His Punishment (10 page)

“Please?” he pleaded.

“Why are you here?” I asked surprised
though I didn’t see him yet, I figured he’s still inside the car.

“Just come down . . .” then he hung
up.

I didn’t want to call him back so I
descended the stairs quickly and told the security to open the gate. Our guard
looked at me questioningly.

“Open!” I widened my eyes to scare
him and open the gate. He just followed as ordered.

“What do you want?” I asked when I
saw him standing outside the gate holding something behind his back.

“Tara,” he blinked.

“What!” I asked again.

“Do you always wear that to sleep?”
he asked with his sizzling eyes burning on me.

I looked down and saw why he was so
shocked. I was in hurry to go down that I forgot my robe. And I was wearing my
white spaghetti strapped night dress. Definitely one of the sexiest of my priced
lingerie collection.

“Oh shit!” I covered my breasts
with my arms. I am not wearing any other garment beneath it because I was
getting ready for bed. But wait, I have panties on.

He exhaled so deep as if trying to
calm himself.

“Why are you here?” I asked
frowning at him while covering my top.

He took his hand from his back that
held a bouquet of yellow daisies. He held it out to me and I reached for it.

“I just wanted to give you this.”
He said while his cheeks turn red. I don’t know if it’s because he’s shy or if
he’s feeling hot.

“Thanks. Goodnight.” I turned
around still stunned by his gesture.

“I’m not sure if I can sleep at
all.” he murmured but I heard. His eyes were still raking all over my body.

I hit him with the bouquet and
turned around.

“Drive safe!” I hollered not
turning back.

When I entered the gate I scolded
the guard for not telling me I’m not wearing decent clothes. He just scratched
his head. Maybe that’s why he was hesitant to swing it open a while back.

My fault! I was too excited to see
him. I admit. I still have these feelings for him.

I checked the flowers when I got
back to my room. It has a tiny card.

I’m Sorry.
That was all
that’s written.

I looked back at the balcony. His
car is not there anymore. I decided to send him a message.

THANK U 4 D FLOWERS. GOODNYT.

He replied. “GOODNIGHT! BUT I DNT
THINK I CAN SLEEP WITH THAT SIGHT. O_O”

I know he was referring to my night
shirt.

SHUT UP! I replied back.

And he didn’t reply. I tried to
sleep, but it was a lot harder. I suddenly felt my aircon was too cold but I’m
bothered why I suddenly feel hot.

GOOD MORNING!

Tara kept blinking her eyes as she
reads the text message with one eye. It was from James, and she didn’t bother
to reply. She got up, got her robe and went down for breakfast.

“Good morning dad!” she greeted her
father as she saw him drinking coffee and reading today’s papers.

“Good morning honey!” her father
kissed his favorite daughter. Well, as if he had a choice. Tara is his only
child.

“Where’s mom?” she looked at her
mother’s empty seat.

“She went to Cebu. There is a big
conference held there with a group of environmentalists. She wanted to welcome
them personally as it is a big group of 500 packs.” He said as if hotel
visitors this big is very ordinary to him.

Their resorts are actually doing
well. Everything is very much stable. It has been started by her grandparents
by her dad and was passed on to her parents when they passed away.

“Your mom wanted to remind you of
your orientation at Boracay next week.”

“Yes dad. But actually, I had the
orientation already. I left when you were both at Subic. So I’ll be going
straight to work after graduation,” she informed him.

“When is actual graduation again?”
he asked.

“April 3
^rd
dad.”

“That’s next week. Are you done
with your requirements?”

“Yep. I just have to go to school
today to pick up my toga and process some clearances.”

“OK.” he took one last sip from his
mug and stood.

“You’re leaving already?”

“Yes. I have a meeting at eleven
with a prospective business partner.”

“Partner?” she asked bewildered.
Tara knew they didn’t need partners. They are very well funded.

“Yes. It’s a new venture actually.”
He kissed his daughter on the forehead.

“Take care!” she kissed him back.

This is the problem of wealthy,
successful and busy business people. They can’t stay to have breakfast
leisurely for more than thirty minutes.

Good thing Tara didn’t like
breakfast that much. She just usually eats a slice of toast and a few strips of
bacon paired with hot chocolate.

She stood up just three minutes
after her father left the table. She went back to her room so she could shower
and prepare for school.

She glanced at her phone and
checked if she got messages. And she did. Messagessssss . . . from one person.

WHAT TYM R U GOIN 2 SCH?

WANT ME 2 PIK U UP?

R U STILL ASLEEP?

DREAMING OF ME?

WAKE UP!

CAN WE RIDE 2 SCH TOGETHER?

She didn’t reply to any. Not
because she was playing hard to get or anything. It was simply because she
doesn’t know how to reply to them.

She went to the bathroom and showered.
After she was done, she chose her clothes and just decided to wear her skinny
jeans and just a normal red tank top.

