Crashing into Love

Chapter Ten

Napaatras ako ngunit tumama ang likod ko sa dulo ng couch. He looks amused. Natitilihan ako. I just lost!

Unti unti siyang lumapit sakin. He was wearing a sexy smile and my senses were shouting with glee and excitement. "No escape." His breath tingled and then he scooped me and placed me on his lap. Yung likod ko nakasandal sa mataas na armrest ng couch.

Thump thump

Stupid heart! Why are you reacting like that?!

He took my hands and placed it on his chest. He did that without breaking eye contact. God, I was trembling. He leaned forward and planted his lips on mine. He nibbled my lower lip and he's lightly grazing it with his open mouth and it feels so hot, so good, so undeniably intoxicating. This feels too damn good to be true.

I hope I don't disappoint him for being a lousy kisser. He was my first kiss and I don't know how things are supposed to work.

He ran his tongue over my front teeth and it was fiery and hypnotizing and agonizing at the same time. I'm running out of words and running out of logical thoughts and witty ideas. He pulled away, he stopped kissing me and I was left breathless, wanting for more.

We were both panting when we stopped and he embraced me again and buried his face on my neck. I just love it when he does that.

I can feel his hot breath on the side of my neck and it brings me joy for some weird reason. Ng makabawi siya ng hininga ay masuyo siyang nagsalita.

"I love your mint lip balm."

Pigil hiningang napapikit ako. I wanted to pull every single strand of his hair right now! My heart drummed. Hindi ko napigilang iyapos ang dalawang braso ko sa leeg niya.

Is this what I've been missing my whole life?

Bigla akong tinablan ng pagkahiya kaya umayos ako ng upo. His soft chuckle reverberated around the room and into my heart. Humiga siyang bigla sa couch at umunan sa hita ko. He took my hand and placed it on his hair. "Play with it until I fall asleep, please?"

Thump thump

I need not be told twice. Nilaro laro ko yung buhok niya. Inikot ikot ko ang mga strands sa daliri ko at marahang hinaplos ito. His eyelids were drooping. Kinuha niya ang kamay ko at pinagsalikop ang aming mga daliri. He gently kissed the top of my palm while his eyes were still closed.

"Tell me about yourself. It just occured to me that you haven't told me anything about your family or the life you left behind." Mahinang sambit niya na halatang inaantok na. I used my free hand to play with his dark hair.

I sighed as my thoughts flew to my family. Technically, I can't even call it a family since a family consists of at least one parent and one child

"My parents died when I was three. Their plane crashed. The only people I have now is my brother and my sister. They loved me so much and looked after me. They are the most amazing people I've ever known. I could've stayed with them. But I left. I left them and went here without them knowing."

Naalala ko noong nagtext sakin si Ate. She said that she knows everything and she's asking me to come back. Tinanggal ko yung sim ko at hindi na ito ibinalik sa cellphone. I got scared that day.

Tinignan niya ako sa mata. "Why?"

"It's for the best." I smiled sadly. He didn't ask anymore personal questions. I let minutes pass in silence. When I looked at him, he's already asleep. His fingers were still laced through mine and that made me smile.

Natulog rin ako, pagkagising ko ay nagulat ako sa posisyon namin. Ako na yung nakaulo sa hita niya. Tulog mantika talaga ako kaya marahil hindi ko naramdaman ng iayos niya ang pwesto namin. I looked up only to see his face staring down at me.

"Hey, sleepyhead." He greeted with a lazy smile pasted on his lips. I smiled groggily as I got up. "How long have I been asleep?" I inquired while rubbing the sleep out of my eyes.

"For about two decades." He answered. He earned a smack on his arm from me. He grinned. "Kidding. Two hours."

Napamulagat ako. "Two hours?!" Pagtingin ko sa labas ay madilim na. "Why didn't you wake me up?"

"You were sleeping peacefully with your head resting on my legs. It was the most calming view I've ever seen. So why would I wanna wake you?" Pangangatwiran niya. Napailing nalang ako. "Don't tell me that you've been staring at me for those two hours."

