Chapter Three

Kiss

Pero ganoon lang iyon. Bumabawi nga si Aaron pero busy pa rin siya. I enjoyed all our short trips. I appreciate his efforts. But maybe I'm a clingy girlfriend kaya gusto ko pa rin kapag palagi ko siyang nakakasama at nakikita gaya noong nag-aaral pa lang kaming dalawa.

"Party later, Teen?" aya sa akin ni Noah.

I smirked at him and then I nodded. Wala si Aaron dahil pinapunta siya ni Tito Axel sa isang business trip. Ilang araw na rin siyang wala and I miss him terribly.

I went to a club again with Noah. Kasama pa rin namin ang friends niya at wala naman akong kasamang kaibigan ko ngayon dahil may ibang mga plano sila.

As I danced with Noah in the crowded dance floor with the loud music I can't help it but to let my emotions show. Maybe I was overacting but I just really miss my boyfriend. Pakiramdam ko nitong mga nakaraan sobrang busy na niya talaga that he already felt unreachable to me. I was scared that we might fall apart...

"Why are you crying?" Noah looked shocked as he saw me crying while we danced in front of each other with the people around us who just seemed happy partying.

Natigil na ako sa pagsasayaw at nagpunas ng luha ko. "Wala, uh, shit. I'm just..."

"Teen," Noah held my chin up and we ended looking into each other's eyes. Until his head lowered to mine and his lips touched my lips. My eyes widened. And while I was still in shocked he slowly kissed my lips.

Nang matauhan ay agad ko siyang tinulak palayo sa akin. "What are you doing?!"

His lips parted na parang hindi rin niya inasahan ang ginawa niyang paghalik sa akin. Hindi ko na hinintay pa ang sasabihin niya at mabilis na akong umalis doon at iniwan siya. Sinubukan pa niya akong habulin until my car but I was mad at him for kissing me! Why would he do that?! He knows that I'm in a relationship with Aaron! At mahal ko si Aaron. Hindi dapat nangyari iyong kanina. I hate Noah for what he did.

Wala siyang nagawa kung 'di hayaan nalang akong umalis na galit sa kaniya. He said sorry but I ignored his apology.

***

Aaron came home after days which almost turned to a week business trip. "Kapag wala ka lang pasok sa eskwela baka pwede kitang dalhin sa susunod sa mga business trips ko. Pero siyempre kung papayagan lang din nina Tito Tristan."

I smiled a bit at Aaron's pasalubong for me from his business trip. Galing siyang ibang bansa and he brought home for me expensive bags, shoes and perfumes. Lalo yata siyang naging generous boyfriend sa akin lalo ngayong kumikita na rin siya ng sarili niyang pera sa pagtatrabaho sa company nila. "May sususnod pa?"

Aaron gave me his angelic smile and enveloped me in his arms. "You missed me?"

Inangat ko ang ulo ko mula sa kaniyang dibdib para magtama ang mga mata namin. I pouted and nodded like a poor child. "Yeah. I miss you so much."

Aaron smiled like he's happy. Inabot niya ang labi ko para mahalikan. I remembered Noah's kiss and I still hate him for that. "I'm sorry. Should we go on a date now if you're not busy?"

I nodded eagerly. "Ikaw kaya ang busy sa atin!"

He chuckled. "You can be busy, too, with your studies."

So I happily went out on a date that day with Aaron. Tapos nag-date pa uli kami sa sumunod na araw kaya masayang masaya ako. Gusto ko talaga kapag magkasama kami. I feel safe and well taken cared of in his arms. I feel loved.

But it's the same. Aaron was still busy. Later on I just forgave Noah dahil matagal na rin naman iyon at mukhang lasing na rin naman siya nang gabing iyon. I started going out with him again.

Until another kiss happened between us... At that time I blamed it on the alcohol. I was drunk.

And then the third time I still blamed it on the alcohol because I was again drunk at alam kong ganoon din si Noah. We ended drunkenly making out inside Noah's car at the bar parking...

I was so guilty after. Halos hindi ko maharap si Aaron but I had to go out with him every time he has a free time for me para hindi niya rin ako pagdudahan na may iba akong ginagawa... I didn't mean to kiss someone else other than my boyfriend... I'm in love with Aaron. I love him.

But...

I also became tired of his busyness... I got tired of always initiating first... Because with Noah... I felt different when it's not me who's doing the first move...

