Chapter 12. Coffee
NANG magamot ang sugat ni Rachel ay nagpaalam na siyang babalik sa unit pero inalok siya ni Maximo na mag-coffee. She didn't decline since she's grateful that he helped her.
"What do you like? Black or sweet?"
"Sweet with lots of creamer."
"Just like you."
"What was that?" Hindi niya narinig ang sinasabi nito dahil halos pabulong iyon.
"Here's your coffee." Nilapag nito ang tasa ng kape sa lamesita at umupo ito sa maliit na sofa.
She felt warm when she drank the coffee. Mainit-init pa kasi iyon pero mukhang sinadya nito na maligamgan ang timpla para mainom niya agad.
Sa totoo lang kasi ay giniginaw na talaga siya.
"You're shaking." Tumayo ito at ilang sandali pa ay may dala ng roba. "Wear this."
Nailang siya sa paraan ng paninitig nito sa kanya at nang magdampi ang balat nila pagkaabot ng roba. Parang sinadya nitong mahawakan ang kamay niya.
"You can take a shower here. There's a heater." Hinubad nito ang suot na pang-itaas. Now, it was obvious that he wanted to fuck her. "Or else you'll be shaking until we do something."
"No, I'm fine. I'll go now." She tried to calm down.
She got up but he grabbed her arm.
"What?!"
"You have coffee stain in here." Pinunasan nito ang gilid ng labi niya gamit ang daliri nito. Nagulat siya nang isubo nito ang kaparehong daliri.
"What are you doing?" Pilit na tinapanagan ang boses.
Umupo ito sa sofa at hinila siya kaya napaupo siya sa tabi nito.
"Max, I said I'm going back to my husband's unit!"
"Not so fast." Ngumisi ito ng nakakatakot. "So you have a husband already? An experienced one... I'm liking you even more..." He gripped her arm tightly. Nawala ang mabait na Maximo na nakita niya kanina.
"Let me go."
"Are you sure you don't want to have sex? It'll be just casual. Don't worry, your husband will never know. I'm just really horny because of your petite body." He swiftly removed the robe she's wearing. Bumaba iyon hanggang sa pang-upo niya.
"Don't fuck with me! I don't even know you!"
Napatili siya nang pilit nitong pinasok ang kamay niya sa loob ng shorts nito. Kinuyom niya ang kamay para hindi ito magtagumpay sa balak.
"Grab it now. Give me a handjob like how you do it with your husband."
"I'm leaving!"
But he cornered her. He sat on top of her, shifting all of his weight on her, making her feel like she's immobilized. She's just a short person so his height and body was really dominant. She had been with her husband this way yet she couldn't feel what she felt when she gave herself to Seiji. Napuno ng takot ang kanyang sistema.
"L-Let me go," garalgal ang tinig na pagmamakaawa niya.
She looked away when she grabbed his shaft and started stroking hard and fast. Pinagsusuntok niya ang mabalahibong dibdib nito pero napahinto siya nang sampalin siya nito ng malakas.
Hindi siya makahuma at hindi makaiyak. Ni hindi na rin makasigaw ng tulong. She knew she was helpless, given the fact that the units were soundproof.
Hinuli nito ang mukha niya at patuloy sa ginagawa. Para siyang lantang-gulay sa sobrang panlalata. But when she felt something sticky splashed on the strap of her swimsuit and some splashed on her cheek, downward her chin, her defenses were put up. Buong-lakas na tinulak niya ito at nagmamadaling lumabas ng unit. Fortunately, she opened the door easily.
Someone in the elevator asked her what happened but she didn't respond. Patakbo niyang tinahak ang daan papuntang gusali kung nasaan ang unit ni Sage at nang makarating ay hinihingal na sinara niya ang pinto.
"Saan ka nanggaling?"
She jumped out when she heard that dark voice in that dimmed living room. Agad na hinanap niya ito at nakitang nakaupo ito sa pang-isahang sofa, may hawak na baso ng alak.
"N-Nag-swimming lang," kaila niya. She was trembling but she immediately calmed down when she saw Sage. Hindi rin maikakailang nangungulila siya rito.
"You left the pool almost an hour ago." Nahintakutan siya sa dilim ng tinig nito. She wasn't used to him, being this serious.
