WARREN GIDEON: In War, I Found Peace [Warren & Astacia]

Kabanata 11

    I closed my eyes, my heart racing with anticipation and very ready to throw caution to the wind as I waited for his lips to meet mine. But instead, I felt the soft press of his lips on my forehead.

    Nagmulat ako ng mga mata at sa nagpoprotestang tinig ay tinawag ang pangalan niya. I was craving more, his lips on mine, not just a kiss, but a firestorm of passion, something consuming, a kiss that would fill every inch of the void inside me. A kiss that would make me forget the longing I was feeling. I wanted to feel all of him, raw and unrestrained, as if the world would crumble around us, as if nothing and no one else mattered.

    Grinning as if he was enjoying seeing me crave for him like an addict to illegal drugs and as I finally surrendered to my true feelings, Warren gently traced his thumb along my right cheek. “It’s late. Warrion might wake up and come looking for you. Bumalik ka na sa kaniya at magpahinga. I really apologize for disturbing your sleep. I should have just used the shower here,” he said, then held at my hand and stood up, but just as he was about to pull me to my feet, I withdrew my hand and agrresively shook my head. “Astacia—”

    “I want you, Warren,” pagtatapat ko at siguro nga ay nababaliw na ako para sabihin ito. But if I was going to be a bad girl for once again in my life, gusto kong samantalahin ang pagkakataong ito dahil alam ko namang hindi na ito mauulit pa, dahil babalik din ako sa katotohanang pagmamay-ari siya ng iba.

    Yes, I was still not believing him when he said he had no girlfriend, and it hurt to think that he would lie and deny my sister just to sleep with me, which seemed to be the only reason he would say those things. He just wanted me for purely physical reasons, and I could not deny that I felt the same way.

    “What are you talking about?” he asked, a furrow in his brow.

    “Warren, you don’t need to pretend you don’t understand what I said. I want you too. I am undeniably attracted to you—physically, sexually, intimately. That’s the truth. Maybe if we give in to our desires for just one night, it will help us get it out of our system. This stupid attraction will surely disappear once we sleep together. So yes, I am offering to sleep with you. Just for one night,” I said, unsure of where my words were leading, or if I was still making sense.

    Napabitiw siya sa kamay ko, bahagyang napaawang ang bibig, at saka muling napaupo sa tabi ko habang mapait na napapangisi.

    “I have never felt so offended in my life until now, Astacia,” he said as he shook his head, looking very disappointed with me. “I already told you, this is not an itch that needed to be scratched.”

    I bit on my lower lip as I looked down at my lap. “I am not naïve, Warren. You are clearly just sexually attracted to me and I already told you that I feel the same way. Let’s sleep together tonight and get it over with, then pretend nothing happened—”

    Natigilan ako nang biglang may nalaglag sa kandungan ko. Kunot-noong nilingon ko si Warren, nagtataka kung bakit inilagay niya roon ‘yong cellphone niya.