Prologue

"Some nights aren’t meant to be remembered… but somehow, they become the ones you can’t forget."

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“Ready?” tanong niya habang diretso ang tingin sa mga mata ko.

Hindi ako agad nakasagot.

Instead, I just nodded slowly.

Hindi ko rin alam kung gusto ko ba talaga ito. Pero sa paraan ng paghawak niya sa akin, may parte sa akin na mas lalong nasasabik.

His hand slid gently to my waist, pulling me closer.

Mas lalo akong napalapit sa kanya habang ang isa niyang kamay ay dahan-dahang gumagalaw sa katawan ko—parang alam na alam niya kung saan ako hahawakan.

Parang kilala niya ako kahit kanina lang naman kami nagkakilala.

“Do you want me to continue?” mahinang tanong niya.

Napapikit ako.

Because a part of me was screaming that this was wrong.

The alcohol.

The Heartbreak.

The pain that pushed me here.

Everything about this night felt dangerous.

Nag-aalangan akong sumagot. Baka kasi masira ko ang moment. Or worse—baka masabi ko ang totoo.

Na ayoko siyang tumigil.

Na gusto ko pa.

Everything felt wrong.

The place.

The timing.

The reason why I’m here.

Pero siya…

He was looking at me like I was the only woman in the room.

Like I was wanted.

Like I mattered.

And I needed that.

More than I should.

And that’s exactly why it was dangerous.

“Then don’t,” hindi ko napigilang sabihin nang maramdaman kong huminto siya.

Ayokong tumigil siya, and that was all it took.

Sa isang iglap, mas lumapit siya. His breath brushed softly against my skin, warm enough to make my heartbeat lose rhythm. At sa sandaling iyon, hindi ko na maalala kung bakit ako nasasaktan kanina. Hindi ko na maalala kung paano ako napunta rito.

All I knew was him. I was craving his touch.

At bawat segundo, mas lalo akong nababaliw.

“Look at me,” mahinang utos niya.

Hindi ko alam kung paano, pero napasunod niya ako.

Pagtingin ko sa kanya, agad niya akong hinalikan.

Mainit.

Mabagal.

Mapang-angkin.

Parang ayaw niya na akong pakawalan.

My fingers instinctively gripped his shirt as the kiss deepened. Habol-hininga akong napapikit habang mas lalo niya akong inilapit sa kanya.

“Just tonight,” sambit ko sa pagitan ng halik namin.

Hinila ko pa siya palapit para mas lalong mapadiin ang halik.

Pareho kaming huminto para huminga.

“No names,” dagdag ko, halos pabulong.

For a moment, he stared at me quietly.

Then he nodded.

“No questions.”

At sa paraan ng pagtingin niya sa akin, parang sapat na iyon. Parang pareho kaming nagkasundo na hanggang gabing ito lang.

Just one reckless night.

Dangerous…

Yet unforgettable.

Binuhat niya ako at dahan-dahang ibinaba sa kama. Kasabay noon ay unti-unting nawala ang lahat ng tanong sa isip ko.

Kung tama ba ito.

Kung mali ba ito.

Kasi sa sandaling iyon, ayoko nang mag-isip.

Bahala na.

Gusto ko lang makalimot.

Gusto ko lang maramdaman na hindi ako iniwan.

Gusto ko lang maramdaman na may pumipili pa rin sa akin.

And for that one night… He did.

Everything blurred after that. Not because I don’t remember— But because everything felt too much.

Too fast.

Too intense.

Too real.

At hindi ko na gustong tumigil pa.

Until morning came, at doon bumalik lahat.

Ang sakit.

Ang kahihiyan.

At ang pagsisisi.

And that’s when I realized I made a mistake.

So, I left.

Akala ko, doon na matatapos lahat, but fate doesn’t work that way. Because that night didn’t end there. And soon—

Everything will change.