75:  Another Stranger

RYU

My heart pounded erratically when I saw a figure passed on the dark area near the cliff where I stand with the bottle of beer in my right hand. My heart’s beating just confirmed my hunch who was that someone who just walked passed me.

I knew her.

Or maybe that’s what I thought.

I didn’t know her that much because if I do, I would have known she’d left me after a storm in our life.

But I know her.

I know the way she walk, her scent, I know how I feel when she’s nearby. It was an understatement to say I could feel the butterflies in my stomach. I could feel the jungle... the jungle were there were a lot of animals inside including a beast.

An angry beast.

My recognition of her woke up the love, pain, yearning and above all anger.

Sinundan ko siya habang natatarantang napadapa siya nang makita ang taong papalapit sa may puno. A drink someone from the crowd who took a leak and hummed as he walked away.

I could feel the beating of my own heart. I watched her sigh in relief as she set herself to stand up.

Kahit may kadiliman ang paligid, I know such rump. I know such traffic-stopping rump and I have always been a fan of it.

Come to think of it, it’s her rump which got me into this pit. I smirked upon the thought of that day. The reminiscence only brought pain to me. Kapag naaalala ko ang mga bagay na nangyari noon ay nakakaramdam ako ng lungkot.

She did leave me and enjoy her life as what? A fucking car racer?

While I spent the last two years just looking for her and grieving for all my lost, she decided to have fun with cars?

Or maybe with guys too? Damn the thought that angered me even more.

Gusto ko siyang lapitan at kausapin. Gusto kong isumbat sa kanya ang kanyang ginawang pag-iwan sa akin. Gusto kong marinig ang kanyang paliwanag and I’ll be willingly go blind for her excuses and accept her no matter what. 

But the pain she caused when she left prevented me for doing so. It was a relief that I found her but knowing she had all the time in the world to enjoy her life was infuriating. It took me a lot of courage to say something to her from behind.

“Well, you have a nice ass there.”

I could feel her literally froze as she slowly turned towards me. Kahit may kadiliman sa lugar na iyon, I knew she recognized me. Mabilis siyang tumayo at napahakbang paatras but I was quick to take a hold of her waist and pull her towards me.

“Not so fast Pi, don’t you think we two have something to talk about?” tanong ko, silently thanking my voice didn’t crack. Siguro ay dahil nabuhay ang galit sa dibdib ko. There was more than anger in me ngunit hindi ko iyon pinansin.

“H-hey,” she said, standing straight to free herself from me.

Two fucking years and just hey?

I pulled her arm ngunit mabilis siyang kumawala. I stopped and looked at her.

“I’m.. I’m a b-bit busy,” sa wakas ay sabi niya.

I want to get angry but I hid all my emotions in a smirk. “Busy with what? Car? Boys?”

Napaawang lamang ang labi niya at walang masabi. I want to grab her and punish her for hurting me ngunit natatakot ako na umiwas siya at magpakalayo-layo ulit. “For old times sake Pi, magkakamustahan lamang tayo,” sabi ko sa kanya.

Huminga siya nang malalim habang nakatingin sa akin. I pointed on the way towards where my car is parked at napabuntong-hininga na lamang siya at naunang naglakad. I watched her from behind with a million of things in my mind.

Nang marating niya ang harap ng sasakyan ko ay tumigil siya at humarap sa akin, acting cool and confident. “So, what are we going to talk about?” tanong niya.

I shrugged, not letting go of my smirk. “You sure we can talk here?” tanong ko, roaming my eyes around. Nasa di kalayuan pa rin ang kumpol ng mga tao na malamang ay may bagong pinagpupustahan. Cooler is nowhere to find so maybe he was along the horde of people where a new race was about to start.

I can sensed her uneasiness so I took the liberty of opening the car for her. She debated getting in with herself at sa huli ay sumakay na rin. I turned to the driver seat and started the engine, fleeing from the place. 

