Content warning: Mature themes.
***
CALYX recalled that fateful day that he once thought was just a dream or a part of his imagination—an out of this world hallucination.
He had been drinking heavily that day. Alam niyang may galit na sa kaniya ang mga tao sa Pilipinas dahil sa bigla niyang pag-alis nang walang paalam. Naduwag siya dahil sa ginawa niya sa kaniyang matalik na kaibigan at maging sa kaniyang pamilya.
It was hard. He wasn't ready.
It was vague how he realized that Anaise was already in front of him. Basta nagsimula nang magsalita ang bulto sa kaniyang harapan.
Maybe the alcohol was working wonders on him that he was hallucinating about Anaise being in front of him.
"Do you hate me that much, bes?" naiiyak na usal ni Anaise. Mahigpit ang hawak niya sa sling bag habang nakipagsusukatan ng tingin.
Napahilot si Calyx ng sentido bago muling binalik ang tingin sa dalaga. "I don't hate you, Anaise. You're my best friend for Christ's sake!"
"Kung gan'on . . . " Napalunok si Anaise. "Bakit ka umalis nang basta? Bakit iniwan mo 'ko sa ere? If you didn't want to marry me, you could have just said so. Tutulungan pa kita na hindi matuloy 'yon." Marahas na pinahid ni Anaise ang kaniyang luha. "Pero para umalis ka . . . I don't get you!"
"You know na imposible 'yon. Pipilitin nila tayo na matali dahil 'yon naman talaga ang gusto nilang mangyari. Sleeping with you just gave them more authority over us to get married."
Bumuntonghinga si Anaise at hindi nakatakas kay Calyx ang pagkuyom niya ng mga kamao. Lumapit si Anaise at naupo sa kama ni Calyx upang mas maayos ang kanilang pakipag-uusap.
"Is the idea of marrying me that disgusting, Cal?" Her voice cracked at the end.
"What the heck are you talking about?"
"Uulitin ko . . . Is the idea of marrying me that disgusting?" She was stern with every word. "Nandidiri ka ba sa akin kahit na may nangyari sa 'tin na kapuwa ginusto natin? O dahil iniisip mo pa rin si Alessa?!"
"Alessa has nothing to do with this!"
Halos mapatalon pa si Anaise sa kaniyang kinauupuan dahil sa biglang paglakas ng boses ni Calyx. "T-then . . . you do hate it."
"Why would I hate it?" he roared back. "Do you not know how amazing that night was? Do you not know how beautiful and perfect you are?!" pahiyaw niyang sagot.
"You certainly don't make it appear that way. Tinakbuhan mo 'ko n'ong kasal natin! You shut everyone out. You shut me, your best friend, out of your life! Akala ko ba 'you and me against the world'? Pero n'ong araw na 'yon, mag-isa na lang ako!"
Calyx was stunned. Alam niyang nasaktan niya si Anaise ngunit ibang lebel ng sakit ang binigay niya sa dalaga. At ang masaklap, hindi na rin niya alam ang dapat sabihin.
No amount of apologies would make things easier or better.
Hinawakan ni Calyx ang kamay ni Anaise bago pa siya tumayo sa kama.
"C-Cal?" maluha-luhang pagtawag ni Anaise.
"D-don't go."
Mariin na pinunasan ni Anaise ang kaniyang pisngi. "S-stop this, Cal. Stop toying with me."
"I . . . I'm not."
"Really? Right when you're unsure if you want to push me away or want me to stay. Make up your mind."
"Anaise . . . "
"Lasing ka—" Bago pa man matapos ni Anaise ang sasabihin, nahatak na siya ng binata. Bumagsak siya sa malambot na kama at pumaibabaw si Calyx sa kaniya. He towered over her, holding both her hands above her head.
"Cal . . . "
"Anaise, stay with me . . . " Calyx muttered before removing the tiny space between their lips. Anaise was still, and it took a few seconds before she responded to his kisses.
He didn't allow her room to breathe as their kisses deepened. Tinapik pa ni Anaise si Calyx sa braso upang bigyan siya ng pagkakataon upang makahinga.
Binigyan ni Calyx ng munting distansiya ang kanilang mga labi.
"You really enjoy tormenting me this much, dont you?" naiiyak na bulong ni Anaise bago ikawit ang mga braso sa leeg ni Calyx at muling pagdikitin ang kanilang mga labi.
Habang patuloy ang palitan nila ng malalim na mga halik, sinimulan ni Calyx na tanggalin ang butones ng sariling damit.
One action led to another. Calyx felt the uncontrollable urge to have her—and she allowed him, too. As soon as she was ready, their bodies had become one.
"C-Cal . . . "
Her voice calling and moaning for him was like sweet honey to his ears. She wrapped her arms around his neck more and pulled him closer—their chests rubbing together as their sex continued thrusting each other with such ragged intensity.
