"Paris..."

I heard Aidan call my name but I didn't look back. I kept my eyes close forcing myself to sleep, while he's behind me, just an arm away and I don't know what he's doing since I'm not facing him.

"I know you're awake..."

Wala akong pakialam. I wanna spat those words in his face, but I'd rather not to. Silence means everything anyway.

"Alright, if you don't wanna talk to me fine. But I'll talk to you, since I wanna talk to you." He said in a stubborn manner, making me roll my eyes. "I like your back, it's beautiful. Though I'd appreciate it more if you'll turn to face me, but anyway this will do..."

Whatever, Aidan.

"I love how black your hair is. I love how sleek and straight it is and I love it too, whenever you style it in big curls. I love it in bun, or through your shoulders, whatever you do to your hair... I love it."

Hindi ko alam kung para saan ang mga sinasabi ni Aidan but his words caught my attention.

"You have a nice skin color, it doesn't look pale and doesn't look off. It's radiant, vibrant." As he those words, I felt his hand went on my waist, tugging me close to him. "I like the feel of your skin against mine."

I closed my eyes when I felt his hand in my stomach and his nose sniffing the scent of my neck.

"I love you dark eyes, your upturned little nose, your lips... you're beautiful, Paris..." Napasinghap ako nang itaas nito ang t-shirt na aking suot upang ipasok doon ang kaniyang kamay, he then caressed the little bulge in my stomach. "This is the most beautiful part of you..."

"Aidan..." I called out his name in a whisper.

"Hmm?"

Idinampi nito ang kaniyang labi sa sensitibong bahagi ng aking leeg na siyang nag-dulot sakin ng kakaibang kiliti, kasabay noon ay ang marahang paglakbay ng kaniyang palad paakyat saking dibdib.

"You want this?" He whispered in my ears, gently fondling one side of my breast. "Patingin ako..."

I moaned when he freed my breast from the shirt I'm wearing.

"Damn, baby you're beautiful..." He groaned, index finger teasing the tip of my peak. "I love your breast, Paris... they're equally beautiful as you are. I love how they fit my hand..."

Sa kabila ng sensasyong bumabalot saking pagkatao ay nagawa ko pang kontrahin ang sinasabi nito. "T-thought you like silicone monsters pair of boobs... ohhh..."

I bit my lower lip when I felt him move to reach his lips into my breast. His hot tongue touched my nipple, having me arched my back.

"I won't trade this perfectly shaped, for anything..." Napamulat ako ng aking mga mata nang huminto ito sa ginagawa, ngunit ang kamay nito'y nanatili saking dibdib. " They were in proportion to your small frame with nipples that were contained and well defined, not spreading and stretched. They were the perfect size for a newborn's mouth and our baby will surely latched on with ease. You're the most beautiful pregnant, Paris..."

Naramdaman ko ang pagkabigla nito nang hilahin ko ito pabagsak sakin upang mahigpit na yakapin, not minding if my breast will touch his bare chest. I just feel like hugging him.

"I hate you..." I whispered, naramdaman ko ang pag-iinit ng sulok ng aking mga mata. "I hate you, I hate you for appreciating me... do you know that you're the only person that gives me indefinite hugs..."

"Hmm, baby... where else would you rather be?"

In that moment his arms squeezed a fraction tighter and I breathed more slowly, my body melting into his as every muscle lost its tension to the air. This was life, Aidan is life...

"We didn't get the perfect start, we started out wrong... everything comes so quick. Pero walang ni isang bagay akong pinagsisisihan. I like having you in my arm this way, I want us to stay here forever..." he breathed. "but Paris, you don't deserve another wrong. Baby..."

"Ako? O yung nasa loob ko?" Wala sa sarili kong tanong na naging dahilan ng pag-baling nito sakin, salubong na salubong ang makakapal nitong kilay. "Yung baby na tinawag mo, is it me or the baby inside me..."

Ilang sandali ako nitong pinakatitigan bago unti-unting gumuhit ang isang ngiti sakanyang mga labi. "Dammit, Paris. How can you be so adorable and sexy both at the same time?"

"Nag-tatanong lang naman ako, sexy na?"

He nodded and playfully chuckled. "With your breast exposed, honey you are sexy."

Akmang ibababa ko ang suot kong damit kasabay ng pag-iinit ng aking magkabilang pisngi ng pigilan nito ang aking kamay.

"Wag, hindi pa ko tapos diyan..." tumatawang hinalikan nito ang tungki ng aking ilong. "Syempre ikaw yung tinutukoy kong baby, dalawa kayong baby ko pero ikaw ang kausap ko ngayon..."

