A SOFT smile escaped from Cj's lips when Avis hanged up the phone call. She consulted her online, at habang sinasabi niya ang kalagayan ng pagkababae niya, pahaba ng pahaba ang sermon sa kanya ni Avis. And in between her 'sermon', pinapaalalahanan siya nito kung anong klaseng gamot ang kailangan niyang inumin.

She put her clothes back and open the bathroom door.

"Are you done?" Agad na tanong ni Ryker.

Nakasandal ito sa headboard ng kama habang pinaglalaruan ang magazine ng baril nito. Bahagya siyang tumango rito, she can still walk. Thank God! But she's having a hard time when she's peeing. Sobra pa sa sobra ang hapdi na nararamdaman niya!

"How's it?" His face looks cool but his voice sounds worried.

Cj shrugged and flopped her body on the bed. "I'm hungry," she said and at the same time her stomach growled.

Natawa si Ryker nang marinig ang tunog ng tiyan niya. She glared at him but he kept on laughing, habang palabas ito sa kwarto. Cj closed her eyes and wait for him to come back.

Pinagbabawalan silang lumabas ni Sean but they can't help it. Hindi naman pwede na utos sila ng utos sa kasambahay, she's busy taking care of their visitor — actually, the right word was they held her captive for the mean time.

Hindi siya masyadong kumain kaninang lunch. Travis' food wasn't that good. It tasted horrible! Hindi siya maarte pagdating sa pagkain, but that was a different case. Ni wala siyang ideya kung paano naubos ng mga lalaking kasama niya ang niluto nito, samantalang siya ay nakakailang subo pa lang, inilayo na niya ang pinggan sa kanya.

"I hope he cooked something edible..." Cj whispered.

Nanatiling naka pikit ang mga mata niya habang pinapakinggan ang pag-iingay ng sikmura nito. Kailangan malamnan ng masarap na pagkain ng tiyan niya dahil iinom pa siya ng gamot. Good thing, naisipan ni Levi na lumabas muna at nag presinta na ito na siya ang mag g-grocery para magkalaman ang kusina ni Sean at hindi sila mamatay sa gutom because Ryker can't ask Yves to deliver foods. Ipinasabay na rin niya ang gamot na hinabilin ni Avis.

Ilang minuto lang siyang naghintay. Agad siyang umupo nang marinig na bumukas ang pintuan at iniluwa niyon si Ryker na may dalang tray. Halos humaba ang leeg niya para lang masilip kung anong klaseng ulam ang dala nito.

Ryker laugh at her. "Don't worry, ubos na ang luto ni Travis. May natirang manok kaya pinag prito kita, nakakita rin ako ng tocino sa ref."

Nakahinga siya ng maluwag sa narinig. Ryker set up the folding table in front of her, tsaka nito inilipat ang pinggan na puno ng kanin at ulam sa mismong lamesa. He even brought a glass of water and orange juice.

"Here, dig in!" Anito at inabot sa kanya ang mga kubyertos.

"Thank you, Zion!" Cj chirped.

Ryker pouted his lips and leaned in. "I deserve a kiss?"

Cj looked at him flatly. Pagtapos ay bumaba ang tingin nito sa pagkain na inihanda nito para sa kanya. She didn't contemplate anymore and leaned over to give him a quick kiss, agad din siyang lumayo at hindi ito binigyan ng pagkakataon na mahila siya nito at palalimin ang halik na iginawad niya.

"Yeah sure, kain ka muna." Ryker sarcastically sad and waved his hand.

She chuckled softly, "thanks hun! Love yah!"

Gusto niyang matawa ng malakas nang makita niya itong natigilan. It's like Ryker was not breathing at all. His eyes were wide open and the way he looked at her, parang hindi ito makapaniwala sa sinabi niya. Well, his reaction was a good sight, but food comes first. She's hungry after all.

Nakakalahati na niya ang pagkain niya nang bumalik sa katinuan si Ryker. Palagi niya itong pasimple na tinitignan habang kumakain siya. Inabot ni Cj ang isang baso ng orange juice at uminom doon.

"Seriously, kailangan mo ba talaga mag loading? Ano ba ang nakakagulat doon? You already know how much I like and love you." She flatly said, deretso ang tingin niya sa mga mata nito.

Napakurap kurap si Ryker at tumango. Wala sa sarili. Cj rolled her eyes at him. But deep inside, she's happy. Who wouldn't? All these years she's been waiting for him to return her feelings, kahit kaunti lang, she didn't expect more than that, but God given her a full package of Ryker's love. She was, indeed, blessed.

Ryker glance on the other side and faked a cough to cleared his throat, then he faced her again. Nanliit ang mga mata ni Cj nang makita kung gaano kapula ang mukha nito, her smile widened, kulang nalang ay mapunit na ang labi niya sa ngiti. His face was stoic but his stubborn blood betrayed him.

