Chapter 25

Chapter Twenty-Five

“I heard your cousin got back in the country with her child?”

Eleanor asked, breaking the awkward silence surrounding them since the beginning of the movie they are currently watching.

Hindi man sya nakatingin kay Fourth Ycarius na nasa kanyang tabi ay ramdam nya ang pagkagulat nito ng bitawan nya ang mga katagang iyon. She got curious with his sudden reaction, kaya napalingon sya sa lalaki.

Sandaling nanlaki ang mga mata nito saka ibinuka ang mga labi – nagtatangkang magbigay ng pahayag sa sinimulan nyang konbersasyon. Maybe because it’s Eleanor’s first time asking something related to his personal life. Kaya ito nagulat.

Simula ng pinalibutan sila ng katahimikan ay nag-iisip na si Eleanor ng puwede nilang pag-usapan. And the scene with her group mates earlier popped up in her mind. Kaya ito ang kaniyang naitanong.

Plus, she’s also curious if it was indeed Fourth Ycarius that her group mates saw.

“Y-yeah, we strolled around the city earlier.” Nautal na sagot nito habang nakatutok parin ang mga mata sa pinapanood nila. His lips curved up into a small smile at the end of his sentence.

That’s the first time he didn’t looked at her while answering her question. Seguro’y tutok lang ito sa panonood kaya hindi ito tumingin sakanya. But still, Eleanor kind of feel disappointed.

She nodded her head after hearing his response. “Did you have fun?” dugtong nya, na pinasigla ang boses.

“O-of course, I haven’t seen them in a while.” He answered. Though, she didn’t expected him stuttering for the second time.

Doon napakunot ang noo nya. Why is he stuttering? Mukhang wala naman syang ginawang masama.

Eleanor’s eyes were focused on Fourth Ycarius face. Tutok na tutok ito sa telebisyon na hindi man lang nito nagawang lumingon sakanya. Can he feel that she’s staring at his face? Or maybe, he doesn’t mind. Kaya ipinagpatuloy ni El ang pagtingin sa maamong mukha ng lalaki.

The light coming from the television rests on his face like morning sunshine. His dark brown eyes turned to a shade lighter, like they are shinning.

She doesn’t have a specific type or any detailed standard for a guy. In particular, she never had any romantic interest in any guy before that made her think of those things like types and standards. At dahil iyon sa pagka-busy nya sa mga responsibilidad nya Scarletti at sa ipinangako nyang misyon.

But surely, Fourth Ycarius' handsome face made quite some points for her to fall. It wasn’t just his sweet gestures, his words and care for her. It was how he delivered those things with his beautiful hooded eyes and perfectly full lips.

She likes him.

As she observed, pansin nyang mas makinis pa ang mukha nito sa kanyang mukha. O kahit kay Flare na alaga sa skin care ang mukha.

She felt her cheeks turning red when he suddenly smiled because of the movie they’re watching. Her eyes focused on the small strand of hair, peacefully sitting on his flawless cheek.

Eleanor’s hand hesitated at first. But she failed to stop her hand to reach out for it.

Ngunit nabigla si Eleanor ng mapigil ni Fourth Ycarius ang kamay nya. He responded to her attempt so quickly, and looked at her like he stopped someone who’s about to hurt him.

She can feel it on how he’s holding her wrist so tightly. She didn't expect that kind of reaction coming from Fourth Ycarius. Or maybe it's his defense mechanism acting.

Eleanor was shock at his reaction. “S-sorry.” Naiutal nya.

Ng matauhan ay lumambot ang nanlilisik na mga mata ni Fourth. Ang nakasalubong nitong mga kilay ay tila nakaramdam ng ginhawa. But it only lasted for some seconds when his expression changed into something Eleanor cannot distinguish.

Instead of her eyes, or her whole face, Fourth Ycarius was only staring at one specific part of her.

Her lips.

Na para bang kaunti na lang ay susunggabin nya na ito.

And it wasn’t an incorrect assumption.

He looked at her eyes, like he’s pleading, before pressing his lips on hers.

Ngunit hindi iyon nagtagal ng dalawang segundo. And Eleanor shouldn’t feel disappointed. Iyon ang naisip ng huwisyo nya. While her body disagreed with that thought in an instant.

Inilayo man ni Fourth Ycarius ang mukha ay hindi parin ito sapat para bigyan ng tamang distansya si Eleanor upang hindi sya maduling sa pagtingin sakanya.

He’s still too close!

But she didn’t speak a single word and neither did he.

In a blink, his lips were gently pressing on her lower lip for the second time. And it lasted some seconds more than their first kiss.

Tuloy-tuloy ang mabilis na pagkalabog ng puso ni Eleanor habang madiing nakapikit ang mga mata nya. From her wrist, his hand gently caressed her palm and intertwind her hand. Nagdulot iyon ng kakaibang kiliti sakanyag palad na dumaloy sa kanyang buong sistema.

It made her panicked.

Ngunit hindi nya magawang itulak si Fourth Ycarius. And it caused her the dilemma in her thoughts that she never expected to have.

“Open your eyes.” Gumaralgal ang boses nito.

He withdrawn. But she felt like his lips were still pressing on hers. Hindi nya nga ito naramdamang lumayo sakanya.

