HINDI MALAMAN ni Kimberly kung paanong kapit sa hand rail ang dapat niyang gawin habang hinahabol ang mabibigat na paghinga. The water before her was moving and she could feel it almost reaching her chin. Her toes were barely touching the floor under water and she's more than sure that she was just few inches from drowning, but... "Oh...Jace!" Isang halos hindi makilalang ungol ang kumawala sa kanya kasabay ng pagpikit ng mata. Nang hindi pa maging sapat yon para kontrolin ang panginginig ng kanyang hubad na kalamnan ay mariin niyang nakagat ang pang-ibabang labi para ikulong ang isa na namang nakakadarang na ungol mula sa kanyang lalamunan. "I'm... I'm oh!" she felt her folds parted and darn her for knowing what was that warm thing that was lapsing her core. Naramdaman niya nang umangat ang isa niyang hita at sumampay yon sa matigas na balikat. Lalong bumuka ang kanyang mga binti, kasunod ng pagtama ng kanyang balakang sa sinasandalang tiles. " Jace!" Her back arched when the wo
It was the longest ten seconds of her life. Kimberly had never felt so hesitant before until that time came when she had to wait for his reaction while standing butt naked on a mansion's rooftop. Every second was just too silent, long and totally disturbing... Napayakap siya sa sarili nang umihip ang hangin. The night was dark and cold, pero wala yon kumpara sa blangkong titig ni Jace - nakakapangyelo ng puso. "Ano? Wala ka bang sasabihin?" Untag niya rito nang di na makatiis. Hindi pa rin ito kumilos hanggang sa paulit-ulit nalang siyang mapakurap. She breathed deep in an attempt to push back her tears and hold herself together. ‘Dang it! Masakit pala ang maapakan ang pride’. "Fine." She jerked her head with a fake grin and continued with the hardest monologue she ever delivered. Tutal para namang wala siyang kausap eh. "If that’s what you want. Sana noong dumating si Dad, sinoli mo nalang ako..." Alam niya na magkasing pula na ang kanyang mga mata at pisngi sa sobrang pagkapah
‘Make love to me, please...’ . Sandaling napatigil sa ginagawa ang kamay ni Kimberly nang maalala ang mga katagang ‘yon. Nagtataka pa rin siya kung paanong ang simpleng mga salitang ‘yon ay nauwi sa sitwasyon ngayon. Halos isang linggo na rin ang nakakaraan nang magbago ang sitwasyon nila ni Jace. And all through those days, hindi niya na rin maintindihan ang nadarama niya rito. She felt closer. Pero ang nakakatawa... hindi awkward. Parang napakanatural lang na ganoon sila magkalapit. She shook her head to refocus herself. One sigh and she went back to scribbling on that notebook he left for her. Sabi ni Jace mahilig daw sya mag-scribbles. Ang nangyari, sa gulo yata ng isip niya, nagkapunit-punit ang iniwan nitong papel, yung iba nasa sahig, yung iba naman nakalamukos sa desk. Sa dulo ng lamesa naman ay mayroon ding mataas na baso ng juice, platitong may sandwich, at sticky note. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Be back in a few. Need
Three in the morning. One cold rainy night. One dark room and twenty-five possible sleeping positions with zero hours of sleep. What could be more devastating? Isang malalim na bintong-hininga ang nagawa ni Kimberly nang muling bumiling sa kama. ‘Twenty-six.” she desperately counted, setting her gaze at the beeping red numbers on the alarm clock. It was two-twenty na ng madaling araw pero wala pa si Jace. Nang magbago ang numero sa minutero ng orasan at muli siyang bumiling. “Twenty-seven.” Ilang minuto pa ang lumipas hanggang sa tuluyan na niyang nakalimutan ang kanyang binibilang. Napapagod na siya sa kakahintay pero hindi naman niya makuhang isara ang mga mata. Her senses were searching for that familiar warmth that never missed to hold her at night. Wala sa sarili na napalingon siya sa pwestong inookupa ni Jace sa napakalaking kama bago napakagat ng labi. ‘The right side as he always said,’ she thought, as one of her hands moved on its own to snatched his pillow. Pumikit siya
