Kabanata 28:

Amping

"Go, babe!" masayang sigaw ko sabay palakpak.

He was playing a slam dunk game.

He threw many balls into the hoop. As a supporting girlfriend, I cheered for him excitedly. The only rule was that the ball had to bounce once off the floor before getting into the basket.

He was good at shooting. He was actually expert at any kinds of shooting.

"E shoot mo, e shoot muna ang ball!" galak na galak na kanta ng mga bakla na nakabuntot sa amin sa gabing iyon.

Hindi na ako magtataka na si Devon ang sinusundan nila. They were chasing us like hungry frogs!

Nanalo ng half human size na teddy bear si Devon. He handed it to me with a flashy smile. I dragged him out of the booth, carrying the huge toy.

Nagtataka siyang sumulyap sa mga bakla at kinawayan pa ang mga ito!

Dinala ko siya sa isang balloon popping booth para malingat sila. Devon promised to win every game for me.

There were hanging a bunch of balloons on the yellow wall. Bumili si Devon ng limang darts at pinalibutan na naman ang booth ng mga bakla. Alam na alam nilang may girlfriend na iyong tao. Hindi man lang iyon naging dahilan para itigil nila ang pagbuntot.

Mayabang pang umatras si Devon. Pinakawalan niya ang isang dart sa pader ng mga maliliit na lobo. He didn't pop a single balloon.

Every dart clung to the wall. Sumubok pa siya ng ilang beses subalit hindi talaga para sa kanya ang laro.

Dismayado ang mga bakla at umalis sa booth para mag-guy hunting ulit.

"Sinadya ko talaga babe para hindi na sila bumuntot." bulong niya.

"Ang sabihin mo hindi mo talaga kayang asintahin!"

"Kaya kong asintahin ka gamit ang-"

I punched his bicep before he could finish his sentence. He chuckled. Inakbayan niya ako at pumasok kami sa isang photo booth.

We wore the cool props. Suot niya ang isang ringmaster hat. Naka-red heart shaped shades naman ako. We snapped countless and cute different selfies.

***

I was sitting on a bench in front of the game booths, reviewing the pictures on his Canon D3400. Devon went to a near booth to buy our drinks.

Napagod kami sa lahat ng rides at games. Napagdesisyunan naming uuwi na pagkatapos niyang mabili ang aming inumin.

The camera had a Bluetooth. It was the updated one of that time. I shared all the photos into my phone.

Pansin kong napapapatingin ang mga bata sa human size teddy bear na nakatabi ko. May umiyak pang bata dahil gusto iyon.

Yumuko ako sa harapan ng batang lalaki na pinapatahan ng kanyang ina.

"Don't cry, baby boy. Ibibigay ni ate sa'yo ito."

I gave him the fluffy toy. He took it without hesitation as if he really owned it. Ngumiti ang bata na may mga luha sa kanyang mga mata. His cheeks and eyes were red from crying.

"Pasensya talaga, miss." His mother felt shy about the fuss of her son.

I didn't really mind at all. Naging bata rin ako. Umiyak sa isang manika. The child should play and enjoy!

"It's okay. I'm not in the age to play with it. He can have it, ma'am."

"Daghang salamat."

***

The wind was furious when we got to his wrangler. May dinukot siyang maliit na dilaw na box. I thought it was the usual red box containing a ring.

He opened it.

My eyes moistened at the sight of the sunflower hair-clip.

It wasn't new, but not too old and dull. It was someone's possession.

He clipped it to my hair. "Binigay ni mama sa akin iyan para sa tamang babaeng pakakasalan ko. Instead of a ring, I'm giving you a sunflower hair clip symbolizing my adoration, loyalty, and longevity of my love to you."

I couldn't articulate the right words that I just stared at him with my teary eyes, cold and clammy hands, because of the overwhelming happiness.

His love was not the expensive one, not the blandest, either the cheapest, but the sincerest of all.

