FOUR friggin' bottles. How wasted was he to even suggest three before that? Himala nang nakakapag-usap pa rin sila ni Aya nang maayos matapos nilang ubusin ang isang case ng beer. They weren't even done yet.
The story about Aya making out with Stacy was a real fucking news to him. Napu-frustrate siyang isipin na hindi niya nasaksihan iyon. Was he really asleep when it happened?
"You're not digging a gold there, Zarona. Bakit ang tagal mong pumili ng kakantahin ko?"
"Because your music library sucks," aniya habang inii-scroll down ang bawat kantang naka-save sa phone nito. He was already woozy from the booze and he had to squint hard just to be able to read the titles.
"I think meron akong Hello d'yan. 'Yung kay Adele. I'll sing it."
Dahan-dahan siyang napaangat ng tingin dito. "You say scary things when drunk, Aya."
Binatuhan siya nito ng tansan at napabunghalit siya ng tawa.
"Just pick a goddamn song!"
"All right, all right. I'll choose a song listed in your top playlis—My Heartcandy Songs, really? Na-stuck ka ba sa 80s time loop?"
"I was born in the 90s, genius."
"Kailangan mo na talaga ng matinding personality makeover. Alang-alang sa henerasyon natin."
She hissed at him. Shitfaced or not, Aya could still amuse the hell out of him. Who said a woman would stop being pretty once she gets wasted as fuck?
"Since die hard fan ka ng Backstreet Boys…" Inilapag niya ang phone sa mesa para ipakita kay Aya ang kantang napili niya. "Do that!"
"Ito lang ba? Fine." Ipinalo nito ang mga kamay sa mesa saka pinilit ang sarili na tumayo.
"You need help? I can—"
She raised her palm in front of his face. "Don't underestimate me, Vince. I'm not your average chick." Damn. Could she ever get hotter than that?
May pagsuray itong humakbang palayo sa mesa pero madali rin nitong nabalanseng muli ang katawan. Pasimple niyang dinampot ang sariling cellphone para i-on ang video camera niyon. Then he played the music and started recording secretly.
He hooted as Aya raked her fingers through her hair. There were few snaps here and there. Man, she was really doing this. She started off with some awkward sways but her confidence gradually kicked in as the song went on.
"And how you got me blind is still a mystery
I can't get you out of my head
Don't care what is written in your history
As long as you're here with me…"
Marahil ay lasing na talaga siya dahil nagagandahan pa rin siya sa boses ni Aya kahit alam ng lahat na sintunado ito. She was blushing as she tried to suppress a laugh.
"I don't care who you are
Where you're from
What you did
As long as you love me…"
Her beady gaze was locked on him. The way she rocked her hips and moved her fingers seemed to him like a visual foreplay. She looked sexy and riveting. Wala siyang pakialam kung baduy ang kinakanta nito. Watching Aya was making his heart pound in a newfound excitement.
"Who you are
Where you're from
Don't care what you did
As long as you love me."
Huminto ito sa kalagitnaan ng kanta. Napansin yata nito ang cellphone niya dahil bigla itong nagpamaywang. "Are you recording me, Zarona? Hindi 'yan kasama sa deal."
"I'm not," pagkakaila niya sabay taob sa kanyang phone.
Naningkit ang mga mata nito sa kanya.
"Okay, fine. I am recording it."
Bumuka ang bibig nito para magprotesta pero inunahan niya ito, "'Wag kang mag-alala, buburahin ko din 'to mamaya." Tumayo siya at kinuhang muli ang aparato.
"Bullshit, Vince! Kilala kita."
"Cross my heart."
"Ayoko na—"
"Tapusin mo lang ang kanta, Aya. Please?"
"You're gonna drink five after this."
"Hell, I'll drink ten if that's what it takes." Ngumiti siya. "Just finish it."
She shook her head and smiled eventually.
"Okay, the bridge part. Go!" Pumitik-pitik siya para sabayan ang ritmo ng kanta. And Aya was back in the game.
"What you did and where you're comin' from
I don't care, as long as you love me, baby…"
He didn't know if it was part of the show but Aya started to dance her way towards him. Sumimple ito ng abot sa kanyang phone pero alerto siya at mabilis niyang nailayo ang aparato sa kamay nito. It made him feel so good towering over her like this.
"Uh-ah. Sa tingin mo maaagaw mo 'to nang gano'n-gano'n lang?" aniya.
Aya giggled softly and the sound of it was heaven to his ears. Nagbanggaan ang kanilang mga hininga sa pagliit ng distansya sa pagitan nila. Natagpuan din niya ang sariling nakatitig sa mapula nitong mukha. She was so close that he could see her long lashes flapping over her groggy eyes.
'God, you're so beautiful.'
"Give me your phone, Vince," she whispered, almost breathless.
"You didn't finish the song, so no."
Aya made a mistake tiptoeing and trying to reach for his phone again. Because his other arm found its way to creep around her waist and his mouth fell on hers.
***
VINCE could feel the tension flooding his chest as he was trying to understand what the hell he was doing. Hinintay niya ang pagtanggi ni Aya, ang pagprotesta ng bibig nito, o ang pagtulak nito sa kanya. 'Anything to stop me from this madness.'
But she did just the opposite. Pumikit ito at ipinagsalikop ang mga braso sa kanyang leeg. She was kissing him back.
Thrill rushed through him as he shut his own eyes and completely devoured her trembling lips. Lumakas ang pagkalabog ng kanyang puso. The phone dropped out of his hand but he didn't give a fuck. Sinalo ng kamay niya ang gilid ng mukha ni Aya at humigpit ang pagkakapulupot niya sa baywang nito. Napaungol siya sa pagsinghap nito.
Aya's lips were so delicate it felt like they were melting against his. He was tempted to suck them hard but he didn't want to startle her. Maraming labi na siyang natikman noon, pero walang-wala ang mga iyon kung ikokompara sa ginagawa ng halik na ito sa kanya ngayon. It was drugging him. Nilalasing siya nang higit pa sa maidudulot ng sampung bote ng beer sa kanya.
He skimmed his hand across her back, making her shudder in his arms. He liked the feeling of her small frame caged next to his hard body, and he wanted to explore every part of her.
He swiped his tongue between her lips, tasting small traces of alcohol. When she let him breach her mouth, he almost lost it. His other hand clutched her hair gently and he dove for her tongue, savoring the taste of her. Sweet and scrumptious.
"What are we doing, Vince?" she breathed against their kiss. That seemed to shake his senses a bit.
"I don't know… I don't—" Napamulat siya ng mga mata at parang napaso sa apoy na kumalas at lumayo kay Aya. "Fuck!" He muttered, grazing his fingers through his hair.
Aya was startled, her confused gaze met his. Nakaawang ang namumula at basa nitong mga labi. If not for the little sanity he managed to snap out of his brain, he would've sealed her pretty mouth again with his lips. And this time, he would not stop.
Tumaas-baba ang kanyang dibdib sa hindi pantay na paghinga. Nanuyo ang kanyang lalamunan. "I'm sorr—"
"Lasing tayo pareho, Vince. Hindi natin kailangang mag-sorry sa isa't isa." He hated that instant smile she forged in her face. "We're just playing a stupid game anyway. Una na 'ko sa loob." Dinampot nito ang cellphone mula sa mesa saka ito tumalikod sa kanya.
Vince moved his legs, wanting to grab her arm and tell her… 'Tell her what?' He would just say the same thing anyway. That he was sorry that he kissed her. What he did was a mistake of epic proportions.
He watched her walk away in silence.
'Simple rules, shithead. How could you break the number one in your do-not-ever list?'