Never Descending

Chapter 14

Well

The whole night was a f*****g blast.

Literally a f*****g blast.

Hindi ko inaakalang kayang maging ganon katindi ni Ace sa kama. I was completely blown away. The goodness was beyond words. Hanggang ngayon ay hindi ko pa rin lubusang maisip na ang tahimik na Ace na nakilala ko nung una ay ang parehong Ace na nakasama ko kagabi. It seems like two different persons.

"Don't you like the food?"

Nabalik ako sa reyalidad nang magsalita siya sa harap ko. Kasalukuyan kaming nasa hapag para mag-almusal. The food he ordered from the room service are served on the table.

Napatitig ako sa kaniya. With his casual homey clothes, he looks so damn soft. Parang hindi gagawa ng anumang kahalayan. Ang layo sa pinakita niya kagabi. 

He looks fresh as f**k as though nothing wild ever happened last night. I even lost count of how much rounds we had! And for him to look like this? I must say, his stamina is unmatchable.

Sa tumatagal na titig ko sa kaniya ay unti-unting gumuhit ang kunot sa noo niya.

"You want something else?" he asked. "We can order for more if you like,"

Nang makuha ang sinasabi niya ay pinilig ko ang ulo ko atsaka ngumiti.

"No. I was just.. spacing out," pag-amin ko.

Umayos ako ng upo ngunit nang maramdaman ang hapdi sa pagitan ng hita ay agad na napangiwi. 

Saglit na dumapo ang tingin ko kay Ace at naabutan ang multo ng pagaalala na dumaan sa mata niya.

He turned silent as I started to hold the utensils and dig on my food.

"I'm sorry..." he gently muttered afterwards.

Nabitin ang pag-nguya ko dahil sa pagsasalita niya. My brow arched a bit as I turned to him. He wasn't exactly looking at me. Bagsak ang tingin niya sa plato niya habang hawak ang kubyertos kahit hindi niya naman ito ginagalaw.

"I may have gotten too far last night.." he added. This time, his glance was able to linger on me.

Kumurba ang ngisi sa labi ko.

"No. It was just... rough," I playfully said.

Something flashed in his eyes. He subtly nodded his head a little. Then his adam's apple moved a bit as he averted my gaze. 

"Sorry.." mahinang sabi niya ulit. "I promise to go easy next time,"

I almost chocked on my food at what he said. I alarmingly waved both my hands at him.

"No, no." tanggi ko sa sinabi niya. "You don't have to restrict yourself, Ace. Just do as you please and let yourself get lost in fervor," I grinned.

His questioning eyes never left me. Bahagyang umangat ang isang kilay niya.

"I see.." he slowly said while looking directly into my eyes. "Though from the way you said it was rough, I thought... you didn't like it." aniya.

Nanlaki ang mata ko sa sinabi niya. 

"No! Are you kidding me?" I exclaimed. "I loved it, Ace. I was just pretty taken aback by how intense you can get, considering how much you used to decline my offer before." I rolled my eyes. 

"But overall, it was superb. I think we perfectly harmonize each other in bed," I honestly said with a proud smile.

Bahagyang nagparte ang labi niya matapos ang mga sinabi ko habang nananatili lang siyang nakatitig sakin. Ginala niya ang mata sa mukha ko.

"I don't think I could ever get use to your bluntness," he truthfully said while shaking his head a little.

I chuckled.

Kalaunan ay tinuon na namin ang atensyon sa pagkain. I tried talking to him about just anything that comes in my mind and I'm glad that he's atleast being responsive.

Natigilan ako nang isang beses ay tumikhim sya.

"Does it still.. hurt?" marahang tanong niya.

His eyes even dropped somewhere down there and I just felt my face heating like a teenager.

I was unable to answer him immediately. His out of the blue question caught me off guard.

His eyes are gazing at me with a hint of something I'm not really sure about. It seems like concern but I don't want to assume too much.

"Tell me if there's anything I can do to ease the pain," maingat na sabi niya. "You can... stay here until you feel fine." suhestiyon niya.

May naramdaman akong munting haplos sa loob ko dahil sa sinabi niya. I bit my lip.

"Will you be busy today?" I asked.

Umangat ang tingin niya sakin bago saglit na binalingan ang orasan sa puting dingding.

"I just have an appointment from eleven onwards," he stated.

My eyes widened. "It's almost ten though! You should hurry up then," 

Ace didn't seem as alarmed as me.

"The office is just five minutes away, Iris. I still have a lot of time to spare," he said like it was nothing.

Unti-unti naman akong kumalma. I nodded my head. 

