Ilang minuto rin akong naparalisa dahil sa text na nabasa ko. Sure, he could find out my address or my number, pero ang ipinagtaka ko ay paano niya nalaman ang bintana ng kwarto ko.
I stood up. I finally had the courage to look through my window, and just as he said, there he was, parked on the curve outside my house. Hindi tinted ang kotse niya kaya kita ko siyang nakatingin sa akin mula sa driver seat.
Nagulat ako at nabitawan ko ang phone ko ng bigla itong mag-vibrate at tumunog ulit, it was a phone call.
"Hey," I answered, jumpy. I didn't see him holding his phone so I looked at my phone's screen and it was a number I was not familiar with.
"Who is this?" I asked, feeling stupid.
"Cece." I saw his mouth opened and heard the voice from my phone. He was calling handsfree from his car, I winced at my sheer dumbness.
"T-te-teacher Kim?"
I started to hyperventilate, but I wasn't sure if my heart was even beating. The sex monster from the Pleasure Dungeon was in front of my house. It was beyond insane.
"We have to talk, Cece."
"Err, o-ok. But I can't just... leave. Sobrang lakas ng ulan."
My mouth, my brain and my feet were all contradicting each other; my mouth wanted to ask a lot of questions; my brain was terrified as shit; but my feet just wanted to run towards him.
"I, uh, I, I can't..." he seemed to be lost for words. He was staring directly at me, serious but brooding. He continued, "I don't know how to handle this, Cece. I don't.. know, I suddenly don't know what to do now."
"It's ok. It's.. it's fine, sir. We don't need to talk, reall -- "
"I don't want to lose you."
I was stunned, he sounded pleading. My heart started beating loud and slow, it felt like my body was melting. It was an unfamilliar feeling.
I inhaled deep, but words came out faster than I could think. "I don't want to lose you too," I breathed.
We stared at each other for what seems like an endless time. I don't know if it was the drama of the rain, the somberness of our situation, or our wistful attraction with each other. I was crestfallen.
My vision would switch back and forth from his eyes then fade into the drippings of the rain in his windshield as I try to accommodate my thoughts. I kept thinking I wanted to run to him but I didn't trust myself at the moment.
"Come to me, Cece," he asked in a whisper; agony creeping up his face.
"Teacher Kim..."
"Come to me.."
I melted. It was like my body moved on its own, I suddenly found myself changing into a pair of jogger pants and a hoodie. I tip-toed down the stairs but kuya Jako catched me.
"Heyy-yi... Peach. Goin' somewhere?"
Great! The second nosiest brother! - But at least it was not kuya Jared.
"Ah, yea. I was thinking, since wala naman si mama, I'd go to Jessie's and probably sleepover na rin," I said, furtively. Madalas si kuya Jako ang unang nakakapansin kapag may tinatago ako o may hindi ako sinasabing totoo.
"Again?"
"Err, ok lang? She's just next door."
"Hmmm. Ok lang. Napapadalas lang kasi sleepover mo kina Jessie, and she's not a good influence, I know that for sure."
My face dulled. "She's not that bad. We like Jessie. She's one of my bestest friends."
"More like your partner in crime. You know we don't approve that she gets you in trouble."
"Hey, I wasn't given a sister, you know. At saka sa lakas ng ulan na 'to, for sure cancelled ang school bukas. If not, sabay pa rin naman kami gigising ni Jez bukas ng umaga for school e."
"Fine, sure."
"Thanks. Pakisabi nalang din sa kanila, kung maghanap."
Katabing bahay lang namin si Jessie Cruz. Siya ang kababata at matalik kong kaibigan na naging partner in crime ko na rin. Mostly, her crime, at ako ang palaging alibi niya.
But this time, it was my turn to do a crime. I hid in a safe corner of our garage and called Jessie with a lousy ass lie and asked her to be my alibi in case kuya Jared come snooping and check on me.
Apparently, Jez knew me well enough to know I wasn't telling the truth at alam kong hindi niya ako titigilan until I tell her what was this all about. "You're lying Uriella! Spill it, what is it really?"
"'Yun na nga. Basta. I'll tell you next, soon. Ikaw na bahala kay kuya Jared."
"That monkey wouldn't dare to come snooping again no. Takot lang niya."
I rolled my eyes. "Really. You looove when he snoops around."
