CHASING HAPPINESS

CHAPTER 5 - MGA NAKAW NA SANDALI

ASHLEY POV

"Here, wear this,"sabi ni Dusk, at inabo sa akin sabay ang isang paper bag na kinuha niya sa backseat ng kotse.

"Ano ito?" maang na tanong ko sa kanya habang tinanggap ang paper bag.

"A dress, you need to change baby. We will have picnic here. Ayokong makita nilang naka-uniform ang date ko," sagot niya, at ngumiti siya sa akin bago hinipo ang aking mukha, "Magpalit kana, don't worry they will not see you. Heavy tinted naman ang sasakyan. Make yourself beautiful," he added then kiss me sweetly.

Nang bumaba na ng kotse si Dusk. Agaran akong nagbihis. I love the dress; its a floral purple tube dress na nagpa emphasize lalo ng aking mga kurba. Napangiti ako habang hinaplos ang aking mga labi.

Dusk kisses brings me to heaven upward. And I never thought that loving him makes me happy and lively.

Aaminin ko, it's been years na lagi ko siyang nakikitang may kahalikan sa campus. He's dating a lot of girls and every time I happen to caught him kissing someone, I always hope na sana ako iyon. I always fantasized to be wrapped in his loving arms. And now that we had come to an agreement, I'm so happy dahil boyfriend ko na siya.

I heard a soft knock on the car's door then I hear Dusk sweet voice.

"Baby Ash, hurry up and come outside. Lalamig na itong pinabalot ko kat Nay Laura, paborito mo pa naman ito."

"Palabas na," wika ko, at binuksan ang pintoan ng kotse. "Ang hirap kayang magbihis sa kotse."

Napanganga si Dusk. He was eyeing me with so much desire. His mouth slightly open as his eyes raked by whole body. Na conscious ako tuloy.

No, nahiya pala. Hindi ko napansin na may slit pala ang damit ko sa gilid, kaya kapag naglalakad ako nahahawi ito at tumanbad ang mapuputi kong legs.

"Damn, you look ravishing," he said, and held my hand

Nagulat ako dahil may nakahanda na ang isang picnic cloth sa may ilalim ng eucalyptus tree.

Malamig ang samyo ng hangin at nililipad ang mahaba kong buhok. Hinawi ni Dusk ang mga hibla na nakaharang sa aking mukha.

He smiles at me. "I'm so lucky to have you, Baby Ash," he told me, and lift my hand to his lips then he kiss my knuckles.

"Dusk... ano itong ginagawa natin?"

"Dating, please promise me na ako lang ang iyong mamahalin. At 'wag ka na makipag-usap kay Daniel," seryosong niyang wika,"I don't want to see any man near you."

"He's just a friend," wika ko, at tumungin sa akin kamay. "Hindi naman masama na makipagkaibigan."

"Ashley, hindi kaibigan ang tingin niya sa'yo. He likes you. So don't you dare befriend him. I am a very possessive man, Ashley. I know you're afraid to let this relationship come out in the open. But sa ayaw at sa gusto, ipapaalam ko ito sa buong school para tantanan kana niya."

"Dusk, you don't have to worry. He is just a friend," wika ko, at hinawakan ang kanyang kamay. "Believe me."

"Kahit na, iwasan mo pa din siya," wika niya, at biglang pumintig ang aking puso ng pagkalakas-lakas.

Paano ba naman, eh tumabi si Dusk sa akin. Hinawakan niya ang aking baba habang masuyo akong tinitigan. He was looking at me like I am the most amazing creature he ever laid his eyes on.

I went flushed in an instant. At para bang may kakaibang kaba ang namahay sa aking pagkatao. Lalo na nang kinabig niya ako at basta na lang hinalikan sa labi.

Dusk kissed me fervently. And I responded to his kisses like a moth to a fire.

"I love kissing your lips, Cara Mia," he said huskily, and pulled away.

Bigla akong namula ng maalala na nasa public park kami. Shuta! Ano ba ang iniisip ko.

