Scandalous Affair: Atlas Mate

11

O L I V I A   V A L E Z

I could feel my hands getting colder as minutes passed by, and my heart almost sinking to my stomach. I never thought that a single book can make me feel like I did the worst crime a person could ever commit. And that was all thanks to Prima Donovan. Why did I become friends with her again? At this very moment, I want to strangle her. Look at the trouble she created!

I gulped as I felt beads of sweat forming on my forehead. I chuckled nervously before I answered my dad.

"You know, dad, my usual books."

Oliver Valez—my dad, nodded and smile proudly at me, "I see, you bought a new academic book."

I heard Atlas Mate coughed at the back because of what dad said. "Academic book?" he whispered. Thank God! Dad didn't hear him. If he did, I don't know what I would do with this old man!

I wanted to turn my head to him and send him a dagger look, but dad is in front of me, and that would be too suspicious.  When dad's phone rang, he immediately excused himself to answer the call. He went to the main living room, leaving Atlas and me alone at the doorway. Nang makaalis na nang tuluyan si dad ay agad akong limingon sa kaniya. Atlas has this arrogant suspicious look, and the unlit cigarette was on his lips. He was playing with the cigarette by moving it up and down slowly as he looked at me.

He put away his cigarette, and now his fingers were the ones playing with it.  "So that kind of book is now an academic one? O, humor me."

"I didn't know that it's an erotic book, okay?"

"Really?" He walked towards me. "I never thought you have a kink."

My forehead knotted and what he said. A kink? What kink?! 

"What?!" 

"Youngsters are really wild with kinks now, huh." he looked at e darkly. His eyes traveled to my face down to the book I was holding. 

I gripped the book when his eyes stayed there. "I don't know what you are talking about." I said firmly.

Atlas Mate's blue eyes went back to my black ones. "Well, I guess that will educate you about whips and chains." he moved again—closer this time. His face inches away from mine, and then he leaned to my ears and whispered. "Don't let curiosity eat you, or you will be eaten, Little Girl."

I shuddered when his breath touched the skin under my ear that's connecting to my neck, and when he spoke those dark warnings, my whole body shivered. I shivered in a sensation I cannot name, and it felt good. Damn, good. I cannot take what I was feeling. My cheeks started heating up. I pushed his chest so he would move away from me. 

What does he mean that I'll be eaten? Eaten by what? By my curiosity? He meant curiosity, right?

I cannot take it! I cannot be here in front of him. Bago ako umalis ay hinampas ko sa braso niya ang librong hawak, at tuluyan nang umalis doon. I heard him said "Ouch." but I knew my blow isn't that hard. Itinakip ko sa aking mukha ang librong hawal, at dali-daling umakyat sa aking kwarto.

As soon as I entered my room, I closed the door slightly hard and leaned on it. I was pressing the book I was holding into my thumping wild heart. I breathed in and out slowly as I tried to calm down. nang mahimasmasan nang kaunti, ay inangat ko sa level ng akin mukha nag libro at tinignan ito nang masama.

"It's because of you!" sabi ko sa libro na akala mo ay sasagot ito sa akin.

Pero totoo naman kasi! nang dahil sa librong ito ay napahamak ako! I really don't know that it's an erotic book. If I only knew earlier, then baka naihagis ko na ito pabalik kay Prima. Kaya pala ngingisi-ngisi siya sa akin noong inabot niya ito. Dapat pala ay ch-in-eck ko muna ang binigay niya bago tinanggap. I'm so stupid.