CHAPTER 2

The first thing I noticed when I opened my eyes… was the silence.

Malambot ang kama. Mabango ang duvet. Mainit ang sinag ng araw na dumudungaw mula sa kurtina ng suite room. Pero masyado ring tahimik para maging totoo.

And then it hit me.

What I did.

Who I did.

Renzo.

Biglang bumalik lahat — ang mga halik, ang mga bulong, ang paggalaw ng katawan naming parang isa. The sound of his voice whispering sweet nothings as he moved inside me.

And the moment he realized… I was a virgin.

Napapikit ako, pinipilit itulak ang lahat ng alaala palayo. Pero mas lalo lang silang dumidikit sa balat ko, sa isip ko, sa gitna ng hita ko.

I turned my head.

Wala siya.

The bed beside me was still warm, but he wasn’t there.

I sat up slowly, blanket wrapping around my naked body.

My dress was on the floor. Panty ko nasa ilalim ng upuan. Bra ko... kung saan man.

I couldn’t think straight.

What did I just do?

Hindi ako ganito.

Hindi ako yung tipo ng babae na nakikipag-one-night stand. Hindi ako sumasama sa lalaking halos hindi ko kilala. At lalo na — hindi ako basta-basta nagbibigay ng sarili ko.

Pero kagabi…

Kagabi, I let go.

Hindi lang ng damit. Hindi lang ng virginity.

Kundi ng kontrol. Ng takot. Ng pagkatao kong laging naka-kahon.

And the worst part?

I liked it.

I liked him.

I liked how he touched me, how he looked at me, how he called me “baby” like he actually meant it.

Pero hindi iyon totoo.

Hindi niya nga alam buong pangalan ko.

I dressed quickly — quietly.

Wala siyang iniwang note. Wala ring mensahe.

Maybe that was the point.

Wala dapat pangalan. Walang connection. Walang attachment.

Pero bakit ako hindi mapakali?

Why couldn’t I stop thinking about him?

His lips. His fingers. The way he whispered, “You’re mine tonight.”

God. What’s wrong with me?

Pagbaba ko ng elevator, I didn’t look back.

Pero habang naglalakad ako papunta sa kotse ko, I could still feel the phantom of his hands on my waist. His breath on my skin.

I closed the car door and just sat there for a while — staring out the windshield, tulala.

Ang lakas ng tibok ng puso ko.

Three days.

Tatlong araw na mula nang iwan ko ang suite na iyon — iwan siya — at hanggang ngayon, hindi ko pa rin mapakali.

Every night, I close my eyes and remember the way he touched me.

Every morning, I wake up wishing I could forget.

Pero hindi ko magawa.

Hindi ko siya kilala. Wala akong last name. No social media handles. Ni wala akong alam kundi ang pangalan niyang Renzo.

And yet… parang katawan ko, utak ko, at puso ko — lahat sila hinahanap siya.

“Bakit parang tuliro ka these past few days?” tanong ni Iya habang kumakain kami ng lunch sa isang café sa Serendra.

Napakagat ako sa labi. “Hindi ako tuliro…”

“Girl, please. You’re picking at your salad like it did something to you.”

I gave her a weak smile. “Wala. Pagod lang siguro.”

Pero hindi ako pagod.

Hinahanap ko ang isang lalaking hindi ko dapat gustuhing hanapin.

Later that night, nasa tuktok ako ng parking building ng Alvarado Tower — nakaupo sa loob ng kotse ko, staring blankly at the city lights of BGC.

Hanggang ngayon, hindi ko pa rin maintindihan kung anong pumasok sa isip ko noong gabing ‘yon. What kind of girl lets a stranger take her like that?

What kind of girl moans his name while losing everything?

Tumulo ang isang luha. I wiped it quickly.

I promised myself I’d forget.

I promised I wouldn’t try to find him.

But what if he’s trying to find me?

Hindi ko alam kung anong klaseng magic ang gumalaw sa universe… pero kinabukasan, habang papasok ako sa isang art exhibit na ini-sponsor ng pamilya namin, napahinto ako.

Because he was there.

Nakatayo. Naka-itim. Gwapong-gwapo, katulad ng alaala ko.

Renzo.

And his eyes — those sharp, piercing eyes — locked onto mine.

My breath caught.

He walked toward me. Mabagal. Matatag.

The crowd blurred around us. My palms began to sweat.

“Celestine Alvarado,” he said, voice low and husky. “That is your name, right?”

Napalunok ako. “How did you—?”

“I asked around. May isang guest sa party na kilala ka. She thought we were already a couple, the way I looked at you all night.”

He was closer now — so close I could smell his cologne. Familiar. Dangerous.

“Why did you leave?” tanong niya, not accusing, just… curious.

I looked away. “Because… it wasn’t supposed to mean anything.”

His eyes darkened. “Funny. It meant everything to me.”

My heart dropped to my stomach.

He reached for my hand — just a touch, pero sapat na para umilaw lahat ng nerve endings sa katawan ko.

“You think I’d let you go that easily?” he whispered.

I froze.

Because the answer was… I didn’t want him to.

Nang matapos ang exhibit, hindi agad ako umalis. Renzo stayed close — always just a few feet away, watching me like he was memorizing my every breath.

And I let him.

He didn’t pressure me. Hindi siya nagmadali. Pero every time our eyes met, the tension grew unbearable.

Pagkatapos ng program, tinanong niya ako, “Do you want to get some air?”

I nodded.