She was uneasiness as she looked outside the window. I knew she was thinking coming with me was a wrong idea but she stand by her decision. She turned her head to my direction, smiling with confidence.

“So how are you?” tanong niya sa akin.

How dare her. How dare her ask how was I. humigpit ang hawak ko sa manibela, feeling my jaw clamped. “Good,” tanging sagot ko.

She nodded at me at muling namayani ang katahimikan sa amin. Binasag iyon ng pagtunog ng cellphone ko na nasa dashboard. I reached for my in-ear when I saw it was cooler who’s calling.

“Did you seriously leave me?” he said from the other line. I bet he was pouting at the very moment. “You won’t believe it, guess who’s the dude in that red car!”

Too late Cooler, kasama ko siya ngayon.

“You can drive alone,” sagot ko sa kanya.

“Wait, alam mo na?” tanong niya. 

Manakanakang napapatingin si Pi sa akin, probably wondering what we were talking about.

“Yeah,” sagot ko.

“You’re with her right now, right?” he asked, wanting confirmation.

“Yeah.”

“Good, I’ll call later,” huling sabi niya at pinatay ang tawag. I ripped my in-ear and tossed in on the dashboard.

Muli niyang binasag ang namayaning katahimikan. “So, where are you taking me?” tanong niya. “I told you I am a bit busy, I cannot go somewhere far.”

Pinigilan ko ang sariling magalit. My grip tightened around the steering wheel as I pulled the car to stop on the side. Just as i remember, we can talk inside the car. Actually, there are a lot of things we can to inside the car. Like things we used to.

“Ah, do you mind if we talk inside the car? In this crammed space?” I asked.

Her lips was slightly parted before she bit her lower lip as she looked down on her lap, face turning red. “What’s there to talk anyway?”

“Napakaraming bagay ang pwede nating pag-usapan Pi,” sagot ko sa kanya. “Let’s start with some simple greetings. I see you’ve been doing good.”

Mahinang tumango lamang siya sa akin at hindi pa rin magawang tumingin nang matagal.

She flinched when I reached towards her, touching her hair. “You cut your hair,” puna ko. She had long hair before ngunit ngayon ay halos hindi na iyon umabot sa kanyang balikat. I stared at the spot on her neck, I remember having a favorite spot there.

Damn.

Mahinang tumango lamang ulit siya, moving to the corner of her seat. Alam kong hindi siya komportable sa pagkikita namin. Was it guilt? Longing? Or what?

I finally had the courage to ask what I wanted. 

“Why did you leave?” tanong ko sa kanya.

I saw her clenched her fist as she slowly lift her head to look at me. Her eyes were bright and teary at the same time as she smiled at me. “It’s two years ago Ryu, get over it.”

What the hell? Did she seriously tell me to get over it? Ngayon ay sigurado akong galit na lamang ang nararamdaman ko.

I let out a chuckle. “And if I don’t?”

She rolled her eyes at me. “I really knew this wasn’t a good idea,” sambit niya at akmang bababa ng sasakyan ngunit hindi mabuksan ang pinto. “I’m getting off, open the--”

“No,” matigas kong tanggi.

“C’mon Ryu open this door--”

“Not unless you tell me why did you leave,” determinado kong sabi.

Matagal na tumitig siya sa akin. It’s one of the moments where I wish I could read minds dahil gustong-gusto kong basahin kung anuman ang nasa isip niya ngayon.

“Do you really want to know?” she asked.

Mahinang tumango ako. Whatever her reason is, I am willing but scared to hear it.

She swallowed hard as I watched her play with her fingers, gathering up courage to spill whatever. “I just want to,” sagot niya. “I just want to leave because... I want to, that’s it. That reason should suffice right?”

I was so angry that I started punching the dashboard.

*** 

Pi 

I watched him wrinkled his eyebrow before punching the dashboard, probably damaging his car’s music player. Mapait na ngumisi siya ngunit mas tamang sabihing galit ang nararamdaman niya. This is why I hate the thought of meeting him. Ayaw ko siyang makitang nasasaktan. Everytime he’s in pain, I am in pain too.

