Forty-Two: Tyler Osmond
YOU know that feeling you get as you watch the beautiful as it sets, its bright colors slowly paints the sky. Then there's the sea just few feet away from you, its rhythmic waves were calling your name.
That's exactly what I was feeling right now.
Serene. Peaceful. Home.
The same feeling I had nung unang beses naming napanood yung sunrise sa Subic. And yep, the same image that's in my head.
"You whimpered," tukso ko kay Vanessa habang ang kanang kamay ay marahang humahaplos sa gilid ng mukha niya. I just can't keep my hands off her. Ngumisi ako bago idinugtong, "Am I that good?"
Pinanood ko kung paano nawala ang ekspresyon sa mukha niya bago napailing sa akin. Then she snickered. "That's not even a real kiss."
Nanlaki ang mga mata ko roon.
"That's just a smack," patuloy ni Vanessa, suot pa rin ang ekspresyon kanina. "Well a very long one but still, a smack."
I laughed then. A surprised one.
Did she just mock my kissing skills?
I bit my lip as I tried to compose my emotion. That really hit a nerve. And I all I wanted to do is to defend myself right now.
But then I thought why bother doing that when I could do something else?
I smiled at her now, elated of the plan in my head.
I moved my body closer to Vanessa and smirked when she sucked in a deep breath. "Ready for the real kiss?"
Hindi siya sumagot, patuloy lang akong tinitigan. And damn if her slightly hooded eyes now were telling me otherwise. Kaya't hindi ko na pinatagal pa at sinimulan nang ibaba ang mukha sa kanya.
When our lips touched again, for the third time, I made sure to move. I can't have Vanessa doubting my kissing skills anymore.
And when I heard a sound of approval from her, I deepened the kiss. I took her bottom lip and sucked on it. When she gasped and opened her lips, I slipped my tongue inside, meeting hers and tangling it with mine.
Pumulupot ang kamay niya sa leeg ko, hinila ako papalapit sa kanya habang humigpit naman ang kapit ko sa kanyang bewang.
I gave my all in this kiss, trying to convey to her what's inside my heart through my lips.
And moments after, when the two of us retreated from each other for air, I got to ask. "Did that deliver?"
Hindi sumagot si Vanessa. She just remained looking at me as if still in dazed. But her pink tinged cheeks, glassy eyes and the way she's still panting for air should be enough answer for me.
At alam ko namang hindi pa ako pumapalya sa ganoong bagay. My lips might not be in real action for quite a long time but I know it was still working perfectly fine. At lalong hindi maaring mabawasan yung skills ko just because I had taken some rest. A long one, but still.
That's perhaps why it was not enough for me. I need Vanessa to say it too.
So I asked her another question. "Was it good?"
Parang lutang pa rin, parehong umangat ang mga kilay ni Vanessa. "Huh?"
Smiling at her, I repeated it, much specific this time. "The kiss...was it good?"
Muli, hindi na naman siya sumagot. Basta lang tinitigan ako. But then she displayed that breathtaking smile and I felt like I was the one who's starting to be in dazed.
Saka sinabi niya, "What will I get in return kung sasagutin ko yan?"
At tila nabaligtad na nga ang sitwasyon, ako naman ang napatanga sa kanya. "Huh?"
Mahinang natawa si Vanessa bago kinagat ang labi, tila pinipigilan ang sarili. That caught my attention. At kaunti na lang talaga'y malapit ko nang isarang muli ang distansya naming dalawa, ngipin ko naman ang sunod na kakagat sa labi niya.
I groaned as I shook that image. More restraint, Tyler. You certainly need to restrain yourself more.
Regaining now my composure, I answered her. "Because if you'll tell me it isn't good then my ego will be hurt. But then my will to prove to you that I'm good at this is stronger that I have to kiss you again until you tell me that it's good."
Napakagat na naman ng labi si Vanessa. At ngayon ay hindi ko na itinago ang ungol ko dahil sa ginawa niya. She seemed surprised by it but she quickly replaced with a frown. At hindi ko naman alam kung para saan yun.
Then she told me. "What if I'm in the middle?"
Kumunot ang noo ko. "What do you mean?"
"Like I know you know what's my answer to that," simula niya. "Thing is I am hesitant to answer it kasi..."
"Kasi?" ulit ko nang naging matagal ang pagtigil niya.
Vanessa let out a deep breath before she finally said, "You'll no longer kiss me if I say it's good."
Mahina lang iyon. And if we weren't so close like this, I'd mistake it for another thing. But Vanessa really said that. Another proof was the additional color in her cheeks as she bowed down, avoiding my gaze.
