Behind Her Shadow

Chapter 24

Maria Adelaida's POV

Did we just...

Did we just kiss?!

Naghalikan kami?

Me and who?!

Me and Miss Amaranth?!

Sa gulat ko ay napalayo ako mula sa ginagawa namin. Nang gawin ko iyon ay siya namang pagdako ng paningin ng propesora sa mata ko, like she was seeking for my eye after I distanced my lips from hers.

Despite me distancing myself from her for a bit, she, on the other hand, didn't pull away. It was too late for me to realize our position.

Tila natauhan ako nang makita ang posisyon niya. I gulped so hard after realizing that she straddled me.

She was on my lap!

My thighs were clutched as I sat in between hers. Her left arm rested on my shoulder, meanwhile her right hand palmed my cheeks, as though it is the only way to keep my face close to her.

My heart kept thumping loudly, like it wants to get out of my rib cage for how fast it could ever go. Rinig na rinig ko 'yung lakas ng tibok ng puso ko. Mas tumindig pa ang balahibo ko sa paraan ng pagtitig niya sa akin.

Titig na titig siya sa akin, tila may hinahanap sa mata ko, samantalang ako naman, kahit pa ang lamig-lamig dito sa opisina niya ay pinagpapawisan.

I was sweating buckets! How can I not?! My legs are in between hers!

In short, nakapatong siya sa akin!

Bago pa man ako mabaliw nang tuluyan, tinapos ko na ang pagtitinginan namin sa paglingon sa palagid.

I didn't know what to do! Nagpa-panic ako! Deep inside me, my stomach was rumbling!

"A-ah," I stuttered. "Ma'am, I think–"

Hindi pa man natatapos ang sasabihin ko nang walang kung anong umalis siya mula sa pagkakapatong sa akin. I watched her as she straightened up in front of me, tucked the loose hair behind her ear, and walked back to her swivel chair like nothing happened.

I blinked. Once. Twice. Maybe more than three to check if I was seeing things right.

Did she just go back to her chair like nothing happened after kissing me? This is considered theft! Ni wala pa akong first kiss!

Napaawang ang labi ko dahil nang makabalik siya sa upuan niya ay normal lang ang galaw niya habang mina-maniubra ang laptop niya. A slight pause from her happened before touching the laptop. I couldn't help myself as a gasp of disbelief left my mouth.

Problemado akong napatayo, na mukhang kinagulat niya pa dahil napatingin siya sa akin. Samantalang ako, stressed na stressed habang tinatanggal ang mga nahulog na buhok ko sa mukha ko.

"Ma'am–"

Pinutol niya ako. Talagang hindi niya ako pinapatapos kaya panay na ang buntong-hininga at singhal ko!

I hate that she's calm and controlled! I hate it 'cause it only made it feel heavier than if she had sounded shaken!

Because I am shaken! Nayanig buong pagkatao ko! Hindi ko naman alam na makukuha ang first kiss ko ngayon! Ako, hindi ko alam ang gagawin ko matapos niya akong halikan, tapos siya?!

Ang kalmado niya! She's too calm that it scares me!

It scares me kasi... kasi alam niyang gusto ko siya. Kasi alam niyang may nararamdaman ako sa kaniya. 'Yung halik na 'yon... that meant something to me. You're not supposed to just kiss someone in a random day without feelings involved, right?