Chapter 8. Another Kiss
1810 Words
••KEYCEE••
I lay on the bed, on my side with my head resting on a pillow. I was wrapped in a blanket but my face was exposed. I held my lips, feeling giddy every time I remembered what happened last night. Suddenly, I buried myself under the blanket and squirmed around.
A few minutes passed before I removed the blanket from my face. But as I did, I saw Ace standing in front of me.
"Can't get over it?" he teasingly asked. I quickly composed myself and got up. I ignored him and hurried to the bathroom to take a shower. It was embarrassing.
But what's amusing is that he promised to tutor me, but only with his free time. He felt sorry for me with exams coming up, especially in his subject.
Once we were both ready, we went down to the kitchen for breakfast. We found Yaya Miranda and Ace's mom preparing food while Ace's dad and his grandpa were in the living room discussing business matters.
Shortly after, Mommy Marga called them to eat. Grandpa was at the head table, Ace and I were sitting side by side, as were his parents.
We ate quietly until his grandpa suddenly asked me if I wasn't pregnant yet, making me choked on my food, and Ace quickly handed me water, gently rubbing my back, something he never used to do. He's so fake when his grandpa is around.
"Keycee is still studying," Ace replied, causing me to look up at him.
Still studying? Still? So, does that mean he plans something once I finish? Hell no!
"Oh, I see..." His grandpa's face was slightly saddened. I focused back on my food, but before I could take another bite, I kicked Ace's foot under the table. I knew he felt it because I heard him softly groan. He looked at me, so I looked back at him and smiled.
His eyes twinkled, and moments later, he placed his hand on my shoulder. "You're graduating this year, right? Let's have a baby then," he said seriously, then smiled at me.
If my mouth had anything in it, I might have choked again. Is this his payback for me kicking him?
"That's what I am telling you, Ace. You should do it sooner. I'm too old to wait," his grandpa replied, suddenly lively again. Ace's mom and dad just smiled at us.
"Don't worry about it—aah!" He couldn't finish what he was saying because I kicked his foot under the table for the second time.
"It's getting late," I said and stood up. "We need to go," I excused us, and even though I didn't tell Ace to follow, he got up on his own and followed me outside, and from behind me, I could hear the laughter of his family.
***
I stood in front of the board, marker in hand. I thought everything was okay, but... WAAAAH! What should I do? Ace asked me to solve the problem on the board. I didn't know what to answer; I didn't listen to his explanation. Throughout the discussion, I just stared at him. Now, I couldn't come up with an answer! What now?
Ace stood beside me, waiting for my response. All my classmates were also looking at me. Ace leaned closer, behind me, but because he's taller and bigger, he covered me.
"If there's no kiss, you can't answer?" he teased, only the two of us heard it. I wanted to die of embarrassment. Maybe that's what he's thinking if I don't answer now.
I scrutinized the problem on the whiteboard. I scanned it carefully, closed my eyes, and remembered everything Ace taught me last night, but . . . all I remembered was the kiss!
"If you answer correctly, I'll give you a kiss later," he whispered unexpectedly. I was shocked by that. He stepped away from me and returned to his seat.
I didn't care if my answer was right or wrong; I just had to try. I wrote on the board, unsure if it was correct. Whatever. After I finished, I handed him the marker. I went back to my seat and looked at the board. Was that right?
Ace glanced at me before turning to my solution. "Anyone willing to correct it?" Ace asked the class.
I held my breath. My guess was right but my answer was wrong.
Someone raised their hand and went to the front. They took the marker Ace handed to me. They underlined my final answer then sat back down.
WAIT. WHAT? Was that my only mistake?
Oh yeah, even if your solution is correct, if the final answer isn't underlined, it's still wrong for him. But . . . my answer is still correct even if you flip the whiteboard!
I looked at him, and he just smirked.
After class, Ryza invited us to the cafeteria. The three of us walked while they laughed at me. It would have been okay, but why did I forget the underline? I didn't respond to them because I was annoyed. Damn underline!
I felt my phone vibrate, and I quickly grabbed it to read the text. I stopped walking when I read Ace's text.
"Eat with me."
"Why?" Ryza and Christia asked.