I kept my smile at minimum before I touched her chin and gently lift it up, making our eyes meet again. "And what made you think of that?"
Bahagyang nagsalubong ang mga kilay niya. "You just said it a while ago. Na kapag hindi ako um-oo, you'll prove that you're really good at it."
Tumango naman ako roon, hindi na rin napigilan pa ang ngiti nang mapansing may mga iniwasan siyang sabihin. "Yes, I said that. Pero wala din naman akong sinabing gagawin kapag oo yung sakaling isagot mo." I smiled even more. "Like if you'd say yes then I'll be so damn happy. And out of happiness, I'd kiss you senseless."
Natawa na rin si Vanessa. And I liked how her eyes appeared smaller as she did that. I liked her this way. I liked seeing her happy. And I liked it even more knowing that it's because of me.
It took a while before she stopped laughing. And when she did, I noticed a different light in her eyes.
"It's a yes, then," she finally admitted. "It was good. You're good at it." At napataas ang kilay ko nang maramdaman ang kamay niya sa magkabila kong balikat bago unti-unting pumulupot iyon sa leeg ko. "So, now can you show me something better?"
Umangat ang kilay ko habang medyo napanganga. Did she just imply what I thought she's implying?
Tinanong ko na siya. "You're collecting the kiss now?"
And to my another surprise, she excitedly nodded. "Yes, I do. And you better do it quick. May nine ka pang utang sa akin."
At hindi na nga ako nagpatumpik-tumpik pa. Laughing, I closed the distance between us and once again, claiming her lips.
*
Nine kisses after. Okay, nine long kisses after, we stayed lying down on the loveseat.
Loveseat, ulit ko sa isipan at napangiti. I always referred to it as couch but loveseat seemed to be the fitting one right now. And why not?
It's being laid down by lovers. Lovers, inulit ko rin yang sabihin sa isipan ko. And my smiled became bigger as I went on with my light strokes on Vanessa's arm.
"What are you smiling at?"
Napatingin ako kay Vanessa na nakatingala ngayon sa akin. My one arm was under her head and used it as her pillow.
Hindi pa rin inaalis ang ngiti sa labi, marahan kong iginiya ang katawan at humarap sa kanya. I used my other hand to fix the few strands of her hair and tucked it behind her hair. Saka ako nagsalita na. "I'm just happy."
"I'm happy too," sagot sa akin ni Vanessa saka siya napangiti rin nang ubod laki. Involuntarily, my eyes went to her lips and I bit my lip when I noticed it was still slightly swollen.
"What's up?"
Umangat ang tingin ko sa mata niya. I smiled at her softly before my thumb touched her lips lightly. "Your lips are still a little bit of puffy. Parang kinagat ka ng insekto."
She playfully rolled her eyes. "Though, hindi talaga insekto yung kumagat sa akin ," sagot niya. "Oops no. Pwede pala. Insekto nga. Yun nga lang, malaking insekto."
I bit my lip, trying not to laugh as I uttered my apology. "Sorry. Na-carried away lang ako kanina. Ikaw kasi...bakit ba kasi nakakagigil ka?"
Pinanood ko kung paanong namilog ang mga mata niya bago niya hinampas ang dibdib ko. "Tyler!"
"What?" I innocently shot back. "Yun naman ang totoo eh."
At wala na siyang nagawa kundi ang ilingan ako.
Binaba ko naman ang kamay, ngayon ay iniyakap na sa bewang niya. I don't know. Pero mula kanina ay parang gusto ko na lang na magkadikit ang katawan naming dalawa.
"But it still feels surreal that you're my girlfriend now," I told her suddenly.
Tumango naman siya doon. "I agree. Feeling ko nanaginip lang ako ngayon."
"Should I do something then to prove that this is not a dream?"
Kabadong natawa si Vanessa. "Shut up. Alam ko na kung saan yan pupunta. At hindi ka ba naaawa sa lips ko? Namamaga pa nga eh."
I laughed at her then. A hearty one. I pinched her nose. "Silly. Yes, maybe I was thinking about kissing you. Pero, lips lang ba ang pwedeng halikan?"
As if still confused, Vanessa muttered, "Huh?"
Napahinga na lang ako nang malalim bago sumagot. "I'm talking about this."
Then I moved closer to her, pressing my lips on her forehead, letting it linger there. At sa pagkakataong iyon, sa pagpikit ng aking mga mata, may tatlong salitang naglaro sa isipan ko, nagbabantang sabihin ng bibig.
But in the end, I kept it hidden inside me.