"You called me 'hun' tapos may kasama pang 'love yah'! Sino ang hindi maglo-loading sa saya? Sige nga." Nanghahamon na tanong nito sa kanya.

Hindi na napigilan ni Cj ang hugalpak sa tawa. Mabuti nalang at walang laman na pagkain ang bibig niya, she might choke because of what he just said! Or worse, maibuga niya ito mismo sa mukha ni Ryker. Sayang naman ang tapang nito.

"Wow, my pride and ego doesn't matter. Go ahead and laugh, as long as you're happy." He said with a small smile plastered on his lips. Ryker eyes were looking at her lovingly, that she stop laughing the moment she noticed that emotion.

Bahagya niyang itinabingi ang ulo, "do you love me as me, Zion? I mean, as Calista." She asked out of nowhere.

Matiim na tumingin si Ryker sa kanya. He didn't break their eye contact. She was taken a back when Ryker smiled genuinely, a rare smile of Ryker, hindi pa niya 'yon nakita sa buong taong magkasama silang dalawa. It was a smile for her.

"Of course. I am looking at you right now, Calista. I love you because you are you. I love you so fucking much that even I... Don't know how deep is my love for you."

Cj closed her eyes and let her body fell on the soft bed. Her heart, was calm, it wasn't pounding loudly inside her, it was beating normally. But she can feel her eyes getting warm and being filled with tears, hanggang sa unti unting kumawala ang mga ito sa gilid ng mga mata niya. She's happy. So darn happy.

Nasa tamang edad na sila para sa kilig kilig moments na 'yan but damn Ryker! He made her feel how teenagers feel kapag na crush back ang mga ito. It feels like she's floating. What was the term they're using? Cloud nine? Yes.

"Hey, why are you crying?" Narinig niya ang pag-aalala sa boses ni Ryker. "Did I do something wrong? Hindi ba masarap ang pagkain na hinanda ko sa'yo? Pero same brand lang din naman ang tocino na niluto ko." He blabbered.

Cj laughed while shedding tears.

"You think you surpassed my affection towards you?" Tanong niya ulit rito.

Ryker looked at her, confusion was written all over his face. Ilang segundo rin itong natahimik na parang nag-iisip ng isasagot sa kanya and after a few seconds of being silent. He chuckled while shaking his head.

"No, but I'm getting there. Anyways, it's not about who loves the other party more. It's about us, Calista. I inflicted a lot of emotional pain to you. What I need to do is to give and show you the assurance you deserve, but always remember that I am willing to love you for the rest of my life."

Tumaas ang sulok ng labi niya. God, how come he can say those words with a straight face and sincere voice?

"Ganito pala ang epekto ni Travis sa'yo no? I should ask him to cook for you every damn day." Pang-aalaska niya. Ruining the sweet mood surrounding them.

"The fuck?" Nalukot ang mukha ni Ryker.

"What? Inubos mo naman hindi ba? Ibig sabihin masarap 'yon para sa'yo?" She asked. Pigil ang sarili na huwag humagalpak ng tawa.

"Nasanay lang siguro." Sagot nito sa kanya. "Busog ka na ba?" He asked.

"Hindi pa. Tumigil lang ako kasi nag-uusap tayo. By the way, dumating na ba si Levi? May pinabili ako sa kanya na gamot. Paki kuha naman o?" She pleaded using her puppy eyes.

Ryker snickered. "You don't need to do that you know? Susunod naman ako." Anito at naglakad palabas ng kwarto.

Lumabi si Cj para hindi kumawala ang nagbabadyang ngiti sa mga labi niya. How sweet. She closed her eyes for a bit and uttered a small prayer. To God and to her deceased sister. When the time comes, she'll face her sister again, even if it's just a glimpse, she'll just hope that her sister won't get mad at her for having Ryker. Alam niya kung gaano kamahal ng kapatid ang lalaking kinakasama niya ngayon.

SUMILIP muna sa labas si Ryker bago tuluyan lumabas sa kwarto at pumunta sa kwarto ni Sean. His room served their working area.

"At least knock before you enter?" Narinig niyang sabi ni Sean, he glanced over him and saw him playing games on one of his computer.

"Bakit? May ginagawa ba kayo na hindi ko dapat makita?" Nakangising tanong niya at lumipat ang tingin kay Travis na nakahiga sa kama ni Sean.

"Tulog 'yan gago. Malisyoso ka," Sean chuckled.

"Hindi pa umuwi si Levi?" He asked.

Sean pointed the monitor without glancing, sumunod doon ang tingin niya. A live footage. He shake his head and placed his hands inside his pants pockets, bakit ba niya nakalimutan na hindi rin pala pwedeng istorbohin si Sean kapag naglalaro ito. Unlike Light— who's a pro when it comes to playing online games— Sean loses his focus the more na may kumakausap dito.

