"HEY."

"Hey." Kinunutan ng noo si Trini habang nakaharap sa bintana ng kaniyang silid. Kausap niya si Gene sa cellphone. Halos sampung minuto na siyang naghihintay pero hindi pa rin ito lumilipat sa bahay niya— hanggang sa narinig na lang niya ang pagtunog ng cellphone niya na nakatago pa rin sa loob ng handbag niya.

"I want to be there with you, but I can't leave the house with just Aris and Lawrah."

Lalong nangunot ang noo niya. "What do you mean? What happened?"

"Apparently, Lawrah was in big trouble. Dinala siya ng nakatatanda niyang kapatid sa shop ni Aris para mag-apply ng trabaho. Aris hired her, but later on, he found out that Lawrah was stealing stuff from his home—sa utos na rin ng kapatid nito. That's their MO, and Lawrah explained that if she wouldn't go along with her brother's order, he would beat her to death. Aris was going to forgo what Lawrah did, gusto lang bawiin ni Aris ang titulo ng lupang ipinamana sa kaniya ni Pops na kasama roon sa nakuha ni Lawrah. Pero ang titulo ay hawak na ng kapatid ni Lawrah—who just left and flew to Mindanao. Ngayon, kung hindi mababawi ni Aris ang titulo ay sa presinto niya dadalhin si Lawrah. I don't know what to do with these two, Trin. I have to stay here tonight—lalo at galit na galit si Aris sa kaniya."

"Oh, bummer." Napanguso siya. Well, ano pa nga ba ang magagawa niya?

"This is bad timing, but I can't just let these two alone in my house. Lalo at nakainom si Aris."

"It's fine, I understand."

"I feel terrible, though..."

She pressed her lips to stop herself from saying that she was still feeling hot from the thing they did back in his house. Na hanggang sa mga sandaling iyon ay hindi pa rin nawawala ang apoy na bumabalot sa buong niyang katawan kahit pa na naligo na siya't lahat-lahat.

"Sa tingin ko ay hindi pa pumapayag ang mga magulang mo na mangyari ang muntik nang mangyari kanina. Fate was against us."

Nauwi siya sa pagtawa. "I guess you're right."

"Aris and Lawrah are leaving early tomorrow. Let's have breakfast together, okay?"

"Okay. I'll cook for you."

"No, I'll do the cooking. You don't have to get up early tomorrow; pagbaba mo ay nakahanda na ang almusal."

"That's so sweet of you, Gene." Hindi niya mapigilan ang malapad na ngumiti.

God, this conversation with him on the phone was too wholesome yet it brought shivers down to her soul.

"It's almost two in the morning. Magpahinga ka na."

"Okay," she whispered and looked at Gene's house from her window. Nakita niya ang pagsulpot ng anino sa harap ng bintana ng sala, at kung ang pagbabasehan niya ang tindig ng aninong iyon ay sigurado siyang si Gene ang naroon.

Hindi nga siya nagkamali.

Lumapad ang kaniyang ngiti nang makitang lumihis ang kurtina. Nakita niya si Gene na hawak-hawak sa isang kamay ang cellphone, habang ang isang kamay na ginamit sa pag-lihis ng kurtina ay itinaas nito upang kawayan siya.

She waved back.

"Goodnight, Trin. I'll be thinking about you tonight."

Oh, Gene...

Pakiramdam niya ay hinagod ng anghel ang puso niya.

O hinagod nga ba? Hindi ba pana na rin ni Kupido ang tumama sa dibdib niya?

She couldn't tell. But she was willing to dive deeper into this exciting turn of events in her life.

*

*

*

IT WAS ALREADY FOUR IN THE MORNING, at hindi pa rin halos nakatulog si Trini. Kahit ilang minuto lang ay hindi talaga ito dinadalaw ng antok.

She was thinking of Gene the whole time.

Of his kisses.

His touch.

His smell.

His body.

She could still feel his kiss and touch on her skin. Na tila ba naka-imprenta na ang mga halik na iniwan nito roon, ang mga palad nitong dumama sa kaniyang balat... at ang matigas nitong katawan na dumagan sa kaniya kanina...

At habang naiisip niya iyon ay para na namang may gumapang sa buo niyang katawan. Hindi lang basta gumapang, kung hindi nanuot. Bumalot. Sumakop.

Her mind was filled with him. And she couldn't wait to see him again in the morning.

Kaya kahit na hindi pa siya nakakatulog ay bumangon na siya at dumiretso sa banyo upang maligo.

Nag-iinit siya habang iniisip ang mga ginawa nila ni Gene sa couch ng bahay nito bago dumating sina Aris. Kailangan niyang puksain ang apoy na bumabalot sa buo niyang katawan bago pa niya maisipang bumalik sa kabila at gapangin si Heneroso.

