That kiss—I knew that kiss. “S—Soren?” I stammered, eyes wide in disbelief. My breathing turned erratic, like I’d just sprinted uphill without stopping. He didn’t say a word. Instead, his tongue began to explore, desperate and aching—as if he hadn’t tasted me in years. As if his life depended on it. He kissed me like a man parched in the desert, draining every breath from my lungs, like I was the only source of air he ever needed. “Soren, stop this!” I pulled away, pressing my lips into a firm line, refusing to let him kiss me again. Nanigas ako. Sa loob ng isang segundo, inakala kong uurong na siya—na bibigyan kami pareho ng pagkakataong makahinga. Ngunit sa isang iglap, walang anumang babala, bigla niyang inagaw ang cellphone mula sa aking kamay. “Soren, what the hell?” I hissed