She applied light make up just as
she always do and headed downstairs. She told the security to open the gate for
her, and she backed her car out of the garage.

On the street, she found the
familiar black Montero parked. She parked her car beside it, rolled down her
window and looked at the driver questioningly.

“What are you doing here?” she is
still so surprised.

James got out of the car and walked
near her.

“I came to pick you up?” as if
reminding her of something they agreed on.

“What? Did I tell you I’d ride with
you?” she said sarcastically.

“Did you not see my messages?”

“I did,” she rolled her eyes.

“All of it?”

She glanced to her bag and scooped
her phone at the pocket. She opened the message.

IF U DNT REPLY 2 THIS IT MEANS, U
AGREE IM PICKING U UP.

“Why are you doing this James?” she
said slightly massaging her forehead.

“Doing what?” he asks pretending
not to know.

“This! All of this!”

“I don’t know what you mean. I just
want to ride with you to save gasoline. Our houses are near and we go to the
same school. So what’s the matter?” he foolishly responds.

“Sorry but I’m not comfortable!
Bye.” She left without looking back.

She is so confused at how James is
acting.
Is he on drugs or something?

After thirty minutes, she was in
school. Traffic was light. She drove to The Beach and parked her car in her
favorite and reserved slot.

She got off the car and fixed her
hair in her side mirror.

She stood straight when she saw one
guy standing behind her reflection.

“James!” she turned around.

“What took you so long?” he asked
as if impatiently waiting on his date.

She looked around and found James
alone.
What is he doing in my parking lot? Yes! This is my parking lot! He
has his own near my old condo!

She spotted his black SUV parked
near the restaurant.
He parked here!

“What? Where did you pass? I was
here since ten minutes ago!” he said like a child throwing tantrums at his
mother.

Tara touched her temple and raised
both her eyebrows to question James.

“Are you stalking me?”

 “No!” he exhaled, “You’re silly!
Me? Stalk? You? What gave you that idea?”

“Then why are you always around
me?” she asked confused.

“I just . . . I want to say sorry,”
he looked down on his shoes. He can’t look straight into her eyes. Was sorry
all he wanted to say? He was confused himself.

“You already did. Last night . . .
remember?” she pointed out to the card and the flowers.

He bought that when he left her eating
yesterday at the mall. He doesn’t normally give flowers except if he’s courting
a girl, or if it’s for his mother or for his girlfriend. The thought he bought
that bouquet now had his head spinning. But yesterday while buying it, he felt
so right.

“Haven’t said it aloud.” He didn’t
know what to say. He can’t just tell her that he just want to follow her and
make sure she is alright all the time. He doesn’t know. He doesn’t understand
himself. After hearing what Christian told him, he found an odd feeling in
himself that he does care about her. He suddenly felt he wanted to protect her.

Well maybe I like her.  Yeah,
maybe. Just maybe. I don’t want to confuse my feelings because I feel guilty.

“Now you did,” she said.

James’ Point of View

I kept quiet for a while and looked
back up to her face. How come I never saw she looked like an angel? Her eyes
are always sparkling. Her lips are always tempting unintentionally. Her hair in
a bun and exposing that flawless nape. Her long legs. And I can’t believe I still
find her sexy though she is covered in those jeans and normal top.

“Do you forgive me?” I had to know.
Is she still mad at me?

It was her turn to be quiet. She
just looked back at me straight in my eyes.
How can I not forgive those
charming eyes? And those soft red lips? The wind-blown strands of hair that
covers his eyes partially? Those masculine chest and abs that could make
superman ashamed? His hypnotizing scents mixture of heat, sweat and perfume?

“Does silence mean yes?” I kept
staring at her.

“You know, no matter how sorry you
are, no matter how many times you apologize, it won’t take back anything.” Tara
said seriously.

I felt her pain as she said the
words. I wanted to hug her right there and then and stroke her back and kiss
her lips. I know I have hurt her. I’ll make sure she doesn’t feel that pain
again.

But wait, does she think I am sorry
that IT happened? I was actually saying sorry for forcing her. Not for taking
her. God knows I want to feel her again. Is Christian right? Have I become a
sex maniac?

This feeling is fresh to me. I
never had flings. I take all my relationships seriously. I never got any woman
to bed if I knew I didn’t love her or even like her.

What happened between us is an
exception. It was a punishment. A stupid punishment for a misunderstanding. I
misjudged her. I know that now and I feel guilty. It shouldn’t happen again.
But I want her so bad. I want her next time to be special. Now the guilt is
killing me.

Was it just that? I shook my head
at my own question. I told her to stay away, then why am I like a mesmerized
dog following this ferocious cat? I feel I am giving myself a headache at my
own questions.

“I accept your apology, if that’s
what you want to hear.” She finally spoke again.

She started walking, leaving me so
lost.

