Parehas silang tahimik ni Seth habang nakasakay sa isang kabayo. Pagilid siyang nakasakay doon sapagkat naka-baro’t saya pa rin siya habang si Seth naman ay nasa likuran niya at ginagabayan ang kabayo sa kung saan silang direksyon pupunta.

Kanina noong bumalik si Seth dala-dala ang kabayo ay hindi na siya nito inimik pwera na lang sa pagsabing isasakay siya nito sa kabayo. She gladly obliged because her legs are dying from the intense walking that they just did earlier.

“Seth…”, mahina niyang tawag dito na agad namang tinugon ng lalake.

“Hmm….?”, nagtatanong nitong tugon.

“Paano mo nalaman kung saan akong kwarto makikita? At saka bakit parang sanay ka na ata sa lugar na ito?”, nagtataka niyang tanong dahil kanina pa niya talaga napansin na parang kilalang-kilala na ni Seth ang gubat na tinatahak nila.

“Dalawang linggo na rin ako dito Han kaya naman kahit papaano ay may alam na ako sa anong klaseng lugar ito. I was able to discover the ins and outs of the place after inspecting the palace and asking questions to the people here. It’s a relief I got to you before the wedding happens… I’m pretty sure you’ll be in great trouble after the virginity-testing occurs.”, pagpapaliwanag nito sa kaniya ngunit may isang bagay na nagpapukaw ng atensyon niya.

“Virginity-testing?”, gulat niyang usal na nagpatawa naman kay Seth buhat sa likod niya.

She involuntarily shivered upon feeling his warm breath brushing at the back of her neck.

“I assume you’ve already guessed it, right?”, he chuckled. “Haven’t you noticed those maids that went inside your room? Anong ginawa nila sa iyo sa loob?”, dagdag nitong tanong sa kaniya.

Napakunot naman ang noo niya sa tanong nito ngunit napili pa ring sagutin ang lalake.

“Well… they’ve powdered, oiled and perfumed me. Talagang sinigurado nilang malinis ako.”, wika niya habang nakakunot pa rin ang noong nakatingin sa daang tinatahak nila.

“Alam mo ba bakit nila ginawa iyon?”, he asked in a really low voice that made the words that he said almost uncatchable.

“Hi-Hindi…”, she stuttered.

“They are preparing you for the virginity-testing right before the wedding. Kailangang masiguradong napakalinis mo kaya ilang linggo pa bago mangyari ang kasal ay matinding paglilinis ang gagawin sa iyo…”, sagot nito sa kalituhan niya ngunit bigla itong mas lumapit sa kaniya na halos ramdam na niya ang mga labi nito sa tenga niya. “In simple terms, they are preparing you to be fucked by the King and what I meant by my relief in rescuing you before that happens is because we both knew you’re not a virgin anymore, Han. I took that from you years ago.”

Napakagat siya sa kaniyang labi dahil sa pinag-uusapan nila ngayon ng lalake.

Seth is telling the truth. He’s her first.

Her first kiss.

Her first date.

Her first love.

Her first in everything.

He showed her everything that he knew and she’s a willing student to him.

Tila uminit ang paligid dahil sa mga alaala ng kanilang unang pagsasama at mas bumilis ang kabog ng dibdib niya nang maramdaman niyang binaon ni Seth ang mukha nito sa kaliwang bahagi ng leeg niya.

“God I missed you.”, he mumbled desperately while tightening his hold on her.

She suddenly felt his arms wrapped around her and his lips giving tiny pecks on her shoulders. She caught her breath and stilled when she felt the comforting and familiar warmth that only Seth can make her feel. Her heart felt like it’s going to jump right from her body and its every beat was so loud on her ears that she can’t even hear anything else other than it.

Hindi na siya nabigla nang maramdaman na tumigil na pala ang kabayo sa paglalakad sapagkat nakatuon lamang ang atensyon niya sa presensiya ni Seth sa likod niya at ang mga yakap nito na tila ba nagpapa-alala sa kaniya ng kanilang nakaraan.

Minutes passed before Seth pulled away from her hesitantly and quickly disembarked from the horse, leaving her there with a confused and disheveled mind.

He ruffled his hair, clearly annoyed with himself while walking away from her.

Mas naging maayos ang paghinga niya nang lumayo na ang lalake sa kaniya kaya naman napahawak na lamang siya sa kaniyang dibdib at pinakiramdaman iyong bumagal. Nang masiguradong kaya na niyang huminga ng maayos ay nilingon niya ang direksyon kung saan naglakad si Seth at nakita ang nagtataasang halaman at puno na nagtatakip sa lugar kung saan pumunta ang lalake.

