The Moment You Were Mine

7

MARAHANG hinaplos ni Mike ang pisngi ni Jen gamit ang likod ng kaliwa nitong kamay. Her face was so soft and delicate. He could not resist the yearning to touch her. Her smile, tila nangungusap. He stroked her soft hair. Kanina lang ay pinapangarap niyang damhin iyon.

He could not explain the desire he was feeling. As poets would say, lubos ang pagkabighaning nadarama nito. He had never experienced this before.

Jen closed her eyes when she felt the back of his hand caressing her cheek, his fingers tugging her hair gently. She gasped when without warning, his lips touched hers. Pakiramdam niya ay tumigil ang mundo. A different kind of sensation flooded through her boduy. It was unfamiliar but very pleasant.

My first kiss

Hindi siya makapaniwala. It was like an intoxicating elixir. She never thought it would be as thrilling as this.

Mike, my first kiss

And hes a man I barely know!

What was happening to her? She was kissing a stranger on the beach! Hindi siya makapaniwala. Bigla niya itong naitulak upang putulin ang halik, umiwas. Hindi kaagad nakahuma ang naalertong lalaki.

Napatayo siya at parang wala sa sarili na napatakbo palayo. When Mike saw her running to the water, he was alarmed.

"Jen!" tawag nito. Pero hindi lumingon ang dalaga. Jen, where are you going?

God, what have I done? Kastigo ni Jen sa sarili.

What happened was against her convictions. Pinalaki siya ng mga magulang na may banal na takot, na hindi padalos dalos sa anumang bugso ng damdamin. Ano na lang ang sasabihin ng kanyang ama? It would have been different if Mike was her boyfriend.

But kissing a total stranger? Ganoon na ba talaga siya kadesperada sa lalaki? She felt foolish. The cold sea was all she could think of. Kailangan niya ang lamig ng tubig doon para magising siya. Hindi na niya alintana ang pagtawag ni Mike sa kanya. Ang mahalaga ay makalayo siya rito habang kaya pa niya.

Nang hanggang baywang na ang tubig ay sumisid siya. Naka shorts siya at fit na blouse kaya komportable siyang nakalangoy. But the water was not that cold.

Naramdaman niyang may kasabay siya sa paglangoy. Dahil katamtaman lang ang alon, hindi siya nakaramdam ng takot. Halos nasa dibdib na niya nag tubig ng tumigil siya sa pagsisid.

Mike was there. With her.

Niyapos nito ang baywang niya. Nagpumiglas siya pero mahigpit ang pagkakayakap nito.

"Jen, what are you doing?" may galit siyang nababakas sa mukha nito. He was breathing hard. "You had me worried." His voice softened then.

She could not meet his eyes. Iniharap siya nito sa sarili at muling niyakap. Lalong bumilis ang tibok ng puso niya. She tried to push him away with her palms. Jen could feel the fast beating of his heart in his well-muscled chest.

Her heart was telling her to embrace him too, pero ang matinong parte ng utak niya ay tumututol. A soft breeze blew onto her face causing her to shiver.

"Mike, I— I want to go back now."

Jen he whispered. Ang tinig nito ay nagsusumamo.. he cupped her chin.

Noon lang siya tumingin ditto. Nakikiusap ang kanyang mga mata sa binate na pakawalan siya.

"Mike, giniginaw na ako"

"Ihahatid kita." There was authority in his voice.

Tumango siya. Gusto niyang mainis sa sarili dahil sa pagiging sunud-sunuran ditto. Wala yata itong balak na humingi ng sorry sa panggugulantang sa kanya.