Warning: R-18. This chapter contains scenes of explicit violence and gore.
Pinagkiskis ni Wicker ang kanyang mga palad, nang mag-init ay inilagay niya ito sa pisngi ni Annara habang nasa loob sila ng kotse nito. Dahil lumamig na naman ang panahon noong sumunod na mga araw.
Annara closed her eyes when she felt the warmth in his hands. "It feels so good," she muttered, relieved.
Kapagkuwan ay kinintalan siya ni Wicker ng halik sa labi.
Nagulat si Annara sa ginawa nito. "That's not what I requested. Ang sabi ko giniginaw ako, bakit mo ako hinalikan?" Nagtataka itong sinimangutan siya.
Tumawa si Wicker. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "Sige, babawiin ko na lang." Muli niyang hinalikan si Annara upang bawiin iyon.
Masaya silang nagtawanan sa loob ng kotse nito.
Nasa parking lot sila ng campus. Mahamog noong umagang iyon, kaya naman ay tinanggal ni Wicker ang coat na suot niya at isinabit sa mga balikat ni Annara.
"Wear it," he said, holding her hand.
Naramdaman ni Annara ang bigat ng coat na iyon, ngunit nabigyan naman siya nito ng init panlaban sa malamig na panahon.
She smiled to him. "Salamat," she breathed.
And then they walk inside the main building and separate their ways to attend their own classes. Palagi na silang magkasama nitong mga nakaraang linggo, hindi naman p'wedeng pati magkaiba nilang klase ay pagsanibin nila para hindi na sila tuluyang maghiwalay pa.
Sa bawat araw na lilipas, hindi maipaliwanag ni Wicker ang sayang nararamdaman niya. Lalo na kapag kasama niya si Annara. She's everything to him. He's falling deeper in love with her knowing she's also the girl who helped him before.
She's his first love.
Pinagmamasdan niya si Annara na naglalakad patungo sa kanya 'pagtapos ng klase nito.
"Ayokong maglaho na lang bigla ang kaligayahang nararamdaman ko ngayon," bulong niya sa sarili habang nakatunghay kay Annara.
Annara felt the same way, or maybe more than what she's actually feeling. Masayang-masaya ang puso niya ngayon kasama si Wicker. He's so adorable and lovable. Sometimes he's harsh and rush, but still she loves him that much.
She doesn't think about Adrian when she's with him. Parang may kakaibang bagay kay Wicker na unti-unti niyang hindi naiisip si Adrian. She's starting to not compare them all the time. She's thinking them individually.
Wicker is Wicker and he's not Adrian.
They shared their little time after school and spend it whole time during weekends. Nasanay na siyang maigi sa piling ni Wicker. He filled the missing piece in her heart. He patches everything that needs to be mended.
They do something that makes them happy. Their weekends will always be the best.
They swam in the cold water of Aquilla Lighthouse, they chased the misty morning fog, stargazing in the middle of the night, kissing at the back of the car, drinking and shouting 'i love yous'.
Screaming at the summit, long drive roadtrips, exploring places they have never been, running through woods, soaking and kissing in the rain and making more memories alone . . . together.
"Thank you, Wicker . . ."
Lumingon ito sa kanya nang may hatid na ngiti. "For what?"
Umilig ito sa balikat niya at huminga. "For making me happy," she said, curving a rewarding smile. "And I hope you are having a great time too, especially with me."
BINABASA MO ANG
Strange Voices of the Dead
Mystery / Thriller"I feel more than infinite with you." When Adrian died, Annara, a student library assistant, began hearing ghostly voices. Later in life, she meets Wicker, who resembles him, and this changes everything, making her realize that those strange voices...