"Dusk naman! nakakahiya ang daming tao sa paligid" sita ko sa kanya. Subalit tumawa lang ang loko.

"So? Look, they are also busy doing their business. And huwag kang mahiya. This is a Lovers Lane, kissing her is not a big deal," he said smirking.

Napabaling ako sa aming paligid at labis na nagulat. Tama nga siya, maraming tao pero ang iba ay makikita mong walang hiyang nakikipaghalikan sa kanilang kasama.

Halos nagitla ako ng sa kalayoan ay nakita kung hinihimas ng lalaki ang dibdib ng babae habang sinisiil ito ng halik.

Goodness! Nagkasala ang aking mata.

"Let's get out of here," taranta kong wika.

"So sa kotse na tayo? I mean if nasa kotse tayo, I can kiss your sweet lips unlimitedly," he said, and teased me.

Halos nagregidon ang aking puso. Damn, he was making butterflies flies inside my stomach. Lalo na nang ngumiti siya.

Dusk looks so handsome when he smiles, feeling ko tuloy nasa kalawakan ako.

"Kumain na nga tayo!" I said, at kumuha ng paper plate.

We eat and chatted. At ang loko ay pilit na sinuboan ako habang kumakain kami. Hindi niya pa alam na mas lalo akong nahuhulog sa kanya.

He was very attentive, malayo sa Dusk.na kilala ko. Kasi ang Dusk na nakilala ko; brusko, war freak, maiiitin ang ulo, maluho at basagbulero.

"Baby, labas tayo sa sabado. Let's go to the beach or pwede sa may ilog, where we can swim," sabi ni Dusk

"Maybe we could go to Mambucal," wika ko.

"No, we'll go to Batangas."

"Ang layo ng Batangas!"

"We'll ride a plane. Don't worry I ask Tito Charlie to take us to Manila. He will not tell mom. Saka isama natin si Abby at Xander," sabi niya habang sinusuboan ako.

"Dusk kinakabahan ako," wika ko, at tinignan siya.

"Bakit kakabahan? We will act normally in front of our parents pero pag tayo na we will be hugging and kissing each other."

"Seryoso? Hindi ka ba natatakot na malaman nila ang relasiyon natin?" tanong ko sa kanya na may pangamba sa boses.

"At bakit naman? Mahal kita. I won't mind telling the whole world that your mine. Ikaw lang naman itong ayaw at natatakot."

"Dad will be angry. Alam mo naman ayaw niya pa na magka boyfriend ako!"

"Kahit ako ang boyfriend mo?" ani niya na may yamot sa boses "Look, I think he will understand us. You'll be turning 18 next month, at ako by November."

"Dusk, hindi mo kilala si Papa. He will surely be disappointed. Nangako pa naman ako na wala munang boyfriend until I reach 18. So please let's keep it a secret until I have the courage to tell him," pabuntong hininga kong sabi

"Okey kung iyon ang nais mo but you can't stopped me from telling Xander and Calvin about us. You can tell Dawn and Abby also. They'll keep our secrets," he told me in voice full of finality. "Anyway, enough of that."

Dusk pulled me close to him and kiss my forehead.

"I love you," he said, and touched my face. "Saka na natin problemahin ang mga bagay-bagay kapag nandiyan na."

"I love you too, Dusk," sabi ko, and smiles at him genuinely, "I promise, I will love you wholely."

"I love you more, Cara Mia," he said in a huskly voice full of gentleness that my heart can't help but be elated.

Umuwi kami ni Dusk na parehong may ngiti sa mga labi. Ihatid niya ako sa bahay.

Masaya ako na nagkakaunawaan na kaming dalawa. Dusk kissed my lips before letting me get out the car, at since hindi naman kami makikita I let him.

"Call you tonight, baby," he said, and winkes at me.

Halos lumilipad ako sa alapaap. My heart was swollen with so much happiness.

I even sing as I entered our house. Napahinto na lang ako nang makita ko si Papa sa salas.

I hugged my dad and kissed his cheeks.

"Mukhang happy ang princess ko, ah," wika niya, at ngumiti.