He led me to his car — a sleek, dark SUV na naka-park sa basement. He opened the door for me, and I slid in. Tahimik kami pareho habang paakyat siya sa isang private cliffside view sa Tagaytay, overlooking the entire city. Kilala niya ang lugar. Wala masyadong tao. Tahimik. Ligtas. Lihim.

Pagkarating namin sa tuktok, he turned off the engine but left the music on low — a soft, sultry beat in the background. Binigyan niya ako ng isang tingin. Not demanding, not forceful.

Just waiting.

I looked back at him… and leaned in.

That’s all it took.

His lips crashed into mine with a hunger that stole my breath. One hand cupped the back of my head, the other already sliding down to my waist, pulling me closer across the console.

My body moved on its own — desperate, aching. I straddled his lap, knees on either side of his thighs, dress riding up to my hips.

His hands were everywhere — large, rough, claiming. Sa ilalim ng manipis kong tela, he cupped my breasts, thumbs flicking over my hardened nipples through the lace.

“God, I missed these,” he groaned, then pulled down the neckline of my dress and bra in one swift motion. Lumantad ang dibdib ko sa harap niya, and he stared — eyes dark with want.

“Ang ganda mo, Celle… putangina.”

He leaned forward and took one nipple into his mouth — warm, wet, swirling his tongue slowly habang nilalamas ang kabila. I moaned loudly, my back arching, offering him more.

“Renzo…”

“Yes, baby,” he growled, sucking harder. “You like that?”

I nodded desperately, hips grinding against him. I could already feel how hard he was beneath me, pressing between my thighs.

One hand trailed down between my legs, slipping under my dress. “Let me see,” he whispered, pulling the fabric up until I was bare. His fingers slid over my folds, spreading the wetness.

“Fuck, you’re soaked.”

He brought his fingers to his mouth, tasting me. “You taste even better than I remember.”

He kissed me again, slower this time, savoring, then gently laid me down across the reclined passenger seat.

He moved between my legs, lowering himself, breathing hot against my core. I grabbed his hair, already gasping before his tongue even touched me.

Then—

“Ahhh—Renzo…”

He licked a slow, teasing stripe from bottom to top, then focused on my clit — sucking, flicking, devouring me like he’d gone mad.

His tongue pushed inside me, curling, tasting everything. One hand held my thigh open, the other slipped two fingers deep into me, thrusting in time with his mouth.

I cried out, hips grinding against his face.

“God, Renzo… I’m—fuck—”

“Come for me, Celle,” he growled against my pussy. “Right on my mouth.”

And I did.

I shattered, moaning his name, thighs trembling, back arching as pleasure exploded through me. He didn’t stop — kept licking, tasting every drop, until I had to pull him up by the hair.

“Renzo… please…”

He kissed me again, lips shiny from me. “You sure?” he whispered.

“Don’t stop,” I begged.

He didn’t.

He pushed his seat all the way back, pulled me back on top of him, then unzipped his pants. His cock sprang free — thick, hard, ready.

I lowered myself onto him slowly — inch by inch — gasping as he filled me.

“So tight,” he groaned, gripping my hips. “You fit me perfectly.”

I moved — hips rolling, riding him slowly at first, feeling every ridge, every stretch. He met me thrust for thrust, ang bawat salubong umaabot sa kailaliman ko.

He sat up, took my breast in his mouth again, sucking hard while his hands squeezed my ass, guiding me faster.

The car rocked with our movements, windows fogged, air hot and heavy with sex and moans and whispered curses.

“Renzo… I’m gonna—”

“Come with me,” he growled. “Come on, baby. Give it to me.”

And I did.

We came together — raw, violent, beautiful.

My body trembled around him as he spilled inside me, kissing me hard as we held each other like the world outside didn’t exist.

Minutes later, still in silence, I lay on his chest. His arms were wrapped tightly around me, like he never wanted to let go.

“Tell me this wasn’t just one night again,” he whispered.

I didn’t answer.

But I didn’t leave.

Mainit pa rin ang hangin sa loob ng sasakyan. Basang-basa ang bintana sa fog, at sa pagitan naming dalawa — katahimikan lang.

Humihingal pa ako, nakasandal sa dibdib niya habang nakapikit, hinihintay na bumalik ang tibok ng puso ko sa normal.

Pero hindi siya gumalaw.

Hindi niya ako tinaboy. Hindi rin siya nagtanong.

He just held me.

At sa kakaibang paraan, mas nakakatakot ‘yon kaysa sa mismong ginawa namin.

I wanted to ask what this meant. Kung may halaga ba. Kung uulitin pa.

Pero alam kong wala akong karapatang magtanong. Not when I gave myself to him like that. Not when I made it so easy to pretend it was just sex.

Dahan-dahan akong bumangon mula sa kandungan niya. Naayos ko ang damit ko habang siya’y tahimik lang na nakatitig sa akin.

“I should go,” bulong ko.

Tumingin siya sa akin — those same eyes na nagpalambot ng lahat ng paninindigan ko — and simply said, “Come with me.”

Napakunot ang noo ko. “Where?”

He reached out, wiped a strand of hair from my cheek. “My place.”

Hindi ko alam kung bakit ako tumango.

Hindi ko alam kung dahil gusto kong mas makilala siya, o gusto ko lang ulit maramdaman 'yung init na binigay niya sa akin kanina.

Maybe both.

The ride to his condo was quiet.

Pero hindi awkward.

More like… loaded.

Parang may usok sa pagitan namin na hindi mo pwedeng hipan. Kailangan mo lang hintaying sumabog.