Mysterious 01: The Flight

Aris Sandoval’s P.O.V.

I sprang from my seat when that dream came to visit me again. Well, that dream happened in reality when I was only fourteen years old and that was almost twelve years ago.

I brought out my hanky from my black suit inner pocket, wiped some beads of sweat in my forehead, and maximize the air conditioner above my head. Now, I couldn’t help myself to chuckle when I remembered everything that happened.

Tsk!

I guessed I looked like a crazy guy now. I remembered the time when I nearly died and yet, I was still smiling at all?

Stupid weirdo!

I fixed my tie which seemed to be choking me. I hand-combed my unruly hair then secured the loose sleeve buttons on my wrists. I checked the time and it was already forty-five minutes past eleven in the morning. 

So every year after that incident, I always compelled my parents, convincing them persistently to take me back to El Nido, Palawan—hoping that I would be able to see her again. I missed her so much and not in a single moment that I had forgotten her all these years.

Dad was cynical at first but fortunately, my mom couldn’t say no to me. She would always agree with my request, leaving Dad with no other option but to agree in the end. Though there were times that both of them would not be able to accompany me personally, I was always surrounded by my butlers. They hired them after the incident, afraid that I might drown myself again.

But almost twelve years had already passed, I still failed to see even her shadow or any signs or proof that would attest that I saw her before. That I experienced being with her before.

I even stayed awake in front of the seashore for straight seven nights, not minding the cold gust of the wind that seemed to be freezing my entire body, but I still didn’t see her. Sometimes, I just couldn’t help but ask myself in despair…

Does she exist after all? Or am I just a victim of a near-death hallucination?

After that… it was only in my dreams that I always got the chance to see her, feel her, kiss her and be with her. And throughout these years, I wished that dreams do come true. She would always be that special someone who could make me go back to who I was before.

Before I became the greatest Casanova in town.

I loved her so dearly that I was willing to do anything in my power to be with her ever again. I would do anything to prove that she was real and the things we shared were not just a product of my teenage fantasy.

I knew that she didn’t know about all of these and I didn’t know as well if my love for her would be destined to have a real outcome. Maybe someday… somehow.

Until now, I was still hoping.

No, just hoping is an understatement.

I was relentlessly hoping that someday, fate would let me see her. I was obstinately holding on to my determination that someday, not giving up would finally lead me to her.

All these years, she was my inspiration. She was my imaginary special someone that I would want to be with for the rest of my life.

I loved her unconditionally to the point that I wasn’t able to divert my love to anyone that I had been with, after all these years. For the past twelve years of flirting, I wasn’t able to love any other woman wholeheartedly. I wasn’t able to cut the string that connects us invisibly.

It was always her… the only woman I had been longing for.

Deep and swirling thoughts were still occupying my mind when someone dragged me out of my reverie. All trances about my teenage love story had suddenly vanished as I abruptly came back to reality.

“Hello? Aren’t you going to say sorry?” A woman adjacent to my seat sarcastically asked me.

I frowned at first, but it felt like the time had already stopped when I started looking at her. If the hands of the clock had finally ticked to move again, then everything was now happening in slow motion.

Perks of not getting the business class seat!

She was really beautiful and she had this strong personality that I could not explain. It was something that could tame the beast inside every man she would meet.

Oh! What was I thinking?

Of course, I wasn’t included in those men. No one could ever tame the great Aris Sandoval!

That was when I remembered that I was still inside the plane. I would go back to Manila after I attended a very important business conference regarding my perfume business. I just came from Tokyo, Japan and I didn’t use my private jet.

I loved staying in Tokyo. I loved the food, nature, as well as the kind and disciplined Japanese people. But I was a very busy person and I wasn’t the type to stay in a single place longer than five days. I had to travel from one place to another, or else, I would feel suffocated. The same goes for women. A woman was very lucky if I would stay with her for three consecutive days.

“I beg your pardon, miss?” I asked sedately but deep inside me, I might know the reason why she acted that way. I guessed, I accidentally hit her when I suddenly moved my arms from my sleep a while ago? It was half-statement and half-question because I wasn’t sure.

She narrowed her eyes before she spoke. “Are you deaf? I said, don’t you know how to say sorry, mister?” She then raised her left eyebrow. Her expression started to get glowering, but I found it appealing. It was so sexy.

Despite her ill-tempered manner, I just secretly smiled. If only this was not our first encounter, I would not waste any of my time. I would have probably brought her to my condo and would lavishly explore her body on my bed as fast as I could. Because indeed, she was so exquisite and her level of peevishness had turned me on.

I must admit, I was challenged. Well, this was not my first time to be challenged at a woman’s presence, but I just didn’t know the reason why. There was something about her that was different. I just couldn’t pinpoint what exactly it was.

But all women were just the same—they couldn’t say no to me. Yes, for now, she was quite cranky but later on, she would surely submit to me the moment I stripped her naked. She would helplessly scream for my name as I pinned her legs wide open.

Well, let’s see how fierce you are, miss. No one had ever resisted the stunning gaze of Aris!

And so, I fixed my eyes and gave her a steady look with striking eagerness and studious attention. I was radiant enough that I even blinked at her to highlight my thick eyelashes too. I was staring at her in a way that she would easily melt and succumb to my flirtation.

In fairness, why didn’t I notice her when I boarded the plane five hours ago?

She looked like a Caucasian¹ human-sized doll with a heart-shaped face, flawless trimmed eyebrows, not-so-round eyes with long eyelashes, and wavy brown hair that reaches her waist matched with a floral-styled beret. She was wearing a white dress that could show her sexy curves all over her body.

It wasn’t that revealing but I could say at first glance that she had perfect vital statistics. She had a pointed nose, natural pinkish cheeks… and her luscious lips?

Damn, they are just perfectly great! I wonder how those mauve red lips would taste? I would love to kiss her in any way I could, even though I’m not invited.

One.

For that thought, I started biting and licking my lips as I even winked at her.

And that was when I noticed how she swallowed several times while looking at me.

Two.

I knew it! She’s now drooling on me. Nice one, Aris!

I slyly smiled based on her reaction. If she was going to fall for me, I might catch and add her to my collection. She was so etched, as her emotions were so transparent to read. Moments later, her cheeks flushed and that made me kind of excited about what would happen next.

Three.

But my excitement didn’t last long when all of a sudden…

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¹Caucasian refers to people of European descent having usually light skin pigmentation.