Clarity (A SANDRO MARCOS FANFICTION)

18. Pain

good evening! :)

AIRI

I stared outside the window with my cup of coffee in my hands. It was raining that late afternoon of early December. Hindi natuloy ang Hyde Park namin dahil umuulan palagi. Ngumuso ako. I miss the fucking sun. I miss hanging out in the park with Sandro while waiting for Simon so we could go watch movies.

"Cinnamon." Sandro called. There was gentleness in his voice.

The caterpillars wriggled. Sumimangot ako. Hindi sila obedient. Bet nila si Sandro. Mga bias na nilalang sa katawan ko.

"Yes, Sandwo?" I asked him, showing him a puppy face.

He stared at me. I saw him lick his lips. "I was asking if you have finished your requirements so we won't have problems once we go home." He told me. Wow. Home. It was as if he was telling me that there's a place where I can belong. He was a meter apart from me. Just standing there with his hands on his pockets.

I nodded. "Tinapos ko na kagabi habang hinihintay kita galing sa work." I replied.

"That's sweet." He mumbled.

I winked. "Kilig ka ba Sandwo?"

He nodded. "Kind of."

"Yieee. Sex na ba?"

Umasim mukha niya. "Please behave Cinnamon."

Hinarap ko siya at kinuha yung wand sa table. Ginawa ko yung just wish and flick "Windgardium Horny-Osa!"

Sandro rolled his eyes and took the wand from me.

"Pwede ba Airi."

"Pwede Sandro." I replied, smirking.

"Come Airi. Let's cuddle. It's cuddle weather." He said, pulling me to his arms.

Lumundag yung puso ko. Tangina. Kinikilig yung caterpillars habang nagpipigil ako. I silently chanted Vinny's name in my head. Vinny. Vincent. Vinny. Vinny. Sandro. San—Putangina. Pati ba naman utak ko ayaw makisama sa akin. Dede ko na lang ata ang kakampi ko sa katawan ko. Halos lahat kasi sila sinisigaw ay si Sandro.

I put down the cup I was holding on the table and embraced Sandro back. He was looking at me as if I mattered the most in his eyes.

"You look beautiful, Cinnamon." He spoke.

I usually answer it with 'Of course. I know' pero pati yung dila ko naumid. It felt different for a second. His eyes were so intimidating especially when he told me I am beautiful. Im in fucking trouble.

"Alam ko." I managed to answer but the confidence in my voice was gone. It was almost a whisper kind of respond.

Sandro swiped the hair covering my eyes and tucked them behind my ears. He smiled. "I can't wait to spend the Christmas and new year with you, Cinnamon." He said gently.

I smiled. "Me too Sandwo. Ano kaya ipapa-gift ko kay Vinny?"

Sumimangot siya. "I'm the boyfriend Airi. I'm the priority."

"Hubad na ako ngayon gusto mo?"

He made a face. "You, woman, have no filter." Hindi na ako tinawag na Cinnamon. Ayaw na akong lambingin. Gusto kong kumanta ng, 'Oh kay bilis naman maglaho ng pag-ibig mo sinta' Joke.

"Halikan mo na lang ako kapag sa tingin mo ay kailangan ko ng filter." I suggested, smirking.

Sandro looked at me, raising his brows then grinned. "Sure Cinnamon. I'll start now." He suddenly pulled my nape and kissed me. My eyes widened, my heart beat became erratic, my legs felt like turning into jelly.

I felt him smirk at my reaction and deepened the kiss. My arms reached his neck and put my arms around him because I feel like I am going to fall if I didn't.

If this was the punishment of non-filtered answers, parang gusto kong manahimik na lang, My lips felt like they were swollen from the kiss he was giving me and I liked it. Sandro was always a good kisser since day one. The pace of my heartbeat isn't calming down too. It was as if it was excited or thrilled on Sandro's next move. Not to mention, the caterpillars in my stomach are feeling the fucking kilig at nahahawa ako. I'm in fucking danger.

Sandro's lips is starting to become a danger.

---

SANDRO

"She's really hot." The bouncer beside me spoke that night. Airi and I have the same shift and I was happy.

"Who?" I asked, looking at him.

"Your friend Airi. You're her friend right?" He asked. "I asked her what was the real score between the two of you and she told me both of you are just friends."

"Really." I answered sternly.

The bouncer nodded. "I tried asking her out but she told me she needs to schedule it because the waiter asked her out on a date too."

"When was that?" I asked.

"Two months ago."

"And you're still hoping she could go out with you is that it?" I asked.

"Yes man. Damn. I would beg to kiss her on our first date." He muttered, still looking at Airi.

I rolled my eyes. "Dude."

He laughed. "Sorry. I just really find her hot. Are all Filipinas hot?"

I shrugged my shoulders. How would I know when among all the millions of Filipinas out there, only one stood out in my fucking eyes? Only one made me feel like I want to spend the eternity with her. Only Airi.

"Sandwooo!" Airi interrupted me from my thoughts while we were walking home hand in hand. It wasn't raining but the streets are damp and the weather was still cold.

"Yeah?" I asked, looking at my girlfriend.

"Hindi ka naman nakikinig eh!" She hissed. Her deep set eyes giving me that fiery expression.

I scratch my nose. "What were you saying?"

She made a face. "Ang sabi ko mag-hiking tayo pagdating natin sa Baguio tapos i-try natin yung bar na gumagawa ng sarili nilang beer. Craft 1945 ata yun. And then, mag-date tayo sa mall. Okay lang sa akin na third wheel si Simon." She giggled.

I laughed. "Okay okay. We'll do what you want." I told her.

"Meron pa akong gustong gawin."

"What?"

"Night market tayo. I want to experience going around the night market tapos kain tayo sa food stalls dun habang holding hands kasi maraming tao," Her eyes lit up. "Let's try the Christmas village too sa Camp John Hay. I know I have seen a real snow but I still want to go there."

I nodded. "Sure, Cinnamon."

She smiled, looking at me. The streetlight shone on the sidewalk and so her beauty was visible. "Can we buy a Christmas tree and put it in my house together?"

"Of course Cinnamon. Anything for you." I replied, smiling.

"Hmmm," She hummed as we stepped inside our building. "Do you have a fireplace in your house in Baguio?" She asked.

"We do. Why?"

"Can we lit it up and sit down in front of it on the Christmas Eve?"

"Sure we can. What else do you want to do on Christmas Cinnamon?"

Airi stopped in front of our door and smiled. "I already said what I wanted to do that day Sandro. What about you? What do you want to do on Christmas or on the vacation itself?" She asked, looking at me.

"Nothing. The only thing I want to do is to make you happy on that day." I answered.

"You're already making me happy Sandwo." She replied, giving me one of her genuine smiles. The one that reached her eyes.

And it dawned too me that I was willing to do anything for this woman. My woman. 

---

goodnight!