Forever and Always BOOK 1 ( a sequel to As Long As Forever)

Forever and Always - CHAPTER 6

He kissed Pepper. He really did. It maybe was an accident but it was real. Napapikit ng mariin si Alex. The softness of her lips lingers on his. Hindi niya maipaliwanag ang saya na nararamdaman ng dibdib. He can't get his mind off that fleeting kiss! He can't even believe he is still thinking about it. He kissed several girls but nothing can compare that kind of kiss that he shared with Pepper.

Ngunit biglang kumunot ang noo niya. Is it even right to feel happy and excited about that kiss? Is it right that he wished it was more? Is it right that he is craving for more?

Kinuha niya ang cellphone. He needs to at least say something. He was too stunned after that kiss that he was not able to say anything. Plus, he wanted to kill his father for cheating on his mom, too.

Nakita niya ang ilang missed calls ni Antoinette. Para siyang binuhusan ng malamig na tubig. F*ck! Bulong niya sa sarili. How can he forget his girlfriend?

This is all wrong...

Bigla'y tumunog ang cellphone niya. Kaagad niyang binuksan iyon hoping it was his Pepper. Napangiti siya nang makitang si Pepper nga iyon. Ngunit kaagad na nawala ang ngiti sa labi niya nang mabasa ang text nito.

Alex, u wont blv it! Lance just said he luvs me and he kissed me!

Binasa niya ulit, baka nagkamali lang siya ng pagkaka-intindi. Tila nawalan siya ng lakas sa nabasa at humiga sa kama. Suddenly he finds it difficult to breathe, then a sharp pang of pain cut through his heart, making him want to scream.

Gusto niyang matawa sa sarili. How many break ups did he went through? 5? 10? He could not even remember getting hurt in the process. Ngunit bakit ngayon tila pinupunit ang puso niya? Does he really love Pepper this much?

Umiling siya. This can't be happening to him. No, he can't lose Pepper. Dinampot niya ang hoodie saka ang backpack.

So?  Reply niya sa text nito habang naglalakad patungo sa bahay nito. Kaagad na nag-ring ang cellphone niya. Hindi pa man niya nalalagay sa tenga ay dinig na niya ang iritasyon sa boses nito.

"Ano'ng so? It means I was wrong about him! And I just had my first kiss!" tila nanggigigil na sabi nito ngunit pabulong.

"Bakit ka nakabulong?" aniyang kunwa'y hindi nahalata ang inis nito.

"Because it's late and-"

"Open up your window. I'll be there in two," aniya saka pinatay ang cellphone.


HINDI makapaniwalang napatitig si Erika sa cellphone. She can't believe Alex hang up on her after replying 'So?'! Like what happened was nothing! When he had his first kiss she was all ears on him as he repeatedly said he was above the clouds and he already found the girl he's gonna marry. And so was his second, third and so forth kisses.

Binuksan niya ang bintana at nakapameywang na hinintay ito.

Nang tuluyan itong makaakyat ay nakangiti itong bumungad sa kanya.

"So?" nanunudyong sambit nito.

Sa inis ay sinuntok niya ito ngunit tila nabasa na nito ang isip niya't kaagad itong nakaiwas sabay hinaklit ang bewang niya para hindi siya tuluyang sumubsob sa sahig. Hinila siya nito kaya't sabay silang napaupo sa gilid ng kama niya. Ganoon na lang ang hagikgik nito kaya imbes na kurutin ay tinakpan niya ang bibig nito.

"Baka magising sina Mommy!" asik niya.

Pinigilan nito ang tawa ngunit nakangiti pa ring nakatingin sa kanya.

"So, how was the kiss? Did you drool?"

"Of course not!" Hinampas niya ito ngunit hindi pa rin nito binibitawan ang bewang niya.

"So Lance did?" anitong tila nag-eenjoy sa pagpupuyos ng loob niya.

"Hindi lahat ng first kiss kagaya ng sa'yo!" Napahalukipkip siya.

Napaisip ito bigla. "I don't remember drooling. Moaning maybe."

Inis na hinampas niya ito.

"So, paano nga 'yung sa'yo?"

Tinaasan niya ito ng kilay. "I changed my mind. I don't want to share."

Pinisil nito ang ilong niya. "Uyy,  si Pepper marunong nang mapikon," tukso nito ngunit napansin niya kaagad ang lambong sa mga mata nito. After all the years they had together, she knew when Alex is faking a smile. Saka lang niya naalala ang nangyari kanina. How can she forget that Alex is hurting? And just like before, he masked it with fake smiles and laughter. He is hurting but he still could not say it. Nakonsensiya tuloy siya bigla. How could she be so insensitive?

"Was it that bad?" ungot nito nang hindi siya magsalita.

Umiling siya. "How are you feeling?"

Tila hindi nito napaghandaan ang tanong niya at kaagad umiwas ng tingin.

"Ba't ako ang tinatanong mo? Hindi naman ako ang hinalikan, ah."

Napa-iling siya sabay pinaikot ang mata. Umiiwas na naman ito. "You know what I meant, Alex. And I really doubt that you're here just to talk about my first kiss."

