CAROLINE and Antonette went back inside the dining after just an hour. Anastacia was surprised but, at the same time, glad to see her twin sister walking beside Caroline. They resumed eating their dinner peacefully. Nobody dared to talk for several minutes until Nanay Dolor broke the silence.
“Try this Moringa soup that Caroline cooked for you, Benjamin.” Benjamin’s mother gave his bowl a spoonful of the dish. “I told her that it was your favorite dish.”
Benjamin glanced at Caroline, who just smiled at her. “Did you really cook this for me?”
“Yeah, Dad. I was at the kitchen when Nanay Dolor called her,” Antonette said.
“But, I didn’t see you when I went there,” Benjamin said with a knotted forehead.
Antonette rolled her eyes. “Nanay Dolor ditched me because Aunt Caroline was uncomfortable having me around, watching her every move.”
Anastacia gasped. “Did I hear it, right? You called her Aunt Caroline?”
A smile formed on Benjamin’s lips. He looked at Caroline, but to his dismay, she didn’t bother to look at him. Mario was saying something to her in a low, almost inaudible voice. And, it annoyed him to the extent that he called her attention.
“Caroline,” Benjamin said loudly that everybody looked at him. “Did you hear how Antonette addressed you?”
Antonette groaned. “What’s the big deal?”
“It’s just so cute,” Anastacia commented with a chuckle. “I didn’t expect that.”
“Me, too,” Nanay Dolor said and brushed Antonette’s hair. “Whatever Caroline has told you outside, it seemed that it softened your heart—”
“Please…” Antonette rolled her eyes again, ceilingwards.
“We just had a little chitchat,” Caroline said and sweetly smiled at his daughter. She glanced at him shortly, but before he could speak, she looked away.
Benjamin doesn’t get it. But whatever reason it could be of Caroline’s strange actions, he knew that he could fix it. And, he has to do it as soon as possible.
“Anyway, while we’re cooking that dish, I told Caroline about your high school days, Benjaminfy,” Nanay Dolor said, changing their topic completely. “I was actually shocked to know that you were also schoolmates.”
“But we didn’t really know each other. I was a low profile student back then,” Caroline shyly said.
“I beg to disagree,” Benjamin countered. “You were part of the cheering squad and one of the prettiest girls in the junior year.”
“That was in the first quarter…” she said. “I quit in the second quarter.”
Benjamin sensed uncomfortable in Caroline’s voice. “You became busy with your academics,” he said and tried to think of an escape topic. “Almost all of the students get busy on midterms.”
“Good for us. Our teachers weren’t that strict on midterms,” Anastacia commented while refilling her bowl of soup. “It tastes good, Aunt Caroline.”
Caroline awkwardly smiled. “Nanay Dolor helped cook that.”
“Yeah,” Nanay Dolor answered. “I also asked her if she knew who stole your P.E t-shirt, Benjamin. Since you were schoolmates, maybe she happened to hear about it.”
Benjamin almost choked on her food upon hearing what her mother said. “She has nothing to do about it, `Nay.”
“Hey, I didn’t say that she stole it. I was just asking if she knew—”
“That was a long time ago, Nay Dolor,” Benjamin said while his daughters laughed.
“Mothers don’t really forget about those kinds of things,” Mario said and laughed.
Caroline laughed awkwardly. Benjamin focused his eyes on her, hoping that she’d meet her gaze. But, again, she didn’t.
*
THE cold breeze of air near the ocean gave chills to Caroline’s arms. She hugged herself and sat on a bamboo bench beside the tall Coconut tree while the moon was shining brightly.
She heaved a sigh. She knew that something wasn’t right—again. But she can’t just run from it. Not now that everything seemed to be getting better between her and Benjamin.
‘Absurd…’ A small voice whispered inside her mind. ‘He’s starting to hate you… and will abandon you soon.’
Caroline covered her face. “No…” she said. “Please, go away.”
