CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 2

I feel a little bit tipsy. Nasa mini bar kami ng kompanya dahil successful ang isa sa mga projects ni Sir Buenaventura-- 'yong boss namin. He made us happy by throwing a party and even compensated us for the teamwork for the project.

Tiningnan ko 'yong newly hired employee-- si Andrew. I already sensed something about him. Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay at tumango naman siya, signal 'yon na may gagawin kami mamaya.

“Uy Aya! Hinay-hinay naman!” Biglang lapit ko kay Ayannah, katrabaho ko.

“Minsan lang uminom ‘yong tao eh! Tara isa pang bote! Ano? Tagay pa sige!”

Ilang tagay pa ang ginawa niya nang masiguro ko na lasing na siya. Heart broken kasi siya ngayon! Haist! Kaya hanggang fling lang ako eh, ayaw ko ng commitment-- masakit.

“Huy guys! Hatid natin si Aya!” sigaw ko nang hindi na mamulat ni Ayannah ang mata niya at matutumba pa nga!

Buti nga at nasalo siya ng boss namin!

Si Sir Immanuel na ang maghahatid sa kaniya. Si Aya kasi ang unang nalasing sa lahat ng empleyado rito, eh, imbes na magsaya siya para sa kompanya ay nagpakalasing na lang dahil sa boyfriend.

"Sir, sorry talaga!" pareho naming bitbit si Ayannah papunta sa kotse ng boss namin.

I felt Andrew trailing us, matching our pace with quiet intent. A sly smile crept onto my lips... he had good instincts, reading the room without saying a word. As the car pulled away, I seized the chance to slip away from the main party, tracing a path into the shadowed parking lot.

Hm. Saan kaya maganda? Dito na lang siguro sa parking lot para madilim at walang makakita.

“Andrew!” I yelped as he suddenly tugged me out of sight, laughter bubbling from my chest.

Natawa rin siya. Wala na rin naman sina Sir Immanuel, nakaalis na n'ong hinila ako ni Andrew.

"Kaninong kotse 'to?" tanong ko nang sa isang mamahaling sasakyan niya ako idinala pero sa likod. "Bakit hindi na lang sa loob? Kotse mo 'to, 'no?"

"Hindi," tipid niyang sagot at tumingin sa labi ko.

I grinned at his reply, of course it wasn’t his. The car was obviously too expensive for a newly hired, fresh graduate like him.

He pressed me gently up against the car, trapping me in place with arms caged on either side. I looked at his lips, I don't know if he's a good kisser but we'll see.

Naghintay ako kung sino ang unang hahalik sa amin, at hindi nga ako nagkamali at siya ang sumunggab sa labi ko. Hindi ako gumanti, dinamdam ko muna kung gaano siya kagaling humalik.

It wasn't even a ten second kiss when I felt... disgusted.

Siguro ay sa pamilyang Hermes-- ako ang pinakamarumi at hindi loyal. I was so thirsty for lust and kisses. Hindi lang nila alam pero napaka-playgirl ko. I kept it as a secret dahil ayaw kong mas lalong marumihan ang pangalan namin.

I never understood why I was this way. Mama and Papa are paragons of loyalty. Hindi ako nagmana sa kanila kung katapatan lang sa pag-ibig ang pinag-uusapan. Hindi kompleto ang isang taon ko sa buhay nang hindi nakakahalik kada buwan, o malala nga lingguhan pa. It all started when my Father died, nawalan na rin kasi ako ng guidance ng magulang lalo na at nawalan ng bait si Mama.

I know my decisions and limits. Hindi na rin naman ako minor de edad para dito. Fling is normal, kissing anybody as long as they want too is normal, syempre pinipili ko rin 'yong walang asawa o jowa!

“Your kiss is shallow,” I said, giving Andrew a gentle shove.

Damn it.

Natawa siya. "Gusto mo ng mas malalim?"

"Ang mine-mean ko eh, mababaw pa lang ang halik mo pero napakadaming laway na sa labi ko!" singhal ko at naghanap ng tissue sa purse at pinunasan ang sariling labi.

I managed my finger not to touch any saliva from my mouth, nandiri ako sa laway niya... It's not so lustful. Ni wala akong nakuhang init, nakuha ko lang laway!

"Playboy ka ba talaga?" pagmamayabang ko.

