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MACKENNA

A VERY LOUD RINGING SOUND from a phone has startled me awake, causing me to groan as I move. My face is buried in a soft pillow as I lie on my stomach. I couldn't move because I feel like something heavy was weighing down on my back.

I just gave up and waited for it to stop ringing, but it doesn't stop at all, and it causes my head to throb even more painfully. It's weird that my whole body aches as if I had run a marathon, particularly the lower part of my body. My inner thighs are clenching painfully, and the more I try to move, the more pain I feel.

"Ugh!" With a grunt, I began searching for my cellphone while keeping my eyes closed. Pilit kong kinakapa kung nasaan 'yong cellphone ko sa kama, pero hindi ko 'to mahanap. Hanggang sa may mahawakan akong matigas na bagay sa tabi ko. Kahit na gusto kong bumangon para tignan kung ano ba 'tong hawak ng kamay ko ay hindi ko magawa dahil sa sakit ng buong katawan ko.

Ano bang ginawa ko kagabi at ganito kasakit ang katawan ko?

Gently, I started caressing it, feeling this "thing", trying to guess what I'm holding right now. It's both hard and soft. It's thick and kind of long, too. And then I heard a voice... Bahagyang kumunot 'yong noo ko dahil hindi ko alam kung nananaginip ba ako, pero patuloy pa rin ako sa ginagawa ko hanggang laking gulat ko nang biglang gumalaw 'yong hinahawak ko at mas lalo pa 'tong tumigas at kasabay no'n ang malakas na pag-ungol sa tabi ko.

"That feels so good! Please, keep on doing that," Some guy moaned, making me jolted upright from the bed, I didn't even mind the unbearable pain of my head for my sudden action.

"Who are you and what the fuck are you doing on my bed?!" I exclaimed, wide eyes. Did I just gave him a... hand job?

Napatingin ako sa katawan ko at saka ko lang napagtanto na wala akong kahit na anong suot, kaya agad kong hinila 'yong kumot sa kama para itakip sa buong katawan ko. Napatingin ako sa buong paligid at napalunok ako nang makita kong wala ako sa sarili kong apartment.

Oh god... what have I done.

"Nasa'n ako? Why am I here... with you?" I couldn't even breathe properly since my heart was racing so quickly. When did I start sleeping with random guys? Never!

When the guy abruptly stepped out of bed, displaying his Greek-god figure, wide shoulders, sculpted chest, and 6-pack abs, oblivious to the fact that I was looking at his naked body, my cheeks began to heat up. His dishevelled hair just made him even more attractive. He started rubbing his eyes before grabbing his boxer short from under the bed on the floor and put it on, finally covering himself.

"Hindi mo talaga maalala 'yong mga nangyari sa'tin kagabi?" He said with a delighted expression on his face, the guy crossed his arms over his chest while staring at me.

Dahan-dahan akong umiling, pilit na inaalala ang mga nangyari kagabi.

"Hinalikan mo 'ko," sabi niya.

"What? Why would I kiss you first?" I asked and he just shrugged at me. "You're lying,"

"Bakit naman ako magsisinungaling?"

"I don't know," I glared at him. "Can you please hand me my clothes?"

"No, hindi ka pwedeng umalis dito hanggat hindi mo naaalala 'yong nangyari satin kagabi. Sayang naman kung hindi mo maaalala 'yong performance ko kagabi, ginalingan ko pa naman." Nagtatampong sabi niya. Hindi ko alam kung anong isasagot ko dahil sa sinabi niya.

"Basta hinalikan mo 'ko nung nasa bar tayo, tapos pinipigilan kita dahil alam kong lasing ka pero ayaw mong magpa-awat." Dagdag niya bago pulutin isa-isa 'yong mga damit naming nagkalat sa sahig.

I was just staring at him blankly, trying so hard to remember everything that he said...

And then suddenly it all came flooding back to me...

"S-sandali lang," nagulat ako nang bigla niya akong hawakan sa balikat at lumayo mula sa paghalik sa'kin.

"Why? You don't want to kiss me, or am I a bad kisser?" Diretso at naguguluhan kong tanong sakaniya.

I'm tipsy, yes, but I still know what I'm doing. Although the alcohol is the one talking right now, I kind of like it though. I kind of like how straightforward and vocal I am right now, despite the fact that I just met this guy tonight. Besides, he's a great kisser, and I want to kiss him more. And I can't stop staring at his swollen lips. Wanting to kiss it more.

We're still at the bar, people are still busy drinking and dancing, not minding our own business at all. Not minding whether we're making out here or not.

"Of course not! Magaling kang humalik at gusto pa rin kitang halikan, pero kasi lasing ka na. And I'm not going to take advantage of you. Hindi ako gano'ng klase ng lalaki." sagot niya. My cheeks flushed because of his response, mabuti nalang at hindi niya 'yon mapapansin dahil madilim dito at alam niyang nakainom ako.

"I may be drunk, but I know what I want. And that is to kiss you." Sinubukan ko ulit siyang halikan, pero agad din siyang umiwas sa'kin. Mas lalong nag-iinit 'yong mukha ko dahil sa inis. Hindi na ako natutuwa sa pag-reject niya sa'kin.

"Iuuwi na muna kita at saka tayo mag-usap bukas kapag hindi kana lasing."

