Gleeful

Chapter 32. Gleeful

IT all happened so fast. Romano slept soundly after that hot summer night he spent with Nami. Kissing was never his intention while she's on vacation, neither making love with her especially the very first time they met after a long time. He planned to woo her, yet, he liked it better now that they already happened.

What he did not expect was she's still inexperienced. Ni hindi niya nadala sa kama sa sobrang hindi na siya nakapagpigil, kaya siguradong nasaktan ito noong una lalo na sa paraan ng pag-angkin niya.

He sighed, then, he stared lovingly at her back who's still sleeping soundly beside him. Nakatalikod ito sa kaniya at nakaunan sa kaniyang braso. Nagmanhid na nga ang braso niya't sinubukan niyang alisin kaya umungol ito bilang protesta. Pero nangangalay na talaga siya kaya inalis na niya at tuluyan itong nagising.

Tila wala pa ito sa huwisyo nang matagal lang na tumitig sa nasa harapan nito, ang bintanang nakababa pa ang blinds.

Yumakap siya rito at pinirmi ang palad sa bandang puson nito, hindi pinansin na napapitlag ito. She gained weight, and he got crazier seeing her curvy body. Bahagya niyang pinisil ang bilbil nito at pinanggigilan. Hanggang sa pumirmi ang kamay niya sa ilalim ng dibdib nito.

He chuckled and buried his face on her nape. "I bet you're still dreaming..." he commented.

"R-Romano!" Naramdaman niyang napalunok ito. He tried to pull her so she'd be on his top but she restraint. "I'm heavy!"

Natawa ulit siya't hinayaan na itong mahiga havang nakatalikod sa kaniya. "You're not heavy, I clearly remember I carried you last night."

"Oo, kaya hiningal ka pagkahiga natin dito. Kung hindi ka lang siguro batak sa work out, baka hindi mo ako nabuhat nang matagal kagabi." Natawa siya sa hayag nito. Totoong may kabigatan ito ngayon, at alam niya ang dahilan. Who's stalking her social media account every single night before he fell asleep?

"Good morning," he hoarsely greeted him and showered some light kisses on her shoulder blades, then, on her nape.

"I'm ticklish," nahihiyang tugon nito at bahagyang napakislot nang hagkan niyang muli.

Humigpit ang yakap niya na parang ayaw na itong pakawalan. "I'm sorry though," bulalas niya. Hindi ito kaagad na sumagot kaya nilinaw niya kung bakit siya humihingi ng paumanhin. Mahirap na, baka ma-misinterpret nito. "I didn't know you're still untouched. No offense, sweet, but you're on your twenties. And your reputation about men..." Napahugot na lansiya ng hininga.

"Do I really look like a fuckgirl?"

"No, of course not. I'm just saying that most women lose their virginity even before reaching twenty. And, yeah, a bit of that..." amin niya sa huli.

She shrugged. "Sabagay. Pero alam mo, sa totoo lang, lagi kong kontrolado ang sitwasyon. I know where and when to stop even if I am drunk. My flings can attest to that. Kaya nga nakarami ako kasi hindi sila nagtatagal sa 'kin. Ayaw nilang maghintay," she voiced out.

He liked how she became more comfortable now that they shared intimacy. Kung kanina'y iniisip niya na masyadong mabilis ang mga pangyayari, ngayo'y napagtanto naman niyang mabagal pa nga sila. They could've had been in a relationship now if he didn't fucking run away from his feelings towards her.

"Ang lalim ng iniisip mo?"

Sinabi niya rito ang laman ng isip niya at napatango naman ito. Then, he remembered she just told him she could always control herself, so he returned to that topic. "If you can control yourself, why did you let me make love with you last night?" Not that he's complaining. He's just curious. And, yes, he wanted to hear it from it though he already perfectly knew why.

Lumiit ang tinig nito. "I l-lose control. I've been wanting you since I didn't know when. So... that makes sense why I think I can never control myself when it comes to... you?"

Napangiti siya roon at pinaharap ito sa kaniya. Tama nga ang hinala niyang tila nagmumurang-kamatis na ang mga pisngi nito at hindi makatingin nang diretso sa kaniya. "Why are you so shy?" tukso niya.

"I'm not!" kaila nito. "I m-mean, sa sofa..." Tumikhim ito. "I never thought I'd let my hymen be teared on the sofa. You were so..." Napalunok ito. Siya na ang nagtuloy sa gusto nitong sabihin.

