Chapter 4: Radiant

MADALING- araw na sa loob ng villa. Tahimik na ang paligid, marahang humuhuni ang hangin mula sa bukás na bintana, dala ang simoy na amoy dagat. Sa kabila ng katahimikan, gising pa rin sina Gideon at Eva, kapwa tahimik habang nagpapakiramdaman sa gitna ng kakaibang intimacy na nagsisimula nang unti-unting mabuo.

Gideon stood and stretched, looking toward the door.

"Take the bed. Sa sofa na lang ako matutulog," aniya, matter-of-fact, as if it was never up for debate.

Eva raised an eyebrow, amused. "No. Ako na sa sofa."

He offered a lazy half-smile, walked toward the couch, and casually dropped a pillow on one end. "Too late. I'm already here," he said, his tone teasing but gentle.

A few minutes passed. The lights were off except for the faint glow of the moonlight pouring in through the windows. Eva lay in bed, eyes open, staring at the ceiling. Something about his presence just a few feet away kept her mind racing.

"Hey," she whispered. A soft rustle.

Then his voice, low and alert. "Yeah. Why?"

She hesitated for a second before saying, almost a murmur. "Ang laki ng kama... pwede mo ko tabihan?"

There was silence at first, a pause long enough to make her wonder if she'd crossed a line.

But then, he moved.

The sound of his quiet footsteps on the wooden floor. The faint creak of the bed as he lay down beside her—not too close, but near enough that she could feel the warmth of him. Eva turned to face him.

"This okay?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

She nodded, her breath catching slightly.

"Yeah."

Nasa ilalim sila ng kumot, magkadikit ang mga balat. Yung lamig ng aircon hindi maka-penetrate sa init ng katawan nila habang magkatabi. Hindi sila gumagalaw masyado. Parang kahit 'yung paghinga ay dapat dahan-dahan para hindi mawasak ang marupok na katahimikan na meron sila ngayon.

She smells like vanilla and hotel shampoo—but somehow, it was the most comforting scent he inhaled in weeks. Masarap sa kanyang ilong. Totoo. Tao. Walang pretensyon.

"Alam mo nung bata ako," binasag ni Gideon ang katahimikan nang magsalita ito. "akala ko pag nakabili ako ng Game Boy, ako na ang pinakamasayang bata sa mundo."

Napatawa si Eva. "Same. Pero ako, Barbie dream house ang goal ko noong bata."

He chuckled. “Nakakuha ka ba?”

“Hindi,” sagot niya. “Pero gumagawa ako ng sariling bahay gamit ang shoebox. Inaayos ko ng parang mansion. Nilalagyan ko ng cotton balls sa gilid para kunwari snow.”

Umikot ang damdamin niya. Hindi maintindihan ni Gideon, sa daming nakilala niyang babae sa Euphoria maging sa labas nito, ay ngayon lang ulit siya nakatagpo na pumukaw ng interes niya. “That’s so creative.”

She shrugged. “Wala kasi kaming pambili. Pero masaya ako noon, kahit hirap kami sa buhay. Buo ang pamilya ko.”

Napatingin siya sa kisame. Pakiramdam niya bumigat ang hangin. “Ako rin… dati may parents pa ako. Ngayon wala na. Naiwan ‘yung Game Boy pero wala na ‘yung mga taong gusto ko sanang makitang natutuwa habang naglalaro nito.”

Tahimik sila. Pero ramdam niya mula sa ilalim ng kumot na nagdikit ang kanilang mga kamay. Si Gideon na ang gumalaw at pinagsuklob ang kanilang mga kamay. Parang may kuryenteng dumaloy sa kanya nang pinisil ni Eva ang kamay niya.

“Sabi nila,” bumulong siya, “lahat ng tao may binibitbit. May sugat. Pero minsan, sa isang gabi lang, kahit sandali lang… puwedeng maghilom ‘yon.”

Lumingon siya sa dalaga. Magkadikit na halos ang mga ilong nila. She wasn’t wearing makeup, just bare skin and a sleepy kind of glow. Halos mapamura sa isipan niya si Gideon. Napakaganda kasi nito sa paningin niya. Ngayon niya lang nakita ang dalaga pero parang matagal na silang magkakilala at pakiramdam niya ay safe siya.

“Ang weird mo.” Nakangiting sambit nito.

“Bakit?”

“Sa dami ng puwedeng gawin natin ngayong gabi, pag-iyak, pag-inom ng alak at pag-uusap ng Gameboy at Barbie ang pinili mo.”

“Kasi minsan, ‘yun lang ang kailangan ng tao. Isang gabi, isang tao, at konting katahimikan.”

“Ang lalim mo. Ganyan ka ba talaga kalalim?”

Hindi niya sinagot ang dalaga. Then came the moment—his hand lifted slowly, carefully, like he was asking permission without words. The backs of his fingers grazed her cheek. A touch so feather-light, it almost felt like a memory.

"You look this soft when you're sleepy?" he teased gently, though his eyes—now barely a foot away from hers—carried something else. Something quiet. Protective. Curious.

Eva smiled. "You always this kind to strangers?"