"Oh, shut up," I could hear her kilig. "Don't change the subject! So bakit ko nga kailangan magcover sayo? This is totally not you."
"What, I can't make a crime of my own?"
"You can't even lie properly! But fine, just.. be safe ok?"
"It's safe. Thanks."
"Uriella, matalino ka. But.. don't be too smart that you do something stupid. Call me right up when there's trouble."
"Cuz that's where you're good at," I coyed.
"Trouble is my middle name. Just be safe! K."
But at then back of my mind, I wasn't sure if it's really going to be safe. Maingat akong pumuslit at tumungo sa nakaparadang itim na Audi SUV ilang hakbang mula sa gate ng bahay ko. Mabigat ang hawak ko sa payong dahil sa lakas ng buhos ng ulan. Nang papalapit na ako, bumukas ang headlight ng kotse ni Teacher Kim. Medyo madilim na ang paligid, tanging tunog lang ng malakas na ulan ang maririnig; tapos may itim na kotse, may suot akong hoodie, it looked and felt like a bloody crime was about to happen.
"Thank you," the greek god said few minutes after I got into the car.
Awkward pauses with Teacher Kim was excruciating, often arousing, but again, always excruciating.
"So, now what?" medyo suplada kong sagot. This multiple personalities I was having was starting to scare me.
He didn't answer and he just drove out. May namumuong kaba sa dibdib ko habang papalayo na kami sa bahay ko. The road was barely visible, he was driving slow and careful which made sitting in his car more awkward and excruciating.
"How did you know my room's window?"
"I saw a telescope, a solar system, a pink vase with a white Lily. And I don't think your brothers would have a yellow curtain."
Nahiya ako sa kulay ng kurtina ko. "My curtain's either usually pink, lavender or blue. Nasa laundry lang kasi."
He pursed his lips and nodded.
"Are we heading somewhere? Akala ko ba you want to talk," I snarled, medyo naiinis na rin kasi ako sa kaniya.
"Over coffee. Or beer. I don't know where to go yet, but I just need to drink something first." He sounded nervous, it was not very Teacher Kim, I mellowed.
Given that we were out of words, I took the moment to survey the interior of his car. It was sleek and clean. There was a lot of black leather and grey steel lines, distinct accessories, but all of the content of his car resembled a minimalist touch. It was very him; it smelled of him too - masculine.
Despite the almost zero visibility, I noticed we were driving along the high-end part of the city. Then he drove inside a familiar building, and into the parking level. It was a luxury residential condominium, I read about it from a magazine and I've passed by this place several times. I was sure there wasn't any coffee shop in here.
"What are we doing here?" I asked.
"I.. changed my mind.... I don't want coffee anymore. And I can't bring you into a pub or any place with alcohol," he said before he exited the car. I frowned, he can be just so annoyingly mysterious.
He walked towards my door and opened it, I rolled my eyes. "I'm not five. My brothers drink alcohol, we even got beers in our fridge... and there are beers served in restaurants too, you know."
I stepped out the car, annoyed. I wanted to act and sound like an adult, but I know I was failing.
He closed the door and lowered his head to face me, his brows crooked and he looked smug. "There are beers in my fridge too. Let's go," he said, annoyingly bossy.
He grabbed my hand and we strode across the parking to the elevator. My legs aren't that short, but his were gigantic, I was jogging to keep up with him.
"Wait, dito ka nakatira?" I asked, awed, as we went inside the elevator. My annoyance dissipitated for a bit.
"Ah. Yes."
"Wow. I've read, there are celebrities living in here."
"Didn't think you read showbiz tabloids."
"Err, there is this thing called, the internet? Tabloids are so old school," I sniggered.
"Right."
His nonchalance annoyed me again. Siya pa talaga ang feeling masungit; I rolled my eyes again, my mouth twisted.
It was a quick elevator ride; according to the floor indicator screen, we arrived at the penthouse. I was astounded and mystified. The sex god lives on top of one of the most expensive residential towers in the country. I was slack-jawed.
"This. is. insane! You live at the penthouse?"
"Come out here. I don't own the lift. It'll close and go down soon."
I stepped out into a marbled floor grand foyer that looked like a five-star hotel entrance lobby. There was a large, expensive-looking, round wooden table in the middle, with equally expensive and large flower arrangement of Lilac on top of it. I realised, the elevator lead us directly to his unit as there were no other doors.
