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.
Drey Laxamana’s P.O.V. “My parents want to throw a night party even though it’s not really necessary.” Aris lightly scratched his head. I must admit that he looked so cute when his smile showed a hue of slight shyness—way too far from his conceitedness. “Hmm, don’t you like it?” I probed while fixing some of the loose bangs on his forehead. “Sort of. I was not a child anymore, but my mom insisted as if I would only turn twenty-one. You know I could not say ‘no’ to her, right?” “Yeah, I know. You loved her so much that you even named your resort after her favorite drink!” “Well, my next business would surely be named after you! I promise,” Aris teased me. “Hmm, surprise me! I’ve already told you that I’m hard to please.” I winked at him. “Soon, I will. But you know what? The most exciting part is that… they want to meet you and I think this is the best opportunity for you to meet them. I have already met your parents, so I guess it’s time for us to be legal on both sides. What do
Drey Laxamana’s P.O.V. All my frowns and skepticism had suddenly faded away when I saw Aris delightfully wave at me. Adrenaline was coursing through my veins, and I felt so giddy. It was my decision not to see him for three days, and yet it felt like it had been three years already! Now, nothing could stop us—not even how my stupid mind could think of not seeing him again. My heart leaped up for joy, and my spirit had brightened as if I was not thinking of mystifying things a while ago. Those were all hushed, and all there was to know about… was how the current moment sparked. No more worrying about the past and no anxiety about the future. Given these, I could say that time was indeed luxurious. My heart would not stop from jumping ecstatically in the presence of him, and if I would not hold my chest now, it could come out anytime soon. The feeling was as if every fiber within me was vibrating with too much anticipation. Oh my God, those dimples are just too sexy to handle! His
Drey Laxamana’s P.O.V. Melody is a ten-year-old kid who has gotten so close to me. She was only a six-year-old stray kid when her path led her to the orphanage. She had no parents, no food, and no shelter. But now, she is a consistent honor student and is already in Grade 4. It was another proof that your past could never define your future. “I just missed you,” she answered. I wasn’t seeing her right now, but I knew that Melody was pouting her lips. “Is it really me, or is it Nickos that you truly missed?” Now, it was my time to tease her. I knew for a fact that her face was getting rosy at the mention of my brother. She had a crush on Nickos. And every time my brother and I would visit the orphanage to give gifts, Melody would always hide from him after giving him a love letter—well, handed by another kid since Melody had no courage to face Nickos. Sadly, my brother didn’t feel the same way. It wasn’t because he didn’t like Melody at all, but because Melody was taller and Nicko
Drey Laxamana’s P.O.V.Seriously? I didn’t know how to react. I was just crying a while ago, but I was all-out smiling now. Nickos was not easy to read after all, and it made me think differently about him.Nickos wasn’t who I knew he was.My brother was just full of secrets. I might have only underestimated him, but he was unbelievably the clever one.Still smiling, I returned his diary inside his cabinet with a promise that I would not read the other confessions written there nor touch it again. I would not dare to flip a single page anymore if I would still want to retain Nickos’ trust in me.How I wished I didn’t leave suspicious marks at all. For that, I double-checked if the way I folded the banner was still the same as how it was before I spread it on the floor. But there was no way I would be totally sure.Now I know the reason why Charie called Mom a few days ago. Mom even told her not to tell me the truth and expect the reward as soon as possible. It was related to this large
Drey Laxamana’s P.O.V.// July 19, 2016For the first time in history, Drey uploaded a live video on her Famebook account. She was with that Aris Sandoval in El Nido, Palawan.As far as I could remember, he was the same towering guy who stalked us in the airport three weeks ago, asking unstoppably about the mermaid painting that was hand-painted by my sister.The other people might not observe this, but from the video, I could see how Drey’s eyes were sparkling, and those made her look even more vibrant. Of all the people, I knew her and how she had always been around.It was the first time I saw her blissful eyes once more after her breakup with that nonsense, stupid and user Ivan. Today, I was able to notice the glow on her cheeks again, and my sister was so pretty, even though she had just woken up.The moment I saw how she responded to Aris and how she dragged me away back from the airport three weeks ago, there was something odd about it, but that only made me feel excitement towa
Drey Laxamana’s P.O.V.Stepping closer to Nickos, I almost knelt to level my height on him while gently messing with his jet-black hair. Fortunately, he wasn’t suspecting me of anything after seeing me in front of the bedroom door of our parents.Nickos was an intelligent kid, but when it came to his physique, I must admit that he was kind of smaller compared to other eleven-year-old kids. He was shy and would not easily join a peer of his classmates—absolutely an introvert.I wanted to believe that he was just a late bloomer, but Mom told me that Nickos was born with too many complications while living his first few months in an incubator. He was so tiny, and Nickos nearly died when he was just a toddler. For almost all his life, he was confined in a hospital room.My brother used to be a survivor way back then, and I hoped that he would get taller during or after his puberty stage. Who knows? There was always this phrase about ‘when puberty hits you hard,’ and it could apply to Nicko