Chapter 10
I neatly tucked Adie on her bed after our mini-discussion about her homework. She did quite exemplary work on it. She didn't even need to ask every set of question, natutuwa lang ako dahil alam na niya kung anong isasagot niya. And now I wonder kung ganito rin ba katalino si Cashel but I guess he is. He's using his popularity--his image to gain money and it's not bad at all.
Ako na rin naman ang nag-ayos ng mga gamit ni Adie. She got tired after doing some of her homework. Siguro hindi na lang ako magpapahomework sa susunod. I mean, some kids don't really have someone to look at them at nagkataon lang na nandito ako sa apartment nila to check on her. After all, masyado pa silang bata para lunurin sa mga sandamakmak na homework.
And it's nine in the evening already, Cashel isn't home yet. Though I've received a message from him earlier says: Thank you for staying with Adie. Wait for me, okay?
And after that, I called him but he didn't respond to my calls or messages. Nangbababae ba 'tong lalaking 'to at hindi man lang sagutin ang tawag ko? Kung wala siguro kaming agreement, his mouth would be lounging to French girls tongue. Iniisip ko pa lang, nandidiri na ako. Imagine, nag-espadahan kami ng dila tapos makikipag espadahan din siya sa iba? E di sana pala, sabay sabay na lang kaming nagespadahan para worth it ang time!
I checked Cashel's every social media. Walang updated na posts or stories. I stayed in the couch, nakikipaglaban sa antok. Tinanong pa ko ni Salve kung uuwi na ba raw ako o hindi para masabihan niya 'yong driver ni Cashel. I just told her that Cashel told me to stay so she let it go.
But then checking his social media from time to time won't help me. I slept with it.
The next thing I knew, I was being carried by someone heading somewhere. I startled. Literal na nanginig ang buo kong pagkatao ng malaman kong buhat buhat ako ng isang tao. When my eyes adjusted from the darkness, I slowly figuring out kung sino 'tong taong 'to.
He's not talking. Tumatawa lang siya ng mahina sa akin. But a light coming somewhere in his room light his face up. Napansin kong nakangisi na siya and with those lips, nakilala ko na agad kung sino 'yon.
"Cashel?" I mumbled, even questioning myself. Hindi naman ako mabubuhat ni Adie at ni Salve.
"Bonsoir, Cosette," he giggled. "Did I wake you up?" (Good evening, Cosette.)
"You did," I answered. "But I was waiting for you. Saan mo ba ako dadalhin?"
"To my room," sagot nito sa akin.
Kumunot ang noo ko. Pinalo ko siya sa braso niya para ibaba niya ako. "Bakit mo naman ako dadalhin sa kwarto mo? Are you going to do something for me?"
"Would I be doing anything to you?" he countered. "Are you thinking of something, Cosette?"
"No," depensa ko sa kanya.
Saglit lang ng marating namin ang kwarto niya. He reaches for the knob and pushes it forward inside. Hindi niya pa rin ako binibitawan hangga't sa makapasok din kami sa loob ng kwarto. He searches for the switch on the wall with his hands and a second later, the whole room lights up.
My eyes squinted from the light and later it gave me a better sight of Cashel. My face is scrunching, staring at him while my hand still hooks around his neck.
His face looks so tired but his smile makes it more genuine. Pero agad ko siyang sinampal ng mahina at agad niya akong sinimangutan.
"What was that for?" taka niyang tanong sa akin.
Ichuckled. "Well, that's for waiting me all night. Bakit ngayon ka lang dumating? I've tucked Adie in her bed. Nakatulog na lang ako kakahintay sa 'yo. You can't do that to me again, Cashel. I hate waiting."
"Sure," he said and he pulled me closer to his face and then he pucked his lips. Tinakpan ko naman ng kamay ko ang bibig niya at inilayo ko sa kanya.
"Ano na naman 'yang ginagawa mo? Why aren't you putting me down? Nasa kwarto mo na tayo e."
"Sorry," hagikgik pa nito at dahan dahan niya rin akong ibinaba sa kama niya. "I was just trying to give you a kiss for coming home late."
"What the fuck?!" my eyes widened. "Your kiss won't be an answer for coming home late!"