“Tara!” I called to her. I quickly
strode to catch up with her.

“What?” she asked turning around.

The sight of her leaving me alone
in the parking lot made me feel miserable. I can’t stay away from her. I don’t
understand myself.

“Can I walk with you?” I asked her,
hoping she would say yes.

“Okay.” She said meekly.

I was so happy. But I wanted to
hold her hand again. The same way I did at the ball. I miss interlacing our
fingers together. I hit my forehead at the thought to wake me up.

“What’s happening to you?” she
asked when she heard me slap myself.

“I don’t know.” I answered because
I really don’t know. I looked at her and saw her puzzled look.

She just laughed at me as if
finding it funny.

“You’re weird James!” she patted me
on my shoulder and didn’t move her hand there while we’re walking.

Oh shit. I feel like a teenage boy!
I can feel myself blushing as her hands touch my shoulder. Blushing? Fuck!
Since when did I ever get giggly? Get a grip Aguilar! I keep reminding myself.
But it’s not working.

“Are you going to get your toga
now?” she asked me as she removed her hand.

“Yeah. Are you?” actually I wanted
to go to the pebble wash where my team mates and I usually stay, but her
question seems to me that she’s asking me to get our togas together. Or is that
what I wish it was? Fuck! I’m so lost! I feel love-struck with this girl!
LOVE-STRUCK?! I hit my head one more time with my palm.

I heard her laugh and she stopped
walking then made me turn to face her.

“Are you okay?”

“Can we have lunch together?” I
asked out of nowhere. Now where did that question come from?

I saw her bite her lower lip as if
thinking of answers to a test question. Was it that hard to have lunch with me?
She kept eyeing me like I’m some alien fallen from outer space.

Stop biting your lip! You’re
torturing me! I want to savage it and leave it swollen and asking for more.

“Okay.” She said after what seemed
like hours that I held my breath.

“Nice!” I said then we started to
walk silently to the office where our togas will be released. Then we saw
Christian and Lyn went out the door we were about to enter.

“HI!” Lyn said looking at me then
at Tara then at me again and back at her. I can feel she is questioning with
her eyes what we’re doing together.

I saw Tara kissed her best friend
in the cheek. I hope she does the same to me and only me. I wonder what makes
me possessive of those lips.

“Dude!” Christian patted me on my
shoulders with that evil smile. I know what he’s thinking.

“Have lunch with us?” I heard Lyn
ask her.

“Sure!” she replied. But I thought
she’s having lunch with me. She looked at me as if hearing my thoughts.

“Oh, can we have lunch with them?”
she turned to me.

I saw Lyn and Christian looked at
me with their questioning eyes.

“Yup. Let’s just get our togas
first.” I said staring at her chinky eyes.

“Let’s go,” she opened the door and
we slid inside the room.

After a couple minutes, we have our
togas and instinctively I grabbed her stuff and carried it outside. I didn’t
bother to check her reaction. I opened the door and we went out and found our
best friends waiting.

I saw them looking at my arms.
Clearly, they knew I was carrying Tara’s stuff. I was holding two bags and she
was just leisurely holding on to her designer doctor’s bag.

“What?” I asked Christian. Was it
wrong to be a gentleman?

“Nothing,” he grinned and gripped
me by the shoulders and started walking.

“I’m not gonna say a word.” I heard
him whisper.

“Shut up!” I told him.

“You’re driving?” he asked me.

“My car. You drive.” I said.

“No sweat!”

They were surprised we went to The
Beach to get my car.

“Here?!” Christian asked surprised.

“Yeah.”

I see Christian’s eyes. He didn’t
say a word but I know exactly what he is thinking. Good for him because I don’t
know what to think myself.

He opened the passenger door for
Lyn and that left me and Tara at the back seat. I opened the door for her too.
Something I never did for anyone. Not even for my grandmother!

She just looked at me and smiled.
“Thanks!”

I looked at her as she got up my
car. Moments ago, I was asking myself what she has done to me. What is making
me want her more and just to myself. As I closed the door after her, I found
myself closing my own book of confusions I have written in my mind.

Just with that one simple smile, I
got my answers.

The ride to the mall seemed so
slow. We were just both sitting at the back watching our best friends ogle each
other. We both know they are very much in love. I glanced at Tara and she just
smiled at me. Hell that killer smile! Good thing we’re not alone in the car, or
I could have not controlled myself from kissing her.

We decided to have lunch at the
nearest mall to school. The girls were in one of the stores and across it was a
flower shop. Christian asked me to come with him. He wanted to buy some flowers
for Lyn.

I went with him and eyed those long
stemmed yellow roses and decided to get one for Tara. I don’t know why I am so
fascinated with yellow flowers when I think of her. I don’t usually buy other
kinds of flowers than red roses. But with this girl, I don’t know, there’s
something unique in her and I don’t want to go for my usual basics.