Hindi ka ba gutom?"Kimberly’s fingers went hard around the cup she was using. Giving the man before her a hesitant stare, she pushed her plate forward.Madilim pa rin ang buong paligid habang nakaupo siya sa harapan ni Pete. Malawak naman ang kusina ng mansyon pero pakiramdam niya napakaliit noon para sa kanilang dalawa.Gumagawa ng ingay ang tunog ng ulan na humahampas sa bintana. Malakas, maingay, at lalong nagpapabigat sa hangin na nakapaligid sa kanila.“Kakainin mo naman siguro ‘yong niluto ko para sa’yo, diba?” She wasn’t able to open her mouth. Ang totoo, gusto niyang himatayin habang nakatitig kay Pete. Sa truwing kikidlat kasi ay nakikita niya ang mga tilamsik ng dugong nasa kanang pisngi at balikat nito, pulang-pula at napakarami. Katulad ng rock garden sa labas ay napakalamig ng lalaki kahit pa nga malumanay naman ito magsalita. Basag din ang isang lente ng salamin nito, na tila may sumuntok dito at napuruhan yon. The black turtle-neck sweater gave him that dignified edg
"HINDI TOTOO YON!"Kimberly's throat felt like tearing into pieces as she screamed those words for the hundredth time. Marahas na sinipa niya ang brake ng kotse nang biglang may gumuhit na hapdi sa kanyang ulo.I did not do that. It wasn't me. It wasn't my name!The sudden stop created a loud screeching sound in the middle of that damn stormy night. Gumewang ng sinasakyan niya pero hindi na niya inalintana man lang nang sumalpok ang gilid noon sa isa sa mga punong nasa gilid ng daan.Her head crashed against the window of the driver's side door and yet she didn't even move to protect herself from the impact. She closed her eyes before parting her mouth to breath when a warm streak of blood ran down her cheek.She felt her new wound stung and burned but it wasn't anything compared to the pain that had been eating her guts since she started driving."Hindi ako yon." she denied with her shaky voice when she opened her eyes and met a broken girl staring back at her from the rear view mirr
PASADO ALAS DOSE. ‘Yon ang oras na nakita ni Kim nang sandali lingunin ang orasan na nakakabit sa dashboard.The storm was still heavy against her car's windshield - so much that for a second, she wondered which of the two actually weighs more - the rain or her heart?Malakas na buntong hininga ang pinakawalan niya bago inabot ang cellphone mula sa patungan. Doing so made her get a glimpse at the huge bag on the passenger seat. Umaapaw ang laman noon at halos hindi na maisara ang zipper. Sa ibabaw, nakapatong ang isang manipis na notebook na naninilaw ang mga pahina.She evaded the sight of it. The way her heart cringed whenever she remember what was there made her chill.Akma siyang papatayin ang Google Map ng kanyang telepono nang bigla iyong tumunog at mag-vibrate.‘Damn!’ Mabilis niyang nahagis pabalik ang cellphone sa kanyang pinagkuhanan. Agad na lumagabog ang kanyang dibdib sa simpleng pagbungad pa lang sa screen. The name alone made her eyes watered.It was Jace.....'F*CK
Night came too early that day. The whole city was already dark at six. She lost count of how many hours passed since she sat behind that couch. Her back against it as she rested on the floor.Trying to count all her mistakes wasn’t an easy task. Napakarami niya palang nagawang pagkakamali. At malamang mas marami pa iyon kaysa sa mga patak ng ulan na humahampas sa floor-to-ceiling na glasswindow sa kanyang harapan.'Si Pete, Jace, at ako...’ Galit na naisata ni Kimberly ang hawak na folder nang sumigid ang sakit sa kanyang ulo. Nanginig pati tuhod niya sa kirot nang saluhin nang mapasabunot siya sa kanyang buhok at ibuhos ang gigil doon.Aside from understanding how she ended up believing that she killed someone, the cassette player lying silently near her toes gave her a clear idea of how she had an accident that day too.Tama si Pete. Nai-record nga pala sa tawag niya ang buong pangyayari. Mula sa oras na nangangako si Jace na darating ito sa kanyang kaarawan, hanggang sa pag-uusap n