But I regret it. I regret it so much. Nagpadala ako sa isang bagay na hindi naman talaga ako sigurado at alam kong hindi ko naman dapat ginawa. Kinalimutan ko ang mga importanteng bagay. Hindi ko pinahalagahan ang relasyon namin ni Aaron... Kahit importanteng importante siya sa akin.

It was Ninang Patricia's birthday party at their home. It was evening and there's a lot of guests in their huge house, too. Invited sina mommy at ang pamilya nina Tita Eris din. But their family also had to attend to something else kaya baka humabol nalang daw sila ayon kay tita. Ayos lang naman iyon kay Ninang Trish.

"Let's go upstairs." Noah was kissing my neck and whispering words in my ear.

I opened my eyes and he withdrew to look at me in the eyes, too. Slowly I nodded my head and he held my hand as he brought me up to his bedroom without anyone knowing dahil abala ang lahat sa party ni ninang... Or so I thought.

I was nervous...

I wasn't sure of what I was doing...

This isn't like when we were in the bar at nakainom na. I wasn't sure why and what I was doing with Noah. Kung bakit parang nagtuloy-tuloy nalang kami sa maling nagawa. Alam kong mali iyon. It was wrong because I was already cheating with Aaron. I know that it's him that I love. But I also know that I was cheating on him physically with someone else... And I knew that he might never forgive me if he find out.

I was already laying on Noah's bed. I didn't know if we locked the door or what. I wasn't naked. Suot ko pa ang dress ko para sa party. From my lips bumaba ang halik ni Noah sa leeg ko. His body was going on top of me. At iyon mismo ang naabutan ni Aaron na ayos namin ni Noah...

Nanigas akong nakahiga doon at hindi ko agad natulak paalis sa akin si Noah. Nakabaling ang ulo at tingin ko sa pintuan kaya nakita ko agad ang tumulak ng pinto pabukas at nanlalaki ang mga mata ko habang nakatingin deretso rin mismo sa mga mata ni Aaron na galing sa gulat ay napalitan ng galit at marami pang ibang emosyon.

Hindi agad natigil si Noah at tinalikuran nalang kami ni Aaron. When I woke up from my deep shock I immediately pushed Noah as hard as I could away from me. Wala akong sinayang na oras at agad kong sinundan si Aaron na wala nang nasabi at agad nang umalis pagkatapos ng nakita niya. But I also halted when I saw Aaron's sister.

Rachel was standing stiffly on the stair landing. She looked up to me at nagkatinginan kaming dalawa. My heart throbbed. When I thought that no one knew I went upstairs with Noah, dumating na pala noon sina Tita Eris nang hindi ko nalalaman. Hindi ko namalayan. I even thought na baka hindi na makapunta sina Aaron dito sa party. Rachel needed to use the washroom when their family arrived kaya dumeretso muna siya sa loob ng bahay at doon niya kami nakita ni Noah na naghahalikan... And then she called Aaron. She witnessed me cheating on her brother. And that's when she started hating me.

Hinabol ko si Aaron na nasa labas na at papasok na sa kotse niya when I caught his arm. "Aaron! Mag-usap tayo! It's not... I-It's not," I trembled so bad.

Aaron looked at me like he's disgusted with my hands on his arm kaya halos bawiin ko rin ang hawak ko sa kaniya kaya lang sobrang natatakot ako sa susunod niyang maaring gawin o kahit sabihin. His eyes were bloodshot with unshed tears, anger, hatred, betrayal, and pain. Halos hindi niya ako matingnan. Hindi na niya ako kayang tingnan.

"Aaron, please..." I cried first and my tear fell like waterfalls down my cheeks. I sobbed because of the hurt I felt for him, the guilt, and most of all I was scared. I got so, so scared. I can't lose him. "Listen to me. Nothing happened! Nothing happened between me and h-him. Believe me! Please, please! Walang nangyari, Aaron. Hindi namin nagawa—" Sobrang pinangunahan ako ng takot ko na hindi ko halos masabi ng klaro man lang ang mga salita ko sa gusto kong ipaliwanag sa kaniya. I desperately explained to him and I was already begging him.

"Shut up!" That was also the first time he raised his voice at me. He forcefully got his arm away from my hold. At dahil sa panginginig ko at panghihina I fell to the ground.

I cried more. Aaron remained looking at me for a while at hindi pa siya agad nakaalis pero pumasok din siya sa kotse niya at pinaharurot iyon paalis. I cried harder and I didn't care who will see me that way or who will hear my cries. My chest hurt so damn much.