Camille Syanna

Midway downstairs, I heard a laughter from a woman and two people conversing. One of them was ZA and the other was Charlene. Agad na naningkit ang aking mga mata.

We came back the other day after spending a night in his upscale condo. Remembering that night brought back vivid memories of how we lost ourself to one another. Well, almost.

Crazy, but I was feeling very territorial of ZA right now.

"You have to try it! I swear, it's really masarap!" Charlene urged ZA to try something I was about to find out what.

I frowned. Why is she talking like that? Is she trying to mock me? Because if she does then she should try harder. Copying me takes effort.

"Thank you," ZA responded politely.

Nakita ko ang isang bowl ng food sa center table while they were sitting on the couch.

"Oh, hi Camsy!" She chirped when she noticed my presence.

I raised her a brow. What? We're not close naman. Pleasantries are not necessary. She should just saved them for Andrei.

"I brought food," inalok niya ako ng pagkain na dala. "Kare-kare with bagoong."

"I'm allergic to peanut butter," I told her.

"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't know." Her shoulders sagged.

"How would you know? We're not friends."

Natigilan ito, medyo napahiya. ZA gave me a sharp look.

"What?" I raised a brow. "I was just telling the truth,"

"It's okay, ZA. She's right naman." Malungkot itong ngumit kay Andrei. "We're not friends."

Ah, hindi talaga! My only girlfriends are Chiara and Nisha. So she had to be at the same level as them to pass as my friend.

I don't have time for this charade. I left them there and went to the kitchen instead. A few minutes later, I heard both of them leave. They didn't even have the decency to tell me they were leaving!

Instead of wasting my time hating them, I checked the fridge and look for food. Oh, dear God. Walang food sa ref na cooked na. And I don't know how to cook! Kaya nga naka-depend lang ako always kay ZA, eh.

Nobody has bothered teaching me this stuff when I was growing up. So, I didn't learn it myself. I never thought I would need that special skill.

Maybe, I could cook egg naman. Mukha naman easy lang ito.

I took two eggs from the tray and heated a pan on the stove. I checked the oil ZA was using. Good that it wasn't palm oil. Coconut oil was the healthier choice.

Non-stick naman yung pan niya, so I didn't really have a hard time flipping the eggs. But I had tiny bruises from a minimal splatter from when I cracked the eggs straight into the pan.

I felt a little proud. Hah! I did this! I've made my own breakfast that is not a bowl of broccoli and quinoa. After transferring the food to a plate, I put my tiny bruises under a running water. And it's a relief!

"Why are you mean to Charlene?"

Halos mapatalon ako nang biglang sumulpot si ZA sa aking likuran. Inirapan ko siya. I pulled a napkin and dried my hands.

"I'm sorry," I turned to face him. "I wasn't aware I had to play nice to her."

"She was just being nice," sabi niya pa. "Nagmagandang-loob na nga 'yung tao, eh."

"Eh, ano bang mali sa sinabi ko?" I'm getting more annoyed, ha! "Totoo naman. I don't expect her to know me because we're not close."

"Kahit pa," masungit niyang sabi. "You don't have to be rude."

"Oh, eh, bakit? Ikaw nga you were always rude to me before!"

"Kasi you were a brat-"

"I still am," putol ko sa sinasabi niya. If he thinks he changed me, he can think again. No kisses can ever change a person.

Napapagod na bumuntong-hininga si ZA. "Why do you hate her?"

"Because she likes you!" Diretso kong sagot.

"She doesn't like me." Mariin niyang sabi. Pinagmamasdan niya ako kaya bahagya akong nailang.

"Are you blind?" I asked him. "Don't you see it? She's practically throwing herself at you! I know because I was like that with Zanti!"

"Mentioning his name is the right direction to go," his voice dripped sarcasm.

"Do you not like Zanti?" Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay.

"I don't have any reason not to, do I?" He smirked, avoiding my gaze.

"Yeah, I don't think you have." I shake my head. "Is she really worth the discussion we're having, ZA? Because the last I checked, okay naman tayo. We're making out pa nga."

ZA is still wasn't thrilled. Ibinaling niya ang tingin sa kung saan at nakita ang niluto kong eggs.

