her happiness. She cried in disappointment because even if she excelled in everything, she was not able to receive the one thing that she was aiming for. The love and acceptance of her parents.

"Shhhh... I will take care of you. I promise you that. This is the last time that you will cry. I will make sure of that Cassie. Please stop crying, you're breaking my heart."

Those words made Cassie cry even harder. How can this person care for her so deeply? They met only hours ago but she already felt the genuine care and concern from him. Something that she never felt from others aside from her best friend. She cannot deny that they already have a connection.

She vowed in her mind that she will do the same thing for him. She will take care of him and ensure that she will make him happy, no matter what it takes.

****

"Tengo una pero no tengo un plan de decirle. No quiero que te involucres. Puedes salir herido. Yo no quiero que te hagan daño." I have one but I don't have a plan to tell you, I do not want you to get involved, you can get hurt, I do not want you to get hurt.

"No me importa si me lastimo. Lo único que importa es hacer que sus preocupaciones desaparezcan. No me gusta ver que usted miedo." I do not care if I get hurt. The only thing that matters is to make your worries disappear, I don't want to see you scared.