He wiped the tears away from my eyes. He scanned my face like he was studying a map. The contours of my face, my eyes, my nose, and the shape of my lips.

"Gihigugma tika, Dev.." Nagkaboses din ako nagdaan ang ilang minuto.

He put his other arm on my waist, hooking me gently to his embrace of promise and assurance. His lips against the top of my head before letting his eyes traveled back to the road. He twisted the ignition. The only sound was the tap of raindrops and the leap of our hearts.

***

Isang himala nang humupa ang ulan nang nakabalik kami sa Sussana Coast.

We found ourselves lost in the beauty of sea, and lavishing the drowsy taste of alcohol. Our foreheads pressed together. Our arms wrapped to each other while swaying from the slow, soft music from the cassette player with our feet bare in the sand.

We let the time passed until midnight. Bottles of beer were lying empty in the wooden floor of the balcony. The table screeched when I stepped back.

I clamped a hand over his mouth. I put a finger on my mouth, hushing him to shut up even though he wasn't saying anything. Kahit na ay dinig na dinig ko ang boses niyang tumatangayaw.

I cupped his squared jaw, trying to steal a kiss from his wonderfully made lips. My head was dizzy. I was feeling giddy from the alcohol.

I caught a glimpse of his sexy smirk. Pinaulanan niya ako ng mga halik sa aking mukha pababa sa aking leeg. He tickled me by my waist.

I laughed at his antics. "Shut up, Dev."

He nodded seriously trying hard not to laugh. I squinted harder in the yellow bulb light to get a better view of his handsome face.

Wala na ako sa huwisyo nang lumabas ang ibang tawag ko sa kanya. "Hubby..."

The muscles of his cheek twitch. A hardcore smile scattered his face.

"Did you just call me hubby?"

***

We were both drank. At 3 am we woke up when were both sober, the lustful need between us was overwhelming. We were sober when our clothes were thrown messily into the floor. We were eager to keep our lips connected, swapping each other's intense emotions.

His hands were fighting for dominance. Subalit may parang pumipigil sa kanyang magmadali.

He stripped the remaining cloth of our bodies. He was looking at me as if trying to memorize my face.

Hindi ko mabilang kung ilang beses niya ako tinignan gamit ang mga matang iyon

I felt nervous under his mischief gaze. Tila may masamang mangyayari ang lahat ng tawa at saya.

He tilted my chin. He took my lips in a breathless and senseless kiss. We began the slow touches. I felt his humid breath reached on my slit like the usual.

He tasted my very soul.

I felt like a goddess being worshiped by a Roman God. I bobbed my hips to his lustful mouth. After the unholy torment of his tongue, he peppered me with kisses to my thighs up to my stomach and my face.

He yanked my waist closer to him. His longing stare felt like forever as he pushed himself comfortably into my emptiness that only he could fulfill.

"Dev..." I moaned.

He pierced his sword to my gaping hole with his euphoric ways. Heat course through the air in the room. My moans and his growls mixed together, and bounced off the walls.

"O mio Dio. Ti amo," he hissed in my ears

I swear I caught a glimpse of stars. I shattered at his insertion and the liberty of our culmination. Ngunit hindi pa roon nagtatapos ang mainit na gabi. He took me from behind, at the edge of the bed while he was sitting dominantly, and I astride backwards on his lap.

The second and third round was a complete havoc in my compos mentis. He took me in the chesterfield arm chair, and on the cold ground with different positions.

When I woke up late, the sheet on the bed were twisted into knots and the rays of the sun slipped inside.

Pagod na pagod ang mga kalamnan ko. Sa marubdob ba namang lakas at bilis ni Devon.

"Dev?" I called him, sleepily. Inabot ko ang switch ng nakabukas na lamp shade.

He didn't switch it off. He must be up early. My hands felt a smooth surface of a paper. I pulled it out, and my eyes fixated on the single word with his name underneath:

Amping,

Devon

Periedot Spiels