UNMASKED (Incognito Book 3- Completed)

Chapter Twenty-Three

"So, anong gusto mong gawin?" tanong niya dito habang  naglalakad na silang muli.

Naramdaman niyang tila gusto nitong kumawala sa pagkakaakbay niya dahil di iian sa mga nasasalubong nila ang kundi napapangiti ay may panunukso naman sa pagbati ng mga ito. "Ferris Wheel." sabi nito sabay sulyap sa kanya.

He loves how she is taller than most women and when she looks at him, he really didn't have to look down to meet those soulful light brown eyes. "Pero maglakad-lakad muna tayo habang inuubos ko ito." sabi nito bago pumiraso sa cotton candy, at iniumang iyon sa bibig niya, na tinanggap  naman niya.

"Well, isn't that literally sweet."
Napatingin siya sa kaliwa at nakitang nakatayo doon si Viktoria, kahwak-kamay ang nobyo nitong si Rui. Parehong may panunudyo sa tingin ng dalawa sa kanila.

"Hey, Tori. Aga mong mangampanya." bati niya sa babae, bago nakipag-high five sa nobyo nito na natawa lang. The other woman threw him a murderous look.

"Shut up." then her face softened as she looked at Denise, na kiming ngumiti at kumaway lang dito. Something passed between the two women, a look that seemed to say they knew something about each other. Matapos ang ilang minutong pakikipag-usap sa magkasintahan at matapos makalayo ng mga ito ay hindi nakatiis na tinanong niya si Denise tungkol doon.

"Hindi ko alam na close pala kayo ni Tori?"

Bahagya itong ngumiti. "Not that close, pero noon kasing nasa bahay ako nila Dean para sa meeting at kasama siya, we got the chance to talk and bond somehow, dahil kami yung magka-edad doon." sagot nito.

"And what exactly did you two talk about?"

"Tsismoso ka?" she smirked. "And you, what's with you and Viktoria?" ganting tanong nito, na tila nabigla lang dahil natigilan ito at pagkatapos ay nag-iwas ng tingin. "Nah, kalimutan mo na iyon. You don't have to answer." mahinang sabi nito.

"Hey, ano iyon ha? She and I were schoolmates in UP back in law school. I was a year ahead of her. Magkasama din kaming volunteer sa local public attorney's office." bigay- alam niya habang hindi inaalis ang tingin kay Denise na panay ang subo ng cotton candy. "And that is what's with us. We're friends."

Nanatili lang na tahimik ang babae. Maya-maya ay huminto ito sa tapat ng bilihan ng mga palamig at bumili ng bottled water. Inagapan niya ito sa pagbabayad bago muli itong  inusisa nang naglalakad na sila. "Are you, by any chance, jealous, Miss Medrano?"

Nanlaki ang mga mata nito sa tanong niya, kasunod ang poamumula ng pisngi. Right then and there, ZD just wanted to pull her close and kiss her. She just looks so beautiful, all resistance is failing him. "Hindi ah." sabi nito.

He tilted his head to one side and kept looking at her.  "Alright. And for whatever it's worth, I want you to know that there is nothing to worry about. kung anuaman ang maaaring naririnig mong usap-usapan tungkol sa akin, walang totoo  du'n maliban na lang sa.." he stepped closer and pulled her by the waist.

Her eyes looked at him with alarm. "Maliban sa ano?"

"Maliban kung ang usap-uspan ay kung gaano ko kagustong gawin ito." he leaned in to kiss her lightly on the lips, and before she could protest, he has already pulled away. Gigil na pinaghahampas siya nito sa braso na tumatawang sinalag lang niya ng isang kamay.

"You're such a pest, ZD." nappailing na sabi nito nang muli na silang maglakad.

He whistled in response, and held her hand as they walked towards the ferris wheel.

Habang papataas ang ferris wheel at paliit nang paliit ang nakikita nila sa ibaba, ay saglit na ipinikit ni Denise ang mga mata. Isinandal niya ang ulo sa balikat ni ZD, na nakapaikot ang isang braso sa kanya. Their hands, with their fingers intertwined, were on her lap.

She is framing that moment into memory, where it will stay forever. Maraming bagay ang hindi tiyak sa buhay niya ngayon, at marami din siyang kinatatakutan.

Ngunit ang mga gabing katulad nito, na yakap siya ni ZD, at masuyong hawak ang kanyang kamay lang ang nais niyang isipin.  This maybe fleeting and uncertain, but at least, this is real.

Napabuntung-hininga siya. Sana ay ganoon din ang buhay nila, patuloy sa paggalaw, kahit na paulit-ulit, basta ba  malayo sa kahit ano o sinong nais sumira sa kanila.

"Ang lalim naman nu'n." mahinang sabi ni ZD bago siya hinagkan sa sentido.

"Masaya lang ako." nangingiting wika niya.

"Ako din." bumaba ang labi nito sa gilid ng kanyang mukha.

"Sana ganito na lang palagi."

"Na nasa ferris wheel tayo?"

"Puwede rin." aniya bago nag-angat ng ulo at tiningnan ito. Their faces were so close, and their lips were almost touching. Hindi yata siya humihinga sa magkahalong kaba at pagkasabik. She likes moments like this when they are close enough to kiss.

"Oh no. Don't look at me like that, Denise." he whispered.

"Like what?" she asked innocently, but then her eyes went  down to his lips. She has never been this brazen, being the one to taunt and tease a man, feeling like she has this  power over him.

"Like you want to be kissed." he swallowed.

"But I do." her lips swarm forward and met with his, feeling and tasting a bit before she pulled away. "... want to kiss you." Bago pa siya muling nailapit ang labi ay si ZD na  mismo ang lumapit at humalik sa kanya.

This kiss was more intense and powerful than anything she has ever known, na tila may kung anong binubuhay iyon sa kanya.

She parted her lips, inviting him in, as his kiss got deeper and more  passionate. It was a kiss that seem to want to know more of her, have more of her. And it seems to go on and on even if  it lasted only for several seconds.

Nang si ZD mismo ang tumapos ng halik ay tila hirap na hirap itong ilayo ang sarili sa kanya.

He ws breathing hard, as his eyes looked at her with a mix of desire, longing... and awe. He then pulled her head to rest back on his shoulder and then kissed her temple.

"You're just something else, Denise. Do you even know that?" bulong nito, kasunod ang buntung-hininga.

Sa narinig ay nais mapaiyak ni Charlee. Isiniksik pa niya ang sarili sa katabi habang nakapako ang tingin sa marahil ay buong bayan na ng San Diego mula sa itaas ng ferris wheel.

I am something else, alright. Something and someone you'd probably never know.