“You just want to leave huh?” tanong niya at ginulo ang buhok. Damn, I hate myself for melting this way. No matter how much I resist it, I cannot help but notice how hot he has become. Or was it because it’s been so long since the last time I saw him?

Why the hell did this man got the good genes?

I could literally feel myself shaking i so much frustration and holding back. I just wanted to grab him into a tight hug and we can make love all night, damn it. Hindi tamang iyon ang isipin ko ngayon!

On my defense, Ryu Vander Morisson is just so damn hot that you cannot resist!

How the hell did I manage to leave such gorgeous man?!

“Wala ka man lang bang sasabihin?” tanong niya sa akin.

His anger is oozing so as his hotness. Why does this man always get me on the edge? He’s capable of making me melt and fall into his feet. Just looking at him right now, I have regretted leaving him two years ago-- my horny mind said.

But the logical part of my brain said I made the right decision because staying with him would probably mean causing more pain. I am a mess, I could make a mess out of people’s lives and that’s the least I wanted to do to him.

“Say damn something Pi!”

You’re damn hot, stop it.

Hard hands grabbed me that I have no time to react. I was slammed into him as his hands made ts way to my cheeks, gripping my face so our lips touched. I was relived tasting the lips I’ve been longing but not in the way I wanted.

It was hard, punishing, without reserve and angry kiss.

Hinayaan ko lamang siya. He was nibbling on it, biting until I could taste my own blood. I let him invade my mouth, letting hum do what he wants until he stopped.

“Tears won’t work Pi,” sabi niya sa akin.

I blinked, reaching for my cheeks. I was really crying. Umayos siya ng upo, only to grab me from my seat, pulling me into his lap. Masyado siyang malakas kaya hindi agad ako nakareact, not to mention I just let myself to carve into my desires. I wanted this anyway. I have long dreamed for this moment again but not in his angry demeanor.

To be honest, he was scary. He’s truly scary when he’s angry.

“You still haven’t changed a bit Pi, still the same horny woman who would cave in for sex,” he said. I know he meant it as an insult, one I deserve though.

His fingers curled into my hip. “I suppose this is the only way I could talk to you. You hate conversations in a normal manner.”

“Ryu--” hindi ko natapos ang sasabihin ko nang kinagat niya ang balikat ko. I can feel him kiss into the spot where he bite painfully, tongue circling the spot as if for relief.

“What?” he asked, lips still on my skin.

I bet I get a wound on the shoulder where he had bite since I can feel the sting. But more to that I can feel emotions I had never felt recently.

“Please...” I pleaded, coming out as a whisper.

“Please what?” he asked, lifting my chin.

He started trailing soft kisses on my jaw, making me whimpered in pleasure. Pinigilan ko ang sariling kumawala ang anumang tunog mula sa lalamunan ko, I restrained myself from gripping him and asking for more than soft kisses... but failed.

That’s what you get when you’re facing Ryu Vander-Morisson. He’s a temptation you cannot resist.

I gave in an held his shoulders, prompting him to go more. Moans escaped my throat, giving in to the passion, giving in to myself. After all there has never been a moment when I never think of him so despite being bad, I think this is a reward I could give myself.

I missed him so much so, why not take this treat?

My eyes fluttered close when he kissed a soft spot on my jaw, hands feeling my chest. I swallowed hard when his hand wandered from my bosom to my butt, caressing it in a soft manner. I do the same and started feeling his skin under his shirt.

Then he stopped only to look at me with much disappointment and disgust.

“Still the same slut that you are before I met you,” he said before pulling me away from his lap. “Sorry, you need to be tested for STD first who knows you’re infected from the amount of sex you had for the past two years. Better safe than sorry.”

I felt worse than getting dumped with freezing water on the head.

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