Camille Syanna

Nang magising ako ay madilim na sa labas. I groaned. This period is killing me. The whole day had passed, and I did nothing but tossed and turned on the bed.

Thank God I felt lighter now. Bumangon na ako mula sa higaan. I fixed myself and changed my clothes before I went downstairs to see what ZA had been doing.

Naabutan ko siya sa kusina, nagluluto. I frowned when I saw that he wasn't wearing a shirt. He often does that around the house.

I stared at his stacked back. ZA looked equally powerful as he was facing me. His muscles were toned and verged into defined. Hindi nakatakas sa aking mga mata ang ilang pilat sa kanyang likuran.

When he didn't tell me where those scars came from, I didn't push. But they still made me wonder.

"Are you feeling better?" ZA asked, turning to face me.

I nodded. "Yeah,"

"Good," he went back to what he was doing. "Malapit na itong maluto. Kakain na tayo."

"ZA," I called him, and he turned his head on me.

"Thank you," I whispered. "For taking care of me,"

He smiled. That genuine smile I don't usually get from him. "You're welcome, Cams. Sige na, doon ka na muna sa sala at mausok dito."

Goodness! What's with that smile?! How did ZA suddenly become appealing in my eyes was something I couldn't explain.

Bago pa kung saan mapunta ang takbo ng aking isipan ay iniwan ko na siya sa kusina. I went to the living room and saw a steel-string guitar sitting on the couch.

Wow. So, he knows how to play guitar, huh?

I sat on the couch and took the guitar. I wasn't really good at it, but I knew some chords. Dad used to sing for me.

"You can be the peanut butter to my jelly..." I started singing gently. "You can be the butterflies I feel in my belly... You can be the captain and I can be your first mate.. You can be the chills that I feel on our first date.."

Perfect Two is one of my favorite songs. I was in high school when I first heard it, and I immediately loved it. The lyrics seemed to fit my life perfectly.

"You can be the hero and I can be your side kick.. You can be the tear that I cry if we ever split.. You can be the rain from the cloud when it's stormin'.. Or you can be the sun when it shines in the mornin'.." I closed my eyes and continued singing.

Only Chiara and Nisha knew about my love for music. To others, I was talentless and without my money I'd be no one. I didn't care then. I don't care now.

"Don't know if I could ever be.. Without you 'cause boy you complete me.. And in time I know that we'll both see.. That we're all we need.."

I'd always imagined Zanti when I was singing or listening to this song. But right now, it wasn't who I was seeing with my eyes close. It was ZA.

The way he smiled at me in the kitchen. His emerald eyes piercing right through me. And thinking about him made my heart flip.

"'Cause you're the apple to my pie.. You're the straw to my berry.. You're the smoke to my high.. And you're the one I wanna marry.."

Bilib na ako sa tibay ng aking dibdib dahil hindi ito nabiyak sa lakas nang tibok ng aking puso.

"'Cause you're the one for me..  And I'm the one for you..  You take the both of us..  And we're the perfect two.." I couldn't and wouldn't stop thinking about him. And he was just in the next room. "We're the perfect two.. We're the perfect two.. Baby me and you.. We're the perfect two.."

I froze when I heard someone clapping. Dahan-dahan akong nagmulat ng aking mga mata at bahagyang tinamaan ng hiya nang makita ko ZA na mataman akong pinagmamasdan.

He was leaning on the frame with his arms across his chest.

Huminto na ako dahil I'm shy! I put down the guitar and tried to calm myself. Until now kasi grabe pa rin heartbeat ko.

"Why did you stop?" ZA asked. "I was just starting to listen,"

"Don't make fun of me!" Sinungitan ko siya upang maitago ang pagwawala ng aking dibdib dahil lamang nandyan siya.  

Tumawa siya kaya naman napairap ako. I stood up and was about to go to the kitchen for some water when ZA grabbed me by the waist.

We were so close again that I could inhale his scent. But ZA didn't seem to mind. Mas iniyakap pa nga niya ako sa kanya!

"You have a very sweet voice, Cams," bulong niya. Halos manigas ako sa aking kinatatayuan nang maramdaman ko ang marahang pag dampi ng kanyang mga labi sa tuktok ng aking ulo. "Binabaliw mo 'ko, Camille..."

"Ako rin, Andrei. You're driving me crazy!" Hindi ko na alam kung saan nanggaling ang mga salitang iyon. Basta kusa na lang lumabas sa aking bibig at huli na upang bawiin ko pa. Narinig niya na!

ZA took no time to flip and kiss me. Our eyes met while our lips linger against each other. And when I didn't contest, he moved, kissing me completely.

I hadn't been kissed by a man before. Hard to believe, but I was telling the truth. My practicing my first kiss with my two best girlfriends had never come in handy until this very moment.

