FALLING IN LOVE WITH HIM - HER FIRST LOVE

"Thank you for the dress and the phone. Now I can text you, message you, call you and talk to you whenever I want," Hera spoke, expressing her gratitude from the bottom of her heart. 

The sound of Hunter's happy chuckle made her pull away from the hug, and she looked at his charming face. "Yes, we needed it the most to communicate when we are away from each other," Hunter said as he nodded in approval. Hera frowned at his choice of words. "Away from each other?" She questioned but got easily distracted when he smiled endearingly at her. 

"Come on, open your next gift," Hunter said, pulling her back to the table. 

Hera sat sideways on the floor, dragging Hunter to her side as well. She could guess one of the boxes out of the two was a cake. She brought it to the edge of the table carefully and drew out a chuckle from Hunter when she closed her eyes and sniffed the box before opening it. 

"I know it's my birthday cake.. Just making sure that I guessed it right, okay," Hera said, reasoning her behaviour. 

There inside the box, she found another messenger note as soon as she opened it. 

Goddess Hera,

Happy birthday. 

Here's wishing you all your favourite things wrapped in love and happiness. 

Hera moved to plant a quick kiss on Hunter's lips and giggled when his eyes widened in surprise. 

"Thank you," she said. The smile wouldn't leave her face, and she wasn't complaining. 

"I know how fond you're of sweets. Today I won't tease you if you eat the whole of this cake. You know why? Because I made this cake for you," Hunter revealed while lifting the cake out of the box. Hera gasped in surprise and stared at Hunter. He frowned and looked at her sensing her eyes on him. "You made this cake?" Hera asked in disbelief. 

His frown deepened, and he bit his lip before scowling at her. "And what about it?" Hunter asked in an annoyed voice and cursed inwardly for disclosing too much information. Hera laughed merrily at his flustered face. "You look sexier when you blush," she said, planting another kiss on his blushing cheek. 

His dimples winked when he pursed his lips tight in mock disapproval. Hera kissed his dimples one after the other. 

Hunter blushed harder, and Hera laughed some more only to get shoved in the shoulder. Scowling all the while, he lit a candle with his lighter. "Make a wish and blow it," he commanded. Hera made a kissy face and blew him a kiss before closing her eyes. Joining her hands in a praying manner, Hera made a wish. 

'Dear Lord, let me keep him forever. I wish no one, and nothing takes him away from me.' 

Hera opened her eyes and blew the candle. She turned her head to the side to look at him, only to discover him staring at her. Leaning forward, he placed his hand on the nape of her neck, and Hera willingly followed his lead as he pulled her closer. He kissed her eyelids one after the other. Gifting her his heart-winning smile, he gestured to her to cut the cake. 

It was a small, simple plain chocolate cake with lots of creams dripping out. Instead of writing happy birthday on the cake, Hunter had written: "Happy life to my love." 

"I can't believe you made this!" Hera said while cutting the cake, surprise evident in her voice. "Evelyn and Jessica helped with the recipe and ratio of the ingredients, but it's the fruit of my hard work in the end," Hunter replied, pride lacing his tone. Hera's smile and her gaze held appreciation. 

She cut the cake into six large pieces, and Hunter took the first one to feed her. "Hmm, yummy," Hera said, moaning with her mouthful. She didn't miss how Hunter sighed in relief as if he was afraid she wouldn't like it. "Jessica said I used too much sugar. I was afraid I might have ruined it," he admitted with a sheepish smile. 

Hera held his wrist in her hand and let him feed her the entire piece. She attempted to smile with her mouth full. Hunter laughed at her cute face with her cheeks puffed out. "The more, the merrier. The sweeter the cake is, the yummier it would taste. I love it. It's the best cake ever," Hera declared her verdict and kissed his cheek with her wet lips. 

"I'm glad you approve, love. My hard work paid off at last," he said, grinning from ear to ear. "You don't have to worry about the calories or putting on weight. I know a perfect way to keep you healthy," Hunter said, winking at her. Curious, Hera's brows arched up. 