"But I am," anito sabay buntong-hininga. Binitawan siya nito sabay kuha ng camera sa backpack nito.

Bago pa siya naka-iwas ay nag-flash na ang camera nito.

"I came for this, too," anito sabay sunud-sunod na shots.

"You're crazy," ani Erika sabay takip ng mukha.

"Tell me about the kiss. Was it good?"

Tumango siya. Hindi na niya tinakpan ang mukha dahil hindi rin naman siya nito titigilan. "It was perfect," sagot niya na nakatitig sa lens ng camera.

She saw his hands tremble and he let out another sigh. "Sinagot mo kaagad?" He sounded like reprimanding her already. Tinaasan niya ito ng kilay.

"I told him that I love him."

Nabitawan nito ang camera, buti na lang sa kama ito bumagsak. Tila hindi makapaniwalang napatitig sa kanya.

"Tell me, you're lying."

Tumaas ang kilay niya. Alex is acting really weird. She could tell he is very upset. Iling lang ang sinagot niya.

"Pepper..." anitong kulang na lang ay sabunutan ang sariling buhok. "Hindi ka man lang nagpakipot? Kahit five minutes?"

Muntik na siyang mapahalagpak ng tawa sa tanong nito. Kung sa ibang pagkakataon ay magagalit siya sa kababata. But there was something in the way he said those words that she finds it funny. But she suppressed her laughter.

"You know me, Alex. Pakipot is not my thing. I could not hide my emotions. Besides, I really love Lance and the last thing I can do is lie to him about it."

Tinitigan siya nito ng matagal saka napasabunot sa sariling buhok. "So, you're officially together?" tanong nito sa tonong ginagamit lang ng Daddy niya kapag may nagawa siyang mali.

Tinaasan niya ito ng kilay. "Alam mo namang hindi pwede, di ba?"

He let out another sigh. This time he looked relieved. Kunot ang noong tinitigan niya ito kasabay noon ang pag-flash ng camera.

"You're beginning to look and sound crazy, Alex."

"That's what I am supposed to say to you."

Iningusan niya ito.

"So, what is your plan?" tanong nito.

"We will tell Mom and Dad," sagot niya sabay matamis na ngiti.

Kumunot ang noo nito at nagdududang tiningnan siya. "By we, you mean you and Lance, right?"

Umiling siya. "We, means me and you," sagot niya sabay turo dito.

Muntik na naman siyang matawa sa reaksyon nito. "Stop looking ridiculous, Alex!" aniya nang namimilog ang mata nito sabay buka ng bibig ngunit walang maapuhap na salita.

"Paano ako nasali?" sa wakas ay tanong nito.

"Because if there is a person that Mom and Dad trusts, it's you. You just need to convince them that Lance is the best person for me."

"You know I can't lie." seryosong sambit nito.

She rolled her eyes.

"Okay, I can, but not for this kind of stuff."

She rolled her eyes once more.
"Okay, I can but I won't. Besides, I don’t even trust that guy.”

She looked at him with pleading eyes.

"Pepper, you are driving me nuts!"

She gave him a very sad eyes.

"Okay, okay! Fine! Jesus! I can't believe I am easily manipulated!"

She then grinned from ear to ear.

"And you did it so effortlessly," himutok nito. "You could at least say something para hindi ako magmukhang timang."

Tuluyan na siyang natawa sabay yakap dito ng mahigpit. "Thank you,  Alex."

Napabuga ito ng hininga sabay yakap sa kanya. "I guess I just can't say no to you, Pepper." Bumuga ulit ito ng hininga. "This is very frustrating."

Hinigpitan niya ang yakap rito. I love you, Alex, aniya sa loob-loob.

"Yeah, right, I love you, too," bulong nito sabay halik sa ulo niya.


I will miss this, ani Alex sa sarili habang yakap ang kababata. He probably won't be able to do this once Pepper and Lance will be officially together.

He doesn't want to lose her. But he can't bear to say no to her. Not if that is where her happiness lies. Mahal niya si Pepper at gagawin niya ang makakapagpasaya dito. Even when it meant breaking his own heart in the process.

Idiotic but real.

"Do you want us to talk about your Dad?" she whispered.

His heart suddenly went cold and empty. Umiling siya.

"Do you want to cry?"

Gusto niyang matawa sa tanong nito. But his eyes got misty. Naramdaman niyang hinahagod ng kababata ang likod niya. He felt her touching his own pain and he was trembling inside.  He felt vulnerable and weak and that is the last thing he wanted to feel.

"Stop it, Pepper," mariing sambit niya. "I don't want to cry."

Tumigil ito. Pagkuwa'y tiningnan siya. Those bright beautiful eyes are hurting. But the pain was not hers but his.

"Fine, I'll cry for you then," anito.  Sukat sa sinabi'y bigla na lang itong napabunghalit ng iyak. Sumubsob ito sa dibdib niya para pigilan ang hikbi at doon tahimik na umiyak.

Napamura siya bigla nang biglang humapdi ang mga mata. Then the next thing he knew, he was controlling his sobs painfully while Pepper was crying with him.