He missed me… Did he really mean it?

Hindi niya maiwasang hindi umasa. Seth is making her feel that he still wanted her.

No. He can’t still be in love with me.

She can still remember the last words that he said before he officially broke up with her.

‘A rich, spoiled brat like you won’t fit to be with an arrogant, prideful man like me.’

That’s what she would always be in his eyes.

A spoiled brat.

Kahit na anong pilit niya sa lalake na kaya niyang mag-adjust sa simpleng buhay ay hindi pa rin siya pinakinggan ng lalake.

‘You would always look for luxury and you would never ever experience that with me.’

Ganoon na lamang ba ang tingin ng lalake sa kaniya? Mukhang pera?

Naiintindihan niya na nag-aalala ito na baka ayawan niya ang buhay kasama ito dahil lang sa hindi makakayang ibigay ng lalake ang nakasanayan niyang buhay ngunit hindi ba siya nito naisip?

Hindi ba nito naisip na sumubok at sumugal?

Nakaya niya iyong gawin para sa lalake noong nanligaw ito sa kaniya.
Everyone around her warned her about him.

Kesyo ito daw ang tipo ng lalake na ayaw sa commitment. Na lagi daw itong nasasangkot sa away at mahilig uminom at manigarilyo. Na wala daw magandang mangyayari sa future ng lalake dahil sa pagiging carefree nito.

Her friends told her to stay away from him.

Her professors warned her about him being a bad influence to her.

Her parents disapproved when she told them about her crush on him.

Lahat ng tao sa paligid niya ay nagsasabing layuan niya ang lalake ngunit ginawa ba niya? Diba hindi naman?

Nakaya niyang sumugal para lang sa lalake kahit pa ang daming umaayaw sa kanila pero bakit hindi makaya ng lalake na sumugal para sa kaniya?

She had everything planned for the both of them. Simula sa kung saan sila pwedeng magrent ng apartment kapag naging mag-live in na sila hanggang sa mga posibleng trabaho na pwede nilang applyan  o negosyong pwedeng i-try.

She had a lot of dreams for their relationship but he decided to let her go just because he’s afraid that she would ask for luxuries that she didn't even care about.

Nilingon niyang muli ang direksyon kung saan naglakad si Seth bago pinahid ang mga luhang unti-unti na palang tumutulo mula sa kaniyang mga mata.

You missed me? What a load of bullshits!

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What is virginity testing?

Virginity testing, also referred to as hymen, “two-finger” or per vaginal examination, is an inspection of the female genitalia meant to determine whether a woman or girl has had vaginal intercourse.

(Taken from: https://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/publications/eliminating-virginity-testing-interagency-statement/en/)

How is virginity test done?

Many virginity tests are done by the “two finger” method. The examiner (often a doctor, community leader, or member of law enforcement) places two fingers inside a girl's vagina, checking for an intact hymen (tissue at the vaginal opening) and/or vaginal laxity (a “looseness” that could suggest sexual activity).

(Taken from: https://www.issm.info/sexual-health-qa/what-is-virginity-testing-why-is-it-used-and-what-are-its-potential-effects/)

I just wanna give light to this practice and what impact it causes to every countries that had it.

(The following informations are taken from https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.marieclaire.com/politics/amp29491715/virginity-testing-laws-regulations/)

A year ago this month, the World Health Organization (WHO), UN Human Rights, and UN Women called on governments to ban virginity testing globally because it “violates several human rights and ethical standards including the fundamental principle in medicine to do no harm.” Here is a sampling of what led up to that mandate and what’s been happening around the world since.

INDIA

In 2013, India’s Supreme Court found that virginity tests violated a citizen’s right to privacy and “had no bearing on a case of sexual violence,” though the exams are still routinely forced on women.

INDONESIA

In Indonesia, many women who want to join the military or police force must pass hymen exams “as a measure of morality.” The Indonesian government has denied that it is still happening, but according to the Nurani Perempuan Women’s Crisis Center, women have been refused jobs because their hymens are not “intact.”

MOROCCO

Moroccan women often have to show virginity certificates from doctors in order to get married, putting their lives at risk if they don’t “pass” the fake test and provide a certificate of virginity issued by a physician to future in-laws.

TURKEY

In 2002, Turkey overturned a law that had previously made it legal for school administrators to force girls into hymen exams to “determine” if they were virgins. (Before it was overturned, some girls committed suicide due to the shame associated with the tests.)

There are more informations on the link that I provided and you guys can check it if you want. I personally put utmost importance on my virginity but restricting and even shaming people that lost theirs isn't something that I support. Hope the articles that I provided can help you learn more about this issue. ☺️