I could feel my hair rising because he was so close to my neck and sniffed me from time to time. To my great embarrassment, I slapped him on the thigh causing him to laugh.
"I love it when you smell just like me," he added then drank from his glass with only wine.
I was just stunned by what he said. I saw how his adam’s apple moved when he sipped on his drink. I could also feel his arm behind me on the back of the couch and then I moved a little closer to him. I bit my lower lip and just looked at the TV so that he wouldn’t notice how lonely I was.
I don't know when I will get used to his actions and what he does to me. Sometimes it's overwhelming to feel so good. I feel like I’m drowning in his words. The feeling of seeing him and being with him every day is new to me but I seem to have memorized it very well. And it’s fascinating. It makes me want him more.
The night is getting deeper. The TV was turned off because the two of them were done watching, so we could hear only faint music. A few minutes have passed when the doorbell suddenly rang. Before we could ask who it was, Rafa quickly stood up and quietly headed for the door. I can still feel Levi’s hand around my waist. Slowly caressing it.
When Rafa broke down, Sebastian was already behind her so Yerim and I looked at each other. She just shrugged her shoulder and looked at Sebastian.
"Will you sleep over, too?" Yerim asked him.
He smiled then nodded and secretly pointed at Rafa. She just stared and then returned to her seat. Seb sat on the couch behind her.
“I am the only one without a partner. The sadness of my life” was not in Yerim's own words and then drank from a glass of wine.
We all laughed. Yerim handed me a glass of wine so I looked at Levi. It just nodded at me so I accepted. Not me getting permission from him. I just want to look at him. Why.
"So, Seb, why are you here anyway?" I asked him when the minute passed and no one even spoke to us.
He snapped and looked at me.
"Rafa's my girlfriend, I should just be here," he uttered.
We were all surprised at what he said even Rafa who quickly looked up at him. I heard Yerim shout then stood up and went along with the song she had played earlier.
"Long live the singles!" she shouted which made everyone laugh.
I could feel Levi approaching my side and him giving small kisses to the side of my head. I ignored that because I paid more attention to the heat from the alcohol to my body. I can almost feel his breathing. Damn it!
“Let’s just play a game. You are very quiet,” Rafa suggested.
She took the empty beer bottle and put ‘em in the middle so I immediately guessed the game she was saying.
"Come down here so we can be around," she also said to us so I quickly walked away from Levi and stood beside Yerim.
He just followed me. There were five of us around that bottle. Yerim and Levi stood between me, while Levi was next to Sebastian and Rafa was next to him, followed by Yerim.
"All right. The mechanics are... who will be pointed with the mouth of the bottle, he will be asked by truth or dare and who will turn around, he will be the one to ask, gets?” Rafa explained and looked at us all.
We just nodded.
"If your question is not answered or your dare is done, the punishment is a body shot," Yerim suggested and winked at me. Wave that tequila in front of us.
Yerim played another song and this time, it was a sexy song. I noticed that because of the lyrics of the song. The game has begun. I feel nervous because of what will happen. The thrill of this ‘game’ is still not really lost.
"I got you!" Rafa shouted as the bottle pointed at Yerim.
"Truth or dare?" she asked. We were all waiting.
Yerim thought for a moment and did not answer on her own. I think she's drunk.
"Truth!"
"Do you like Sebastian?" Rafa suddenly asked.
I was surprised by her question. I tilted my head to look at Yerim and I also saw her momentary shock then smiled and shook.
What's happening? Is there anything I don’t know about these three?
“For you, of course, but for me, not anymore. Maybe he told you we had a past but that was just a fling. It's been a long time so it's gone, promise. Even if I die,” she explained with a laugh but I could clearly see the seriousness in her eyes... and pain.
"Really, huh?" Rafa asked again with a smile.
Yerim suddenly threw crackers at her in the face and took the bottle.
“I have a boyfriend in Korea. You really are crazy!” she defensively said to her. I can still feel her pain. I’m the only one who can see that because we’ve been friends for a long time.
“Okay! Moving on,” Rafa uttered. "Spin that bottle!" she shouted and sipped on her drink.
I looked at Levi for a moment as he took my hand and held it tightly. He smiled at me for a moment before turning to look at Yerim for his sudden scream.
“Got you, Mr. CEO!” she shouted and looked at Levi who was just laughing before drinking.
My chest throbbed with excitement. Knowing Yerim, she has a dirty mind and maybe what to do or ask Levi.
"Truth or dare?" she asked and winked at me.
I just nodded and gulped down my wine and then pour a drink again. He still doesn’t let go of my hand.
“Truth,” Levi uttered which made me look at him.
His face turned serious. He clenched his jaw and looks at me.
“Are you really in love with Rae? Not just lust? Not just because you just love the attention she’s giving to you? Or maybe because you just feel that you’re responsible for what happened to both of you at Tierra Fima?”
My jaw dropped because of what I heard from Yerim. My eyes rolled because I suddenly felt scared. Those were the questions in my mind that I didn’t want to ask him because I was afraid of what he would answer. Even though he said he loved me. Even though he's like this to me. Even though I feel like he loves me so much.
I still want to know the answers to those questions but I am afraid to know the truth. I was wrong when I said I was willing to take a risk. I'm not yet ready. I don't want to be ready yet. Too fast, yes but I don’t want it to end too fast.
The wind blew me away. I let go of his hold on me and focused my gaze on the floor because I felt suddenly interested to look at it.
Everyone fell silent. The music that’s coming out of Yerim’s phone is too loud but I can still hear the thump of my chest along with Levi’s violent breathing next to me. I want to see him. I want to know his expression but all my courage seems to have disappeared suddenly.
"Uhm... maybe—"
"I love Rae," Levi said.
I stiffened when I heard that faint voice of his. I slowly looked at him and I saw how he managed to smile at me even though his expression was serious.
“The truth is, she’s one of the reasons why I went to Tierra Fima that day. I really shouldn’t have continued that day but when I saw her at the airport’s entrance, I immediately went back inside. I just feel like I want to know her stories... I actually remembered her because she’s my cousin’s favorite author. I read one of her books and there, she caught my full attention,” he said.
We all just stared at him because of his story as my chest continued to pound. I can no longer find his playfulness. I can only see the sincerity in his eyes. The solemnness in his eyes made me cry at that moment.
“I’m lucky I get to know her real quick. What happened to us was just a bonus I guess because it’s not my fault then,” he paused and laughed at me.
"Oh my god!" Yerim hissed. I also heard everyone laughing so I just got a palm on my face.
“But being with her almost every day is giving me heartaches sometimes because I love her too much. To the point that I could kneel down just to kiss her feet because she’s my queen,” he also added which made me burst into tears.