Beyond the Horizon of Love (Ryker Series #1)

BTHOL [27]

"Avril..."

Pakiramdam ko ay tumayo ang mga balahibo ko nang biglang sumulpot si Nova sa harapan ko. 

I don't want to get affected by my mother's words but I can't help myself to put a little distance from them.

"Is everything okay?" she asked me seriously.

"Huh?"

"I might be wrong but I can feel that you're avoiding us. May problema ba sa inyo?"

"I'm not avoiding you---"

"Magsisinungaling ka ba sa akin?"

I sighed. "Nova, believe me. It's not like that---"

"I was actually in your house that day," putol niya sa akin. "Bibisitahin sana kita para iabot 'yong bigay ni Nanay pero aksidente kong narinig ang pagtatalo niyo ng Mommy mo."

"It's just because of my---"

"Dahil sa puntos na lamang mo sa akin?" muling putol niya. "Pinapagalitan ka because of that? Kasi ayaw ng Mommy mo na maagaw ko sa'yo 'yong pwesto sa pagiging una mo sa PL?"

"Nova, it's not like that---"

"Kung pinapagalitan ka dahil doon, pwede mo namang sabihin sa akin. Hindi ko rin alam na kaya kong abutin ang ganung grade. Hindi ko intensyon na agawin sa'yo ang pwesto sa pagiging number one. Wala lang naman sa akin kung pang-ilan ako, basta pasok lang ako sa list dahil ang laking tulong niyan sa pag-aaral ko lalo na at scholar ako."

"Please, don't say that. You deserve what you're getting right now because you're striving hard. This matter is between me and mom, okay? You're out of this."

"I don't want you suffering just because I'm striving hard."

I don't know how our conversation ended. She told me that she won't let our friends know about that because she doesn't want them to worry about us, especially me.

"It's almost our graduation na," I told Sean. 

He put down the apple he peeled for me before sitting down next to me. Siniksik ko kaagad ang sarili ko sa kanya. 

"Can I get my advance gift na?" I joked.

"Advance gift?" Bahagya siyang nag-isip. "What particular gift do you want?"

I smirked. "Kiss?"

Ngumiti siya bago ako hinalikan. "Is that enough?"

Umiling kaagad ako. I wasn't ready naman!

He gave me a short kiss again before letting me go but it wasn't enough for me. I went closer and closed my eyes to kiss him again. He groaned with my sudden move before leaning in to deepen our kiss.

We both stopped when we both ran out of breath. His face was really serious and so am I. 

After a few minutes of looking at each other, he immediately let go of me.

"That's enough," seryosong sabi niya. "You're taking me for granted."

"Excuse me?" mataray na tanong ko. 

Instead of letting him go, buong lakas ko siyang hinila palapit sa akin. I instantly leaned in before giving him a kiss for the second time.

I was about to stop when I felt that he was unresponsive. He suddenly held the back of my head and angled his face so he could kiss me back.

His hand went from my waist down to my thigh before putting it back again on my waist. My eyes widened when I felt his hand on my chest. He stopped kissing me for a few seconds to breathe.