"Only the ones who keep me awake until 4 a.m."

They both laughed softly.

But the moment stretched on. Neither moved away. Their breaths matched. Her eyes fluttered slightly as her eyelids grew heavier.

Then—his hand brushed a stray strand of hair away from her face. No words, just that lingering softness. That look stayed a second longer than it should.

"Sleep, Apple Pie," he murmured.

And she did. Right there, beside the stranger who shouldn’t have felt this safe.

Eva stirred under the blanket, eyes fluttering open. Her hair was slightly tousled, lips still tinted with a trace of sleep, and there was a calmness in her face that made her look pretty… softer.

Gideon had been awake for a while. Hindi niya maintindihan kahit tulo-laway ang ganda pa rin ng katabi niya kagabi.

He sat quietly on the edge of the bed, a cup of coffee untouched in his hand, watching her. His gaze lingered—not with lust, but wonder. Like he was afraid to blink and miss the moment.

She stretched gently and caught him staring.

“Morning,” she murmured, her voice still husky. “Morning pa rin ba?”

He blinked and slightly shook his head, then cleared his throat. “Morning pa rin 11 AM,” he said, his voice quieter than usual.

She rubbed her eyes, then gave him a soft smile. “Kanina ka pa gising?”

“Just a few minutes,” he lied.

Eva glanced at him. Nagagandahang lalaki talaga si Eva rito. Ngayon lang siya na nakaranasa na ma attract sa client niya. Immune na siya sa mga guwapo at magagandang katawan na lalaki. Sa Adonis pa lang, ang mga lalaki doon ay makalaglag panty talaga. Pero kakaiba talaga si Big Boy. Naging interesado siya bigla. Gustong pakalmahin muna ni Eva ang sarili lalo na ang kiffy niya. Baka kasi palabas lang ito ng lalaki at huli baka siya pa ang umiyak at maging talunan. “Salamat tinabihan mo ako kagabi. At walang alam mo na.”

“I’m not a monster,” Gideon said and his eyes softened may kaunting ngiti pa ito sa kanyang labi. He handed her the coffee. “Here.”

Their fingers brushed. She didn’t pull away right away. And neither did he. There was something charged in the silence between them—something neither wanted to name just yet.

Eva took a sip, then looked up at him through her lashes. “You’re staring again.”

“I’m not,” he said—but he was.

“You are.”

“Maybe I just like how you look when you’re not trying too hard,” Gideon said quietly. “Just… like this. Pretty and cute.”

Eva blinked, momentarily disarmed. Then smirked a little, sipping her coffee again as if to hide the heat rushing to her cheeks.

“Careful, Big Boy. You’re starting to sound dangerously sweet.”

He smiled—rare, crooked. “Don’t tell anyone.”

Matapos sila mag kape ay naghanda na sila para kumain sa labas ng brunch. Naka beach floral maxi dress si Eva naka suot na ang kanyang one piece swim suit sa loob. Simple lang ang suot ni Gideon white shirt and floral board shorts, parehas nila sinuot mga sunglasses nila. Nilahad ng binata ang kamay niya, tinanggap naman ito ng dalaga at naglakad sila na magkahawak ng kamay. Kahit tirik ang araw ay marami pa rin ang nasa beach area. Ang iba ay nasa s*x zone area at nagperform na. Maraming n*******d na naglalakad at normal na ito sa Euphoria.

They sat across from each other at a seaside resto within Euphoria that offers silog meals and comfort food, it's called Salapang Hubad. Palm trees swayed lazily, and the ocean shimmered under the sun. Eva had ordered daing na bangus, egg and garlic rice; Gideon stuck to toast and eggs.

Eva kept sneaking glances at him whenever he chewed in deep thought. He had the kind of face that looked effortlessly striking even half-distracted—sharp jaw, wind-swept hair, slightly sleepy eyes.

“So... we’re doing the water stuff today?” she asked between bites.

“Yup,” he said. “Jet ski, banana boat, paddle board, snorkelling... name it.”

“Wow. All that?”

“G?”

“G.” She grinned. “Ito ang na miss ko sa Euphoria.”

Nang nasa beach na sila, lumabas na si Eva sa may common CR ng isla. A deep red one-piece swimsuit that hugged her figure perfectly. There was nothing overly revealing—but the confidence in her walk, the way the sunlight kissed her skin, and how the wind caught her wet hair from a quick shower—made it impossible not to notice her.

Gideon, already waiting in board shorts, turned at the sound of her voice.

And then he froze for a second.

“...Wow,” he muttered before he could stop himself.

Eva raised a brow. “Wow?”

“You just—” he scratched the back of his neck, then tried again. “You look really good in that. Like, really good.”

She smirked playfully, trying to downplay the flutter in her chest. “Thanks. Bagay ba?”

He tilted his head, smiling. “Bagay. Parang name mo... Apple Pie. Beautiful and radiant.”

Eva laughed, cheeks warming. “Careful, Big Boy. Baka masanay ako sa compliments mo.”

“I wouldn’t mind,” he said with a wink, offering his hand to help her onto the jet ski. “Let’s go, my Apple Pie.”