But I didn't expect what he did next. He leaned closer to me. Halos ilang inches na lang ang pagitan ng mga mukha namin. Napaatras din ako pero mas inilalapit niya ang mukha niya sa akin. I could feel his breath. It is warm and it smells nice. My eyes travel from his eyes, to his nose down to his lips.
"And now you're looking at it," he smirked. "Are you sure you don't want to taste it?"
This time, I pushed him away from me. Itinaas ko na rin ang paa ko para masipa ko siya palayo sa akin.
Tinawanan niya lang ako. Does he thinks na nakikipaglaro lang siya sa akin? Akala niya laru-laro lang ang kiss? I know beso is normal for French people but reasoning it for coming home late, kay Cashel ko lang narinig 'to.
"Why are you pushing me away? You don't want a kiss?"
I shook my head determined. "Nope. I can kiss myself and I don't need your lips touching mine. I can't have your tongue in my mouth anymore."
"Oooh," he swooned. "I don't believe it won't happen again, Cosette."
"Really?"
He laughed. "Yup. Wait, I'm going to get some stuff back in the living room. Wait for me here. I also got something for you."
"What is it?" I crease my forehead but he didn't get to answer it when he immediately left the room.
Even though I want to settle myself on his bed, hinihintay ko naman siyang bumalik. Ilang sandali lang ng sinipa niya ang pinto para bumukas ito ng maluwag at bumungad siyang ang daming buhat na paper bags sa kamay at mga kung ano-ano pang box sa kanyang braso.
I helped him with it at nilapag namin iyon sa ibabaw ng kama.
"And where did you get all of this?" I asked him. Hindi ko na mabilang kung ilan ang paper bag na dala dala niya. Nilingon ko siya at tinaasan ng kilay. "Sponsors?"
"No, actually they're from my fans," ngiting aso pa ni Cashel. Nagsimula naman siyang kunin isa isa iyon. "I just got to pick up some fan mails but I didn't expect that I'll get so much of this. I wonder if some of these are for you."
"No, I don't think so," iling ko pa at tatayo na ako sa kinauupuan ko pero pinigilan niya ako. He even shut the door behind him.
"You're not going anywhere," aniya at tining niya ang orasan sa kanyang phone. "Even though it's ten in the evening, stay with me and so for the meantime. And I already told my driver to go home so no one will take you home. Only me."
"There's the metro," I pointed.
"Uh, yeah, sure but would you spend your night alone in your room tonight?"
"Ano bang gusto mong mangyari?"
He shrugged off his shoulder. "Nothing... c'mon, stay with me for the next hour. And we'll open these fan mails and there might be something for you in here."
I heaved out a sighed and rolled my eyes. "Sige na, oo na. Fine, Cashel. But you owe me. I helped your little sister."
"Sure, what do you want me to do?"
"Let me think about me first," aniko. "So, are we just going to stare at these paper bags?"
"Of course, we will, let's start."
Cashel and I started opening the paper bags. Mostly, some of them are clothes with handwritten letters. It has some perfumes, a teddy bear, scarves. Nang ako naman ang nagbukas ng isang paper bag, sinilip ko iyon pero nakabox pa iyon kaya naman kinuha ko siya at nang titigan ko kung ano iyon. Lumukot ang mukha ko at natawa na lang ng napakalakas. Agad kong tinakpan ang bibig ko dahil baka magising si Adie.
"What?" Cashel curiously asked. Inagaw naman niya sa akin ang hawak kong box at natawa rin siya ng makita niya iyon. Nahawa naman ako sa tawa niya at tinakpan ko rin ang bibig niya kasi nagbabadya siyang tumawa rin ng malakas. "This is so good!"
Inilabas niya ang underwear mula sa box at iniharap niya iyon sa mukha naming dalawa.
"Do you really accept this kind of gifts from your fans? I think this is too much, right? Tapos ipo-post mo rin 'to sa mga social media mo?"
"No, why would I do that?" he chuckled. "I only post photos of mine on underwear when it's taken by a professional photographer. Not I have usually taken from the bathroom mirror."
"Cashel, ngayon pa lang, naiisip kong may tinatago ka ng scandal sa phone mo," ngisi ko pa sabay tawa.