He raised his arms in the air while laughing sexily. "Guilty!"

I hit him with the throw pillow. "Uwi na ko, Raven Andrei." Sabi ko nalang. Nangingisi paring tumayo siya at hinila ako palapit sa kanya. Sabay kaming lumabas sa bahay niya. Hindi na ako umalmang magpahatid.

Napatingin kami sa beach at nakitang meron na namang nagfafire dance doon. Meron namang nagcacamping lang ang peg na nakapalibot pa sa bonfire.

"We could try that someday." He whispered and I just nodded.

Someday.

That word lingered in my mind long enough for me to feel sad. I won't be a part of his someday anymore. I knew it. I knew it very well.

My hair was flying in all kinds of direction. The wind was blowing it. Kinuha ko yung panali na nakasoot sa wrist ko. I started to gather my hair so I could tie it in a neat bun when I felt Raven's hand stopping me. I gave him a questioning look.

He took the scrunchie from my hand. He gathered my hair in his hands and then he tied my hair. Pagkatapos ay inakbayan niya na ako uli at nagpatuloy kami sa paglalakad. Malapit na kami sa bahay ko. He was singing a french song when a woman excitedly called him. Napatingin ako dun sa babae.

She was tall and slender. She was wearing beach shorts and a loose top. Mahaba ang buhok nito na abot hanggang bewang. "Uy!" Pukaw pa nya lalo sa atensyon ni Raven.

"Drei, it's me!" She smiled and Raven did too. "Cesca?! What are you doing here? You should be in France." Magiliw na sagot nito. Unti unting natanggal yung pagkakaakbay niya sakin habang kausap niya yung Cesca.

"I took a vacation. Namiss ko kasi ang Pilipinas eh." The woman replied.

Who was she?

"I'm being rude. Cesca, this is Claire. Claire meet Cesca." Raven introduced us and I shook hands with the woman who was smiling at me. Hindi nagtagal ay nagbalik rin yung atensyon niya kay Raven. She tapped his arm.

"Ikaw ha, sumbong kita kay Cassidy! Haha, joke lang. I'm sure Claire here, is just your friend." She gave Raven an all-knowing smile. Napayuko naman ako. Just a friend.

Naramdaman ko ang paghawak ni Raven sa kamay ko. "Uhm, actually no. She's not just a friend." He replied with a proud tone.

Tinitigan ko siya at nakita kong nakatitig rin siya sakin. Nagbawi ako ng tingin.

"She's way more than that." Raven continued. Cesca looks shocked. "What? Eh pano si Cassidy?" Gulat na tanong nito.

Raven gave her a smile. "Cassidy is marrying someone else. She's happy now and I am too."

He pressed my palm. Cesca was still wide-eyed. She shook her head in disbelief. "Mon œuil?" She slipped in French.

"Non." Raven answered again. Yun lang yata yung naintindihan ko. It means no.

"Je ne te crois pas." Cesca's lips parted and her eyes landed on Raven's hand intertwined in mine.

Raven smiled and tightened his hold on me. He stared at Cesca and spoke in rapid French.

"Elle est ce qui compte pour moi maintenant."

Lalong nangunot ang noo ni Cesca habang tinitignan ako. I just stared back. I don't know if she was giving me a hostile glare or she's just scrutinizing me. Tumikhim si Raven. "I think we should go. Nice bumping into you, Cesca. Good night." Pagkasabi niya non ay hinila niya na ako palayo at naglakad na kami. I was left speechless.

Ano kayang pinag-usapan nila? This is one of the rare times in which I wish that I'm a linguist.

Nasa tapat na kami ng bahay ko. Humarap ako sa kanya at nakita ko ang nakangiti na naman niyang mga mata.

"Why did you say that? Bakit mo sinabing higit pa tayo sa kaibigan?" Halos nahihiyang tanong ko. He shrugged.

"Eh totoo naman. You are more than just a friend to me."

I remained silent. He spoke again. "And I wanna be more than just a friend to you, too."

I took a deep breath before I let my feelings drown me.

"You already are."