Inirapan ko ito at iniwasan ng tingin. "Hindi nakakakilig yon!"

Lalo itong napahalakhak, hinalikan niya ang aking pisngi bago ipagpatuloy ang sinasabi. "As I was saying, I want to correct everything. I want marriage first before we do it again-"

"What the fuck?!" Hindi ko na napigilan pa ang pag-putol sa sinasabi nito nang marinig ko iyon,

"Hoy!" Nagulat ako nang pitikin nito ang aking bibig. "Stop cursing."

Pinaalis ko ang kamay nito sakin, bago ko pilit na inayos ang sarili ko. "You!"

Bumangon ako paupo kaya ganoon rin ang ginawa nito. Nilingon ko siya ng matalim na tingin.

"I already told you that my breasts right now are sensitive because of the estrogen and progesterone! My nipples are now protruding than the usual, and I do believe you know what I'm saying!" I burst out. "Then you'll touch me and go tell me that you won't do me again, unless we're married?! Well, fuck you, Aidan! I hate you!"

Naiinis na napaungol ito. "Mura ka ng mura!"

"I don't care, I hate you! I hate you for touching my breast! I hate you for doing this to me! Hindi ako manyak na tao, pero gusto ko! Nakakainis ka!" Sa inis ko, bago ko pa naisip ang gagawin ko'y nasampal ko ito.

But no way I'll regret it.

Nakita ko ang pagkabigla sakanyang mukha dahil sa ginawa ko, pero inirapan ko lamang siya. "Ayoko sayo, you're a tease. Don't sleep beside me."

"Paris ang kulit mo-"

"Aidan ang pangit mo!"

Naiinis ako kay Aidan, sino bang hindi? Okay, alright I get his point. I appreciate it. But, dang. Kung ganoon naman pala ang balak niya, then he shouldn't have touched me in the first place! I'm like a kid been given a chocolate and been told things about cavities!

Mag-sasalita pa sana ito nang tumunog ang cellphone ko na nakapatong sa ibabaw ng bedside table, binalingan nito iyon bago bumalik ang mga mata sakin. He then reached for it and handed me my phone.

"Si Reid." He said.

Inabot ko iyon, I composed myself before taking the call. "Reid."

"Paris, this is Spring. Uhm, we kind of need your help..."

"Spring?" Agad na umahon ang pag-aalala saking dibdib, agad ding naging alerto si Aidan nang marinig ang pangalan ng pinsan. "Nasaan kayo?"

"I'll text you the location, thank you." Matapos iyon ay naputol na ang tawag.

"Spring said they need me." I told Aidan.

"Bakit? Anong nangyari?" Nag-aalala rin nitong tanong. Tumayo ito sa kama at inalalayan rin ako pababa. "Nasaan raw sila?"

I calmly hand him my phone. "Wait for the text message, she said she'll send me the location. I'll just change."

Naiinis parin ako kay Aidan ngunit hindi ito ang tamang panahon para pairalin ang inis ko, my brother needs me, for what reason, I don't know. But he needs me.

"Reid..." kaagad ko itong hinanap nang marating namin ang isang townhouse na siyang naka-address sa mensaheng ipinadala ni Spring.

Hindi ko na kinailangan pang uliting isigaw ang pangalan nito nang lumabas ito mula sa kabahayan upang salubungin kami.

Relief instantly flooded me, seeing that my brother is okay. Saglit na bumaling ang tingin nito saking likuran kung saan nakasunod si Aidan, bago muling bumalik sakin.

"Spring said you guys need my help-"

"We don't-"

"We actually do." Spring cut him off, agad itong lumapit saking kinatatayuan at inabot ang aking kamay. "Let's do all the talking later, please Paris. We really need your help-"

"Spring, we already talked about this-"

"And, Ethan needs help. Reid, please understand." Wala ng nagawa pa si Reid nang matangay ako ni Spring papasok sa bahay, doon namin naabutan si Ethan na nakaupo sa sofa.

"Oh my goodness...." I gasped when I saw him bleeding.

"Paris..." Umangat ang tingin nito saking kinaroroonan, agad na kumunot ang noo at galit na binalingan si Spring. "Spring Aphrodite, what's wrong with you-"

"Anong what's wrong with me? Tito Dave is not here, you need to be checked, Ethan. Hindi ka pwedeng dalhin sa ospital dahil siguradong uusisain tayo, Paris is a med student. Kahit paano, siya ang makakatulong-"

"I can help myself-"

"Mabuti na yung sigurado tayo, Ethan-"

"Spring, naiintindihan mo ba kung gaano kadelikado na nandito ngayon si Paris at Aidan-"

"Hindi siya papabayaan ni Reid, now you shut up and let her check your wound." Binalingan ni Spring si Reid na kalmanteng nakasandal sa hamba ng pinto. "I'll call Summer and Rance."

