Camille Syanna

"Cams," ZA knocked and opened the door.

"What?" Nag-angat ako ng tingin mula sa binabasa kong libro.

ZA walked near the bed and broke the biggest news I heard today. "Tristan called. Nisha is pregnant, and they're getting married."

"WHAT?!" Nabitawan ko ang libro na aking binabasa at namamanghang pinagmasdan si ZA. "Are you freaking kidding me?!"

"Why would I do that? What would I get in return?" He rolled his eyes. "Stop shouting,"

"That can't be true!" I exclaimed. "Nisha hated Tristan. How did it happen? When did it start? Why?!"

"Honey, I know nothing more than you do." Napapagod na sagot ni ZA sa akin.

"Oh, my God! I still can't believe it!"

"Tristan called and asked me to come. He wanted me to be there, kami ni Red. Hindi alam ng pamilya ni Nisha." Kwento niya. "I think Chiara is going to be there, too."

"ZA, I wanna go with you." I said. Nisha is my best friend in the whole world, sila ni Chi. That's why I don't want to miss this big event of her life.

"At anong sasabihin nila kung makita na kasama kita?" Tanong niya. "I wouldn't mind. Kaya lang, ikaw? Handa ka ba sa itatanong ng mga kaibigan mo? Do you really want to spend the rest of the day lying about your being with me?"

"If they ask me about you, I still don't have a ready answer. But I will make sure to come up with an excuse as to why we're together." I told him. "But please, ZA, I want to be there for Nisha. We've dreamed about our wedding day together. And I wanted to be in hers."

ZA sighed and shrugged. "Yeah, alright."

"I still couldn't believe she was going to marry someone who wasn't Zanti." I smiled, feeling happy for my best friend.

"Well, looks like Zanti is up for grabs." Umikot ang kanyang mga mata at naroon na naman ang inis niyang tono sa tuwing mapapag-usapan si Zanti.

"Yeah, I think he is." Nakakainis ka ZA! Sinakyan ko trip niya. "And I'm the closest contender for the spot."

"Oh, really, Camille?" He shot me a glare.

Camille not Cams. Not honey. Not baby.

"Why? You know I like him a lot, don't you?" I challenged. "Every bit of him,"

"Nah, you don't like him." Mapanganib niyang sabi.

"Keep telling yourself that," I smirk. "Would you fuck me ZA if I beg? Because I know Zanti will."

"The hell he will," mas naging mabalasik ang kanyang anyo. "Your Zanti would die before he could even try."

Iyon lamang at tinalikuran niya na ako at padabog na nagmartsa palabas ng silid. I laughed. I did get him on that one.

The following day, Nisha and Tristan's wedding went well. It was simple but heartfelt. I couldn't believe they did it. I always thought they were an odd combination for a couple, but when I saw them together I felt the love they had for each other. Nisha radiated happiness in ways I had never seen in her before, and it was contagious. Infectious even. They had that same energy Chiara and Red were giving me. Although, I'd always known Chi and Red were cut out for each other.

I maximized the little time I had with my two best friends during the intimate ceremony. I missed both of them so much. Chiara, Nisha, and I grew up together. We did all the craziest stuff together. And though we shared different interests and personalities, we were the perfect mix of one another. We balanced each other's lives.

"Saya mo, ah." Komento ni ZA nang malingunan akong nakangiti habang nasa byahe kami pauwi.

"Hah," I smirked at him. "Are we back in speaking terms?"

Kagabi pa kasi niya ako hindi kinakausap. Kahit ngayon, buong araw niya akong hindi pinapansin. Hindi ko naman din siya kinulit kasi why would I bother naman 'di ba? Talk to me if you want. If ayaw mo, eh, 'di don't!

He went back to ignoring me. Hindi ko na rin talaga siya maintindihan minsan. ZA kept testing my tolerance for obnoxity. Hindi ko rin alam bakit pinagbibigyan ko na lang siya palagi! That is so not me kaya!

Hanggang makabalik kami sa bahay ay hindi pa rin kami nag-uusap. ZA had a very complex personality. He could be happy one minute and grumpy the next. Whatever floats his boat.

I took a shower and changed into a pair of pajamas. Nang makabalik ako sa aking silid ay nagulat ako nang makita na naroon si ZA, nakahiga sa kama.

"What are you doing here?" Tinaasan ko siya ng isang kilay, pilit na iniignora ang naka-display niyang katawan. ZA, as usual, was only wearing a pair of boxer shorts.

"Nothing," he shrugged and tilted his head on the bedside table where a bottle of Jack Daniel's sits. "I wanted to drink and was looking for company."

"Ah, so now you're inviting me!" I rolled my eyes. "Matapos mo akong hindi pansinin ng buong maghapon!"

"Ayaw mo ba?" Mahinahon niyang tanong.

"Aalis ka ba if I told you I'm not in the mood?" Muli ko siyang tinaasan ng kilay.

ZA shook his head. He took the shot glass and poured liquor in it, matapos ay inabot niya iyon sa akin. "Nah, we're changing your mood."

"You're crazy," bulong ko bago kunin iyon at maupo sa kanyang tabi. "Bakit ka ba kasi nagsusungit sa akin?"

"Hindi naman ako nagsusungit," deny pa more.

Umirap ako at tingungga ang shot na binigay niya. I gave him back the glass, siya naman ang uminom. Other times, I would've been disgusted to share a glass with someone, but duh? I think we've kissed enough already to find drinking on the same glass disgusting pa!

A few minutes later, none of us were talking. We were just passing shots on one another. I was starting to get bored. Kaya naman hinarap ko siya.

"Let's play a game," I pushed his face away when he was about to react on what I said. "Stop being so trigger-happy!"