Then we entered into the grandest living room I have ever seen in my life. During the elevator ride, I was expecting luxurious minimalist will be his taste for interiors, just like his car and his cubicle at the faculty office; but it was the complete opposite, it was neoclassical, very french royal and... old.
There were large expensive looking paintings on the high-ceiling walls; strange but exquisite looking sculptures stood on different corners; and the furnitures were similar to those in royal palaces. The interior's theme is gold, brown, white and some dark grey. The lights were artfully dimmed and it smelled like a limited edition expensive french perfume around, with a hint of a masculine scent, leather and wood. I felt, especially with my outfit, out of place.
"Wow. Didn't expect you are living in a place like this. Very, not you."
"I didn't design it."
Nakakainis na ang suplado niyang asta. I scowled him, he ignored. Then he went to another room and I followed him like a dog; I was very displeased with myself.
The room looked like a palace inside a kitchen, or a kitchen inside a palace. I don't know, everything looked so grand and luxurious.
He went straight to the giant fridge, took out a bottle of beer and chugged it all like a desperate, thirsty man. I chuckled at the sight, then he looked at me with those piercing eyes. I swallowed, my throat suddenly ran dry.
"You think, I could have some beer too? I won't... tell the adults."
He took two beers out, opened it and gave me one. He smiled. "You, little fox. You amuse me."
"Really," I said with sarcasm. But then, I just couldn't wrap my head with the grandeur of the kitchen. "You know, kuya Jako would die if he sees this kitchen. He's a chef. Do you cook?"
"No. I don't."
"Too bad. This kitchen is incredible."
He stared at me and then he sighed at my obviously quizzical expression. "My late granddad was filthy rich. He left me a huge inheritance, including this. He bought this place before he died."
He didn't seemed pleased with his story. "Oh. Yea, I heard about your grandfather. Sorry, you didn't have more time."
He snickered. "Nah, I'm not sorry. Him and I, errr, it's complicated."
"But then, you're filthy lucky." I had no idea who was this girl talking, she was confident and striking, drinking beer from the bottle like a pro and I've only drank beer twice or thrice before. It tasted like an expired cheap soda, not that I've drank an expired cheap soda before too.
"Yea? Well, I guess, you could say that. Though, I still had to work for this."
I was intrigued, my expression didn't hide it. He noticed, "in order for me to get my inheritance, I had to move here in the Philippines, learn to speak your language and... work and live here for, according to my granddad's Will, at least five years," he added.
"That's.. quite a condition. Why?"
"Reasons."
I looked at him and I understood it was wise not to push it. "Well, you certainly didn't learn to speak our language, I mean you do a little, and you understand very well. But learn to speak? You're not that deserving of this great amount of wealth then."
"Marunong akoh magtagalog. Pero ingles ang salitahng kailangan kohng gamitin sa asignaturang itinuturo koh. At sa tuwing may gustong kumausap sa akin, ingles din naman ang wikang madalahs ninyong gamitin. Kailangan koh lang naman ipasa ang Filipino Language Proficiency Test para sa abogado na may hawak ng Will ng lolo ko."
I was stunned, it was fluid, he was fluent. He sounded really good, I'd give him that, but it was kindda weird for me to hear him speaking pure tagalog.
"Oh-key," I raised my hand in defeat, "stay with being british. It's cool, a white european guy na nagtatagalog, but... it's scary. And it doesn't really suits you well."
"I'm not all white, you know that."
"Still, very western. Born and raised, right?"
"Ah."
His short answer exuded a handsome arrogance. I completely surrendered; I was explicitly, irrevocably seduced by this greek sex god. I took another chug of beer. Even though I didn't like the taste, I thought I needed some more heat.
"So, you're grandfather is filipino? I thought your parents were both british?" I asked, pretending I didn't know the answer. I did, but there were missing details.
"British by birth, yes. My dad is half Korean, half English. My mum's half Filipino, half Scottish. When gran Rosie died early, my mom's Scottish mother, my granddad, Octavo, went back home here in the Philippines. He made a little fortune in Scotland, and it grew here when he came back."
"Ahh.. and now you inherited it, all just to you?"
I might have thrown the question so lightly, his expression changed. I touched a nerve.
"Pretty much all of it, all for me."
From his expression, I thought, I should not inquire further. It was strange because I know he has siblings.
