Chapter 8

(Brianna)

MY EYES went round after seeing Ellen’s recent post on Facebook. She was my co-writer and my best friend, too. And we just talked over the phone a while ago. She bombarded me with text messages and calls and didn’t stop until I told her the reason why I wasn’t able to attend the meeting yesterday.

After we talked, I continued researching for my novel and was now browsing online when I saw her post. She tagged Stella on Facebook with a caption, “Best wishes, you snake.” She also had a hashtag that says, “I hope Karma hits you soon.”

After seeing that, I rushed to call her immediately.

“What do you think you’re doing, Ellen?” I said even before she could finish saying ‘hello.’ I love Ellen. She was my classmate from college. She was like a sister to me. She knew my life story. But right now, I felt tempted to throw her away.

“What?” she asked innocently. “You didn’t have the courage to do that, so I did it for you. I was only telling the truth. Everyone knows your story anyway. The problem with that bitch is that she wants to steal everything and everyone away from you. Stella sent a friend request to me. She even asked me to hang out with her on your birthday last year. She wanted me to ditch our date. She deserved that hashtag. She should be thankful that’s the only thing I did. If I see her, I’ll pull out all her hair for you.”

“I’m touched. Still, that was too much, Ellen!” I exclaimed while massaging my temples. “Mama will think the worst of me if she reads that. She might even visit my apartment only to lecture me again.”

“Fine. I will untag her. But I will not remove my post. No way,” Ellen insisted before ending the call.

I pressed my forehead. I have lots of things on my plate right now and Ellen just mercilessly added another problem. She was still as naughty as before.

My neighbor was among the things that I’ve been thinking about lately. I rarely see Ingram during the day. But when the night comes, he was often in the balcony. He was either playing a guitar or holding a book. I used to look at him over the window in my living room.

We never talked again because each time I’d see him, I’d remember the shameful thing I did when I kissed him and gripped his erection. That’s why I tried to satisfy myself with just watching him from my apartment, with hearing him hum and watching as he plucked the strings so freely and so easily. Ingram surprisingly makes such beautiful sounds.

These days, I don’t know why when I think of Kristoff, Ingram’s face would pop in my mind including the kiss that we shared until I’d end up thinking all about him. My world was already a mess but his appearance in my life just made things messier.

Ever since I met Ingram, I no longer had steamy dreams about a stranger who kissed me and held me the way Ingram did. My throat went dry at the thought. “Oh, Ingram…”

I went out of my room when I suddenly felt thirsty. But instead of heading in the kitchen, my feet seemed to move on their own. I headed towards the door and opened it. And there, I saw my neighbor who just opened the door of his apartment, too.

Our eyes locked.

Our apartments were just right next to each other. The village was so protected since there were guards patrolling around night and day so there were no gates in every house. The yellow Santan plants became the fence between the houses.

After a while, a seductive smile formed on Ingram’s lips. I gulped especially when I noticed that he was topless. He was only wearing maong shorts that’s why I could see how well-endowed he was. My neighbor had a body to die for. Seeing him like this made me feel thirstier than ever.

In the middle of all these wicked thoughts inside my head, I suddenly remembered Ellen. If she was beside me, I’m sure she wouldn’t ask for water but for rice. Lots of rice. Because the man in front of me right now was more than a sizzling dish.

(Ingram)

I CAME out the second I heard Brianna call my name. This was the first time she called me. I had just gotten out of the shower and had forgotten to put on a shirt because I was too excited to see her again. I smiled when I saw her coming out of her door, too.

For the past few days, I only got to be near Brianna whenever she was asleep. I crossed the distance between our apartments and walked towards the stairway of her balcony. “Hello, neighbor.”

“W-why are you walking towards me?”

My smile widened when I saw how her cheeks flushed. My feet got the best of me. I wasn’t aware that I was only a few steps away from her now.

“Why? Don’t you want me to? Should I leave now?” Brianna didn’t respond. There was a roller coaster of emotions written in her eyes. I sighed. “All right. I’ll leave now. Good night, neighbor.”

No matter how much I wanted to be with Brianna, I didn’t want to scare her. I was about to turn away when I heard her whisper.

“No, please. Stay. There’s something about you. I don’t know what it is but whenever you’re near me, my heart calms down. And I feel at ease.”

I turned towards her. Her face looked puzzled. She was so lovely I couldn’t help but stroke her soft, curly hair. It was chocolate brown, just like the color of her eyes. She had long lashes, a beautiful, upturned nose, and dainty-looking pinkish lips. Her slender figure was covered with an oversized Mickey Mouse shirt, but she could still take my breath away with her simplicity. Like Levana, Brianna also had porcelain white skin. And just like before, she looked at me like she had lots of questions she wanted to throw at me.

Brianna looked exactly like Levana as if they were twins. But their face, height, figure, and voice were their only similarities. They were different in so many ways. Levana was shy, fragile, and innocent. Brianna, on the other hand, was bold and rebellious. Her heart was on fire. And that fire can be shown through her novels. There was so much wildness inside her that was only waiting to be unleashed. All the things that she couldn’t say personally were written in her books. She was strikingly wild and uncontrollable as a writer.

“This is the first time that I’ve ever felt something this intense towards the opposite sex. Whenever I look at you, I feel like there’s this darkness somewhere within you that—”

When I could no longer hold back, I cupped her cheeks and kissed her to stop her from enumerating our differences.

Even the taste of Brianna’s lips was different. In the past, every time I kissed Levana, it was like I was kissing an angel. I needed to be gentler and more careful. With Brianna, I knew I was kissing a mortal. She responded to my kisses wantonly and passionately. I could feel the fire within her through her kisses. I held her tiny waist as she enveloped her arms around my neck.

Seconds later and she was panting when we released each other’s mouth.

I smiled as I traced her lips with my fingers and kept my arm around her waist to keep her close to me. Ever since I’ve had a taste of her lips, I’ve yearned to taste them again. It’s been so long since I felt this alive. And I don’t think I could end this sweet sensation yet.

“Ingram—"

“There’s so much light inside your heart, darling. But there’s darkness left inside your soul as well, darkness that can relate with mine, darkness that wanted to join me. Admit it, Brianna. You are drawn to me...just as I am drawn to you.” I planted a soft kiss on her mouth before I continued, “There’s this dark side of you who wished to explore things with me.”

“I don’t know.” she shook her head. “I don’t know anymore.”

I pressed my body against hers and licked her neck before playfully biting her there. She moaned. I blew on her right ear before whispering, “Can I stay for the night? Maybe then you’ll find out all the answers to your questions.”

Brianna didn’t answer but I could feel her defenses wavering. She was breathing roughly. I pulled down her sleeves and showered her shoulder with wet kisses. She tilted her head and gave me better access of her neck. I knew that I wasn’t being fair by doing this, but I wanted her. Not just for tonight.

I’ve waited for more than three hundred years. When I came to the Philippines, I wasn’t expecting anything. But the feelings that I felt the instant I saw Brianna startled me. I’ve never even felt this way towards Levana. The need to be with Brianna, to hold her, kiss her, and possess every piece of her was driving me wild.

“Please stop,” she said as she quickly glanced around. “Someone might see us.”

“Should I just go?” I said and reached for her hand. I began drawing circles around her palm. I could feel her heartbeat. Her heart was racing just like mine.

Brianna looked deep into my eyes that I could almost tell how she would respond. “No. I told you to stay, didn't I?”