And Then You

1 / maureen

MAUREEN Salas gave her body to Inggo de Paz on a sunny day in early May, less than twenty-four hours after turning eighteen.

Two weeks of silence later and she finds him washing the dishes in the kitchen.

Sa bahay ni Maureen. Kung saan siya nakatira.

Hindi unusual. Last summer, before they went home to Pampanga, nandito siya palagi, nakikitulog sa kwarto ni Kuya Migo. Roommates na nga sa Katip, roommates pa rito sa bahay nila. After nilang maging best friends during their freshman year, hindi na sila naghiwalay.

And their mom loves him. He can come by unannounced, swing open the door, and make his way inside like he owns the place.

Two weeks ago he was naked on top of her, and now he's wearing clothes and washing the dishes in the kitchen like he lives here.

Maureen forces herself to move, finally opening the screen door and taking off her shoes.

Her kuya raises his gaze from his phone, seated on the couch, and frowns at her. "Lumabas ka like that?"

Maureen gives him a sarcastic smile, pulling off the straps of her sandals. "No, Kuya. Nakahubad ako kanina."

Kuya Migo isn't amused. With only his stare, Maureen knows he's saying: sure ka bang ganyan ka dapat sumagot sa 'kin?

He may be only two years older, but her kuya stepped up as the man of the house at only fifteen years old when their shitty father left.

Maureen huffs and steps inside. "My clothes got wet and Gab lent me a shirt. None of his bottoms could fit, so sabi ko okay na 'to."

It's the only thing she's wearing on top of her bikini. A white shirt na medyo damp that ends just below her butt.

Her hair is also a little soaked pa from their swim at his pool.

"You smell like chlorine," her kuya says, scrunching his nose.

"Oo nga, Rinn."

Even as she cringes internally, Maureen looks up briefly, flashes him a smile, and says, "Hi, Kuya Inggo. You're here pala."

"Birthday celeb ni Valle until sa 18 sa Batangas," her kuya says. "Sabay kaming pupunta tomorrow sa bahay niya para isang kotse na lang."

Maureen hasn't torn her eyes away from him.

Naka-lean siya against the doorway na nagse-separate sa kitchen at living room, naka-sando lang na black 'tsaka shorts. His skin is gloriously tan, arms deliciously ripped, face...devastatingly handsome. Nakatayo siya with his arms and ankles crossed, easy and relaxed, as he meets her gaze straight on. "Late ka ng uwi, ah."

Maureen fights the shivers in her body from his voice and eyes.

Two weeks ago, on that sunny day, he was grunting, moaning, gasping, and whispering her name in her ear.

He was looking into her eyes when he took what she was offering him.

Kuya Migo tosses him a pillow, making her look away. "Tapos ka na ba sa mga pinggan?"

"Opo, gago." Kuya Inggo throws the pillow back in his face, which her kuya dodges. To her, he repeats, "Late na."

"Ikaw ang kuya?" Kuya Migo rolls his eyes. He shifts his eyes back to Maureen. "Late ka na ng uwi."

"Bobong putangina, inulit lang sinabi ko."

"Tanga!" He flips him off.

"I'll shower and go to bed," Maureen says, hurrying up the stairs, her bag slapping against her thigh. "And, just to remind you, Kuya: I don't have a curfew anymore, I regularly update you and Mama, and I was with a friend. Night!"