"Hindi nga ako lasing sabi!"

"Lasing kana. Nagtatagalog kana." he let out a soft chuckle, and I didn't know that someone's laugh could make my heart race faster. His laugh is one of my favorite sounds right now.

"HA-HA funny," I rolled my eyes at him, and he just simply shook his head in disbelief due to my stubbornness. "How about this? If I can walk straight by myself, we will leave this bar and we will continue this somewhere else. Deal?"

Sandali siyang natahimik habang malalim na nag-iisip. I bit my lower lip, anxiously waiting for his response, and I almost squealed when he agreed with me.

Huminga muna ako nang malalim bago ako dahan-dahan na tumayo mula sa pagkakaupo. Ramdam ko 'yong pagbigat ng ulo ko, pero alam kong kaya ko pa ring maglakad nang diretso. I have a high tolerance when it comes to drinking alcohol. Matagal akong nagtrabaho sa bar bilang champagne girl at walang gabi na hindi ako nakainom habang nagtatrabaho kaya nasanay na 'yung atay ko sa pag-iinom ng alak.

"Ha! See! I told you I'm not drunk, "I stuck my tongue out at him, feeling proud of myself. He chuckled and then walked towards me, pulling me into him and claiming my lips. It was just a quick kiss, and I was too stunned to even kiss him back.

"Let's go?" He asked. I just nodded at him and letting him drag me out of the bar.

This is insane! In my whole life, I've never had a one-night stand. I didn't even consider having a one-night stand with some random guy even when I worked as a bottle girl, and then this... this guy that I just met tonight, this guy who I had so much fun talking to, this guy who is now holding my hand and gently caressing my wrist, trying to relax me or whatever, almost made me throw myself at him and nearly beg him to kiss me again. This guy, whose name I don't even know, made me easily agree to come with him. So, we could just continue the make-out session that we just had at the bar.

What the hell is going on with me right now?

But, heck, my whole being is getting psyched about whatever is going to happen tonight!

Everything happened so fast. The next thing I knew, we were already inside his hotel room, undressing each other without breaking our kiss. He carried me to his bed, laid me gently, and crawled on top of me.

"Final na talaga na gusto mong gawin 'to?" Tanong niya nang bigla ulit niyang pinutol 'yung paghalik sa'kin.

"Look, we're both naked already. At hindi kita huhubaran kung ayaw kong may mangyari sa'ting dalawa." I replied.

"Good." He then smiled and kissed my forehead. "Because I'm so hard right now, I don't think I can even control myself anymore,"

"Okay, then just shut up and kiss me."

My arms were around his neck, drawing him closer to me so I could kiss him, but he spoke again.

"Last na talaga," sabi niya. "Anong pangalan mo?"

"Mackenna," I replied. We almost had sex without even knowing each other's name.

"Nice to meet you, Mackenna. I'm Scout, and I want you to remember my name because I will make you scream my name all night." he replied, winking at me, before reclaiming my lips and continuing what we'd begun.

And truth be told, he really made me scream his name all night!

I clasped both my hands over my mouth, finally remembering everything that happened between us last night! Every moan, every groan, every thrust, every orgasm, and every detail of our mind-blowing sex! So, that's why my whole body aches and why I'm so sore between my legs.

Oh, my god...

"Naalala mo na lahat?" Napatingin ako sa nakangising si Scout at agad napalunok. I bit my lower lip in embarrassment. I slowly nodded my head at him. Gusto ko nalang lamunin ako ng lupa.

"Anong gusto mong kainin? Tatawag ako ng room service. Naubos 'yung energy ko kagabi e," He keeps on grinning at me! Pasalamat siya at gwapo siya!

"Don't bother. Magbibihis lang ako at aalis na rin ako. May kailangan pa akong puntahan," agad na sabi ko. Kapag nalaman ni Freya 'to, I'm sure she'll even congratulate me for having a one-night stand.

"Bakit? Saan ka pupunta? Ihahatid na kita,"

"Thanks for the offer, but I'm okay." I replied. Mabilis kong isinuot 'yong mga damit ko na pinulot ni Scout kanina. Kinuha ko rin 'yong cellphone ko na maraming missed calls galing kay Freya. She's probably worried because I haven't talked to her since I got here in Brooklyn.

After fixing myself, I found Scout sitting on the couch, just watching me. I can't read the expression on his face. And as much as I want to know what he's thinking, I don't have the time right now. Kailangan ko pang bumalik sa workplace ni Foster ngayon para puntahan at kausapin siya.

What happened last night was a mistake. I didn't come here to Brooklyn to have a one-night stand. I came here to find my sister so I could go back to Vegas and live there with peace of mind.

"Um, thanks... for last night." I said, smiling at him.

He just said, "Ingat ka pag-uwi," but I can tell by the way he opens and shuts his mouth that he wants to say more but is holding himself back.

"You, too." I smiled at him one last time before turning my heels around and was about to leave when he called me.

I stopped on my track and turned around. Nagulat ako nang bigla nalang niya akong sinalubong ng yakap. Para akong nanigas sa kinatatayuan ko. My heart begins pounding so rapidly that I can't breathe, and something strange is going on inside my belly. I feel weird.

And before he let me go, he whispered in my ear, "Good luck sa paghahanap mo sa kapatid mo."

W H A T Y A S E Y