Illicit Love

Kabanata 10

"Reminiscing something?"

I was frozen to the spot the moment I heard her soft, yet chillingly alluring voice. Why is she still here? Has she been standing there for a while? A sudden wave of nervousness washed over me the way she was gazing at me. There it was again—that strange, unsettling flutter in my chest that I always feel whenever she's standing in front of me and looking my way.

"H-Huh?"

I could perceive the fury simmering in her gaze, yet she possessed an uncanny mastery at masking it with her penetrating orbs. It was as if she were desperately attempting to shroud the anger, but her eyes were once again betraying her true state.

She walks toward me with a slow, deliberate grace, and a heavy swallow caught in my throat with every step she took closer. The silence between us was heavy and unbroken. She offered no words, and neither did I. We simply remained, locked in an intense, mutual stare.

Have I ever told how deeply I adore gazing into her eyes? They are absolutely breathtaking, especially when they catch the smallest hint of light. They seem to sparkle and shimmer just like the brilliant stars twinkling in the night sky.

When you stare into them for an extended moment, it feels as if you are being transported into an entirely different dimension—a realm of pure captivating beauty and wonder. Her gaze holds an irresistible, cosmic allure that you could lose yourself in.

Naramdaman ko ang lamig ng tiles mula sa likuran ko nang wala na akong maatrasan. Ngayon ko lang napansin na mas matangkad talaga siya sakin ng ilang pulgada. Hindi ko maiwasang mapalunok nang unti-unting bumaba ang tingin ko sa mapupula niyang mga labi. Biglang nanuyo ang lalamunan ko nang marahan niyang kagatin ang ibabang labi niya.

"B-Bakit po, Ma'am...? May kailangan po ba kayo?" nanghihinang bulong ko. Sapat lang na marinig niya.

"What do you think, Zariah? Hmm?"

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko nang bigla niyang itaas ang kamay niya. Pipikit na sana ako dahil akala ko sasampalin niya ako, pero nanatiling seryoso ang mukha niya.

Gusto ko siyang itulak palayo dahil kinakabahan talaga ako sa sobrang lapit niya sakin ngayon, pero hindi ako makagalaw sa kinatatayuan ko. Ano bang nangyayari sayo, Zariah? Si Ma'am Solanna lang naman 'yan, ah? Tangina talaga.

"How could she possibly kiss you like that? She is genuinely infuriating..." she murmured under her breath, the words barely audible. I couldn't discern if she was actually speaking to me or merely voicing her private thoughts, especially since her entire attention was focused, unblinking, on my cheek.

"Ma'am Solanna," I managed to say, my voice still catching a little, "I think we really should be heading back to our rooms now..."

Pero parang wala siyang narinig. Umangat ang tingin niya papaunta sa mga mata ko kaya halos kapusin ako ng hininga. Tumaas ang kilay niya, pero hindi siya umimik.

"Should we, Zariah? Of course, we should... but before that, I want to remove something," she said with a smirk, yet her expression remained serious.

I was startled when I felt her sharp nails slowly trailing from my jawline down to my neck. The beat of my heart accelerated even more due to the tension and anxiety I felt. Her touch only heightened the sense of anticipation. I could feel my entire face and neck flush with heat with every stroke of her nail against my skin. It felt like I was being electrocuted. Seriously, did she have static electricity running through her body? Damn.

"Ma'am Solana, a-ano pong ginagawa—"

She leaned in, drawing closer to me before I could even complete my sentence. My heart is absolutely hammering in my chest at this very moment. I'm utterly bewildered by the intense reaction she's eliciting—it's racing with a fierce, singular rhythm, one that is entirely unique to her presence. Truly, she is the only person capable of making my heart beat with such powerful intensity and speed.