My Greatest What If - Moira Gokongwei (Published)

Chapter 19

I do not like losing. I would die trying than lose. But, the moment I felt Gio's cold hand on my skin, I knew that my effort to shake her confidence a little was an epic fail. And a stupid idea.

Did it backfire? Yes. Big time.

I held my breath while hers started to get shallow. She did not move her hand but I could feel it getting clammier.

We stared at each other motionless. It was an unfamiliar territory for me. Apparently, it was for her, too.

"Oh, my God..." I groaned out loud.

Gio bit her lower lip before she burst out laughing.

"God, Gio, tanggalin mo 'yang kamay mo!" I exclaimed.

"Baby, ikaw ang naglagay n'yan d'yan," she replied trying to catch her breath.

She removed her hand before she tugged me forward to kiss the tip of my nose.

"Kasi, kasi...ang hilig gumanti, 'yan tuloy."

"'Yung boobs ko nahawakan mo na!"

"Ikaw kaya ang nagpahawak."

"Shit, nakakahiya..."

"Ano namang nakakahiya d'un? Ano ba naman kung mahawakan ko? Sa akin naman 'yan."

"Ay, biglang nang-angkin?"

"Baby, h'wag ka nang mahiya, ako lang naman 'to, 'di ba? Ako lang 'to at girlfriend naman kita. Now, if someone else touches your boob, that person is probably going to die."

"Diyos ko, gusto kong magbigti sa hiya. Sorry, na-harass ka ba?" I asked.

She shook her head. "I was turned on at first. But, seeing the shocked expression on your face cracked me up. Mas nagulat ka pa kaysa akin, eh."

"Hindi lang ako nagulat, naloka pa ako," I confided.

We both laughed hard until she kissed me thoroughly on the lips.

"What was that for?" I asked.

"For being so cute," she said.

I leaned forward to kiss her and return the favor.

"Whatever your reason is for doing that, you better tell me so I can keep doing it," she uttered.

"I just love you so much."

She kissed me again. "I love you so much, too..."

She fell asleep with her arms around me, her leg possessively thrown over my hip and her lips planted on my cheek.

I turned my head to look at her and my heart just twitched inside its cage seeing how vulnerable she looked.

Gio has an air of authority around her – as if she had always known what she deserved and expected everyone to give it to her. But after that incident near the veterinary clinic, I realized that the world would not always be kind to people like Gio, and whether she allowed it or not, she would be judged for how she looked, how she acted, and whom she chose to love.

"G..." I moved closer to her.

"Mm..." She sighed.

"Alam mo bang mahal na mahal na mahal kita? Ipagtatanggol kita kahit kanino, kahit kailan at kahit saan."

I touched her cheek. "Ipaglalaban kita. Aawayin ko ang kahit sinong mang-aaway sa'yo. H'wag kang matatakot kasi hinding-hindi mangyayaring iiwan kita. Kahit kailan ay hindi ka na mag-iisa kasi hinding-hindi ako aalis sa tabi mo. Gan'un kita kamahal..."

I kissed her on the lips.

"Baby..."

"I'm here...matulog ka lang, nandito lang ako."