Calyx continued kissing her neck, leaving his marks as he slid down to her chest. Their lower regions were also occupied—with him roughly thrusting on her wet and swollen sensitivity.
Dumistansiya si Calyx upang mas iangat pa ang balakang ni Anaise at napahawak si Anaise sa kobre ng kama. One foot of hers was almost resting up his shoulder. She was completely barred and exposed to his eyes like a chef's grand feast.
Napakagat si Anaise ng ibabang labi ngunit agad din napalitan ng mga ungol habang sinasalubong ang bawat pag-ulos ni Calyx. Ubod din nang higpit ang pagkakapit niya sa kobre kama habang patuloy ang mainit nilang pagniniig.
Hindi naman iyon ang unang beses na may nangyari sa kanila ngunit nakaaadik pa rin. He could feel how her insides were strangling him—adding more pleasure that he could feel himself close to the zenith.
Nabigla si Anaise nang sapuhin ni Calyx ang kaniyang dibdib at sensuwal na hinaplos. Animo'y tamang pagmamasahe upang makalikha ng perpektong tinapay.
"C-Cal—"
Nagpatianod si Anaise sa mainit na tagpo ng kanilang mga katawan. Mas sensitibo ang katawan ng dalaga sa kaniyang bawat haplos. Kung dahil na rin ba iyon sa pagod mula sa mahabang biyahe mula sa Pilipinas, hindi siya sigurado.
Calyx, in his drunken state, managed to wrap her legs around his waist as he continued pounding her. The way she squeezed his shaft was so pleasurable that he was not going to stop . . . just like the first time.
"C-Cal, I'm . . . "
"Anaise . . . I'm almost there . . . "
Lalong binilisan ni Calyx ang paggalaw hanggang sa marating nilang dalawa ang sukdulan. He spilled his essence in her, not letting a single drop to waste. Not even giving a damn that they had each other in the flesh.
After a minute of catching their breaths, Calyx knew how hard he was still snug in her sex. He was a beast that needed to fill his hunger and thirst.
"C-Cal, t-teka . . . "
But he couldn't wait at all. He wanted to make her moan his name once more. He needed to reach his release again.
Calyx couldn't remember how often they did the deed, but he vaguely recalled taking her in missionary and doggy style. Maybe he only intended to reach the zenith of pleasures in her, or maybe he wanted to impregnate her for real.
Punong-puno rin ng marka ang katawan ni Anaise—mula sa leeg, pababa sa dibdib at tiyan, at umabot din sa kaniyang hita at paligid ng kaniyang pagkababae. Pulos mapupulang marka na iniwan ni Calyx sa kaniyang katawan.
Anaise's face remained flushed, and her breathing ragged like his. She was addicting, and he wanted every ounce of her.
With the remaining ounce of sobriety, Calyx couldn't help and wonder why he didn't open himself to falling for Anaise? Is it because of their status as childhood best friends? Dahil ba nangako siya na aalagan at poprotektahan ang dalaga? At alam niyang kapag nag-iba ang pakitutungo niya sa dalaga, may tsansa na masaktan niya ito at hindi na maibabalik pa ang dating samahan.
But would things have been different if he had looked at her more especially and intimately? Would things have been different if he listened to Anaise to forget about Alessa, who had done nothing but hurt him?
Nakalilito at naramdaman niya na sumasakit na ang kaniyang ulo dahil sa alkohol. Matagal-tagal na rin nang huli niyang maisip si Alessa dahil pulos si Anaise ang dumadalaw sa isipan niya magmula nang umalis siya ng Pilipinas.
Maybe he could use this time to forget everything about Alessa and move on? Makita man niya ang dalaga o hindi, mas mainam na matapos niya ang kahit ano man na ugnayan niya sa dating nobya upang tuluyan na maging masaya.
"A-les . . . " bulong ni Calyx bago siya nakatulog.
At nang magising si Calyx na mag-isa sa kama at walang saplot, naisip niya na sa sobrang kalasingan, pinagnasaan niya na makaniig si Anaise kahit sa panaginip.
Habang hinihilot ang sentido, nais niyang tawanan ang sariling kagaguhan. He was naked under the sheets but there was no sign that he slept with someone.
Besides, there was no way Anaise was there with him last night. It was his presumptuous mind playing tricks with him. It was all in his imagination.
***
Hi everyone! I'm struggling with how this story will run, so I'll release the next one many of you requested. So, yes, this story will be on a hiatus until I get things fixed para masaya rin ako sa kalalabasan.
In two hours, September 9, 2023, at 9:00 P.M. (GMT+8), 《 Save the Bravest from the Past 》 will be published, and it will be the story of the Bartolome's second son and Feuntes' heiress.
Can you guess who?
Thank you, and see you there!
P R I N C E S S T H I R T E E N 0 0
JO ELLE