Pumasok si Kristine sa opisina niya at naupo sa desk niya, and she picked the phone that is beside her. She dialed a number and after two rings ay may sumagot na sa kabilang linya.
"Hello, your highness. What can I do for you?" tanong ng isang babae.
"Find me a business coffee owner that is looking for a partnership ASAP. Thank you," she demanded at ibinaba na ang telepono. "It's been three months and yet she hasn't found her business coffee partner. I need to do something about it now but I won't let Lorraine know about it," bulong niya sa sarili niya.
On the other hand, kumatok ang isang lalaki na nakasuot ng barista na suit at may hawak na wireless telephone sa kaniyang dalawang kamay.
"Come in," sagot ng lalaki na may malalim ang boses from inside ng kwarto.
Bumukas ang pinto at pumasok ang barista sa loob ng opisina. "Sir, someone wants to talk to you," banggit niya na may hesitation.
"I told you I'm busy," asar na tugon ng lalaki na nakaupo sa desk niya with a nameplate in front of him na 'Mr. Axel Mohammed Ayad'.
He's the same guy na nakatira just few step away from the Princess's condo unit at ang lalaking muntik na niyang mabangga sa elevator.
"It's a very important call, Sir," sambit ng baristang lalaki.
Tumigil sa pagsusulat ang lalaki na nakaupo sa desk at tinignan ng matalim ang barista. "And who the hell is that important person behind that call?" mariin niyang sabi.
"It's the Queen, Sir. She wants to talk to you," kinakabahan na sagot ng barista.
"What? The Queen? Why didn't you say so? Give me that," tugon ng lalaki at biglang umayos siya ng upo as if he is really facing the Queen.
Binigay naman ng barista ang telephone sa boss niya at saka umalis ng opisina habang the masculine man cleared his throat first before putting it on his right ear.
"Yes, hello, your grace. This is Mr. Axel Mohammed Ayad. How can I help you?" he respectfully spoke from the other line.
"Good afternoon to you, Mr. Ayad," Kristine told with an accent.
"Good afternoon, your grace," sagot naman ni Axel.
"I will get to the point. Is that okay to you?"
"Sure, your grace. No problem with me," he acknowledged.
"Well, I am looking for a business coffee partner for my daughter. I want to help her with the career she has chosen to pursue. Actually, she just graduated from the Culinary School last April in the Philippines. She's honestly an outstanding student because she's magna cvm laude in her entire batch. However, no one wants to accept her here even though she has been looking for a business partner for three months and because she is a newbie in the Culinary industry. I also called few coffee owners and they declined me knowing that my daughter just graduated from College. That was kind of rude but I couldn't do anything if they didn't want to. So, I hope you can help me. Give her at least one month's provision and when you see that she has no improvements or development you can remove her. So, do we have a deal or not?" tuloy-tuloy na sinabi ni Kristine na hindi hinayaan na magsalita ang kausap niya.
"That's a deal then, your grace. I'll give her one month and if she didn't comply with my rules then I'll have to terminate her. Is that okay to you, your grace?" magalang at seryosong sagot pa rin ni Axel.
"Fair enough. I'll give her number now so, you can talk to her. But don't tell her about our deal. Okay? Just tell her that you saw her post about looking for a business coffee partner and that's all. And because she will be really upset if she comes to know that I was the person behind why you called her. Alright?" pagka-klaro ni Kristine.
"No problem with me, your grace," nakangiting pagsang-ayon ni Axel.
"Thank you so much, Mr. Ayad. I truly appreciated your help. Bye," paalam ni Kristine at ngumiti rin.
"You're welcome, your grace. Bye," magalang na paalam na rin ni Axel.
At sabay sila nagbaba ng telepono.
Soon, gabi na pero gising pa rin si Princess at nakaharap sa laptop niya. Inaantok na siya nang tumunog ang phone niya. Sinagot niya ito na hindi man lang tinitignan kung sino ang caller.
"Hello?" malamyang bati ni Princess.
"Hello? Is this Ms. Lorainne Gale Rashid-Al?" Axel inquired sa kabilang linya pagkapatay niya ng engine ng sasakyan niya.
"Yes, speaking. Who is this?" walang gana pa rin na sagot ni Princess.
"This is Axel Mohammed Ayad and I saw that you are looking for a business coffee partner. I want to be your business partner," diretsyang sabi ni Axel at lumabas na sa sasakyan niya.
Iniangat ni Princess ang ulo niya and she frowned. "You are a man," she plainly mentioned.
"Yes, I am, Ms. Rashid-Al. Is there any problem with that?" tugon ni Axel na may pag-aalinlangan habang siya ay naglalakad.
