ANAIS

"How was your sleep?" Tita Cassie while we were having breakfast. Audrey and I had a sleep-over last night just like we usually do as our house were just right next to the Cordovas. Minsan ako ang natutulog sa kanila at minsan naman siya ang natutulog sa bahay namin.

"It was good, tita. I've never slept better." I answered.

"Akala ko nga hindi ka makatulog kagabi. I woke up without you in bed." Audrey said.

"I just went out to get myself a glass of water."

Coco, who was sitting right across from me, looked at me with a wicked gleam in his eyes and a subtle boyish smirk on his lips as if enjoying the secret that only the two of us knew. He knew well where I had been last night and what we had done. Frowningly, my brows contracted at him. Sinipa ko ang paa niya sa ilalim ng mesa.

"Ouch!" He exclaimed.

"What?" Tito Phoenix looked at him, confused.

"Anais kicked me!" He complained.

"He's making faces at me, Tito." Dahilan ko.

"Coco, ang aga-aga inaasar mo na naman si Anais. Stop, okay?" Tita Cassie looked at him, warning in her voice.

"She started it, Ma! Wala akong ginagawa sa kanya."

"Just finish your breakfast." Sabi ni Tita Cassie.

I playfully stuck my tongue out at him, childish I know, but it still irked him. That was all that mattered.

"These two... they always fight but they can't live without each other." Tito Phoenix chuckled.

"My life would've been easier without that brat in it." He scowled.

"Talaga lang, ha? Just to remind you, kung hindi dahil sa akin hindi ka pa rin makakapagsalita." I said, an arrogant smile on my lips.

"Yeah, the first word you ever said was her name." Sabi naman ni Audrey.

"Kaya nga dapat hindi mo inaaway si Anais. Kung anu-anong klaseng therapy na ang ginawa sa'yo noon pero siya lang ang nakapagpasalita sa'yo." Tita Cassie said.

"Why can't Kuya Coco talk before?" Ronnie, their little sister, asked.

"It's a long story, sweetheart. Finish up your breakfast." Tito Phoenix gently told Ronnie.

I finished my breakfast and went to their veranda. Coco followed me and we sat on the swinging bench outside.

"Uuwi na ko maya-maya." Sabi ko.

"Hahatid na kita." Coco offered.

"Oh, you don't have to." I arched my brow. " Baka maabala pa kita! After all, your life would be easier without me in it."

He put his arm around my shoulder and nuzzled his head in my neck, I felt him smirk against my skin. "Ikaw naman, nagtatampo ka aga. Masyado mong sineseryoso mga sinasabi ko."

"Ano ba, Coco? Umayos ka nga. Baka may makakita sa atin!" I pushed him away from me.

"Bakit? Wala naman tayong ginagawa saka nasa loob naman sila. You smell so good." He pressed a kiss on my neck and chuckled a little. We were at their veranda while his parents and sisters were still inside, just a glass sliding door away from us.

"Coco..." Saway ko sa kanya.

"Okay, okay..." He sighed, pulling his head away from me.

"Ganyan ka naman eh! You only remember me when you don't have a girlfriend."

"Ano? Hindi ah!" He exclaimed. "Ikaw nga itong iwas ng iwas sa akin."

I let out an exhale. "Because I know I'll feel guilty if I sleep with you while you're dating someone else. We both know what we're doing is wrong, Coco..."

"Nangyari na. We're deep into this now. Ngayon ka pa ba magsisisi?" He shrugged, there was a sudden coldness in his voice.

"I'm not regretting it. I just feel guilty, okay? Paano pag nalaman 'to ng Dad ko? He will kill us both!"

"As long as we're careful nobody will find out."

Coco and I were just friends. Sure, we were doing things that friends shouldn't be doing but that doesn't change anything. Our friendship would always remain untouched and the benefits were just an add-on. I liked his company, I liked kissing him, I liked having sex with him. For me, doing all those with Coco seemed like the most natural thing on earth.

Mom was the one who opened the door for us. Hinatid ako ni Coco sa bahay namin pagkatapos kong magpaalam kina Tita Cassie at Tito Phoenix.

"Hey, Mom." I kissed Mom on the cheek and stepped inside.

"How was your sleepover with Audrey?" She asked.

"It was good." I answered.

"Hi, Tita!" Coco greeted.

"Hey, come on in!" She invited him. Pumasok kami sa loob ng bahay at sumunod si Coco.

"Kumain na ba kayo?" Tanong ni Mommy.

"Yeah, nagluto ng breakfast si Tita Cassie kaya kumain na ako sa kanila."

"Oooh! You're so dead!" Bryce, the little sister from hell, said as she walked toward us. "Dad already knows about your boyfriend!"

"Boyfriend?" Mas nauna pang nagreact sa akin si Coco. He looked at me with brows crumpled "You have a boyfriend?"

"No, I don't have a boyfriend!" I exclaimed and then scowled at my sister. "I don't know what this little pesk is talking about."

"A boy called last night, looking for you. He told your boyfriend that you're not allowed go out with any boy and to not call again."

Mom sighed and rolled her eyes. "May tumawag kasing lalaki kagabi at Daddy mo ang nakasagot. Kilala mo naman yang Daddy mo, di ba? He interrogated the poor boy and the boy was forced to confess na nanliligaw siya sa'yo."

"Who was the guy, Tita?" Coco asked.

"I didn't get his name. Si Axel kasi ang kumausap sa bata."

"His name is Martin!" Sagot naman ni Bryce.