"We should try it again. Naging magaan lang ang halik ko kasi akala ko 'yon ang gusto mo."

“Well, your initiative flopped." I raised an eyebrow. "i'll give you another chance."

He grinned in a devil way. Lumapit siya sa akin at hinapit ang baywang ko. I know he was a playboy, unang salang niya pa lang sa trabaho eh linta na siya sa mga babae... I already see him as an asset to my satisfaction.

His lips met mine again... this time, harder, deeper. My groan came not from passion but from his grip on my waist. I feel he's grinning on my lips, crap, siguro ay naisip niya na na-satisfied ako kaya ako umungol. Well, sinasakal niya ang baywang ko kaya ko 'yon nagawa!

I want to push him again... but I said to him that I'll give him another chance! Hindi naman big deal sa akin kung mahigpit ang pagkakahawak niya sa baywang ko, it's just, it's not comfortable.

Ginantihan ko ang halik niya, nagbabakasakali na baka mag-init ako kung pareho kaming gumagalaw. Pero nainis lang ako nang bigla niyang kagatin ang labi ko.

"Aray ko!"

I managed to push Andrew away. He still clung to my waist, shock flashing across his face.

“What’s your problem?” he snapped, frustration creeping into his tone.. "Lip biting is part of kissing... Ang arte mo naman."

"Wow! Ako pa ang maarte?" binitawan niya ang baywang ko dahil hinawakan ko ang palapulsuhan niya at itinapon iyon sa ere.

Unbelievable.

“You’re dramatic,” he scoffed.

“Fine, what if I bite your lip? How would you like that?”

“I’d be happy,” he shot back instantly.

Ugh. What kind of humor was that?

"Well, in my case, I'm not! Ayaw kong pagtsismisan sa loob ng opisina dahil sa kiss mark!"

"Hindi naman tuluyang nasugatan ang labi mo-"

"So, gusto mo talagang masugatan?!" tuminis ang boses ko.

I wanted a kiss, really. Pero kung ganito lang naman siya, kung katulad lang siya ng mga nakahalikan ko eh huwag na lang! Alam ko na mandidiri lang ulit ako kung sakali!

“You know, I expected you to be thrilling. Turns out you’re all drama.”

“Trust me, I kiss better than you!” I fired back.

His expression twisted, anger ghosting across his features. My nerves prickled when I saw his fists clench. As he stepped closer, a silent warning blared in my head.

"Ano'ng sabi mo-"

"Sige, subukan mo. Baguhan ka pa lang dito, baka gusto mong masesante?"

Natigil siya. Pero hindi pa rin natitigil ang pagtibok nang mabilis ng aking puso... He was so scary! Ayaw ko naman na humingi ng tulong kasi ayaw kong makita nila na nandito ako at baka sabihin pa ni Andrew ang nangyari sa amin at baliktarin pa ako!

"Damn it," he cursed "Bahala ka nga riyan!"

Nanlaki ang mata ko nang naglakad siya papalayo. Wait, may usapan kami bago ang halikan na 'to!

"Wait! Ano? Paano na 'yong kasunduan natin? Ihahatid mo ako, 'di ba?"

"Bahala ka sa buhay mo. Maglakad ka na lang! Maghahanap na lang ako ng makakahalikan sa loob!"

I gritted my teeth. I took advantage of him, nangako siya na ihahatid niya ako basta makahalik siya sa akin! Napakawalang kuwenta!

"Hayop ka, Andrew! Tangina mo!"

He didn't look back. He just showed me his middle finger while he was walking away. It irritated me.

"Ugh!"

My house was far away. If I booked a ride, I’d just burn through money. Tapos isang beses na ginawa ko 'yon eh halos ayaw na akong pasakayin ng driver kasi nga malayo.

"Shit sana pala sumabay na ako kay Sir Immanuel! Makikitulog sana ako kay Ayannah!"

Sinabunutan ko ang aking sarili. Naglakad na rin ako pero sa kabilang side ng kotse. Napatigil pa nga ako nang makita na may tao at malalim akong tinitingnan.

"Lasing ka na. Where's Ayannah's apartment then? Hatid na kita roon," aniya at parang narinig ang sinabi ko kanina.

"Sino ka ba?" I asked with irritation with an earlier conversation with Andrew.

“I’m Attorney Liveuxx Amuelo Buenaventura Garcia. Your boss’s cousin.”