"Bawal po ba ang maging masaya?" nakangiti kong sabi at umupo sa tabi ni Papa.

Ngumiti siya sa akin, bago hinalikan ang aking noon.

"You're turning eighteen next month. I can't believe na dalaga na ang panganay ko. Ano pala gusto mong party theme?"

"Pa, magagalit ba kayo if I tell you ayoko ng party?"

"Why? Every lady wants to experience a debut party.

"Not me, Pa. I want my debut to be private and simple."

"Okey if that's what you want. Sa graduation mo na lang kami babawi. Teka, ang ganda ng dress mo. You look lovely. Bili ba iyan ni mom mo?" sabi ni dad sa akin. Bigla akong kinabahan. s**t, nakalimotan ko na hindi pala ako naka uniform.

"Ako pong bumili nito, Dad. Kasama ko si Dawny. May practice kami kasi sa roll play. Nakalimotan kong magpalit," palusot kong wika, at tipid kong ningitian si Papa. I'm hoping he wouldn't sense that I'm lying.

Ngumiti siya.."It's okey, Honey. Mas gusto ko ngang nakikita na naka-dress. You look feminine. Dalagang-dalaga ka na," Papa said, ansd winks at me. "I think you should wear dress more often."

"Copy po," wika ko, and kissed his cheeks again. "Pa, panhik na po ako, magbibihis lang ako."

Tumango lang si Papa. Napailing na lang ako nang makarating sa aking kwarto. Muntik na akong mahuli ni Papa. Ito na nga ba ang kinakatakotan ko.

I'm not good at lying. Mahina ang loob ko but if lying means having Dusk beside me, then I think dapat ko ng paghusayan ang pagsisinungaling.

Later the night tumawag si Dusk. Halos tumambol ang aking puso nang sabihin niya na buksan ko ang pintoan sa may terasa.

Kinakabahan man subalit mabilis kong tinungo ang pinto ng aking terace. I was so shocked at nababunga ako ng hangin nang makita ang si Dusk sa may hamba ng pintoan.

He was on his pajamas. "Surprise!" he said and immediately went inside my room.

Samantala ako naman ay palinga-linga lang.

"Why are you here Dark?"

"Baby, I miss you," he said, and hugged from behind. Agaran kong isinara ang pinto sa may terasa.

"Dusk! papatayin mo naman ako sa takot eh," inis kong sabi sa kanya. He let me go at ang loko ay agad na umupo sa may kama ko.

.

"I miss you," sabi niya lang muli. At agad na tumayo.

My breathed hitched nang isinandal ako sa may wall.

"I can't sleep. And I need this," he said, and look me like he wanted to ravish me.

Agad akong siniil ng halik ni Dusk. At ako naman, dahil mahal siya ay buong puso tinungon siya.

Dusk break our kiss and smile at me.

"Baby, can I sleep in your room?" he said, and he pulled me to my bed.

"Hindi pwede! Mapapatay ako ni Papa."

"He won't know unless you tell him. I want to sleep beside you," he said, and pout his lips.

"Dusk, are you out of your mind?"

"No, I'm not. I want to spend the night with you. Makikitulog lang. Nothing more," sabi niya, at bigla nawala ang kaba sa aking dibdib.

"Dusk..."

"Baby, please I want to hold you through the night. Wala tayong gagawin. We will sleep literally sleep," he plead and kiss me again senselessly.

"Promise?" I said in a weak voice when he break our kiss.

"Promise.. cross my heart," he said in a firm voice.

"Okey, you can stay and sleep beside me," I said in a defeat tone that makes him smile suddenly.

"Thanks you, Baby," he said happily, and lay on my bed.

Kinakabahan man pero napilitan natin akong mahiga sa tabi niya.

Dusk immediately put his arms around my shoulders and let me lay my head on his arms.

"Kinakabahan ako Dusk," wika ko

"Don't be," he said, and kissed my forehead. "Sige na, let's sleep. Maaga pa class natin bukas."

Dusk hugged me through the night and I must admit it feels so damn right.

He's true to his word. Natulog lang kami.