Time to make Chiara and Nisha proud.

Slowly, I mimicked ZA's movement. I could tell he liked what I did because he pulled me closer, kissing me deeper. His tongue went in, and I welcomed it. He tasted so gooood.

I moaned when I felt one of his hand slid down to squeeze my buttocks. It ignited more fire in my system. God, I liked it.

If ZA thought he could kiss better, then I was ready to fight him. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him thoroughly.

"Ah, that's my girl," he muttered between our kisses.

"Andrei," I moaned when he nibbled my bottom lips.

I felt something getting thick southward. I knew what it was. I just didn't want to stop.

"Honey," he groaned, trying to stop what he'd started. "You're addictive. I'd die if we don't stop now."

"Oh, you, namby-pamby! Don't start something you can't finish," I teased him, rolling my eyes while catching my breath.

"God, you're beautiful." He bent down one more time and kissed me briefly before straightening his spine. "You taste like heaven."

Kinabukasan ay isinama ako ni ZA pabalik ng Metro Manila. He had some business to finish with Red and Tristan. Ayaw pa sana niya akong isama dahil nga kakagaling ko lang sa sakit ngunit ayaw ko naman maiwan mag-isa. For sure na gagabihin siya ng uwi kung here pa siya manggagaling.

I looked outside the window. Gone were the lines of trees, napalitan na iyon ng mga gusali. It had been a while since I last saw towering buildings.

"Missing the city life?" ZA asked, glancing at me as he drove.

I shrugged. "A little,"

"Too bad, you're not going home yet." ZA teased.

If I was being honest, I didn't really care na. I had no idea when I stopped caring, maybe it was when I stopped trying to get away from him too.

"Sorry, I had to bring you with me. Kung hindi lang mahalaga ay hindi ko na sana pupuntahan pa sila Red."

"I understand," I told him. "Ayaw ko rin iwan mo ako alone there, noh? I'll get bored!"

"Or you're just being clingy," muli niyang asar.

"Get over yourself!" I rolled my eyes. "You're the one who wanted to be so close to me every time."

"Yeah, and I don't hear you complaining." He smirked.

"Yeah, because I liked it too..." there's no point lying. I turned the radio on to drown what I just said and started singing along with Rihanna. "Shine a light through an open door... Love and life I will divide. Turn away 'cause I need you more... Feel the heartbeat in my mind,"

ZA groaned, shutting the radio down. Nanatili sa daan ang kanyang mga mata ngunit kita ko ang pag-igting ng kanyang panga. "Stop singing, Camille. You know what happens when you sing."

Sukat doon ay mabilis kong naitikom ang aking bibig. I felt my cheeks burn in embarrassment remembering what happened last night. We kissed, and I liked it. ZA knew just how much.

"There," sabi niya nang nanahimik na ako. "Learn when to shut your delicious mouth para hindi ka na pinapatahimik pa."

"Would you stop calling it delicious," umikot ang aking mga mata.

"Give me one good reason,"

"Because it made me wanna kiss you too!" I shot him a glare.

His laughter echoed inside the car. Naiiling niya akong nilingon, he pulled over to grab and kiss me!

ZA ignored the car behind us who got upset with his sudden detour and beeped endlessly on us. I didn't mind either. I kissed him back with the same equal want.

The kiss lasted for a few minutes before I pulled away, panting. ZA wiped the corners of his mouth with a satisfied grin on his face.

"If you want to kiss me," he started the engine. "Just tell me. I'll willingly oblige."

We were about to drive off when he stopped. Kumunot ang kanyang noo habang pinagmamasdan ang isang babaeng kalalabas lamang mula sa isang pastry shop.

The woman was holding a bag of bread. She was wearing vintage-rock shirt paired with a ripped denim shorts and a plaid shirt tied around her waist. She had a slender built, tall and high. I looked at her face covered with Ray-Ban. Her dirty blonde hair was in a total mess. I could barely see her face. But that was one pair of prominent jaw.

Did ZA know this Boho chic?

I gasped when she walked into her ride. A black Bugatti Chiron! I knew that car! My curiosity about the woman deepens.

"Did you know she was here?" ZA said. Akala ko'y ako ang kausap niya ngunit nang lingunin ko siya ay hawak niya na ang phone niya. "Dana. She's here."

Dana. So, that was her name.

We both watched the car in front of us drove off. I rolled my eyes at the plate number. I had memorized that by following him around.

"Do you know her?" Tanong ko kay ZA.

Tumango siya sa akin at ipinagpatuloy ang pakikipag-usap sa telepono. "I got the license plate. I'll be there in a few."

Now, I'm even more curious. Who is that girl?

Why is she with Zanti? And what is she to ZA?