Matapos maligo ay bumaba siya bitbit ang laptop at blanket niya. It was still raining outside. Hindi na malakas at wala na ring dalang hangin pero patuloy pa rin sa pagbagsak ang mahinang ulan.

Dumiretso siya sa kusina at inilapag muna ang mga dala sa kitchen table bago tinungo ang stove. She would make herself a cup of hot chocolate drink.

Binuksan niya ang ilaw, isinalang ang maliit na non-stick pot sa stove at nilagyan iyon ng isang cup ng tubig, She then added the imported chocolate powder that she had in her fridge, a cup of freshmilk, and a pinch of salt. Makaraan ang ilang sandali ay kumulo na iyon at nagsalin na siya sa mug niya.

Bitbit ang mug ay binalikan niya ang mga gamit sa kitchen table. She opened her laptop and checked the newly created website for TRINITY'S PLACE. It was up and ready, at sa araw na iyon ay mag-uumpisa na siyang mag-promote ng website niya online.

While she was scrolling through every section of the site, she was sipping her cup of hot chocolate with gusto. It was so peaceful during this time as the rain continued to pour outside. Ang mga pusa niya'y tulog pa rin sa kabilang kwarto kaya payapa ang mundo niya.

She continued to do her work when suddenly... the lights turned off.

Napa-igtad siya—dahil kasabay ng pagkawala ng ilaw ay ang malakas na pagkulog.

Napatingin siya sa labas ng bintana—kahit ang poste sa labas ay nawalan ng ilaw. And it was too dark she could not see what was happening.

"Black out?" she checked on her internet. Nakapatay. Sa tulong ng ilaw mula sa computer screen niya ay nabanaag pa rin niya kahit papaano ang paligid. She remained calm.

Hindi madalas mag-black out sa bayan na iyon—malibang may nasirang poste o kapag may malakas na bagyo. Like this time.

Sa sumunod na mga sandali ay nanatili siyang nakaupo sa upuan at patuloy na hinigop ang laman ng mug. Surely, hindi aabutin ng isang oras ang brownout?

Nang mabagot ay tumayo siya bitbit ang mug. Iniwan niya ang laptop sa ibabaw ng kitchen table upang magtungo sa living area. Dala-dala niya rin sa isang kamay ang blanket. Nang marating ang may kaliitan niyang sofa ay naupo siya roon, sandaling ipinatong ang mug sa center table upang ibalot sa sarili ang blanket. Makalipas ang ilang sandali ay muli niyang kinuha ang mug at humigop habang nakatingin sa bintana kung saan niya nakikita ang pagliwanag ng langit sanhi ng kidlat sa hindi kalayuan. At sa tuwing guguhit ang kidlat sa langit ay nakikita niya ang patuloy na pagbagsak ng pag-ulan.

It was so cold. The sound of rain outside was like music in her ears. With a mug of hot choco in her hand, a thick blanket wrapped around her, and the comfortable texture of her sofa, she thought of this time as perfectly peaceful.

Not until she heard the gate open.

Napatuwid siya ng upo—ang akma niyang pagdadala ng mug sa bibig ay naudlot. Nagsalubong ang kaniyang mga kilay.

At nang marinig niya ang pagkalansing ng mga susi at ang pagbukas ng front door ay pinanlakihan siya ng mga mata.

"Gene!"

Bahagya siyang napa-pikit sabay taas ng isang braso upang itakip sa mukha nang tumama sa kaniya ang ilaw na nagmumula sa flashlight na bitbit ni Gene.

"Trin? Are you okay?"

Ibinaba nito ang flashlight at itinapat sa sahig bago ini-sara ang front door at lumapit sa kaniya.

"I'm okay. Pero bakit ka—" Natigilan siya nang makalapit si Gene at huminto sa harapan niya. Sa pamamagitan ng ilaw mula sa flashlight nito ay nakita niya ang basa nitong sleeping pants at T-shirt. He was soaking wet! "Bakit ka sumuong sa ulan?"

"I don't know. I was probably just in a hurry to remember taking my umbrella with me. You all right?"

"Why would I not be?"

"Nakita ko ang pagbukas ng ilaw sa kusina mo kanina—and I called your phone to check on you but you didn't answer."

Ibinaba niya ang mug sa center table at tiningala ito. "Did you mean..."

"Yes, I couldn't sleep and have been staring at your house from my shop. Sinubukan kong magtrabaho para pagurin ang sarili ko, but I couldn't focus so I just sat at my table and stared at the window. Nang makita kong bumukas ang ilaw ng kusina mo ay napagtanto kong hindi ka rin nakatulog. I tried calling you to ask what you were doing, pero hindi ka sumasagot."

"I... left my phone in my room." Unti-unting kumabog nang malakas ang dibdib niya.

"I see." Bumungtonghininga si Gene. "Tumawag ako sa opisina ng subdivision at sinabi nilang may natumbang poste sa kabilang kalsada kaya naapektohan ang kuryente sa buong area. Mamayang alas otso pa ng umaga maibabalik ang power. Are you going to be okay?"

