Dangerous Affair

Chapter One

Chapter 1

Kiss

“Zarina, dito!”

Narinig ko ang boses ni Atasha mula sa kabilang bahagi ng gymnasium. Nakaangat ang kamay niya, pilit akong pinapansin habang nakaupo sa bleachers. Hinila ko ang bag ko, inayos ang salamin sa mata, at mas lalong hinigpitan ang yakap ko sa mga librong dala ko.

Hindi ko talaga balak pumunta rito. Lalo pa’t intrams ngayon, halos lahat ng estudyante ay nandito sa gym. Mainit, maingay, masikip. I was barely breathing in between the crowd.

“Excuse me po…” mahina kong sabi habang sinisikap na hindi maabala ang mga nanonood.

Hindi ko mawari kung bakit ko pinaunlakan si Atasha ngayong araw. Ang totoo, may kailangan pa akong aralin. Ilang paper pa ang kailangang i-review para sa final exam, pero heto ako, napapagitna sa mga sigaw at palakpakan ng mga estudyante.

Graduating student na kami. Ito na ang huling taon. Isang pagkakamali lang, maaaring mawala lahat ng pinaghirapan ko. Hindi ako pwedeng mag-fail. Kahit pa walang paki ang mga magulang ko kung magtagumpay man ako o hindi… I care.

I need to do this for me. Para maipakita ko na hindi ko kailangang sumakay sa apelyido naming Gonzales para may marating. Para naman kahit minsan, makita nila ako bilang ako—hindi bilang “kapatid ni Zoei.”

Sanay na akong itulad sa ate ko. Mas matalino, mas maganda, mas… perpekto sa paningin ng lahat. Pero kahit anong gawin ko, para bang invisible pa rin ako. Parang palaging may kulang. Lagi akong nasa background ng isang mundong punô ng spotlight para sa kanya.

Zarina, hangga’t kailangang magsikap ka para mapansin, gawin mo. Kahit ikaw na lang ang makakita sa sarili mo, sapat na ‘yon.

Nakarating na rin ako sa kinaroroonan ni Atasha at naupo sa tabi niya.

“Ang tagal mo, girl. Saan ka ba galing?” tanong niya agad, habang may subo pang chichirya.

She looked fresh, as always—mini skirt, black vest top, and pristine white sneakers. Samantalang ako, naka-fitted white shirt at baggy jeans. Mukhang hindi kami parehas ng layunin ngayong araw.

“You’re wearing glasses. Sira na ba mata mo?” tanong niya habang nakatingin sa court.

“Hindi,” sagot ko habang inaayos ang salamin. “Nagbasa ako kanina. Naiwan ko ‘yung lalagyan sa bag. Kaya ayoko munang tanggalin, baka magasgasan.”

“Eh di isabit mo muna sa dibdib mo?”

Umirap ako at tumitig sa kanya. “Instead na manood ka ng maayos, ‘yung tahimik kong salamin pa ang pinakikialaman mo.”

“Whatever,” sabay baling niya ulit sa court. “Pero alam mo ba kung bakit punô ang gym ngayon?”

Nagkibit-balikat lang ako. Hindi naman talaga ako interesado sa laro. Kung tutuusin, mas iniisip ko pa kung ano ang kakainin ko pagkatapos nito.

Napansin kong kinikilig si Atasha habang nakatingin sa court.

“Bakit kinikilig ka? May crush ka nanaman?”

She smiled like a love-struck puppy. “Medyo.”

Medyo? Eh abot tenga na ngiti mo.

Umiling ako. Sinubukan kong tumingin sa court. Pawisan, mabilis kumilos, at halatang sanay sa crowd ang mga varsity players na naroon. Magagaling sila. Magaganda ang katawan. At yes, karamihan gwapo. Pero may isang bagay na hindi ko matake—

Mukha silang mayayabang.

Habang sinusuri ko ang bawat galaw nila, napansin ko ang isang pares ng mata na nakatutok… sa direksyon ko.

Hindi. Siguro nagkataon lang.

Lumingon ako sa likuran ko. Baka naman may tinitingnan siyang iba. Pero nang bumalik ako ng tingin sa court, tumama ang paningin ko sa kanya. He smirked. Confident. Almost too confident.

That smirk earned a cheer from the crowd. Lalo na mula sa mga babaeng halatang sabik na mapansin.

He’s not looking at me. Right?

Pinilig ko ang ulo ko. Huwag kang assuming, Zarina. Hindi ikaw ‘yung tipo ng babaeng tititigan ng mga tulad niya.

“Girl, okay ka lang?” tanong ni Atasha, napansin marahil ang bigla kong pananahimik.

“Uuwi na ako.”

“Ha? Bago ka pa man lang makapag-sit properly!” usal niya habang nakanguso.