"Spring, you have to explain this to me-"

"Aidan, let's talk later." Nag-mamadaling tinalikuran kami ni Spring at nag-tungo sa kung saang bahagi ng bahay.

Nilingon ko si Aidan nang akmang hahabulin pa nito ng tanong ang pinsan, I held his arm.

"I need you here and Ethan needs our help." I said, nilapitan ko na si Ethan at tinignan ang dumudugo nitong tagiliran. "A gunshot..."

Hindi ito nag-salita at humugot lamang ng malalim na hininga. He remained calmed and contained, tila ba walang nangyayari dito.

Inabot ko ang palapulsuhan nito at pinakiramdaman, his pulse is beating normal. I don't think there's an internal bleeding happening, we just need to control the bleeding.

"Sit up, Ethan. Nahihilo ka ba? Nasusuka?" I asked as I started cleaning the blood around the wounded area. Umiling ito. "I need you conscious."

With Aidan assisting me and Ethan's enough participation to make things easy, mabilis kong natanggal ang bala sakanyang tagiliran. Maingat ko ring ginamot at binalot ang sugat na dulot nito.

"You should take nothing at all by mouth until the pain lets up, and then wait a day or two. A slow drip of IV fluids would be useful." Paalala ko dito nang matapos ko ang ginagawa. "I suggest you have it check by a doctor, Uncle Dave might help you."

"Thank you, Paris." He said, his eyes went on Reid.

Nagpalitan ang dalawang ito ng makahulugang tingin, doon bumukas ang pintuan ng kabahayan at iniluwa ang nag-aalalang si Summer kasunod si Rance na agad na nabigla nang makita ako.

"Ethan!" Summer immediately went on him. "Diyos ko, okay ka lang ba? Okay ka na? Naman, Ethan!"

"Rance..." bati ko dito nang manatili sakin ang mga mata nito.

"Tangina talaga ng Mr. Timponko na iyon eh! Dapat kasi tinuluyan mo na iyon, Rance! Pulpol ka rin-"

"Paris, I think you need to rest." Si Ethan iyon na sinamaan ng tingin si Summer. "Reid, they can occupy Zander's."

"No worries, okay na yung kwarto ko. They can stay there..." Spring smiled at me, huminto ito ilang baitang pababa ng hagdan. "I can use Daniel's-"

"In your face." It was Reid who reacted, I felt him touched my elbow and guided me to the stairs.

"Goodnight, Paris." Si Summer iyon, na doon lamang ako pinansin. "Night, Kuya Aidan."

Hindi ko narinig na sumagot rito si Aidan, ngunit narinig kong iningusan nito si Spring ng aming malagpasan.

But she followed us, hanggang sa marating namin ang silid na tinutukoy nito. Hinarap ko si Reid, I saw nothing but indifference in his eyes. That's normal, he's Reid.

"You're not gonna tell mom about this, Paris." He said. "If you want her to stay with dad, you'll not gonna let her know."

"Ano ba kasi to, Spring? Anong nangyari kay Ethan? Bakit siya nabaril?" Aidan asked.

"It's better if you remain oblivious to what's really happening." Reid said, keeping his eyes on me. "This isn't your thing, keep your feet off the water. It's for your safety."

"Oh, hell. You can't just tell those shit-"

"Alright, I won't intrude. I'll keep my mouth shut..." Putol ko sa sinasabi ni Aidan, I know Reid, kapag sinabi nito ay sinabi nito. Anuman ang gawin kong pag-kontra dito ay alam kong hindi niya rin naman sasabihin sakin kung ano ang tunay na nangyari kay Ethan. And maybe he's right, mas mabuting manatili kaming walang alam. "But I want something something as an exchange."

Kumunot ang noo nito ngunit hindi nag-salita, maging si Aidan ay nagtatakang binalingan ako.

"Gusto kong tulungan mo kami ni Aidan na maikasal bukas na bukas." I tilted my chin and gave him a smile. "I know you can do everything, Reid. Like dad, nothing is impossible with you."

"What-"

"Hep!" I pointed my index finger at him. "Don't what what me, Reid Franco! I didn't give you any wh question when you asked for my help and even asked me to shut up, so you should do the same."

Nakita ko ang mariing pag-tutol ni Reid, no way, I won't let him win this time. I need him to help us get married immediately. I want to marry Aidan as early as tomorrow. Kaya naman matapang ko ring sinalubong ang mga titig nito.

"Of course, Paris. We will help you." Spring caused me a triumphant smile.