"Napaka-tsismosa mo talaga!" I glowered at her.

"Hindi ka pa rin ba tinitigilan ng Martin na yun?" There was an undertone of annoyance in Coco's voice.

"Anais Rebecca." Bigla kong narinig ang seryosong boses ni Dad. I knew Dad was serious when he starts calling me by my full name. "We need to talk."

His face was unsmiling as he walked to where we were standing.

"Martin and Anais sitting on a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a baby in a carriage." She sang.

"Bryce, enough." Mom scolded.

"Shut up, you little imp! When I get the chance, I'm going to sew your mouth shut." My eyes narrowed at the little she-devil.

My Dad was overall an awesome guy but he's really strict when it comes to guys and dating. Since I was little, palagi niyang sinasabi sa akin na hindi ako pwedeng magboyfriend. He got even more intense when I started going through puberty. He literally freaked out when I had my first period. I remember him schooling me about boys and the birds and the bees.

"No man is allowed to touch you here or here." He pointed at my Barbie doll's breast and crotch. "Now that you're a big girl, Mommy won't always be around to take care of you so you have to take good care of yourself too. If a boy touches you or tries to, you tell Daddy, okay?"

"Okay..." I answered.

"No holding hands with any boys. You understand?"

"Yes, Daddy."

"And definitely no kissing!"

"No kissing." The twelve-year-old me nodded.

Siguro sa paghihigpit din ni Daddy sa akin kaya na curious ako. Hindi ko naiintindihan noon ang pagbabawal sa akin ni Daddy. I didn't understand why a boy couldn't touch me here or there, or why I couldn't hold hands or kiss. As I grew, my curiosity grew along with me. My friends started talking about their boyfriends, them kissing and touching in inappropriate places.

Ang mga anak lang naman ng kaibigan ni Daddy ang mga lalaking nakakasalumuha ko. I always felt like my Dad had a radar sense and he always knew when other guys get too close to me. Coco and I grew up together, we were comfortable with each other so I tried 'it' with him to find out what my friends were talking about. We both enjoyed it and had been regularly doing it since then.

"Daddy, Martin is not my boyfriend! I don't have a boyfriend!" Nakasimangot na sabi ko.

"Yan na ha, narinig mo na sa bibig ng sarili mong anak. She doesn't have a boyfriend. Will you leave your daughter alone, Atticus?" My mother defended.

"How did he get our number then?" Daddy gave me a skeptical look.

"I don't know! Why didn't you ask him yourself?" My eyes widened in a look that I hope told him of my disbelief and my frustration.

"Do not talk to me like that, young lady." He said in a low but warning voice.

"Tito Axel, Martin's not her boyfriend." Coco butted in. "Makulit na manliligaw lang yun ni Anais. She's been telling him that she's not interested in him but that asshat just can't take no for an answer."

"Kakausapin ko ang mga magulang ng Martin na yan." Dad's jaw clenched. "Kapag hindi pa rin niya tinigilan ang anak ko magfifile ako ng restraining order."

"Mommy, si Daddy oh!" I whined.

"Axel, you stop it!" Galit na saway ni Mommy. "He's just a kid. Para naman hindi ka dumaan d'yan."

"I never did. I don't force myself to girl who doesn't like me. Next thing you know, that kid would go around raping women."

"Oo nga, Tito. You should file a restraining order. Baka mamaya kung ano pang gawin niyan kay Anais." Coco said.

I jabbed him with my elbow, telling him to stop. He was only adding fuel to my Dad's outrageousness.

"Ow!" Coco complained.

"Dad, Martin's a mentally stable guy, okay?" I calmly told him. "He's just really determined but I assure you, he won't do anything like that. He's a nice boy. Please, don't do this to me, Daddy. Please, don't embarrass me."

He let out a deep exhale. "I just... you've always been my little Anais." He cupped my face and kissed me on the forehead. "You're my little girl and I'd like to keep it that way. I don't trust the guys around you. I've been a teenager too and I know what boys at his age wants from a girl. Ayaw kong may kung sinong lalaki ang umagaw sa'yo mula sa akin."

"Dad, I'll always be your little girl." I finally smiled as I looked at him.

He answered back with a warm smile. "I know." He pulled away and looked at Coco. "Ikaw ang bahala dito sa kaibigan mo."

"Of course, Tito." He answered and wrapped his arm around my shoulder. "Hangga't nandito ako walang makakalapit sa kanya."

Oh the irony... 

If only he knew what we had been doing. Siguro hindi na makalabas ng buhay dito si Coco. 

Naiwan kaming dalawa ni Coco habang si Daddy at Mommy kasama si Bryce ay nagpunta sa garden. 

"See how extreme my Dad is. Phone call pa lang yun." I rolled my eyes.

"Well, you can't blame him. That Martin guy is annoying as hell." He scowled.

"Ikaw! Isa ka pa rin eh!" I hit him on the arm. "Imbes na tulungan mo ako, sinabihan mo pang magfile ng restraining order si Daddy! You're an asshole."

"Your Dad has a point." He shrugged his shoulders. "I'm going back home."

"Okay." I answered.

"Okay?" He looked around to see if anyone was around before he pushed me to the wall. 

"Coco..."

Before I could protest, his lips crashed against mine. His tongue pushed his way in without asking. I quickly caved in and I let him explore my mouth. The kiss was demanding and all consuming. This idiot! Someone might walk in on us! But the thrill of getting caught while we do something we weren't supposed to just made it more exciting.

He pulled away from the kiss and gave me a cheeky smile. "See you."