"I am looking for a woman and not a man. Sorry, but I have to decline. Bye," she frankly informed him at ibinaba ang phone niya.
"What? Wh—" Hindi tinuloy ni Axel ang sasabihin niya nang narinig niya na pinatayan siya ng kausap niya. Tinignan niya ang phone niya at napasinghal siya dahil binabaan nga siya. "Wow. What an attitude," asar niyang bulong at pumasok na sa loob ng elevator.
Samantala si Princess ay tinignan ang post niya sa social media account at hindi naman siya nagkamali sa nilagay niya na 'Looking for FEMALE business coffee partner' kaya kumunot ang noo niya.
"Hindi ba niya nabasa ang post ko? Bulag ba siya?" she frowned and rolled her eyes.
Then, tumayo siya sa sahig kung saan siya nakaupo at naglakad patungo sa fridge para kumuha ng tubig nang wala na siyang nakita na bote o laman man lang na tubig sa pitsyel niya.
"Oh," sambit niya nang ma-realize niya na wala na pala laman ang fridge niya kahit isa.
And so, she entered her room at kumuha siya ng black na jacket with a hoodie at lumabas ng unit niya. Sakto naman na bumukas ang pinto ng elevator at nagtagpo ulit silang dalawa. Napatigil sila pareho sa gitna ng pinto at nagtitigan ng seryoso.
"You, again?" sabay nilang tanong sa isa't-isa.
Nang magsidatingan ang isang grupo ng mga matatanda at pumasok kaya naitulak silang pareho paloob. Napasandal si Princess sa dibdib ng lalaki habang si Axel ay napakurap-kurap dahil sa hindi niya inaasahan na nangyayari.
"W-wait. Let me through. Ex-excuse me!" reklamo ni Axel na hindi makadaan dahil siniksik sila ng mga matatanda.
Pero mukhang walang nakakarinig sa kaniya dahil nagdadaldalan din ang mga matatanda hanggang sa tuluyan na sumara ang pinto ng elevator at hindi na siya nakalabas. Samantala si Princess ay pilit na nilalayo ang sarili sa lalaking pangalawang beses na niya nakakasalubong, itinukod niya ang dalawang braso niya sa dibdib ng lalaki na napatingin naman sa kaniya pababa.
"What the hell," bulong ni Princess at pinilit niya talaga na makagalaw at tumalikod siya sa lalaki.
Sa kasamaang palad ay natapat ang pwet niya sa gitna ng lalaki na naging dahilan kung bakit lumaki ang mga mata niya habang si Axel ay napasinghap.
"Kung minamalas ka nga talaga, oo," bulong ulit ni Princess at gumalaw ulit para umalis sa posisyon na mayroon siya.
Samantala habang patuloy na gumagalaw si Princess ay napapasinghap ng ilang beses si Axel dahil natatamaan ang ari niya na nararamdaman niya na tumitigas.
"Damn it," he murmured at inilagay niya ang dalawang kamay niya sa ari niya para makaiwas.
At dahil sa ginawa ni Axel ay lalo nanlaki ang mga mata ni Princess dahil he is touching her butt na she found inappropriate without knowing his real reason. And so, she turned her head at him and their eyes met once again.
"What are you looking at?" he inquired nang napansin niya na may ibang meaning ang mga titig niya.
"You touched my butt, you pervert," mariin na sabi ni Princess at tinitigan niya ng masama ang lalaki at saka sinuntok sa mukha.
Bigla naman tumigil ang mga matatanda sa pagsasalita at lahat sila ay lumingon sa dalawang kabataan na nasa likuran nila dahil sa narinig nila.
"W-what? Me, a pervert?" he questioned na nagulat siya sa accusation sa kaniya ng babae na nasa harapan niya that he barely know habang nakatakip siya sa kaliwang mata niya na sinuntok niya. Then, he noticed ang maraming mata na nakatingin sa kaniya kaya he shook his head looking at them. "No, no, no, no, no. I'm not a pervert," he denied and trying to explain himself to them all.
Pero too late dahil he was misjudged and because of that the elders started to hit him while yelling at him.
"You bad boy!"
"You naughty!"
"You playboy!"
"You pervert!"
"You asshole!"
"You jerk!"
"You scumbag!"
"Agh! Stop! Stop! Stop! I'm not a pervert! I said stop!" bulyaw ni Axel pero hindi siya pinapakinggan ng mga matatanda at patuloy na pinaghahampas siya.
