She's the Real Challenge

37: Dinner Incident

"I'm not sharing a bed with you," Ken said while taking off her shoes. "'Yong same room nga lang, ang hirap na. Sleeping on the same bed would be impossible."

"Mukha ba 'kong excited na makatabi ka sa pagtulog? Baka sapian ka pa ni Selene at kung anong gawin mo sa 'kin," sagot ni Sage habang nagsusuot ng bedroom slippers.

"It's settled then, sa floor ka na lang," sabi ni Ken, sabay ngiti kay Sage.

"Not gonna happen, Chicken," he said, eyeing the bed intently and preparing to make a dash towards it.

Ken must've sensed what he was about to do 'cause she ran towards the bed as soon as he did. Their bodies simultaneously landed on the soft mattress.

"Ako nauna!" they both claimed in unison.

"Get off the bed," Ken said, grabbing a pillow and threatening to hit Sage with it.

"No, nauna ako sa 'yo," he replied, spreading his arms to take up more space.

Hindi na nagulat si Sage nang tumama sa mukha niya ang malambot na unan. Ken was kneeling on the bed and she continued to hit him to make him give up the bed. "Hindi ka aalis?" muling tanong ni Ken matapos ang apat na sunod-sunod na hampas.

"Asa ka pa," Sage said as he quickly sat up to grab the pillow from Ken. Mabilis at malakas ang kanyang paghila pero mahigpit ang kapit ni Ken sa unan. As usual, neither agreed to yield and a struggle ensued.

Unfortunately for Ken, he was able to take the pillow from her and throw it aside. To keep her from fighting, Sage seized her wrists. He was now on all fours while Ken was lying on her back, beneath him. Her knees were pressed between his legs while her hands were pinned above her head.

Pareho silang hinihingal dahil sa naganap na mini wrestling match. Their compromising position suddenly dawned on him and by the look on her face, she must've realized it too.

His face was dangerously close to hers but he continued to stare at her, noticing how she was blinking more frequently than usual, as if not believing what she was seeing.

Sage's heart was beating at an accelerated rhythm. He realized that Ken had stopped struggling but why wasn't he letting her go?

Their proximity made him want to just crash his lips onto hers. But he couldn't, his desire made no sense. Bakit niya ba gustong gawin 'yon? Matagal naman na siyang nakalampas sa pagiging hormonal teenager.

Lumunok siya habang nakakagat sa labi. Naalala niya 'yong three second rule sa We're the Millers—If you want to do something but you're in doubt, count to three and just do it because if you take longer that, you'll be overthinking.

One. Two. Th—

A low rumbling sound suddenly filled the air. Naantala ng nagrereklamong sikmura ni Ken ang pagbibilang ni Sage. It was exactly the distraction he needed to make him stop and get real.

Kissing her wouldn't end well. Baka tumama na talaga ang mga suntok ni Ken sa gwapo niyang mukha. It would also mess up their I-secretly-enjoy-arguing-with-you type of relationship which wasn't really a friendship but he liked it anyway. Besides, he didn't want to spend the rest of the week thinking about why he decided to kiss her while not having the I-was-just-drunk excuse.

Binitiwan niya ang mga pulso ng dalaga at humakbang paalis ng kama habang tumatawa. "Kain na tayo, baka bumaliktad na 'yang bituka mo."

Agad siya nagsuot ng sapatos at lumabas ng kwarto, nag-aalalang baka i-bring up ni Ken ang mahaba-habang awkward moment. Hindi niya kasi alam kung paano ipapaliwanag 'yon.