That’s a mouthful. Pangalan pa ba 'yan?

"Kanina ka pa nandito?" tanong ko na lang.

"Uhmm I don't know?"

"You saw us... kissing?"

“Unfortunately, yes,” he answered. “But don’t worry, I just arrived. Probably right when you complained his kiss was shallow,” he said with a grin.

It's a silhouette of him that I was seeing. Hindi ko kita ang pagmumukha niya pero kita ko ang pagngisi niya.

Nag-init ang mukha ko... Hindi dahil sa nakita niya lang kami na naghahalikan, kundi naghahalikan kami sa kotse niya!

I already knew that it was his car because I saw the keys in his finger, he's playing it and sometimes tossing in the air.

Nakita niya yata na nakatingin ako sa susi niya.

He caught my lingering gaze. “Want a ride?”

Damn it.

"Puwede ba?"

Hindi lang uminit ang mukha ko... kumapal pa lalo!

I can sleep at Ayannah. Pero baka sarado na ang apartment niya at abutan ako ng liwanag sa labas.

"I can pay you with a kiss, or, fare if you want monetary," I offered.

Given that he already witnessed my kissing escapade. Kaya bakit pa ako mahihiya na mag-offer sa kaniya?

And based on his physque. He's so huge and muscular, silhouette ang imahe niya ngayon pero nate-trace ko ang malaki niyang biceps sa liwanag na tumatakas sa gilid ng kaniyang katawan.

"I want a kiss... Pero ayaw ko ng second hand."

“No problem,” I shot back confidently.

I already understood what made him tick. Guys with that kind of physique... it was impossible not to assume he got aroused easily, especially around women.

Kumuha ulit ako ng tissue at obviously, pinunasan ko nang mariin iyon sa labi ko, wala akong pakialam kung matanggal ang lipstick ko basta makita niya na wala na ang laway kanina ni Andrew.

I already finished and I tossed the tissue on the floor.

"Happy?"

“Just a tissue?” he said, pressing his key fob.

May kinuha siya mula sa loob at nagulat pa ako nang bigla niyang inihagis ang isang bote sa akin. Kamuntikan ko pang hindi masalo dahil hindi ko naman alam na may ihahagis pala siya!

"There, mag-mouthwash ka."

I rolled my eyes, and I know he saw it.

Sa kadesperadahang makauwi sa bahay ay itinungga ko ang mouth wash. Nilimugmog ko iyon nang malakas sa harapan niya at naghihintay lang siya bago ko idura iyon sa sahig ng parking lot.

I raised an eyebrow as a sign that my mouth is already cleaned and free from 'second hand' that he was mentioning earlier.

He studied me. “I saw you at the party. You seemed so innocent... who knew you were starving for casual sex?”

“It wasn’t casual sex, just kissing!” I fired back.

"Talaga? But you're fast when I said that I wanted a kiss instead of fare, panigurado na hindi ka rin magdadalawang-isip kung sex na ang pag-uusapan natin," ganti niya.

Makikipagdebate talaga ako, sa attorney pa?! Well, mahilig sila sa mga accusations... Hindi sila magpapatalo,

But he was wrong. I was still a virgin... kissing was my limit.! I want to show him that, but I don't know how!

"Well," I said. Trying to say that I'm a virgin but I refused. "Kaya kong halikan ka kung 'yan lang ang paraan para may maghahatid sa akin. Pero kung sex, I'm sorry, I can spend a lot of money to take a taxi."

He laughed, leaning halfway into the car and flicking the engine on. The dashboard lights glowed, finally illuminating his face.

Wait, bukod sa guwapo, he looks familiar... Nakita ko na siya sa lugar namin eh! Alalahanin ko nga! Ano nga pangalan niya? Ang haba kasi!

He laughed, maybe when he saw that I was staring at him. I cleared my throat and averted my eyes.

"Relax, halik lang ang habol ko sa 'yo. Sumakay ka na."

Hindi ako pumasok... Hindi dahil sa ayaw ko kundi dahil inaalala ko kung sino ba 'tong lalaki sa harapan ko.

He cleared his throat. I looked at him again. Baka sakaling maalala ko na kung titingnan ko ulit siya.

"I'm your boss' lawyer. I should face legal consequences if I fuck you up," he assured me, as if trying to win my trust.