'wag kayong magalit kay inggo, ha. red flag talaga si gago pero magkaka-development siya, promise. HAHAHA.

*

NANDITO si Kuya Migo at Ate Jiya.

Ate Jiya is holding Kuya Migo's face in her hands to keep his head from turning in Maureen's direction. In a loud voice, she says, "Migo, Migo, Migo."

"Ano, ano, ano," sagot ng kuya niya.

Binigyan siya ng message ni Ate Jiya through her eyes. Patay kang bata ka, umalis ka na!

Maureen nods shakily, already stepping back.

Tapos nakita ni Ate Jiya si Kuya Inggo.

"Oh, shit," sabi ni Kuya Inggo, bago siya hinila palayo ni Maureen.

Her heart is pounding and her knees feel like giving out, pero tuloy-tuloy pa rin ang pag-drag niya kay Kuya Inggo para mas lumaki ang distance nila with Kuya Migo and Ate Jiya.

Wala naman silang ginagawang masama! Nasa mall lang sila at kakain!

Pero as her skin breaks into cold sweat, bakit feeling ni Maureen papatayin siya—sila—ni Kuya Migo?

At sa panic ni Ate Jiya, parang gano'n din ang iniisip niya.

"Car, car, car," Kuya Inggo whispers to her, taking her wrist and pulling her to the elevator.

Tumakbo sila papuntang parking. Kuya Inggo unlocks the doors nang nasa malayo pa lang sila at tumalon sa loob.

Panting, he locks the doors, and both of them sag into their seats na para bang may sisilip sa dashboard at windows kung nandito sila.

Maureen shuts her eyes, chest rising and falling heavily. Naririnig niya rin ang bigat ng hininga ni Kuya Inggo.

"Shit," sabi niya, laughing once under his breath. "Tangina, gago, kingina. Parang na-meet ko executioner ko."

Natawa si Maureen.

"We have to text Ji," sabi ni Kuya Inggo a few moments later.

Still breathless, she nods and reaches into her bag, but not before Kuya Inggo catches her face with his hand.

His hand is on her cheek. His eyes on hers. Lips so close she can kiss them.

"You okay?" tanong niya nang pabulong.

Maureen manages a squeak. "Mm-hmm."

He smiles.

Namatay si Maureen ulit.

Kuya Inggo lets go of her face and takes out his phone.

Right. Damage control.

Sucking in a deep breath, Maureen prays that her Ate Jiya doesn't say anything to her kuya.

ATE JIYA OHMUGOD PLEASE DONT TELL KUYA
PLAEE PLEASE PLEAS KAHIT ANO GAGAWIN KO
WALANG GINAWA SI KUYA INGGO I SWEAR!!!!!

Wala naman talaga siyang ginawa.

Si Maureen ang hindi makapagpigil.

Kumain sila somewhere else kasi baka makita pa sila ni Kuya Migo. Nag-usap, nagkwentuhan. Paulit-ulit umiilaw 'yong phone niya sa table, puro unregistered numbers, pero ni isa hindi binuksan ni Kuya Inggo 'yong mga 'yon.

Sa kotse, pagka-park niya sa Blue, Maureen turns to him with a smile. "Thanks, Kuya Inggo. Hopefully, your first time hanging out with a girl was up to par."

His one hand is still on the steering wheel. He taps it with his finger, grinning, and then says, "Actually, may isa akong gustong malaman before you go."

She raises an eyebrow.

"Except kay Ji, wala pang sumasakay dito na babae," sabi niya, rubbing the nape of his neck sheepishly. Maureen narrows her eyes suspiciously, kasi mukha siyang...nahihiya? "And nakalimutan ko siyang tanungin no'n."

She blinks, tilting her head to the side.

"Pero..." Kuya Inggo pulls on the handbrake and lifts it. Then he taps it and smiles at her. "Kaya mo ba 'yan ibaba?"

Maureen blinks at him again. "Why...are you curious?"

"Gusto ko lang malaman," he says with a shrug. "Kung mahirap ba talaga for girls."

She stares at it. Parang madali lang naman.

"And what do I get if I win?" tanong ni Maureen.

Kuya Inggo grins widely. "What do you want?"

Kahit anong pwesto, kung saan ka kuntento, kanta ng demonyo ni Maureen.

Jesus Christ. Sedan pa naman 'tong kotse ni Kuya Inggo.

Her face heats, but she forces herself to look at him in the eyes and say, "I'll let you know after."

His eyebrows raise. "And ako? 'Di mo 'ko tatanungin 'pag nanalo ako?"

As confidently as she can manage, she says, "You won't."

He laughs. "Yabang ka, ah. Salas na Salas nga. Okay, game."

Maureen rubs her hands together and sits up straight.

Putangina, ha. Ang hirap.

Tawang-tawa si Kuya Inggo sa kanya kasi dalawa na kamay niyang nasa handbrake, pushing the button with all her might. Nakatayo na siya sa seat niya, nagpapawis, naiinis na.

