Deceret Series #1: His Lips On My Neck

Chapter 24

Chapter 24

I brushed my hair gently as I let the soft moonlight stream through my big, naked windows. The only thing I hear is the violent waves of the ocean by the cliff and the muffled melody coming from a violin of someone playing downstairs to entertain my parents.

Hanggang ngayon ay bumabalik pa rin sa aking isipan ang pinag-usapan nila Philodemus at mommy. It seems to me, that they have known each other for years... without my knowledge. Philodemus knows my family, not just from what he reads from the local paper or hears from the news or from the townspeople.

He knows them personally. Us.

And yet, he didn't bother telling me.

Napatalon ako sa gulat nang biglang tumunog ang aking cellphone. I glanced at the bright screen of my phone, my heart racing. Mabilis ko itong dinampot at sinagot.

"Philodemus..." I said breathlessly.

"Still haven't sleeping, huh?" his voice came hoarse. I swallowed and put down the wooden hairbrush. Nag-isang sulyap ako sa malaking orasan sa itaas ng aking tukador. Mag-aalas onse na pala ng gabi.

"I can't sleep." I admitted.

"Why?"

"I've been thinking... a lot."

"What would you be thinking about, Shortie?"

"I—"

Natigil ako sa pagsasalita nang makarinig ng malakas na ingay mula sa kabilang linya. Sounds like some water splashing. Then it was followed by howls of men laughter, but amidst of it I thought I heard a giggling of a female voice. Kumunot ang noo ko. "Where are you right now?"

"Rigor's birthday." He said simply. "I got invited and couldn't say no to my cousin."

"Oh..." I sounded very disappointed. Bumagsak ang mga balikat ko at bahagyang ipinikit ang mga mata. I was hoping he'd invite me again for a car ride in the middle of the night, just like what he always do when I couldn't go to sleep or if something is bothering me.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah..." matamlay kong sagot. "Sige na, matutulog na ako."

"Stormie—"

Bago pa man siya makasagot ay pinatay ko na ang tawag. I bit my lower lips and clutched my phone to my chest. Then I went to bed and buried myself under the sheets. I stared into the ceilings. Nakakainis na umaakto na naman akong parang bata.

So what if he's in a party right now and I'm lulling myself to drown in the sea of overthinking again? It's not his fault. It's not his fault that I am being very difficult, even to myself.

Ipinikit ko ang mga mata ko at pinilit ang sarili na matulog. Pero hindi ko talaga magawa. I groaned in frustration. Napatalon ako sa gulat nang biglang tumunog ang cellphone ko. Sa katataranta ko ay napindot ko ang answer button hindi ko pa man ito nahahawakan nang maayos.

I cursed under my breath and sat up. Clearing my throat, I squinted at the screen again and saw Philodemus' name.

"Philodemus, I'm really fine—"

"Come outside."

"What?"

"Come on, it's freezing." Aniya pa.

Nangungunot ang noo ay pinatay ko ang tawag at lumabas ng kwarto. Rinig ko pa rin ang halakhakan at ang paggalaw ng mga kubyertos sa dining hall, kung saan naroon si Dad at ang kaniyang iilang importanteng kaibigan. The violin that was playing earlier stopped. Dahan-dahan akong naglakad palabas at mabuti nalang ay hindi ako nakita ng natutulog naming security guard nang pumuslit ako sa gate.