The Soulmate

Chapter 10

The awkward ambiance sets in their cold morning. Both of them went silent. Nobody wants to talk about what happened last night. It kept running back and forth in her mind. She finds him as a nice guy, a complete opposite of her first impression of him. But that is all. Nothing more should come between them. They share the same feeling of being left with their love ones but that sadness should not grow into any romance. She's married though Timothy hurts her. Her heart remains to belong for Timothy but she can't deny that certain rhythm whenever Aga is around. Their shared kiss last night recurs, she may be a lost soul but she's not numb. That kiss has something. His brown eyes and a pair of plump lips shivered her body. That exchange look in their eyes has deep meaning, it wasn't just a kiss. The cold and quiet ambiance extend for days. He opts to sleep in the living room while she remains on his bed. As far as he could, he avoids her at all cost. The execution of her plans still continue with his help as well. If silence can caused deaf, she might've lost hearing since that night.

But she knows this should not go further. She's had enough of his spacing out. It may sound weird to her but she misses him. She can't tell why but everytime he avoids her in any way, there's a pang in her heart.

Lea gathered her courage to have a word with him. "Ariel, can we ... talk?"

He paused from fixing his office table. It's filled with documents and office supplies. "Yeah. Sure. Do you have new plan?". He shifts gaze and looked down to close the lid of his lappy.

"No. About that kiss", she continued.

"Forget it. Sorry. I know my place. It's my fault. It won't happen again. Dumaan nga pala ako sa hospital kanina, you're getting better. I think malapit ka ng gumising. Konti na lang, you can be with him again. He never left your side according to your doctor. Night and day, he assures to take care of you. Hindi naman sa nanghihimasok but I guess you should give him a chance", he blabs without looking back at her. In fact, he can't look at her. It's easy to keep his distance because that keeps him safe from getting hurt again. He can no longer understand himself. As days pass by, he finds himself falling into her. And that kiss ... it only reminds him that she belongs to someone else.

"No. It ...", she's cut off when Aga just walked pass her, shutting the door behind her. It puzzled Lea. She followed him.

"What's wrong? Are you mad at me? Is it because of ... of Lilian? Sorry. Had I known she ...", she's cut off again when he turned to face her.

His eyes bore into her, "It's not about Lilian! It's not about that damn kiss!". Seconds of silence set in between them, his eyes are full of emotions that she can't grasp for any reasons.

"Then tell me what! Ariel, ano ba?! It's not about her or that kiss then what is it?! Ilang araw mo na akong iniiwasan! Sabihin mo lang kung napapagod ka ng tulungan ako, I can leave right away"

"That's it, Lei! Sana nga .... sana nga gumising ka na so you can leave kase hindi ko na rin maintindihan ang sarili ko habang nandito ka! Ginugulo mo ang isip ko!"

She looks puzzled, "wh-what? I don't understand"

"You don't have to! Aalis ka rin naman. Iiwan mo rin naman ako. You have nothing to understand about! At kahit na malaman mo, wala ka rin namang pakialam, Lei", he pushed open the door but Lea won't live him down. Something pushes her to follow him.

"Ariel, ano ba'ng problema mo?! Just say it straight to my face! Explain it to me ng maintindihan ko!", she's holding her last patience.

He grabs her arm, "you wanna know?! I'm falling for you, Lea! I'm falling in love with someone I couldn't have! Pinilit kong pigilan but everytime I see you, everytime I feel you, I'm only finding myself falling deeper!"

She went silent and takes it all in. It seems that all words have been washed out, she stares at his eyes. This can't be happening - she thought. Timothy has been her life ever since, she lives for him but this heartbeat ... this growing emotion ... it's a mistake that she can't help committing. He fills in the missing piece in her heart that she never thought lacking. Don't play with fire, you'll get burn, as what others said but she finds herself playing with flame.

She tiptoed and pulls his nape for a kiss. No more words left unsaid — it's all crystal clear that they feel mutual — she fills in the gap between them when his arm grabs her. They kiss each other's lips, hungry for attention. Her cold skin heats up his, he wants more of her. She slumped on the bed when he pushes there and straddles on top. He takes off quickly his shirt, not wasting time. She sucks her lower lip when her eyes fall into the curves of his body. The dim light sets fire into their cold night breeze. For years of being with Timothy, she never thought of finding romance with other man. He became her everything, but tonight all her boundaries fell down.

"I never imagined myself doing this with a lost soul, babe", he nibbles her cold and plump lips.

"Now you'll know", she unbuttons her blouse while his stares are melting her down. He falls into her neck, licking and kissing each spot. Her toes arched when he abruptly dives into her mounds, sucking and playing with it. The warmness of his skin lingers into her coldness. They fill in each other's missing pieces - love.