I fell in love

Chapter 2

I woke up to a pressure around my waist, something firm and warm pulling me in.

For a second, I couldn’t place where I was or why my chest felt tight, not from fear but from the weight of someone’s arms holding me too close.

"Uhmm," my eyes are still closed. "Luke, bakit dito ka natulog? Hindi tayo pwede mag tabi, remember?" Hindi ako galit, pero ngayon lang kasi tumabi si Luke sakin.

Sure, we've had quick and long naps before, but it was never intentional.

I did have some tempted moments with him too. But we never really slept together.

I didn’t even remember falling asleep beside him. I didn’t remember agreeing to this.

We both know our limitations. Alam namin yung pwede sa hindi pwedeng gawin.

Yet here we were tangled in the dark, his grip so sure it was as if letting go wasn’t even a question.

Or so I thought.

"Mariz..." a woman who has a husky voice made my eyes open slightly.

A woman?

"Wake up, I'm scared." Naramdaman ko pa yung pag hatak niya sa laylayan ng suot kong loose shirt. "Please, gising..."

Napabalikwas ako at napaupo. "Sino ka?" Nabibiglang saad ko.

Bakit ako natulog ng may katabi na hindi ko kilala?

Binuksan ko yung lampshade sa bedside table ko. Nabigla pa nga yung mga mata ko dahil sa liwanag mula sa ilaw.

"Althea?" Wait, what?

As if on cue, everything came rushing back to me all at once.

The sudden news of her coming home.

The way she ended up staying in my place temporarily because things were complicated on her end.

That soft knock on my door last night, the one that came just past midnight when everything was quiet.

I remember opening it and seeing her standing there in an oversized shirt, eyes unsure, voice barely above a whisper as she asked if she could sleep beside me, just for tonight.

We bot did not expect a loud roar of thunder so when it echoed through my room, we screamed.

"Althea, Althea... di ako maka hinga..." medyo nahirapan pa akong sabihin 'yon dahil naramdaman ko yung dibdib niya sa dibdib ko. Parehas kaming walang suot na panloob sa ilalim ng mga t-shirt namin.

And lying here in the dark with her arms around me like I am all that she can hold,it hits me deep.

I'm supposed to be angry, aren't I?

But how can I be mad when she's this closed and dependent on me?

The weight of her arms wrapped around me felt new. It was refreshing.

The timing of all this, and me saying yes to her request earlier to sleep beside me without even thinking.

But right now, in this still moment, I feel everything. Her warmth, her silence, and that confusion in my chest that tells me this isn’t right.

And with the last bit of consciousness, I let go of her to slowly sit.

Umahon ako nang marahan mula sa pagkakahiga. Agad siyang sumunod sa akin at biglaang yumakap, waiting for the thunder to roar again.

Naiilang man, inayos ko yung pag kakayakap niya sakin.

Ang pag kakaupo niya sa hita ko, pagkakapulupot nung mga braso niya sa batok ko, at ang dahan-dahan kong pag haplos sa likuran niya.