"Rough?" Aminado siya roon. Kaya nga ba siya nag-sorry kanina. "I thought you're already experienced, because you were ravishing me the whole time—"

"Why are we talking about it? Can't we have some breakfast already?"

"Busog pa ako." Nginisihan niya ito.

"Romano!" kastigo nito, nakuha ang panunukso niya.

"Totoo naman. Until now, I can taste you in—"

"Romano!!!" Now, she shrieked that made him burst out his laughter. Malakas na tinapik nito ang kaniyang braso't napahiyaw siya. Weird, parang medyo masakit ang braso niya. Anyway, he's not wearing any shirt at all while Nami was wearing one of his shirts and boxer brief.

Seryoso, hanggang ngayon, nanggigigil pa rin siya, iyong gigil na gusto niya nang romansahin ulit ang huli. Pero kanina pa siya nagpipigil. Quota na siya sa ginawa niyang pambibigla rito kagabi. Mabuti na lang at kahit na halos nalasing na siya sa pinagsaluhan nila ay napansin pa rin niyang iyon pala ang unang beses ni Nami. At least, he managed to control himself right away and made her feel better by gently murmuring sweet nothings to her as they kissed passionately. Until they both got drowned, wanting more of each other...

Sa pag-alala lang niya na sa nangyari ay napahigpit siya ng yakap kay Nami. She let him do so.

Napalunok ito at niyakap siya pabalik, natamaan ang pagkalalaki niya kaya napaungol siya para magreklamo kunwari.

"D-do you think I can take it now already?" she asked in her husky voice as she moved her hips, hitting his massive boner. Ang sakit na ng puson niya dahil sa pagpipigil kanina pa, at heto na naman.

Umungol siya bilang protesta. "You still need to rest. I bet you're really sore."

Napabuga ito ng hangin. Lumuwag ang pagkakayakap niya rito saka ito bahagyang lumayo. She slightly brushed her hands on his biceps. "Sorry for these."

"For what?" Hindi na niya kailangang marinig ang sagot nang tiningnan niya't napansin ang mga nagsugat sa balat niya dahil sa pagbaon ng kuko nito kagabi roon nang biglain niya. "Ah..." Umiling siya. "I deserve it. Pinanggigilan nga kasi kita—"

"'Yan ka na naman!"

Iniba na lang niya ang usapan. "Why did you let others believed that you're wild?"

"Feeling ko kasi, hindi ako aapi-apihin kapag ganoon."

Nanatili siyang tahimik para makinig dito.

"I mean, when I was a kid, I transferred to the province, didn't I?"

Tumango siya.

"The kids thought I already had some boyfriends back then. Ganoon 'ata ang tingin nila sa mga Manileña. 'Tapos hinayaan ko na lang hanggang mag-hayskul. At least they didn't try to fool me for being so innocent. Iyon nga lang, may bad side din pala. You know what I mean."

He nodded again. People were taking advantage of her, that they thought she was easy to have fun with—also known as sex for other people who wanted to have fun.

"And the reason why I became afraid of engaging in casual sex is I thought that no one would ever love me. Gusto lang nilang ma-i-kama ako, at kapag nakuha na nila ang gusto nila, iiwanan lang ako."

"I never imagined you have that fear."

Nagkibit-balikat na lang ito. "Ikaw ba?"

"Nothing. I just believed that casual sex is basic human needs." Not until last night...

She made a face. "Ah, fuckboy." Tumango-tango pa ito.

"Hey, I'm not!"

"Chick boy na lang, sige."

Hindi na siya nakaangal doon. Totoo namang marami siyang nakarelasyon noon.

SINAGAD ni Nami ang bakasyon sa Italy kasama si Romano. During that vacation, they went to different places, popular and not, and, of course, shared a lot of intimate moments. Feeling nga niya, natunaw na ang taba niya dahil halos inaraw-araw na 'ata nila.

But now that she's going back to reality tomorrow, there's one thing that's bothering her—kung ano ba'ng mayroon sila ng lalaki.

Nag-e-empake siya nang pumasok ito sa silid na miminsan lang niyang inookupa. Palagi kasi silang magkatabi sa pagtulog sa silid nito.

Pinansin niya ang dalawang malaking luggage na hila-hila nito.