Again, there was the awkward silence. I was sitting in a high stool in one of the marbled countertop in the middle of the kitchen, Teacher Kim was standing opposite me. I was silently grateful for the short distance between us and the solid item that divided us. It gave me some room to breathe, because his presence can be just suffocatingly good.
After finishing his third bottle of beer, he let out a deep breath. "Why didn't you tell me you were a virgin?" he asked, his expression hardened.
I was startled, grabe naman kasi siya kung magpasabog ng tanong. "I, uh, I didn't know how to say it," I said faintly, shamefaced.
"But were you gonna tell me?"
Peevished, I sighed. "Why does it bother you so much ba? Aren't you even more bothered that we are so... illegal?"
His brows arched, stunned. "Such petulance. Cece, this. is. serious."
I winced, like I just got slapped with the seriousness of the situation. "I don't know what else to say, I already told you I'm a virgin."
Another awkward silence. We just stared into each other's eyes. Then, a muscle in his jaw twitched, he scrunched up his face.
"Cece," he said almost in exasperation, like he wanted to say Fuck! but he didn't. His eyes glinted, "I want you. I want to touch you. I want to kiss you. I want to fuck you."
My breathing halted at every sentence.
What???
I was dumbfounded. I know my mouth was slightly opened and I couldn't close it.
Then he slapped the countertop with both hands, and pulled away, anguished. "Ugh! I, ah, I just can't d-dd-do... "
His mouth shaped into a round 'o', then stared blankly at a space. He then drew his lower lip between his teeth. He was shaking his head.
I tried to finish the sentence for him. "You don't do virgins," mahina kong sambit at napayuko na lang ako.
"No - " he said quickly, I flinched and shut my eyes. But he made a quick follow up, "I mean yes - no - ughh!"
I could feel water starting to swell my eyes. It felt stupid. Why will I be crying? It was so stupid to be crying about this, like I was desperately begging to be fucked. I couldn't understand what was going on with me. But there was this cutting pain in my heart at the thought that he was ending us, that he didn't want to do anything with me anymore.
A jolt of electricity rushed through me when I felt his skin touched my lips as he traced it delicately with his thumb.
He lifted my chin up. "Open your eyes, Cece," he said in a romantic whisper. I obliged.
I gaped at him; his face ever so gorgeous, I craved for him so intensely that the muscles of my pussy crunched so tightly. I realised, yes, my aching virginity was desperately begging to be fucked by him.
"You are so.. beautiful," he said.
I wet my lips with a brush of innocence. "Then, why don't you want me?"
He lifted his brows, his eyes gleamed in amusement. "Didn't you hear what I just said earlier? I want you so badly, Cece, it hurts."
Napakagat labi ako at napaisip ng bahagya. "I want you too."
Ngumiti siya, "I know."
Lumapit siya sa akin; the solid barrier between us was no more. Despite the high chair I was sitting on, he still stood towering over me. With his wide built, I was this tiny little thing below him; he was looking down at me like I was a little girl. The back of his hands and his long, large fingers were gently caressing my face. Para akong ice cream na natutunaw sa mga kamay niya.
"I don't want to be responsible for you losing your innocence. I ca ---"
"You're not."
"Cece, uh, I, I'm not that guy. Your first time should be special. I just fuck," paliwanag niya na para bang hindi ko nauunawaan ang sitwasyon.
"You are a gentle soul. You have been since that first time I saw you at the steps of the main building. You are sweet, and innocent, and kind. This is not you Cece, you've changed quite a lot lately, I realised, and it was already my fault. I pulled you into my game."
I felt my heart was being crushed. This was so strange. Tears were filling up my eyes. "I am not, innocent. I watch porn, a lot of porn, everyday! I am not the girl everybody think I am. Yes, I'm a virgin. But I am not innocent. And I want you! Matagal na kitang gusto. Matagal na kitang pinagnanasaan. And I know what I am doing, I know I want you to fuck me too. "
Teacher Kim looked stunned. "Cece," he shook his head in disbelief, "I, uh, I. don't. know. what to say."
He sighed, then a ghost of smile plastered in his face. "You. are. a mystic force of nature, Cece. I don't think you know your effect on people."
Hesitant, I pressed my hands on his abdomen. I clutched a fistful of his shirt to pull him closer to me so I can bury myself in his masculine heat, in which he obliged. I took a long, good whiff of his scent before I glanced up at him. He looked pleased.
