Chapter 2 THE STRANGER

"Hello! Hello!" The knocking on the door was persistent, and despite feeling unwell, Laura forced herself to get up from her bed.

"Just a moment, please." She didn't recognize the voice, so she had no idea who was outside.

Struggling to walk due to dizziness, Laura slowly made her way to the gate, using the wall and chairs as support.

The bamboo door creaked as she opened it, and she was startled to see who was standing there.

"W-what do you need?" she stuttered, her heart racing.

Who wouldn't stutter when the handsome stranger was standing right in front of her? Although, after almost a year living on their small barangay, maybe he wasn't a stranger anymore.

"Are you okay? You look pale," he said, concern etched on his face.

Without thinking, Laura touched her face. "I-I'm fine. What brings you here?" Despite struggling to control her racing heart, she tried to compose herself to avoid looking foolish in front of him.

"Ka Siding sent me," he said, referring to her aunt who had been her guardian since her parents passed away.

"Why did she send you?"

"Are you sure you're okay, Miss?" Instead of answering her question, he asked another one, likely noticing her poor condition due to her high fever.

Feeling dizzy, Laura leaned against the doorframe. She was nauseous, and her stomach felt like it was being churned.

Aaron quickly moved to support her, placing a hand on her shoulder and checking her forehead. He jerked his hand back, shocked by how hot she was.

"Your fever is really high. Have you taken any medicine?" Laura shook her head, and Aaron continued, "I'll help you go inside, okay? It's not good for you to be out here with the wind making your condition worse."

"I-I'm fine," Laura insisted.

Aaron understood why she might be cold towards him, given her aunt's reputation. He wouldn't blame her for being distant.

Despite Laura's protests, Aaron gently picked her up and carried her inside. As he did, he felt her soft skin and confirmed his suspicion - she was burning up with fever.

"P-put me down, please," Laura requested, surprised by his sudden action. Luckily, the house was small, and Aaron was able to gently lay her down.

"Have you eaten?" Aaron asked, and Laura wasn't sure why he was being so caring. All she knew was that she appreciated his kindness.

The simple question felt like a warm touch to her heart.

"Not yet," she replied. "What did you need?"

"Your aunt asked you to bring food and water to the farm, but given your condition, I doubt you can make it," Aaron explained.

His words brought Laura back to reality. She tried to stand up but fell back down.

"Tell Tiya Siding I'll cook something. You can go now," she said softly, not wanting to offend him.

"Don't push yourself if you're not feeling well-"

She spoke up to stop him from continuing. "I'm fine, I can take care of myself." She smiled. "Thanks for your concern."

"Are the girls in the province really this stubborn, or is it just you?" He might have been joking, but his smile revealed his perfectly aligned teeth. "Or maybe you're the only stubborn one?" he added.

"What do you think?"

"Huh?"

"Never mind. You should go, or my aunt might scold you."

Laura heard him sigh, but he didn't say anything else and just left.

Since her parents' death, this was the first time someone had shown her genuine concern, and the kindness from this stranger brought her a different kind of joy, especially since...

She had a crush on him.

Cooking took Laura over an hour, especially since she was using wood for fuel. The headache made her feel dizzy, and by the time she arrived at the farm, it was already past one.

"Well, well, well! Look who's finally arrived! What took you so long, huh?!" her aunt shouted angrily.

She didn't care that she was embarrassing Laura in front of the farmworkers.

"I'm sorry, Tiya Siding, I was sick-"

Before Laura could finish explaining, her aunt slapped her arm.

"You've never been a responsible child! Be grateful I'm still feeding and sending you to school!" She snatched the bag of food from Laura's hands.

"Maybe you were busy flirting with someone, Laura?"

"What? That's not true, Juliana," Laura defended herself.

Juliana was her cousin, barely a few months older than her, but she acted like she was much older. In reality, Laura was three months older.

"Stop it, Juliana!" their cousin Trevor intervened. He was Juliana's brother and Laura's cousin. "You're the one who's always doing nothing and enjoying life." He approached Laura and felt her forehead. "Go home and take your medicine, Laura. I'll visit you later."

"O-okay." Laura was grateful to escape the humiliation caused by her aunt and cousin.

Her aunt had no qualms abo

ut scolding her in front of the farmworkers.

Laura bid her aunt goodbye before leaving.