"You guys go ahead for lunch. I have something to do." I immediately ran away from them. I went back up to the third floor and saw the guard busy eating, so he just signaled for me to go inside. Maybe Ace already instructed him that I was coming, so he didn't ask me.
When I entered, I immediately turned around when I saw him taking off his polo. "Don't you know how to knock?" he asked me.
"Sometimes when I knock, you don't answer," I said while still facing away. "Are you done?" I asked.
"Yes." I faced him again. He's now wearing just a white T-shirt and his slacks. I saw a lot of packed food on his desk.
"Where did this come from?" I asked.
He approached his desk and cleared the mess, papers, and all sorts of things. "Mom sent it," he replied. He arranged the food and gave me a seat to sit on.
"Are you really Sir Lee?" I asked seriously. He just looked at me. "Because it doesn't seem like it. You weren't this kind before," I said with a laugh, then sat down.
"I'm just strict, but I'm kind," he replied while putting food on a disposable plate for me.
While we were eating, I suddenly remembered what he made me solve on the board. "You're such a tricky person!" I accused him.
"Why?"
"My answer was right earlier!"
He suddenly looked at me. "So? You want me to kiss you?"
"N-No! I'm just saying my answer was right!" I retorted.
"But policy is policy. You forgot to insert the underline," he said while eating.
"But it's still correct."
"What do you want then?"
"Allowance," I smiled sheepishly.
"You already have one of my cards, right? Why do you need money? Just use that card."
He's right. After we got married, he lent me one of his cards. Take note, it's not just any card. It's a black card with no limit.
"You're smart in math, but not in things like this," I murmured, shaking my head.
He looked up at me. "Why?"
"Do all the places I go accept card? Like the cafeteria? The cab? The driver might slap me with your card if I use it to pay him. And hello, Ace! Your name is on the card. I can't even take it out of my wallet because people might see it and think I stole it from you. They might think I'm a thief!"
He stopped eating and suddenly burst into laughter. He held his stomach, probably hurting from laughing so much. I watched him and didn't understand why my heart suddenly beat faster.
"Sorry." He wiped his eyes, which were a little teary from laughing.
"Why are you laughing?"
He looked back at me. "Nothing. I just found you funny. So, where do you get money when you need allowance?"
"From mom," I answered, then continued eating.
"Okay. Starting today, if you need money, you should ask me first, not your mother. Understand?"
I smiled because of what he said. "Yes sir," I replied happily as we both resumed eating.
"You know Ryan Dela Cruz?" he asked all of a sudden.
I was taken aback. Does he know already? "W-Why did you ask?" I said, stuttering.
"I just heard about it." His voice was plain. No hint of anger or annoyance.
"About what?"
"About you two."
I didn't answer. I just kept my head down, looking at my food. "So you already know?" I said shyly.
"Why? Shouldn't I know?" He became serious again.
"It's not like that."
He paused his eating and looked at me. "Do you know that he's a playboy? He's just playing around with many girls, making them cry." There was no anger or jealousy in his voice—just concern.
"A playboy?" I furrowed my brow, but nodded. He did too. "I don't think so, he seems nice," I replied. Because aside from the comments on my post saying he's with them, I haven't heard anything else about Ryan.
"Okay. If that's what you believe, I'll let you."
"Aren't you angry?" I asked while looking at him. It's strange that he didn't scold me or blame me for cheating especially since we're married.
"Because I know you like him, I won't be angry. Besides," he looked up at me, "I don't want to confine you because you're still young. Just enjoy yourself. Explore. You can date him or someone you like. Don't think that just because you're married to me, you can't do those things anymore. I won't stop you because I know you haven't experienced courtship yet. I want you to experience it while no one knows we're married. Enjoy being seen as single by others."
I was stunned by his long speech. Now I realized that, yes, he's strict, but he also has a heart. Even though it's unfair to him that I'll date someone else because we're married, he still agrees because he's still considering me. He wants me to be happy and enjoy life first. I suddenly felt guilty.
"You mean . . . you're okay with me dating someone else even if you know?"
He nodded. "Yes, but just date. DATE only," he emphasized the word date. "You can't do anything with them except date, and when I say just date, it means you can't kiss them—"
He didn't finish what he was saying because I stood up from my seat and leaned forward to reach his lips.
Yes, I kissed him.
- Writer