"So slow." Bulong niya nang makita si Levi na paakyat na sa building.

Sean place was safe. It wasn't one of his family building's, at ang target lang naman ng pamilya nitong babae na nasa poder nila ngayon ay siya at si Cj. They also collected enough information about their plan, thanks to the one guy they caught, pansamantala itong nakakulong ngayon sa presinto. Thanks to Shawn's brother connection, mapagkakatiwalaan ang chief of police na kakilala nito.

He sat on the couch and waited patiently for Levi. Masyadong mabagal maglakad ang pinsan niya. Then his eyes caught the footage on the woman's room, inaalalayan ito ng kasambahay na tumayo but they're failing miserably.

"What kind of drugs you used?" Kunot ang noo na tanong ni Ryker at bumaling kay Sean.

Sean, on the other hand stop his game and glance at the monitor. Carefully watching the woman, pinipilit pa rin nitong makatayo sa tulong ng kasambahay pero palaging bumibigay ang mga binti nito.

"To be honest, hindi ko alam. It's from a friend of mine, one of his experimental drugs that can only be used for  people whose still suffering from Hypersexuality disorder. For them to avoid having sex with different people, he made a drug that can make them hallucinate and feel like they're really having sex. Ayon lang ang sinabi niya sa akin. He didn't bother to tell me about the drugs side effect, which was..." Itinuro niya ang babae sa monitor na hindi makatayo.

Ryker raised his brow and slowly nod his head, as if he understands every word Sean says. He click his tongue and tapped his fingers against his hip. Hypersexuality. What a rare case. Wala pa siyang nakilalang tao na may ganoong klaseng disorder.

"How's Cali by the way? Ano ba ang ginawa non at hindi makalakad ng maayos?" Sean asked, nag-isang linya ang mga kilay nito nang makita nito ang mapaglarong ngisi na nakapaskil sa mga labi niya. "Man, are you sex deprived?" Hindi makapaniwalang tanong nito sa kanya.

"I'm sated, thank you very much!" Ryker answered sarcastically.

"Please, have mercy? We're actually going a head to head battle with those scums." Sean hissed and aggressively shake his head.

Mahina siyang natawa at tumango na lang. Well, he can't touch nor eat her right now. Kailangan muna nitong magpagaling at bumawi ng lakas. After an hour of waiting, atlas! Dumating din ang hinihintay niya. Kinuha niya agad ang gamot na pinasuyo ni Cj at bumalik sa kwarto na inookupa nila.

"Here," inabot niya ang gamot kay Cj.

"Thanks, hanggang kailan tayo mag stay dito?" Cj asked before drinking the medicine.

"After a few days, depends, kapag hindi na masakit ang nasa pagitan ng mga hita mo." He answered.

Cj sighed softly. "So basically, my situation is slowing our plan down?"

"Guilty?" Nakataas ang kilay na tanong niya.

"Nope!" She answered popping the 'p'. Cj have this proud look all over her face. "If they're in our place, I'm sure hindi rin nila mapipigilan. Masarap e." She shrugged.

Ryker looked at her softly and the place they've been hiding for so long popped up on his head. Alam na ni Cj ang tungkol sa Lust community pero ni minsan ay hindi ito nagpumilit o pinaunlakan ang imbitasyon ng mga kaibigan niya. Because she respect his privacy and his friends deal.

"Hun? After this... Would you like to enter our secret village?"

Kumunot ang noo ni Cj sa tanong niya.

"Kilala ko naman lahat ng mga kaibigan mo. Close rin naman ako sa mga asawa nila. I'm also one hundred and one percent sure that you'll marry me in no time. Kailangan ko ba talagang pumasok doon?" She ask, confused.

Ryker sighed and grab her hand. "Well, it's our way of saying 'we will be a loyal, faithful, caring and our love will not fade that easily'."

"I already know that you'll be loyal, faithful, gentle and caring, and that your love for me will not easily get swayed and fade just because of conflicts waiting ahead, Zion. Napatunayan mo na 'yon kay Ate Clijay. Hindi ka na mahihirapan na iparamdam ulit 'yon sa akin."

Ryker blinked twice. He pushed his tongue inside his cheek and avoided Cj's gaze. After a few seconds of trying to calm himself and understand her. Ryker finally nod his head.

"But for the sake of your friends tradition... Fine, I'm coming with you. After we clean this mess. I don't like seeing you like this," Cj gently caressed his jaw and placed a soft kiss after. He was taken a back. "I love you, Zion. I'll do anything and everything just to make you happy." She whispered sweetly.

"Me too, hun, me too." He answered as he claimed his lips and kissed her tenderly.

☕