“Kailangan ko pang magbasa. You can stay.”

“Pero wala ka namang gagawin sa inyo…”

“May gagawin ako. Magbabasa.” Hindi ko na siya hinintay sumagot at tumayo na ako.

Naglakad ako palabas ng gym, muling nakikisiksik sa crowd. Hindi ko na nilingon ang court. Wala akong balak pang balikan ang tanong sa isip ko kung sino ‘yung varsity na iyon. Wala akong panahon para sa mga lalaking mayabang at overconfident. I’m too tired for that.

Pero sa mismong labas ng pintuan…

“Zarina!”

Tumigil ako. Parang biglang may humawak sa likod ng leeg ko—hindi literal, pero may tension. I turned around slowly.

At nandoon siya.

Jersey number 29. Basang-basa ng pawis. Hinihingal. Pero naka-ngiti.

Oh crap.

“Yes? Do I know you?”

Ngumiti siya. Buo. Kumpleto ang ipin. Parang commercial ng toothpaste. Kung mabilis lang akong ma-fall, baka natunaw na ako sa kinatatayuan ko. Pero hindi ako madaling matinag.

“Popular ka, alam mo ba?” sagot niya.

“First time ko narinig ‘yan.”

“I need your help.”

I stepped back. “And bakit ako?”

“I’ve been wanting to talk to you. Hindi lang talaga ako maka-tiyempo. Laging may ginagawa ka. Ngayon lang kita naabutan na mag-isa.”

“And you’re stalking me now?”

“Hindi. Coincidence lang ‘to. Swear.”

Napakamot siya ng ulo. Mukhang guilty. Lalo akong napakunot-noo.

“Balik ka na, Sandoja!” sigaw ng isa.

“Pabalik na,” sagot niya pero hindi ako nilubayan ng tingin. That made me uncomfortable.

“I’m not a threat, Zarina. I promise. Just think about it. Kahit once. We’ll see each other again, right?”

Hopefully not.

⸻

Later that afternoon

Habang naglalakad ako sa hallway ng school, kinuha ko ang phone ko.

Me: “Tash, may kilala ka bang Sandoja?”

I didn’t even wait a minute.

Atasha: “OMGGG as in A SANDOJA??? Wait where are you?! Wait lang ako lalapit—COFFEE. LIBRE KO.”

Less than two minutes later, nakikita ko na siyang tumatakbo papunta sa akin. May ngiting parang nanalo sa raffle ng boyfriend.

“Why are you running?”

“Hiningal ako—pero worth it!” Tumawa siya. “Ano ‘yung tanong mo? Wait. Teka. Tanungin ko muna, anong meron?”

“Sinabi mong libre mo ako ng kape, di ba?”

“Fine. Pero spill the tea sa coffee shop.”

⸻

At the café

“Spill. Now.”

“Jersey number 29 daw. Lumapit sa akin. Tinawag ako sa pangalan. Sabi kilala niya raw ako.”

Halos malaglag ang panga ni Atasha. “TWENTY-NINE?! Girl. That’s Solomon. As in THE Theodore Solomon Sandoja.”

“Ewan. Wala naman akong pakialam kung sino siya. Basta nanghingi siya ng tulong.”

“Tapos?”

Hindi niya na matuloy ang tanong ng biglang umingay ang cafe.

“Oh my God… hindi ba si Solomon yan?” bulong ng isang estudyante sa kabilang table.

“Oo nga! Grabe, mas gwapo siya in person.”

“Solomon! Hello!” sigaw ng isa pang girl.

Napalingon kami ni Atasha sa may entrance ng café.

And there he was.

Solomon Sandoja.

Wearing the school’s white uniform, top two buttons undone like he owned the place. Hair slightly damp—either from a shower or, let’s face it, a planned aesthetic. May hawak siyang bag, at mukhang kalmado lang siya kahit halos lahat ng mata ay nakatutok sa kanya.

God, ang yabang ng lakad.

I gripped my matcha latte tighter, habang si Atasha ay biglang naging statue—nakanganga, halos lumaki ang mata sa excitement.

“Oh my God, girl… si Solomon papunta dito.”

“What?” I whispered.

Then it happened.

Slow motion, like in the movies.

His eyes scanned the room once, then locked with mine. That same intense gaze from the gym. His lips curled slightly, like he’d just confirmed something to himself.

I wanted to disappear.

Hinawakan ko ang braso ni Atasha. “Tayo na. Ngayon na.”

“Wait lang! Ito na ‘yung proof!” she whispered-shrieked. “Eto na yung moment mo!”

“Moment ko? Anong drama ‘to, Tash? Let’s go—”

Too late.

“Hi, Zarina.” His voice was low, calm, and all too familiar now.

Napatingin ako sa kanya. My face betrayed nothing—but inside, chaos.