"Do you want to see it?" he queried and took his phone out. Tatabi pa sana siya sa akin para ipakita sa akin ang scandal sa phone niya, tinakpan ko na lang ang mga mata ko. "Why are you covering your eyes? Don't you want to see it?"
"Putik ka, Cash! 'Wag ako, alam kong maliit lang 'yan!"
"Ouch," he acted like he was hurt by acting as he touches his left chest. Galing umarte. Deserving sa best actor award. "That's so harsh, Cosette. But you wouldn't believe it if you saw it before your eyes."
I grunted and rolled my eyes. "Nope. Please. Can we just continue checking all of your fan mails? I hope we'll still get more weird items."
He chuckled. "Underwear isn't weird. I wear them and I love my fans who send those kinds of gifts to me. Well, most of them wanted to see me in underwear but I probably won't be posting it publicly. So yeah, we'll continue unpacking every bag now."
As we open more of his gifts, mas marami pa kaming nakitang handwritten letters, phone customed cases, sweaters, cartoon socks. Good thing, wala akong sex toy na nakita because that would freak me out. If he'll get one, anong gagawin niya do'n? And that thought didn't slip out of my head as we continued unpacking.
"Oh, wait!" Cashel gasped as he found something new in the bag in his hand. Inilabas naman niya 'yong gamit doon. He took out some dress inside of it. "I think this is for you, it has your name on it."
He handed the dress to me and I think it is a maroon sundress.
"Who would be giving me such stuff like this?"
"Because you're my girlfriend, Cosette. Is that even a question?"
"Well, we're not."
"But that's what the public sees on us," aniya. "There could be others too! Let me check it out!"
Pinanood ko naman siyang buksan pa ang ibang paper bags and then the few ones was meant for me. Isa isa niyang nilabas at binigay sa akin ang mga sapatos. Kahit siya ay nagugulat sa mga binibigay sa akin. Hindi rin naman ako makapaniwala dahil may nagbibigay sa akin. There are short boots, sandals, flats, shirts, and sweaters that are same as his.
"Maybe we should get you a PO Box too. Trust me, fan mails are one of a kind," he chuckled.
I shrugged off. "I don't know.... do you think so?"
"Yes," he agreed. "I'll definitely make you one tomorrow."
"Sure, thanks?"
He chuckled and was about to kiss me again but I blocked him. Niyakap na lamang niya ako and he still smells good. His own smell and his perfume doesn't make any bad smell, mabango siya. Sarap singhutin all through the night.
"Okay," he growled as he stood up from the bed. "I'm just going to take a shower and if you want to try it out, go for it. I'll be just quick and we're off to bed now."
"Wait, what?!" I retorted but he immediately left the room.
Napasinghal na lamang ako ng malalim at kahit umangal ako ay wala na akong magagawa. Just like what he said, I did try some of the shoes but not the clothes. Pinatong ko lang sila sa katawan ko at humarap ako sa salamin para tingnan kung maganda ba sa akin ang mga iyon. And everything looks like fine to me. These are all French branded clothes and shoes kaya hindi na ako tatanggi pa.
It only took me ten minutes when I'm done checking the stuff. Saglit lang din ng bumalik si Cashel sa kwarto na may tapis na lamang ng tuwalya sa kanyang baywang. Napatitig ako sa katawan niya. I've only seen him topless on his IG photos but in person, he's such a meal.
His built is muscly-normal. Hindi gano'ng malaman na puro muscles, he has an average toned body. His abs are very evident at iyong buhok sa ilalim ng pusod niya ay patuloy sa loob ng tuwalya. Hindi ko alam pero napalunok na lamang ako ng laway ko.
And what surprised me when he take his towel off. Bigla akong napapikit sa mga mata ko dahil hindi pa ako ready na makita ang kanyang buong pagkatao pero saglit lang din ng marinig ko si Cashel na tumatawa.
"Why are you closing your eyes?" Cashel wondered.
Dahan dahan kong minulat ang mata ko at napansin kong nakasuot na siya ng boxer brief. He's not putting on any clothes. He just jumped in his bed and settled himself under the blanket.
"Anong ginagawa mo?" I asked. "Are you going to sleep while I'm still wearing my work clothes?"