"Ah, this one is for you, and this one's for me."

She blinked her eyes twice. "Huh?"

"I'm going home with you. I already talked to my family and we agreed I'll just visit here if needed. Babalik ako ng Pilipinas at magtatrabaho ulit sa Montreal. Rexton and I talked about it already."

"W-what? But, why?"

"What do you mean why? Don't you want to be with me?"

"I do. I mean, I like it here because you're here, kaya nga ba ayaw ko pang umuwi talaga," amin niya.

"Kaya nga ako na ang uuwi para sa iyo. So we could be together during our free times. Hindi iyong lilipad ka pa, o kaya, ako, para lang makapag-sex tay—"

"I'm being serious here!" kastigo niya.

"I'm serious, too," tumatawang bulalas nito.

Pero hindi siya natawa. Okupado pa rin kasi ng isipan niya ang isang bagay na kanina pa niya inaalala.

"What are you thinking?" Sumeryoso ito. She stopped packing her things and stared at him. After a few, she sighed and asked right away.

"Romano, what are we?"

Saglit itong nalito at nang makahuma ay nginitian siya. Yumuko ito saka lumuhod para magpantay ang mga tingin nila.

"We had sex, we've been doing things that a couple should only do."

"That's what we are, Monami. Couples make love, don't they?"

"Huh? Us? A couple? Kailan pa?"

"Silly." He went closer and brushed the tips of their noses. "When you first came here—July seven." namamaos na usal nito.

"July seven ba iyon?" She unconsciously saved the date inside her head. That'd be their anniversary if ever he's not tripping her now.

"I'm not kidding. We even made love at the sofa that night, and on the floo—"

"Romano naman," kastigo niya pero iba ang kaniyang tinig. Parang kinikilig pa lalo dahil tandang-tanda nito ang araw na nagtapat sila sa isa't isa habang siya'y iniisip na wala pang sila.

"Did I not make myself clear?"

Umiling siya. "It's not you."

"Then, I'll make it clear. We're officially in a relationship now, okay?"

Bahagya siyang tumango. "Sorry if I didn't notice the date, too. I just, well, I don't remember dates with my flings or exes. Basta ang alam ko lang, naging kami kapag naghiwalay na."

"So you didn't bother to remember ours? 'Yan tuloy, kung ano-ano pang naiisip mo. Hindi ko hahayaang papakin ka araw-araw nang hindi ka akin—"

"Rome..." malambot ang tinig na pigil niya rito. Wait, that sounded a bit wrong... and right? Gosh, she couldn't believe how quick she's turned on now.

"Mamaya ka na mag-empake, gusto na kitang panggigilan ul—"

"Romano, pinapasabi pala ni Yuri—Cazzo! Lock the door!" his sister cursed in Italian. She already met her and her family a week ago, then, they went back home two days ago. Dalawang araw na rin noong huling may mangyari sa kanila ni Romano. Nahihiya lang kasi siya na magsama sila nito sa kwarto habang nandoon ang pamilya ng ate nito.

"Ate, kumatok ka kasi!"

Mabilis na napatuwid siya ng upo. Ni hindi niya namalayang halos nakapatong na pala si Romano sa kaniya at ngayo'y hindi makatingin ng diretso sa ate nito.

"I'll just wait for you outside later." She playfully smiled and took a glance towards her direction.

Nang lumabas ito ay ni-lock pa nito ang pinto, at gusto na lang niyang lumubog sa kinauupuan.

Romano just held her face and gave her a peck on her lips. "I'll be back. Finish packing already, we'll be having a long night later."

"Hindi mo na ba ako patutulugin?" Bukas ng umaga, alas diyes, ang oras ng flight nila.

"Sa eroplano na lang. Mahaba naman ang biyahe."

Tumango siya kahit wala pa rin siyang balak ba matulog sila sa iisang kwarto mamaya dahil nandoon ang mga pamangkin nito. She didn't want to display that towards the kids, baka isipin ng mga ito, okay lang na magtabi sa pagtulog ang dalawang taong walang relas—wait, they're in a relationship already! Napangiti siya roon.

Nang makalabas naman ito ay ilang sandaling para siyang bulateng inasinan dahil humiga siya sa sahig at bumiling-biling sa sobrang kilig.

"Boyfriend ko na si Romano!"  she squealed, then, she kept still as she stared at the ceiling; smiling so gleefully.