“Tash, let’s go,” I muttered, standing.

But instead of following, Atasha betrayed me with a smile so wide it hurt me personally. “Hi! Want to join us, Solomon?”

I turned to her in disbelief. Bestfriend ka pa ba talaga?

“Tash…” I warned.

Pero wala na. She was already standing, dragging a chair beside our table. “Upo ka, Solomon.”

“Thanks,” he said, taking the seat with ease, as if he belonged there.

And just like that, he was sitting across from me. Eyes still on me. Calm, unreadable.

“Nagseselos ka ba, Zarina?” he asked casually.

My blood boiled.

“Excuse me?” I raised an eyebrow. “First of all, there’s nothing about you to be jealous of. And second, that’s not how you talk to a girl. You think we’re here to serve you? You think you’re a king or something?”

His grin widened. Putik, na-eenjoy pa niya ‘to?

“For your information, Miss Zarina Marie Gonzales,” he said in mock politeness, “your friend offered. As a gentleman, I simply accepted.”

Ang kapal ng mukha.

I couldn’t even appreciate how good-looking he was because the arrogance was suffocating.

“Whatever. Let’s go, Atasha.”

I reached for my things, determined to end this nonsense before it became a rumor tomorrow.

But then—his hand gripped mine.

“I said, let go.”

Bakas sa tono ng boses ko ang inis habang pilit kong hinuhugot ang kamay ko mula sa pagkakahawak niya. Pero sa halip na pakawalan ako, lalo pa niyang hinigpitan ang hawak niya.

“Zarina, wait lang,” he said, his voice calm—too calm for someone holding someone else against their will.

Napalingon ako sa paligid.

People were watching us.

Some were whispering, others were staring, and a few had already pulled out their phones. I could hear the murmurs growing louder, like waves crashing inside my head.

“Magkakilala ba sila?”

“Sila ba?”

“Yung girl… parang hindi naman…”

“Baka kaibigan lang—”

My heart was pounding. Not the good kind. Not the fluttery, sweet, dreamy kind. It was the kind that made your palms sweat and your knees weak—not from romance, but from panic.

“Bitawan mo ko,” I said again, this time more firmly.

His eyes never left mine. “Please. Just listen—”

“I don’t even know you!” I snapped.

And that was true. I didn’t know him. I didn’t know what he wanted. I didn’t know why he suddenly showed up in my life, talking like we were meant to meet, like this was fate.

But it wasn’t.

I didn’t believe in fate.

I believed in effort. In self-preservation. In protecting yourself before someone else breaks you.

But before I could say another word—

Bigla niya akong hinigit papalapit sa kanya.

Everything happened in a blur. My books slipped from my arm. My breath caught in my throat. I stumbled—lost balance—and just before I could fall…

His arms caught me.

And then…

His lips were on mine.

For a split second, the world stopped.

The noise in the café—the clinking cups, the barista’s voice, the customers’ laughter—all faded into a low hum in the background.

All I could hear was the wild thumping of my heart.

And all I could feel…

Were his lips. Warm. Soft. Unfamiliar.

My mind screamed.

What the hell is happening?!

Why is he kissing me?

Why am I not pushing him away?

But my body… froze. Like I had forgotten how to move. Like I was locked in place, confused, overwhelmed, angry—maybe even afraid. I wasn’t sure.

The kiss wasn’t long.

Just a moment.

But it felt like forever. Like I was trapped in that second, caught between the present and a thousand questions.

When I finally regained control of my senses, I shoved him—hard.

My palm hit his chest with enough force to make him stumble a step back.

“You—”

I couldn’t even form a sentence.

People were staring. Atasha had her mouth open in shock. My breath was ragged. My cheeks were burning, but not in a romantic way. This wasn’t a fantasy.

It was a violation.

“I didn’t mean to—” Solomon started, taking a step forward, concern flashing in his eyes.

“Stay away from me.”

“Zarina, please…”

“NO.” My voice broke, and I hated that. I hated that he saw me shake. That he made me feel small.

“I don’t know who you think you are,” I spat. “But you don’t get to pull me. You don’t get to touch me. And you definitely don’t get to kiss me just because you feel like it.”

His jaw clenched. “I didn’t kiss you just because—”

“What? You thought it was romantic?” I cut him off. “That this was some movie scene where the guy just goes for it and the girl falls for him?”

His lips parted, but he had no reply.

“This isn’t a movie. And I’m not that kind of girl.”

I turned on my heel, scooped my books from the floor with shaking hands, and walked away as fast as I could. My knees were weak, my vision blurry.

Not because of love.

But because I was angry. Shaken. Humiliated.

And somewhere deep inside me, terrified.

Not because he kissed me.

But because…

A part of me felt something. And that terrified me more than anything else.