"That's good to hear then." I stated out of relief. "I don't wanna be the reason for your incompetence at work,"

I shrugged then continued eating. Ramdam ko naman ang pananatili ng titig niya sakin.

"How about you?" he asked. "Do you have anywhere you have to go to?" 

I stopped cutting the food for a while to think if I have an appointment for today.

"Perhaps, the gym?" his brow lifted as he inquired.

Napahinto ako at pinigilang mapahalakhak.

"The drill we had last night is enough workout for me now, Ace." I slyly remarked. "But.. I think I'll have to visit an architectural firm today,"

Nang may maalala ay napaayos ako ng upo.

"You do real estate business too, right?" I uttered as I remembered about it. "Maybe I can also ask for your opinion on my choices,"

He stared at me.

"You're planning to buy a house?" he asked.

I shrugged. "Yes.."

Dahan-dahan siyang tumango. I then reached for the glass of water to drink from it.

"That's good.." he gently said. "Having your own house is a great investment,"

Binaba ko ang baso matapos uminom.

"It's not for me though," I said as a matter of fact.

Natigilan siya. May bahid ng munting pagkalito sa mata niya.

"Para kanino?" tanong niya.

Ngumiti ako nang tipid. 

"Para dun sa Yaya ko na nagpalaki sakin," wika ko. "Kay Nanay Jody,"

Nanatili ang tingin niya sakin nang walang lumalabas na salita mula sa bibig niya. Binalot kami ng saglit na katahimikan bago siya tumikhim kalaunan.

"She must be really special to you," he softly concluded.

I nodded. 

"Sobra. And I feel bad that they still don't have their own safe home after many years of hardwork," I sadly said.

Ace was looking at me with attentiveness. It's almost overwhelming to see someone so interested.

"Did she lost livelihood when she stopped working for you?" he asked. I can almost hear a sense of sympathy in his tone.

I slightly shook my head. 

"Not really. His husband is a farmer so that remained as their source of income. But you know how the Philippine economy works. People in the agricultural sector keeps being oppressed." I sighed.

Hindi ko maiwasang matulala sa baso habang inaalala ang isang pagkakataon na sinama ako ni Nanay Jody sa lugar nila at natunghayan ko ang kalagayan nila roon.

"Aminin man natin o hindi, talagang hindi patas ang mundo. Hindi totoong tiyaga lang ang susi sa tagumpay. Maraming masipag pero hindi pa rin umaasenso sa buhay. Sadyang may mga pinagpala. Tunay ang konsepto ng swerte at malas."

Umangat ang tingin ko kay Ace. His profound eyes are staring deeply into me. I feel like getting lost through these thoughts. The fact that we are both so engrossed just makes me dwell on it even more.

"Come to think of it. Through vlogging, I can easily earn a six-figure amount of money. While those who do the back breaking job of farming and have aged beyond their years only get few coins for their labor. Baka nga kahit pagsama-samahin lahat ng baryang kinita ng isang magsasaka sa buong buhay niya ay hindi pa rin aabot sa isang buwang sweldo ko sa YouTube. And that alone is infuriating to even think about,"

My litany got me feeling enraged from within. I just can't take it. I hate that ranting about it won't even be helpful. We basically just can't do anything about it.

Ang malalim at mabibigat na tingin ni Ace ay hindi kailanman bumitiw sa akin. He was looking at me with apprehension in his eyes.

"I agree," he eventually stated. "They really are victims of so much inequity and social injustice,"

My breathing slowly became even as I returned my gaze to him. I love how he involves himself to the issue too. I would rather have these deep meaningful heart to heart conversations every once in awhile than any nonsense small talks eveyday.

I smiled sadly at the bitter reality that we are talking about.

"Kaya... kahit sa ganitong paraan lang, gustong-gusto kong makatulong sa kanila. I want to share the blessings I have with them because I think they deserve so much more than what the world has given them." mapait na sabi ko.

Mula sa pagkakatulala sa pagkain ay umangat ang tingin ko kay Ace. Naabutan ko siyang nakatuon pa rin sa akin ang buong atensyon.

He stared at me so for so long until his eyes eventually blinked tenderly at me.

"I'm sure they are so proud of you, Iris.." paos na sabi niya. "They raised you so well,"

Something soft tugged at my heartstrings.

Sa dami ng taong nagsabi na pariwara ako, na napabayaan ako ng magulang, na kulang ako sa aruga, at hindi ako napalaki nang tama, tila lahat ng 'yon ay naglaho sa aking alaala.

Ace said that I was raised well. It was my first time hearing it. And that's all that matters.

The fluttering sensation crept into my soul.