He didn't say anything. I rolled my eyes and continued telling him about the game I had in mind.

"Have you ever," I told him the name of the game I used to play with my girlfriends back then. "I will ask you if you ever had, then if it's a yes, you have to take the shot-"

"I'm familiar with the game," he cut me off, handing me another shot.

"Are you trying to get me drunk?" I pushed that back. "Let's start the game. Me first! Have you ever slept with someone twice your age?"

ZA didn't take time emptying the shot glass. I wasn't about to judge him for his past, but gusto ko siyang asarin for ignoring me the whole day! No one ignores me and gets away with it!

"I knew you had it in you to be a gigolo," umiiling kong sabi. "How old were you then? How old was she? Why-"

"No follow up questions," his turn to ask. "Have you ever go commando in a public place?"

Hinahamon niyang iniabot sa akin ang shot glass, umangat pa nga ang kanyang mga kilay. I took it from him and saw the surprised look on his face. I downed the shot in one go.

I'm a virgin, but I have gone to parties without wearing underwear because it would either ruin my outfit or it was just more comfortable that way.

"I demand details," ZA said huskily. The change in his voice told me I should stop teasing him. But darn, if it weren't hot.

"Akala ko ba, no follow up questions?" I smirked, loving the attention he was now giving me. "Have you ever had one night stand?"

Mabilis niyang ininom ang kakasalin ko pa lamang na shot. Para namang kating-kati siyang magtanong, ha!

"Well, I'm not surprised." I commented, giving him sideway glances.

"What was that supposed to mean?" He asked, filling up the glass he just emptied.

"You were very likable," I twitched my lips. And here I thought the alcohol hadn't affected my thinking. I was giving him a compliment! How often did that happen? Almost never! "Except for your little attitude,"

Hindi niya pinansin ang aking sinabi, inabutan lang niya ako ng panibagong shot. "Have you ever kissed a lady?"

I grinned, looking guilty because I wasn't supposed to tell anyone about it. But at the same time, I couldn't lie on a game I started.

I took the shot and faced ZA, licking the corner of my mouth. Nakita kong mataman niya akong pinagmamasdan. "Curiouser and curiouser, huh? Have you ever slept with a married woman?"

I offered him a shot, but he ignored it.

"I was sixteen," he said. Napataas ang aking mga kilay ngunit hindi niya inaalis ang mga mata sa akin. "It wasn't my first, but it was my first with an older woman. I used to run errands for her in exchange for some money. She poked my curiosity and talked me into having sex with her..."

I smirked as he was telling me a great tale of a cougar and her gigolo. ZA breaking his no follow up questions meant something.

"...while her husband wasn't home." He took the shot I was giving him.

I gasped and punched him on his shoulder. "You, dog!"

He didn't flinch. He was just looking at me with those curious green eyes. "Now, I demand details on that kiss you had with a lady. If you're generous enough throw some of those commando stories too."

"Ladies, actually. Two of them." I rolled my eyes and sighed. "Nothing special, really. I wasn't a lesbian or confused with my sexuality. It was just an experiment between girlfriends. Chiara, Nisha, and I were curious. And we were young. And we wanted to be good at it if we ever needed to do that with a man. So, we practiced on each other. And we've gotten really good at it! You can attest to that."

"Very well," he smirked, satisfied with what I told him. "And the going commando?"

"Ah, you're not going to let that go, are you?" I groaned and rolled my eyes. "Sometimes, when I was going to parties and my dress was too tight, I preferred to not wear panties just so it wouldn't outline."

He nodded, para namang okay na siya sa narinig niyang explanation. Muli niya akong kinuhaan ng shot. So, the game is still on pala. "Have you ever strip dance for someone?"

"Nah," I made a face and shove the glass in his direction. "Have you ever done it in public?"

He took the shot again and stared at me. "Would you strip for me?"

Agad na nag-init ang aking mga pisngi sa diretsong tanong niya na iyon. I bit my lower lip and chuckled to pretend I was cool with him being that vulgar.

"In your dreams," I said. God, no. Please don't make ZA ask me to do that for him. Because I might! Lately, I'd been doing things with him that I hadn't done with anyone else ever. So, no. Right now, I couldn't speak for my own limitations. My body had taken control over my mind. "Go na with the game!"

"Have you ever did it with a stranger?" Muli niya akong inabutan ng shot.

Of course, I never had! But ZA didn't need to know that!

With my slightly fidgety fingers, I took the glass and downed it in no time.

"Really?" He set aside the empty glass and started moving closer to me. "You're that wild?"

"O-oh! You don't believe me?" I cleared my throat, panicking because he was getting too close for my comfort.

"Talaga ba?" Mas lumalim ang kanyang tinig matapos ay inabot niya ang aking bewang para mas hapitin pa sa kanya.

My heart hurts for beating so harshly inside my chest.

I closed my eyes when I felt ZA's lips on my temple, planting soft kisses down to my ear. God, I loved it!

"Hmm," ZA moaned when he felt my body's reaction to his touch. Nang lumingon ako sa kanya ay mabilis niyang nahuli ang akingbmga labi.

He kissed me deeply like he meant it. ZA's soft lips was all I could think about until he jerked one of his hand inside my pajama and into my underwear!

I wanted to protest but couldn't find my voice.

The warmth of his palm caused unwarranted shiver down my spine. I loved it! It felt so good. I wanted him to keep touching me and never stop.

I almost screamed when he thrust his middle finger in my intact folds. I bit my lower lip as pain began to override the pleasure.

"Liar," he cursed against my lips.

"A-Andrei," my voice turned weaker.

"Siguro ngayon pwede na," bulong niya bago mas laliman pa ang halik.