Cebu, late night, in the beach house, after a storm.
Bella couldn’t sleep.
Umuulan sa labas, malakas ang hangin, at ang mga alon ay tila galit. Pero hindi iyon ang dahilan kung bakit siya gising.
It was him.
Dominic.
Nakatayo ito sa may sliding glass doors ng beachfront room nila. Shirtless, barefoot, naka-boxers lang. His silhouette lit faintly by the lightning outside. Tahimik. Matigas ang mga balikat. Parang may kinakalaban sa sarili.
She stood from bed slowly and approached him. “Dom…”
He didn’t move. “Can’t sleep,” he murmured.
“Because of the storm?”
“No,” he said. “Because of everything else.”
Bella touched his back gently. Mainit ang balat niya, pero tense. Matigas. Para bang kahit sa gitna ng katahimikan ng gabi, gising pa rin ang mga multo niya.
“Tell me,” she whispere