"How did you know?"
"I fucking saw you on that building. Someone was carrying you and you went inside that bastard's unit." Nag-iwas siya ng tingin. Hindi niya matagalan ang paninitig nito sa kanya.
"I'll just take a s-shower."
Nagmamadaling pumasok siya sa kanilang kwarto. Napakislot siya nang marinig ang malakas na tunog ng pagbasag ng kung ano, hula niya ay ang basong hawak ni Sage.
Natatarantang pumasok siya sa banyo pero bago pa masara ang pinto ay pinigilan iyon ni Sage. Muntik pa niyang maipit ang braso nito.
"Maliligo muna ako, Seiji."
"What's this sticky fluid on your swimsuit, Rachel? And—" Nagtangis amg bagang nito nang tumitig sa kanyang baba.
"Pawis lang. Sige na. Magsa-shower na ako."
Pilit niya itong pinapalabas pero nabaliktad ang pwesto nila. He closed the door and pinned her.
"Mags—"
"This ain't sweat, little devil."
"Pawis nga iyan!"
"Did you fu—" Buong pwersa nitong sinuntok ang pinto at talaga namang nagulat siya. Pagkuwa'y tinitigan siya. Halu-halong emosyon ang namamayani sa nahahapo nitong mukha. "What happened?"
"I just went out to swim, then..."
"Then, what?"
"Can I t-take a shower now, please? I feel so—" Dirty.
Pumirmi ang mata nito sa mukha niya.
"—sticky."
"What happened?" Lumambot ang tinig nito.
"Nothing happened."
"Rachel, ano'ng nangyari?!" Madiin ang tanong nito. He then caressed her cheek and she grimaced. Medyo masakit ang pagkakasampal sa kanya ng hayup na Maximo na iyon.
"I want to take a shower."
He held her arm and dragged her gently to the shower.
Hindi siya kumibo nang hubarin siya nito at sabunin ang katawan niya. He also focused on washing her stained cheek and chin.
While he was doing that, she couldn't stop herself from trembling. Doon pa lang niya napagtanto ang mas malalang peligrong maaaring kinaharap niya kung hindi nakatakas.
Marahas na nagmura si Sage at hinuli ang baba niya. Hininaan din nito ang shower.
"Sage, he... he..." Hindi niya masimulan ang sasabihin.
"What happened inside, Rachel?" She could see his veins protruding.
"Bakit hindi mo ako kinuha noong makitang pumasok sa unit ni Maximo?"
Nag-iwas ito ng tingin. "I thought you like him, and I was mad."
"Kahit na!"
"I was so mad that I could fucking kill if I went in and caught you doing—" Napasabunot ito at kinalma ang sarili. "What happened?" Sinuntok nito ang pader nang mapatitig ulit sa mukha niya. Agad niyang hinuli ang kamao nito.
Slowly, she spoke. "Nadulas ako sa p-pool. He helped me. Ginamot niya ang sugat ko. He offered me a coffee so I stayed for a bit. And... And..."
Nagtangis ang bagang nito at niyakap siya. Hindi niya mapigilang manginig nang alalahanin ang nangyari.
"He... almost... r-raped me." Iyak siya nang iyak at yumakap ng mahigpit dito. "Kung hindi ako nakatakas, b-baka— Sage, please kiss me. Please make me forget what happened. Please..." Kumalas siya at nagsusumamo nang mag-angat ng tingin.
He kissed her gently, making her shake uncontrollably. She suddenly felt the heat rushed towards her. Iba ang pakiramdam niya ngayon, para siyang sinisilaban kahit alam naman niyang hindi dapat.
"I think you were drugged, sweetie. Let's go tot the hospital."
She groaned to protest. She wanted him now. Pero may parte sa kanyang alam niyang tama ito.
Pinunasan siya nito at akmang bibihisan pa kung hindi lang siya tumutol.
"You take a shower, too. Basa ka na."
"I'm fine. Magbibihis na lang din ako."
Tumango siya at sa harap niya na naghubad ang huli. She bit her lower lip while staring at the round cheeks of his butt. She wanted to slap then but she restraint herself.
Mas uminit ang pakiramdam niya at pakiramdam niya ay pinanikipan siya ng dibdib.