Parang naaantok ang mga mata ni Eleanor ng buksan nya ang mga ito. Deritsong dumapo ang mga mata nya sa labi ni Fourth Ycarius. Her cheeks burned seeing how it changed a shade pinker than it was before.

Awtomatiko nyang natakpan ang mga labi gamit ang likod ng kanyang palad. But Fourth Ycarius removed it in an instant.

Both of their hands pressed on the soft cushion.

Sinubukan nyang bawiin iyon ngunit nabigo sya.

“I’m not done yet.” Madiin nitong saad habang pinipigilan ang pagbawi ng kanyang kamay.

Eleanor felt a flare igniting in his brown orbs. Na syang nagparamdam sakanya ng kaba.

“I will loosen my grip.” Saad nito, itinaas ang tingin papunta sa mga mata ni Eleanor, “You have to push me away.” Dugtong nya. But his eyes were saying otherwise.

Pabalik-balik ang parehong tingin nila mula sa mata papunta sa labi ng isa’t-isa.

And Eleanor wondered where her voice go, and her years of training on how to punch and throw people even with her hands tied down.

She can’t even lift her hands!

“Push me away.” He repeated, “Because the next one will surely last longer… and deeper.” And looked down on her lips.

She tried to lift her hands once more, “But my ha-“

“Too late.” He cut her off.

Pinaghiwalay ni Fourth Ycarius ang kaninang magkaugnay nilang mga kamay at ipinalibot iyon sa bewang ni Eleanor. He pulled her closer to him as his other hand snaked around her neck, tilting her head to gain more access on her lips.

Madiing nakakuyom ang parehong kamay at mga mata ni Eleanor habang dinadama ang paghalik sakanya ni Fourth. He nibbled her lower lips like an expert, while she sat there like a frozen statue.

Anong gagawin nya? How can she kiss back?

‘I should be pushing him away not thinking of kissing him back!” her mind protested.

She felt Fourth Ycarius’ lips curved to a smile for a second. Na syang nagpadagdag sa kanyang hiya. He pulled her closer as he bit her lower lip. It made Eleanor grabbed the end of his shirt.

Nabuksan nito ang kanyang nakatiim na mga labi na syang nagpamulat ng kanyang mga mata. His tongue stirred an unfamiliar feeling in the depths of her stomach.

The fear of that unknown reaction gave her the strength to push him away. At sa sobrang lakas ng pagkatulak nya ay tumilapon si Fourth Ycarius sa sahig.

…..

“Thank you talaga, friend.” Ngiting pasalamat ni Flare ng matanggap ang hihiramin nyang notes.

Wala silang pasok sa kasalukuyang araw kaya pumunta ito sa condo nya. Hindi lang para manghiram ng notes kundi makichika rin sa ganap ng buhay nya.

Pero hindi sya makukumbinsi nito na ekwento ang parting iyon ng mga nangyari kagabi.

“So ano na?” anito ng makaupo sya.

“Anong, ‘ano na’?” she responded. Nagmamaang-maangan.

“Yung kasunod ng kwento mo!” sigaw nito.

“Wala nga.” She ended, “Diba may importatante kang sasabihin sakin?” paalala nya, also changing their topic.

“Ay, oo nga pala!” she remembered, “May family outing kami this Saturday. Three days and two nights kaya absent ako sa Monday.”

“Family outing? With your aunts?” she asked.

Mabilis itong umiling saka ngumiti, “Sina Mama at Papa.”

“Does his… wife know?” Maingat nyang tanong.

Palagi nila itong napag-uusapan kaya normal lamang sakanila ang ganitong uri ng mga tanong.

Flare nodded, “Alam naman daw ng asawa nya. Pinayagan pa nga daw sya dahil para naman daw sakin.” Ngiti nitong sagot, “He also wants me to bring one friend para daw hindi ako ma bored! Kaya ikaw kaagad ang naisip ko. Ano? Sama ka?”

Saturday’s the day of the party’s she’s invited to.

At Family outing iyon, “I-I have some important matters to handle this weekend.” Malungkot na aniya.

“Sayang naman, El! Sabi pa naman ni Papa pilitin kitang sumama!” she exclaimed.

Napataas ang kilay niya, “Kilala niya ‘ko? Nakuwento mo ba ako sakanya?” she asked, confirming something.

Umiling si Flare, “He said he knows all of my friends, he wanted to get close to me kaya daw ganon.” Inosenteng sagot nito, napatango naman sya.

Muli pa silang nagkuwentuhan bago niya inihatid sa labas si Flare.

Nasa labas sila ng kanyang pintuan, naghahandang ihatid si Flare palabas ng building ng lumabas si Fourth Ycarius sa condo nito. And the images of last night’s scenes flashed back on her almost peaceful mind.

Especially after their eyes met.

Nagpaalam sya kay Flare bago bumalik sa kanyang condo at dumiretso sa kanyang kwarto. She threw herself on her bed and covered her face with her pillow.

Lutang ang kaniyang isipan ng napatingin sya sa kanyang bedside table at nakitang wala doon ang kanilang family picture na kinaiingatan nya. She stood up and opened the drawer, only finding out that it’s empty.

Binuksan nya ang iba pang cabinet sa kaniyang kuwarto at tiningnan ang bawat parte ng kaniyang condo kung saan nya puwede itong nailagay. Even the places she doesn’t usually put things in.

But she didn’t find it.

Where did it go?