"You know, a research study confirms that kissing can burn two to twenty-six calories per minute. And lately, I've noticed how you're obsessed with kissing me. So, I don't think you have much to worry about, Mrs Hunter," Hunter said, arrogance dripping from his tone. Hera snorted a laugh and rolled her eyes. 

She had already finished eating three slices and took the fourth one. Before Hunter could protest, she forcefully fed him half of the piece. 

"Zip your mouth shut and let me eat in peace," Hera scolded and went back to moaning with her mouthful. Hunter shook his head and grimaced in mock disgust. "Hope your poor tummy won't get upset tomorrow. It's our big day," Hera heard him mutter under his breath but conveniently chose to ignore him. 

Wiping her hands clean with the tissue, Hera opened the last gift. 

It was a double photo frame in silver. 

When she opened it, Hera gasped in surprise, and her breath hitched. Inside she found her picture framed on the left side. 

It wasn't a picture. To be precise, it was Hera's painting. Hunter had painted a ten-year-old version of her. 

It was a memory from her tenth birthday, a precious one at that. 

She was sitting on the bench in their school's prayer hall. A pleased grin adorned her lips, eyes filled with pure affection, her head tilted up while she looked at him. He wasn't there in the frame, but he had painted only his left hand cupping her cheek. It was when he gifted her anklet. 

Hera's eyes watered as her heart reminisced the beautiful memory from that day. 

Ten years ago,

Hera watched with a broad grin on her face as he bent down on one knee and lifted her foot to place it on his thigh. Carefully, putting on the anklet on her left foot, he clasped the links securely. 

"Keep it on until I put a ring on your finger and we get married officially. Treat it as a wedding band for now. Goddess, promise me you'll never take it off?" Hunter asked her, looking into her forest-green eyes. Hera's heart melted at his request. She could read the fear in his eyes that she would say no. 

Even ten-year-old Hera understood his thoughts. That's how pure their love was. She could easily read his emotions in his panicked eyes. 

He was terrified of losing her. 

"I promise you, Hunter," Hera said with conviction. 

"If you ever take it off, consider me dead from that moment. Because it would mean that you don't love me anymore, and I won't live another second after that," Hunter confessed. "How can I not love you, Hunter? Didn't you say God made us for each other?" Hera asked in return. Hunter grinned and stood to his full height. Cupping her cheek with his palm, he leaned down and kissed her forehead. 

Memories faded as Hunter wiped her tears with his fingers and brought her back to the present. 

"Thank you for not taking it off even after our supposed breakup," Hunter said. Hera pulled him into her arms and hugged him tightly. "I tried, you know," Hera confessed in a low whisper. "But I couldn't. It hurt so much, and the thought of losing you forever terrified me," Hera poured her heart out. "You're mine to love or hate. I would never let you go," she vowed. 

"Aren't we soulmates connected with hearts and souls? You said so, Hunter, on my fifth birthday," Hera reminded him with a teasing tone earning a charming smile from him. "You were such a charmer at that age, too," she said and laughed. "I'm sorry for hurting you, Goddess. Please forgive me," Hunter said, kissing her tears away, and she wiped his tears with her fingers. 

"Oh, I forgot to tell you the real reason behind why I didn't take it off," Hera said, demanding his attention. "This damn clasp wouldn't budge, you know. No matter how much I tried, it didn't open," Hera said and giggled at his disappointed pouty face. "I thought you could detect it when I'm lying?" Hera said, teasing him again. 

She tickled him until he begged her to stop. His eyes watered from laughing so much, and Hera decided to show mercy. 

"You haven't kissed me yet, you know?" She pointed out in a displeased tone. "Come on, now give me my birthday kiss," she demanded. 

Hunter scoffed at her.

Hera glared unimpressed.

"You're so outdated," Hunter said in a bored tone. 

"What? Why?" She questioned, gritting her teeth, hands on her hips, ready to fight. 

"Haven't you heard of birthday sex?" Hunter asked. He lifted an eyebrow, a smirk on his lips taunting her.