Hanggang sa nakarating na sila sa ground floor, lumabas ang mga matatanda at umalis, at huli na si Princess na napatigil sa paglalakad at lumingon sa lalaking sinapak niya. Habang si Axel ay na sa sahig at mukhang bugbog sarado na may magulong buhok, dalawang bukol sa noo, pati sa magkabilang cheeks at may black eye sa kaliwang side.
"Serves you right," she said with a smirk at nagpatuloy na sa paglalakad.
Axel, however, scoffed sa accusation sa kaniya at dahan-dahan na tumayo kahit masakit ang buong katawan niya dahil sa natamo niyang maraming hampas from the elders.
"Serves me right? Ha! You don't dare me, you woman," he grumbled na may inis sa mukha niya dahil sa nangyari sa kaniya.
***
Pagkatayo ni Axel ay pinindot niya ulit ang number 10 at sumara ang pinto. Nang wala na nakakita sa kaniya ay sumandal siya at tinignan ang ari niya to see if buhay pa ba or namamaga. Napakagat siya nang labi nang makita niya ang itsura nang kaniyang ari na sa tingin niya ay hindi maganda ang sitwasyon.
“That girl. Humanda ka sa akin kapag nagkita tayo ulit. Mata lang ang walang ganti,” bulong ni Axel and he clenched is jaw in annoyance dahil hindi niya aakalain na ang babaeng pinantasya niya ay may kakaiba pa lang ugali.
And it is not his liking. But however, he still found her attractive as he remember when she was being pushed towards his chest and they got into the back while pressing to each other’s bodies. Napangiti pa rin siya somehow dahil he felt the burning sensation between them na parang their bodies are both calling them for pleasure. But then, things happened and now he got injured while walking inside of his unit.
Pagkapasok sa sariling unit ay naupo siya sa sofa sa may sala area and he relaxed. For a moment ay pinakalma niya ang sarili to what happened just a few minutes ago. His eyebrows calmed down as the crumpled in between of it gone.
Then he felt it again, his length ay biglang tumayo and nanigas kaya napatingin siya rito.
“What? It is not what you think it is, junior. Just settle down, will you?” wika niya sa ari niya na galit na galit. “Hoy, tumigil ka, ah. Yes, I admit, she’ so damn hot when our bodies touches each other but come on, dude, don’t fall for her,” pakiusap niya rito.
Pero ayaw pa rin kumalma nang ari niya kaya naman he gave up and closed his eyes. He began imagining her again inside of his head and control her based on his liking. While his one hand started to stroke his length up and down for a pleasure
He is imagining her and him are inside the elevator with no people around. She went down,opened his zipper and his full length went out. She smiled seeing his length and with that she put her hands around him and began to pleasure him, while his hands go faster in masturbat1ng, pleasuring himself. Napapaungol na siya sa ginagawa ng babae na hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa niya alam kung ano ang pangalan, at kahit hindi pa sila magkakilala ay parang kilala niya ito dahil ilan beses na niya ito na-imagine.
Not until, he came and his liquid spread on the floor.
“Damn that woman,” he uttered dahil sa tingin niya ay every time he is thinking of her ay nabubuhayan ang ari niya na ngayon lang nangyari sa kaniya.
He never had feel it before but just now, and just for her. Marami na siyang babae na nakasiping and all, pero siya lang ang katangi-tanging babae na hindi ibinigay kaagad ang sarili sa kaniya the moment they see each other unlike other girls na binabato na ang kanilang sarili at him kahit na ayaw niya or he is not in the mood. Ever since kasi na nagkita sila ay hindi na ito naalis sa isipan niya that really bothers him.
“What am I gonna do now?” tanong ni Axel sa sarili as he is staring on the floor with his semen on it.
At kahit ayaw, at tinatamad ay tumayo siya at pumunta sa kusina to get a three tissue at saka siya bumalik sa sala and clean his own mess.
Samantala si Princess ay nasa counter at naghihintay na mabilang ang pinamili niyang snacks and foods when all of a sudden ay natulala siya at naalala niya ang nangyari kanina sa elevator. Napahawak siya sa gitna nang chest niya naag maalala niya na their bodies collided on that moment na may mga matatanda na pumasok.
“In fairness, ha, matigas ang dibdib niya,” bulong niya sa sarili na inaamin niya. Then, naalala rin niya nang she turned around and her butt pointed towards his crotch na parehas nila ikinabigla. “I know that’s a bulge,” dagdag pa niya at napangiti siya dahil it’s been a while since the last time she ever feel that kind of thing again inside of her.
“Miss!” sigaw nang babaeng cashier.
Nagising naman si Princess at kaagad na binayaran ang mga pinamili niya at saka siya bumalik ulit sa building. Pagkasakay niya nang elevator ay natulala na naman siya pero alam na niya ang pipindutin niyang number since she’s been living on it for more than five months already.