"Bakit ang hirap nito?!" sigaw niya.

"Give up ka na?"

"No!" She huffs, pushing her hair aside, and then tries again.

Hindi maka-decide si Maureen kung worth it ang paghihirap niyang 'to o hindi kasi she gets to hear his laugh and teasing all around the car.

"Ang hina mo naman!"

"Salas ka ba talaga niyan? Asan na yabang mo kanina?"

"Rinn, mas malakas pa lolo ko sa 'yo, nasa bangkay na 'yon!"

"Shut up," she growls, leaning over the center console. Sa concentration niya, hindi niya namamalayan na nagbu-brush na arms nila 'tsaka naka-bend over siya enough for her chest to show.

Naka-dress siya na sleeveless. Nakikita na ni Kuya Inggo bra niya.

He stops laughing. "Rinn, uh—"

"Ha!" Maureen shouts triumphantly nang mababa niya—finally—ang handbrake. It took too many tries na medyo ngalay na kamay niya, pero na-realize niya na kung paano—kailangan munang itaas a bit bago pindutin, tapos baba.

She cheers for herself and makes a happy little dance in her seat. "I win, I win."

Kuya Inggo clears his throat and makes a sad, dramatic sigh, holding his hands up in surrender. "I could've aged twice na sa tagal."

Maureen rolls her eyes. "Wala kang s-in-et na time."

He leans his head against the seat and turns his cheek to look at her. His legs are spread.

Four-seater para meron tayong space sa likod, kanta ulit ng demonyo niya.

Napatingin tuloy si Maureen.

"Ano gusto mo?" he mumbles, still smiling at her.

And Maureen will...she will probably hurt herself for this. Break her own heart again.

Last na, promise, sabi niya sa sarili niya. Just one last kiss.

Sinumpa kasi siya ni Kuya Inggo. Ever since he kissed her, isa pa sa mga firsts ni Maureen na binigay niya sa kanya, she can't kiss anyone else.

Ilang beses nang may nag-try 'pag lumalabas silang magkakaibigan, pero hindi kaya ni Maureen. Iba ang tangkad, ang build, and amoy, ang ngiti, ang pakiramdam ng kamay sa kanya. She always, always turns her head at the last second and runs away.

Ilang beses niyang pinangarap na sana si Kuya Inggo na lang. Hindi niya na-savor at naalala 'yong last nilang kiss kasi lasing na lasing siya at the feeling of him inside her.

Last na 'to. Last na talaga 'to. Tapos magmo-move on na siya. She can't waste any more time wishing for someone out of her reach.

Do'n na siya sa pangarap na maaabot niya pagkatapos nito.

"Lalim ng iniisip mo, ha, anong balak mo sa 'kin?" biro ni Kuya Inggo, letting out a breathless chuckle. "Chem notes? Libreng tutor? Libreng Starbs for a month? 'Di ba gusto mo 'yong cheesecake do'n, ipapadala mo ba sa class mo nang naka-dress ako—"

Maureen leans forward, takes his face in her hand, and kisses him.

Akala niya magugulat si Kuya Inggo. Akala niya itutulak siya palayo, tatanungin kung bakit niya ginawa 'yon with disappointment in his voice and eyes. Sasabihin na mali, na hindi pwede, na kaibigan niya kuya niya, na aside from that one time, he doesn't see her as anything more than a little sister and a friend.

But Kuya Inggo doesn't even think about it.

He threads his hands in her hair and tilts his head to the side, crushing his mouth to hers, even moaning softly when her lips part for him and he thrusts his tongue inside.

It's rough and deep. Walang slowness or sweetness like that night. This one...parang ang tagal nang naka-bury sa loob-looban ni Kuya Inggo at ngayon lang na un-chain.

Parang ang tagal niya nang naghihintay and he can't take it anymore.

He kisses her and kisses her until she can't breathe, and she holds onto his shoulders and neck and the hair under his cap sa may nape niya when he moves to her ear and whispers, "Fuck," in his hoarse voice that makes her thighs clench together, then he makes his way down to her jaw and neck. One of his hands is palming her throat and the other is gripping her hip na para bang gusto niya na siyang hilain sa kanya o itapon sa backseat.

His lips are addicting.

Everything about him is addicting.

She brings his face back up to hers, hands on his cheeks, and then kisses his lips. Once. Twice.

Shit, ang hirap humiwalay.

Gusto pa niya, pero hindi na pwede.

Kuya Inggo's panting once Maureen pulls back. His skin is flushed, his lips are red and swollen, and his eyes are dazed with lust and confusion. His eyebrows are furrowed na parang iniisip niya kung ano ang nangyari.

"Bye," Maureen whispers, grabbing her purse and jumping out of the car before he can figure it out.

Hindi na siya tinawag pabalik ni Kuya Inggo o hinabol.

Hindi naman naghahabol si Inggo de Paz, kaya titigil na rin si Maureen.