"I'll be okay, Gene." Tumayo siya at inalis ang blanket na nakapulupot sa katawan. "You're soaked. Here, use this to dry yourself."

"It's okay. I just came to check on you—babalik na ako sa bahay dahil nagising na rin si Aris. I told him I will just quickly check on you."

She was about to say something when Gene bent his head and kiss her lips in haste. Napatulala na lang siya hanggang sa masuyo nitong damhin ang pisngi niya gamit ang likod ng palad nito.

"I've been itching to do that the whole time I was at my shop."

Napakurap siya.

Muling yumuko si Gene at inulit ang halik. Sa pagkakataong ito ay mas mahaba na.

The kiss was soft and gentle. She closed her eyes and responded shyly.

Maybe she was just dreaming? Baka talagang nakatulog siya habang nakatingin sa bintana?

If this was just a dream, she didn't want to wake up yet. And if this was just a dream, she wanted to do more...

She let out a moan and gently pulled away. "I made... a hot chocolate drink."

Gene claimed her lips again, and again... and again. "I know," he said between kisses. "I could taste it from your lips..."

Tumaas ang mga kamay niya sa balikat ni Gene, kumunyapit doon. "Do you... want some?'

Gene gave her one, final, deep kiss before pulling away. He smiled and stared at her. "I would love to, but I don't want Aris to come looking for me..."

"Hindi ka na bata para hanapin niya at iuwi..." She was whispering as she tried to conceal her excitement. Ang kamay niyang nasa basang balikat ni Gene ay unti-unting bumababa—tracing her hard, sexy body, until they stopped on his flat abs.

Napakagat-labi siya. Sa tagal ng pagkakaibigan nila ay hindi pa niya nahawakan ang katawan nito sa ganitong paraan.

"At dito ka lang naman pupunta sa bahay ko. Surely, hindi niya iisiping may mangyayaring masama sa'yo rito?"

"No," Gene whispered back, looking down at her. At dahil sa dilim ay hindi niya maaninag ang emosyong bumabalot sa anyo nito. "Kapag hindi ako kaagad bumalik ay iisipin ni Aris na may masamang mangyayari sa iyo."

"Why is that?"

"Because he knew I was into you."

Wala sa sariling ibinaba pa niya ang mga kamay sa laylayan ng basang T-shirt ni Gene. "At bakit mo nasabing masama ang mangyayari sa akin?"

"Because I would probably lose control, Trini. And you might not be able to handle me."

Imbes na kabahan ay lalo pa siyang nasabik sa mga narinig mula kay Gene.

Napadiin ang pagkagat niya sa labi. "What was Aris' reaction when you told him about your feelings?"

"He thought I was gonna add you to the list of women whom I fucked and forgot."

"And...?" She gently pushed her hands inside his wet shirt, feeling the warmth of his skin... and the hardness of his abs against her palm.

Kung nananaginip rin lang siya ay gagawin na niya kung ano ang buong gabing pinantasya niya. Why would she still have reservations?

"And I told him he was wrong..." Gene's breathing labored. His voice changed.

She tiptoed and gently kissed his lips. "Please," she uttered, licking the line of his lower lip. "Stay here with me."

Naramdaman niya ang pagbitiw ni Gene sa flashlight at ang pagbagsak niyon sa carpet kasunod ng paghawak nito sa balakang niya at ang paghapit nito sa kaniya. Gene's his huge hands cupped and kneaded her arse. "Fuck Aris, I'm staying here with you."

She smiled and leaned on his wet chest. "I'm glad you changed your mind."

"Mahina ako pagdating sa 'yo."

Lumapad ang ngiti niya. "You know, one reason why I couldn't sleep was because I kept thinking about what we did back on your couch. I couldn't just ease my mind—and I continue to feel that heat inside of me. What am I feeling, Gene?"

"Passion, Trinity. Your body is filled with passion." Gene then lowered his head and kissed the side of her neck. "And I feel the same... I keep thinking of you for hours."

"We wouldn't be able to get some sleep until we do something about this passion, would we?" She tilted her head to the side, giving Gene more access to her neck. "And... this isn't just a dream, is it?"

Napa-ungol siya nang biglang kagatin ni Gene ang balat sa gilid ng kaniyang leeg.

No, this was not a dream.

This was real.

And shit—she was back to being bold again.

"You thought you were just dreaming?" Gene asked, licking the part of her skin that he bit.

Wala sa loob na ipinulupot niya ang mga braso sa leeg nito saka itinaas ang mga binti upang ipulupot din sa katawan ni Gene.

Gene scooped her in his arms and stared straight into her blazing eyes.

"I'm feeling hot, Gene. Would you... take off my clothes for me?"

TO BE CONTINUED...