"Uh... do you want to get naked?"
I stared blankly at him. "Cashel, are you joking?"
"Of course... yes!" he hopped out of the bed and I moved away when he comes to my way. Tumungo siya sa closet niya at may kinuha siyang jogger pants at shirt. Inabot naman niya sa akin 'yon. "You can use this... might be more often."
"Teka... hindi mo ba ako ihahatid sa apartment ko? Why are you going to bed when I'm still here? Cashel, 'yong totoo? Dito mo ba ako papatulugin?"
He once again shrugged off. "I guess, you deserve to stay sleep here after working all day. And there's nothing wrong naman 'di ba? We're in a relationship and we can sleep together in a bed, right?"
Hindi ako sumagot but I took the clothes from his hands.
"You're not getting away with this, Cash. Gising mo ako ng maaga bukas so I don't have to be late tomorrow at my class, okay?"
"Sure," ngiti pa nito sa akin na hindi ko sigurado kung totoo o niloloko lang ako. "You can change here, don't worry I won't look."
"Really?"
He bobbed his head like a kid. Agad naman siyang tumalikod sa akin at naglakad pabalik sa kama. When he's still not looking on my direction, mabilis kong hinubad ang dress ko at agad ko ring sinuot ang shirt na pinahiram niya sa akin at jogger pants. Maluwag ang shirt sa akin, komportable naman ako roon at kahit na sa medyo maluwag ito sa hips ko ay hinigpitan ko na lamang ang strings nito.
Bumalik naman ako sa kama at tumabi ako sa kanya.
"Are you done?" he asked, trying to peek at me.
"Yup, I am..." I asked and he instantly changes his position to look at me.
And then he looked at me from head to toe. "Wow, that looks good on you. But you would look good if you became my wife."
Naningkit ang mata ko sa sinabi niya. "Nope, that didn't really work out. Ang corny mo, Cashel. Try something else, 'yong effective, okay?"
He smirked. "Sure, next time."
"We should set a divider between us," suhestyon ko. "A pillow could separate both of us."
"No, unnecessary."
"What?! Gusto mo bang magbuhol ang katawan natin dito?"
And then he gave me a playful smile. "Do you want it?"
I groaned. "No."
Kumuha ako ng unan at nilagay ko 'yon sa pagitan naming dalawa. Pareho naman kaming nakatingin sa kisame at ang bawat hininga lang namin ang nariring namin sa isa't isa.
"Are you going to sleep now, Cosette?"
"I don't know... hindi pa ako dinadalaw ng antok."
"Maybe we should spend the whole night awake."
"No, we can't. I can't. May trabaho pa ako bukas. I can't miss a day in my work. Matulog na tayong dalawa. Maybe you still have a lot of things to do tomorrow."
"Maybe we can also do something tonight?"
"Cash."
"Cosette."
"Stop."
And then he's in silence. Pinakiramdam ko pa siya ng ilang minuto pero hindi na siya nagsasalita. When I tried to peek on him, mukhang natutulog na siya. He's sleeping on his side already then I've got the idea to take the pillow off between us. Then I smelled him. Lumapit ako ng bahagya sa kanya at inamoy ko siya mula sa batok niya at sa kanyang braso. He really smells good. He only took ten minutes showers kanina pero he smells good.
And then a moment later, he changes his position at natigilan pa ako sa nangyari. He's not asleep. He searches for my eyes and we made contact for a few minutes until he spoke.
"Are you sniffing the good smell out of me, Cosette?" he asked pero hindi ko siya sinagot. Everything about him is good. He's like a wine, I'm already addicted to it. "Would you like to taste this too?"
He leaned closer to my face and one thing I'm sure I'm aware of our lips touches and that didn't stop there. Our tongues met once more and the next thing I knew, I got lost in the moment in which I didn't mind what could be happening next.
His lips, everything of him makes me feel gullible inside and I like it. I like the way he's treating me and what could ever be the outcome of our fake show, I'm already wondering... it could turn real.
***
Hi guys! Thank you for reading! Let me know your thoughts!
#FrenchKissInParis10 #FKIP10
Interact with me on Twitter >>> @Imjacobxoxo