"You cooked?" He asked, half amused.

"I kind of had to," I rolled my eyes. "Akala ko'y matatagalan ka sa labas kasama si Charlene."

"That was new," he smirked and walked towards the table.

We sat in front of each other and started eating. I thought ZA would eat the kare-kare, but no. He took an egg on his plate and ate in silence.

Ganoon rin ang ginawa ko. At halos masuka ako, unang subo ko pa lang ng egg! God! I put sugar instead of salt! The yolk was sweet!

Nang balingan ko si ZA ay tahimik pa rin siyang kumakain. I did not hear him complain. Kahit pa ako'y hindi ko na magawang ituloy ang kinakain ko.

"ZA," he lifted his head to look at me. "Stop eating that. Yung kare-kare na lang. I've mistakenly put sugar instead of salt. So, you're eating garbage."

"It's good," sabi niya, patuloy pa rin sa pagkain.

"Don't patronize me," I rolled my eyes. "I know it's not!"

"It is," seryosong sabi niya. "This is your first time cooking. That's what made this special."

"Oh, don't do that!"

"Do what?"

"I failed. It was a simple task, and I didn't do it correctly. I put sugar instead of salt." I sighed.

"Don't beat yourself up," he shrugged. "It was a mistake. It could happen to anyone. Besides, there's sweet corn. Maybe now we can have sweet eggs, too."

Ah, way to lighten my mood! I smiled and finished the food on my plate too.

ZA watched me as I eat, then his eyes lingered on my left hand where the bruises were much more visible. He reached for my hand and brought it to his lips, kissing it lightly. "Next time be careful, hm?"

I nodded and pulled my hand back so he could eat properly.

ZA confuses me in ways nobody else did.

I was never confused with Zanti. I always knew I liked him.

But with ZA? There were too many emotions. It was hard to tell which ones I was feeling first.

ZA cleaned up after we ate. I watched him.

"Hindi ka aalis?" Tanong ko.

He looked over his shoulders while washing the dishes. "Pinapaalis mo ba ako?"

"No," umiling ako. "In contrary, I want you to stay."

"Then I'm staying," ZA finished the dishes and went back to where I was.

"What are we going to do today?" I asked, standing up.

Hinayaan ko siyang tangayin ako sa kanyang mga bisig dahil iyon naman ang gusto ko.

"Kiss mo nga ako, Cams," malambing niyang bulong. "Palaging ako ang humahalik sa'yo, eh. Ikaw naman."

"Andrei," nanlaki ang aking mga mata nang maramdaman ang kanyang kamay sa aking pang-upo. "You're making it a hobby touching me, ha!"

"You don't like it ba?" He asked, squeezing my ass.

"I do," umamin ako because there's no point lying about the obvious.

"Eh, 'yun naman pala." ZA smirked. Damn, this man is very good looking. How come I'm only seeing it now? Dati ang tingin ko sa kanya ay bodyguard ni Red. "Kiss mo na ko,"

I tiptoed and gave him a peck on his lips.

"Ano ka high school?" He teased. "Ayusin mo,"

I rolled my eyes and did it again. I never initiated a kiss for someone other than Chiara and Nisha during our practices back in the day.

I closed my eyes and took his lips. ZA was already receiving the moment our lips touched. He opened his mouth for my tongue to dominate the exploration. God, his lips were firm, but sweet. It was intoxicating how he sucked on every corner of my mouth as if draining all my energy. It made my legs weaker.

"A-Andrei," I moaned and melted in his arms.

ZA carried me to the living room and into the sofa. He was on top of me, not breaking our kisses.

"Cams, baby, you're killing me." He groaned and took one of my hand to feel his shaft.

It was so damn hard! I froze. God, I wanted more!

"Meron pa ba?" He asked painfully.

I bit my lower lip and nodded.

He groaned. "Kailan ba matatapos?"

Natatawang babangon sana ako, when he pinned me back down.

"No, baby, we're not done," namamaos ang kanyang tinig bago muling bumaba ang kanyang mga labi sa akin. "I need more, Cams. I need more of you."

I want more!