Joke

Chapter 19. Joke

"I SHOULDN'T be doing this!"

Ali groaned while he kept on stroking his still hard shaft under the shower. Gusto niyang kausapin si Heizen pero hindi niya magagawa dahil nangangalit na ang kanya. He tried to calm himself down but he couldn't unless he release again.

"Shit!" For how many times did he do it already? He lost the count. For the past years, he always touched himself thinking of Heizen's innocent yet alluring face. Mas lumala sa tuwing naaalala niya kung paanong ilang beses niyang naabutan nito noon na nahihimbing sa kanyang kama at walang suot na pang-itaas. God knows how many times did he restrain himself so he wouldn't caress her delicate and soft body while she was sleeping. Pero, hindi! Lagi niya itong binibihisan at... bahagyang hinahalik-halikan.

"Heizen...!"

Hinihingal niyang tinapos ang pag-shower para makabalik na agad sa silid. Baka naman kalmante na siya't makausap na ito ng maayos.

"She said she's not dating dela Costa..." bulong niya habang nagpupunas ng katawan. Napamura siya nang maalalang wala siya sa kanyang silid at walang damit na nandoon kung nasaan siya. He should've grabbed his luggage under the bed so he could get some clothes.

Nagtapis siya ng puting twalya, pero pinalitan din ng puting roba nang maalalang nandoon sa kwarto si Heizen.

Kanina pa niya ito gustong makausap nang masinsinan pero inaalala niyang baka hindi mapigilan ang sarili. Kung hindi siya nagalit ay baka inaangkin na niya ngayon si Heizen lalo pa't madali lang sa kanya na hubarin ang kapiranggot na telang tumatakip sa pagkababae nito.

"And she's only wearing that... Fuck!" He's growing again.

Sa sobrang galit niya sa sarili kanina dahil sa hindi niya mapakalma ang kanya ay kung anu-ano ang nasabi niya rito. Hindi naman siya nag-book ng hotel room, he just went to the vacant room so he could take a damn cold shower.

Hindi maipaliwanag ang kaba niya habang papasok sa kwarto. Agad siyang natigilan nang marinig na humahagulgol si Heizen habang mahigpit na nakayakap sa unan at nakayuko, nakaupo pa rin sa sofa.

His heart sank looking how hurt and helpless his Heizen was.

"Heize..."

Gulat itong nag-angat ng tingin at mabilis nitong pinunasan ang luha gamit ang mga palad. Ang paghagulgol nito'y naging mumunting mga hikbi habang hindi makapaniwalang nakatitig sa bulto niya.

"H-Huwag ka nang umalis..." nagmamakaawang untag nito. "Dito ka muna. Just sleep here, huh?" pumiyok pa ito.

Suminghap siya at mabilis itong nilapitan. Pero bago pa siya makalapit ay tumayo na ito at tumakbo palapit sa kanya.

"Gusto kita, Ali, gustung-gusto. Kaya sobra-sobra ang pangungulila ko sa iyo pero parang ayaw mo na akong makita..." bulalas nito nang yumakap ng mahigpit sa kanya.

He became silent feeling her fragile body pressing onto his. He cursed many times silently because he shouldn't be feeling so turned on right at that moment. He should had been comforting her.

Pero hindi niya maikakailang lumobo ang puso niya sa paulit-ulit nitong pagsabi na may gusto ito sa kanya.

Even before, he knew he was adored by her. They even exchanged I like yous back then. But they slowly drifted apart because he thought her feelings shifted to a different man. Lalo na't nang malaman niyang laging patago kung magkita ang dalawa. Hindi ito nagsabi sa kanya kaya inakala niyang totoo ang sinabi ni dela Costa na nililigawan ng huli si Heizen.

He also noticed how Heizen started keeping secrets. Whenever he asked where she'd go, she always said to the groceries or just somewhere. At alam niyang hindi iyon totoo dahil sinundan niya ito noon at nahuli niyang lagi itong nakikipagkita kay Rexton sa mamahaling restaurants sa tuwing hindi ito nagpapaalam sa kanya.

Pilit niyang inintindi si Heizen noon. That she may be in her high school crush phase. But damn, she wasn't a high school anymore. And she's nineteen!

Fucking nineteen and very beautiful.

Napapikit siya para iwasan ang alaala kung bakit pinili niyang iwasan ang huli sa mga nagdaang taon at parang tukso namang naramdaman niya ang malambot nitong kutis dahil lumilis ang suot nitong roba.

She was only sobbing now and eventually, she gasped and her breathing became heavy.

"Heizen, baby, why did you cry?"

"Y-You said you're leaving? Na sa hotel ka matutulog?"

Lumayo ito sa kanya pero hinigit niya ito para hindi makawala sa yakap. Nag-angat ito ng tingin at pinunasan niya ang pinsgi nitong basang-basa ng luha. He carried her and laid her down on the bed. He went inside the bathroom so he'd get a tissue box. Binalikan niya si Heizen at bumigat ang paghinga niya nang makitang nakatitig lang ito sa pinto ng banyo, tila umaasang hindi ito nananaginip lang.

Lakad-takbo siyang lumapit at umupo sa tabi nito, pagkatapos ay ngumiti ito.

"You're really here."

"What did I do?" puno ng pagsisising tanong niya sa sarili. He sighed harshly and closed his eyes to calm himself. Hindi siya pwedeng umiyak dahil iiyak na naman si Heizen kapag nakita ang kahinaan niya.

Pero hindi rin nakatakas ang ilang patak ng luha sa kanyang pisngi.

"Bakit ka umiiyak?" she asked softly.

"I'm not. Blow your nose," iwas niya sa usapan 'tsaka inabutan ng ilang piraso ng tissue.

"Sa banyo na lang, para makapaghilamos din ako." Alam niyang pinipigilan nitong maiyak ulit.

Sinundan niya itong pumasok sa banyo. She chuckled lightly when she stared at her reflection.

Lovely.

"I look like a sh—"

"I love you..." anas niya.

"H-Huh?"

"I love you, my princess."

She was too flustered that she couldn't say a thing.

"Breathe, baby. Mamamatay ka."

Suminghap ito at mabilis na hinabol ang hininga. She then shook her head and washed her face, then blew her nose. Nang abutan niya ito ng towel ay nahulog nito iyon at napamaang sa katawan niya.

He grabbed another towel on the rack and he was the one who gently tapped it on her face.

"I just said I love you, Heizen."

She pouted when she looked at his face, but she immediately looked away.

"I love you..." Goddammit, I should've had done this since she turned eighteen.

Everything was not a joke. When he told her she should marry her, that he'd provide everything for her, it was never a joke.