Between the Rainbow (Strawberries and Cigarettes Series #1)

Chapter 2

Taste

"Have you ever tried having a girlfriend?" tanong ko nang unti-unti na siyang umupo ng tuwid at tiningnan ang phone ko na inilahad niya na sa akin.

Hindi ko iyon kinuha at hinayaan muna iyong hawakan niya lalo na't abala ang mga kamay ko. The screen lightened as he looked at it with furrowed brows.

"Hindi pa..." he answered flatly.

"Hmm, a damn virgin?" I smirked at him.

Itinaob niya ang phone ko at inilagay sa compartment sa harapan. I tilted my head to see his expression as my car stopped in the middle of the traffic.

"Loosen a bit. We're guys here. I won't snitch." I laughed while glancing at him.

"Wala akong karanasan." Sabay tingin niya sa labas ng bintana.

"Why? You seem like one of those pretty boys who's popular with girls." I tilted my head and saw he looked so flush again.

"Hmm... How old are you? Eighteen? Nineteen?" tanong kong muli nang hindi na siya sumagot pa since I can't stand the silence.

"Nineteen," he mumbled.

I hugged the steering wheel while I watched the lights reflect through the open window of my car, kissing his face.

Namamangha ako sa itsura niya. My features were dark and superior, making me look like a bad boy. And to see a boy who's the opposite of me—soft, white, and gentle—is amusing.

"Dadalhin kita mamaya sa party ng kaibigan ko."

"Sa condo lang ako," he insisted.

"You are coming with me. Take it as your background to socialize before the semester starts again."

He sighed aggresively as I saw how pissed he looked, which showed on his red cheek. He clenched his hands on the strap of his bag, as if he were controlling himself not to argue with me anymore.

I looked at the screen of my phone and read Rowena's text.

Rowena:

What am I supposed to do when you're so rough?

I rolled my eyes, but a smile crept on my lips. What am I supposed to say about this when Trixie points it out? Mosquito bites? May maniniwala pa bang babae sa akin kung ilang beses ko na 'yong ginawang rason? Buti at hindi ako nagkakadengue nito huh?

At may kasalanan pa ako sa isang 'yon. I mistook her for someone else. Bakit nga ba kasi magkakatunog ang pangalan ng mga babaeng 'to? Can't their mother give them some unique names so boys won't have these kinds of problems?

Dumaan muna kami sa convenience store. Tahimik na sumunod si Shiloh sa akin, kuryosong gumala ang tingin at mukhang bibili rin ng makakain.

"My treat. You choose anything," sabi ko.

"May pera ako," he said in a snobbish way, and walked to the other corner of the convenience store.

Umismid ako. Gagong 'to ah. Nakakaubos ng pasensya. I should invite him more to the gym with me so I could grab the opportunity to bend his bone for being so cold and distant.

Nagtungo ako sa mismong pakay ko. I took my usual brand of condoms, including my size. I ran out of stock this month. I needed this, or else I would have a lot of little mini-me next year in different girls.

Aside from that, I could guarantee that I'm clean but I can't just act so careless knowing how active my sex life is.

Ang tagal niyang mamili kaya nilapitan ko siya. I put my hands on the side of the fridge so we would at least be level, and I tilted my head to see his confused expression.