She imagined again how they bumped to each other and how she should act on that kind of situation. She settled on her position ng she noticed him looking down on her and so, she looked up too and they stared at each other. For a minute ay natitigan lang silang dalawa but then, she felt a hand crawling upward on her boobs kaya napatingin siya kaagad sa dibdib niya. She saw his both hands on her chest that makes her looked up again and give him a look but he just smiled and squeezed her. Nanlaki ang mga mata niya sa ginawa nito kaya naman bilang ganti, ang isang kamay niya ay humawak sa ari nito na naging dahilan kung bakit nanlaki rin ang mga mata nito because of surprise. Napangisi siya sa reaksyon nito while he did the same and he started to massage her boobs na nagpa-arouse sa kanilang dalawa. Habang si Princess unzipped his zipper and put her one hand inside of his crotch and gently held his balls na naging dahilan kung bakit he closed his eyes when pleasure hit them both.
“Miss? Miss? Miss?!” tawag na sigaw nang matandang babae kay Princess dahil nakita niya ito na nakapikit at tila malalim and wild ang iniisip nito.
Kaagad na napamulat si Princess dahil sa matanda at mabilis na lumabas at naglakad patungo sa unit niya, habang si Axel ay sumilip sa peephole to see if someone is outside pero unfortunately, hindi niya nadatnan si Princess na kakadaan lang.
Pagkatapos ng encounter na iyon ay he began to look for her just like the last time, pero bigo siya na makita ito. Galit pa rin siya sa ginawa nito na dahil sa kaniya ay nabugbog siya at sumakit ang itlog niya na muntikan na mabasag pero mabuti na lang at hindi natuluyan.
Hatred is still evident on his face every time he will go outside of his unit dahil sa ginawa nito na hindi niya maalis sa isipan niya kaya naman he look right to left at baka ma-tyempuhan niya ito. He will surely not let her go again and get away from him. Pero it’s been a week at hindi pa rin niya ito nakikita na ipinagtataka niya.
Isang linggo niya ito inabangan, nakailang silip na rin ang ginawa niya mula sa peephole every time na may naririnig siya sa labas or may pagkakataon siya. Ngunit hindi niya talaga ma-tyempuhan ang babaeng nanakit sa kaniya para pagbayarin ito sa ginawa nito sa kaniya. Ni walang paramdam or ani-hello man lang pero kahit na ganu’n ay hindi niya makakalimutan ang ginawa nito sa itlog niya. Kumukulot ang noo niya every time he remembers it pero wala siyang magawa but to wait and look for her. Nagawa na rin niya tanungin ang mga recetionists sa lobby pero ni isa sa kanila ay walang gusto magsalita about sa babae na hinahanap niya, and that is because any information of their clients should always be confidential and private.
“How about a kiss? You don’t want a kiss?” nakangising tanong ni Axel, using his charm sa mga babae.
“I apologize, Sir, but still no,” nakangiting tugon ng babaeng receptionist.
“How about—“ Napatigil sa pagsasalita si Axel and idinikit niya ang kaniyang labi sa tenga nang babae and says— “a one night with me?” desperada nang tanong niya.
Nanlaki naman ang mga mata nang babae at tinignan si Axel na halata sa mukha nito na gulat na gulat ito sa offer na narinig niya.
“You know, Sir, I would really love to but no, thanks. I have a boyfriend already and I am faithful to him,” maayos na wika nang babae.
Wala naman siya magawa but to follow kahit na he tried to seduce one old woman but her loyalty is on her job and not to anyone else. He also tried to talk to the guard na naglilibot sa building to secure their safety-ness pero hindi ito sumasagot, bagkus mas marami pa itong tanong kaysa sa kaniya.
“Why, Sir, did she do something to you? Did she hurt you? If she did hurt you, you can report it to us and so she shall pay the price,” saad ng gwardya.
“No, no, thanks by the way,” Axel immediately dismissed at pumasok na siya sa unit niya para makaiwas sa mga tanong nito na nag-uusisa talaga about what happened.
What he really wanted to happen ay makita ulit ang babae so, she can pay him to what she have done to him. And so, he can get her name, age, get to know her and soon, get to date her if possible. Isang linggo na kasi siya hindi makalakad ng maayos dahil iniinda pa rin niya ang itlog niya na talagang nasaktan. At dahil sa natamo na pinsala ay he keeps declining his Coach’s calls and texts. Alam niyang mapapagalitan siya nito but what important to him now is to get recovered kundi forever siya hindi makakalabas.