"Do I affect you now?" I asked.
"You always do."
I swallowed. "What do we do now?"
He chuckled and took a long pause. "I guess I need to fix you."
"Huh?" I frowned. "Fix me? Uh, how, uhm, I'm broken?"
"No. No, no.. Not yet." Then he grabbed my hand, fully engulfed by his massive one. "I stand corrected, not fix, break. Come with me."
I was intently curious, but still, I obliged. He led me out of the kitchen back to the living area towards the grey stainless steel and glass steps grand staircase. It didn't quite resembled the interior design of the living area, but somehow it works.
Then, we walked through a hallway in the second floor, leading to a huge double wooden door accented with vertical silver lines of steel. I reckoned, it was his bedroom.
Laking gulat ko sa nakita ko pagpasok ko sa kwarto. It wasn't a huge master's bedroom as I would expect. Sa halip, parang isang studio unit na condo ang layout ng kwartong ito. Isang maliit na living area ang bumungad sa akin, with a small L-shaped couch, a giant flatscreen tv, and several stacks of books completed the little space. Sa gawing kaliwa, may maliit na kusina, a stove, a microwave and a fridge. The high marbled countertop that divided the kitchen and the living area, I assumned was the dining or the bar, it has three high stools on one side. Sa gawing kanan naman ng silid ay isang malawak na open space kung saan nakapwesto sa gitna ang isang king sized, low level bed na nakapaibabaw sa isang lushed dark grey carpet. There was a minimalist floor lamp beside it and two white side tables with empty surface. There was a large painting of a lotus flower hanging on top of the bed's headboard. At the far end of the bed area was a picturesque view of the city's nightlights completely visible through the floor to ceiling glass windows. Overall, the room was modern, sleek and minimalist; completely different to everything else in his penthouse. This one, it was very him.
"Where are we?" I asked.
"My room."
"What are we doing here?" I asked next. Shortly after, I realised how naive the question was, I snapped at myself in my head.
Stupid! Dumb! Engot!
There was a doorless entryway next to the main door that lead to another area, which with a little glimpse, I reckoned, it was the dressing room and the bathroom. I was too busy being confused while observing the studio unit in his penthouse, I didn't notice Teacher Kim has gone into the dressing room.
He jerked his head towards me as he was walking out of the dressing room. "Sorry, you were sayin' something?"
"Uh, ahmm. What are we doing here?" I asked again, aware that it was a stupid question.
He gave a lopsided grin. "I'm going to fuck you."
he passed by me as walked towards the fridge. I tried to keep cool. "Oh, so you decided that you'll fuck me hard now, huh?"
I flinched at my own question, hating how dumb I was with my words.
"No," he said with loose casualness while grabbing another beer and chugged it all at once. I frowned.
"I thought you said you're going to fuck me?" I asked, again, with much regret.
He snickered, his mouth lifted into a wide grin. "Patience, Cece, patience."
He walked towards me, ever so damn perfect and hot. He cupped my face and lifted it closer to him so he could kiss me. It was a short but satisfying kiss.
"You little fox. I am going to fuck you, real good. But I will not start hard. Dahan-dahan lang Cece, you don't want your first to be a bloody nightmare."
I laughed shyly. "Like you would appear in a nightmare."
"Oh, Cece, I fucking love being the nightmare."
He said it so dark, humigpit ang kibot ng hiwa ko. Then, he traced my lips with his thumb as he wet his.
"So, if tonight's not gonna be a nightmare, what is it?"
He smiled. "Your dream come true," he whispered, sardonic. "I'm going to lick you from underneath your toes, up underneath your knees, then your thighs. I'll give sweet little pecks on your pelvis, then your navel, up to your collar bones, your neck, your ears, your jaw, I'm going to lick it all wet. That ok, Cece?"
"You do need to learn more about anatomy, you skipped some very important parts."
I was breathing cold air, we were so close. And I can't help but noticed his hands were cold too. Then the back of his fingers teased my nipples, circling lightly around it. "Like.. this? And your, sweet little pussy? How could I miss? And your perfect innocent lips."
My heart started racing. I could feel my breathing tightened. Then he gave me a light and tasteful kiss. "I am going to cum in your mouth, Cece. And you're going to swallow it."
My breathing halted into a sudden stop.
He's fucking dirty.