‘Don’t be a fool, Caroline. Do you think someone will love you the way you wanted to be loved?’
Caroline shook her head. She covered both her ears and shut her eyes. “Please…”
‘Leave him now, before he abandons you… he’ll do that very soon—’
“Caroline? What’s wrong?”
She looked up and saw Benjamin’s handsome face. “Benjamin…”
“Are you okay?” he asked and sat beside her. “I was walking towards the beach to look for you—”
“You’re looking for me?” she asked, felt a little relieved that he was thinking of her.
“Anastacia wanted to talk to you,” he said and reached for her hand. “Come on—”
Caroline pulled her hand from him. “Anastacia wanted to talk to me… That’s why you’re looking for me.” She tried her best to hide the disappointment in her voice, but, she guessed, she failed.
“She’s excited to show you something,” Benjamin said casually. And, it hurts her.
Caroline stood and turned her back. “I’ll go inside later…” she said and stepped away, but Benjamin caught her arm.
“What’s the problem, Caroline?” he asked, his voice was cold as ice.
Caroline clenched her fist. “Problem…?” she asked back without turning to look at him. “I don’t know what do you mean—”
Benjamin tightened his grip on her hand. “Are you playing games at me?”
She paused. Games? Before she could turn to face him, Benjamin hugged her.
“Are you planning to stay away from me again?” he asked in a hoarse voice. “Just like what you did before?”
Caroline almost gasped. Benjamin knew that it was her. All these years, she made herself believe that Benjamin didn’t recognize her, that it was okay to pretend that nothing had happened during that afternoon because the involved person was kicked out of the school, and the boy who saved her didn’t see her face… or maybe she was wrong?
“So you knew…?” she trailed off.
“I didn’t forget you, Caroline—”
“And, you just pretended that you didn’t recognize me?” Caroline’s voice was quivering for the reason that she couldn’t figure out. Her whole body felt numb, and her breathing was becoming hard. “You knew that it was me…”
“Caroline…” Benjamin’s embrace loosened. “Calm down, please…” he planted kisses to her neck down to the side of her shoulders. “It’s okay… shh…”
Caroline closed her eyes. Benjamin’s kisses left a trail of heat against her s11111111Rkin. She titled her head to the side to give way for his mouth.
His hands slid down to her shoulders, stopping on her wrists. He nibbled on her neck as he guided her hands to hold on to the tree. “Hold tight…” Benjamin whispered to her ear. “I’ll make you forget all those memories.”
“You can’t, Benjamin…” she murmured. “It’ll haunt me forever—oh!”
“Shh… It’s just my hand.” Benjamin covered her mouth with his hand. “I’ll do it slowly now.”
Caroline holds on to the coconut trunk. She didn’t notice that Benjamin managed to pull down her underwear. His hand slipped between her legs, caressing her wet core.
“Benjamin…” she panted. “I don’t want to get viral because of this scandal.”
Benjamin chuckled. “It’s too dark here. Nobody will see us,” he whispered. “And, we’ll do it quick but satisfying.”
Caroline swallowed hard. Her grasp on the trunk tightened as she bent down a little, unintentionally poking Benjamin’s hardness. She heard him groaned and cursed from behind. Seconds later, she felt her skirt pulled up, followed by a swift shove on her butt.
“Ah… Benjamin.” a low cry escaped her lips.
“Shh… I’ll be careful,” he said and thrust deeper. “Open wider.”
Caroline opened her legs. Benjamin grabbed her one leg and held it up while he moved his hips forward. Caroline can feel his long and hard shaft coming in and out from her wet mound. With every shove, she felt like the tip of his manhood was reaching the spot inside her that starved for more.
“Harder, Benjamin…” she panted heavily. “Harder—oh! Yes, yes!”
Benjamin grabbed her hips and plunged his hard shaft deeper onto her. “Feel it, Caroline… feel all of it.”
***