requiem for a fling, finale

my friend chers left a comment in the poll page that nobody thought that etienne would refuse so see kiel. i knew everybody thought i was irresistible! hah! as my previous entries indicated i have been away so this post is way past delayed. apologies. anyway, that kiel will stay the rest of the weekend with etienne won and, well – read on because this actually happened.

to those who have not followed this series, please read part 1 and part 2 before proceeding.


***


The corals waved at me in slow motion. Maybe a thousand tropical fishes were swimming around me, blinking with curiosity at the strange creature within their midst. In that blue green light, they look like multi-coloured confetti floating in a space without gravity. It’s a world I can imagine being a part of. Getting lost. Happily.

My anti-Ariel-moment was interrupted by my merman and Prince Eric-for-the-weekend swimming from underneath me, the whole length of his body grazing mine. Etienne had the grace of a water sprite. He swims in bursts, diving deep, swimming beneath the surface considering the underwater life and then emerging fast, like he found something he has to take quickly to the surface.

We rented a boat for the day. In the first snorkelling area, we were happily swimming by ourselves for a while. This gave me time to study his snorkelling style before getting lost in my own dream world. That is, until he did that swimming-underneath-me trick. I couldn’t have let that pass without reciprocating in kind.

I swam to him and for a while we were swimming as one, framed by the tropical fishes and corals moving in harmony in this fantasy world. It was so f-ing cinematic I wish I hadn’t watched that Jeff Bridges movie that looked just like it so I wouldn’t think that at some level it was contrived. But hey – I get to play Rachel Ward for a day, so who am I to complain? (For those who are not old enough – it’s Against All Odds – where that Phil Collins song came from)

We did this for hours. We repeated the same scene over and over, in different snorkelling sites. At one point, Etienne tried to kiss me. I swallowed so much sea water, I had to surface quickly and unceremoniously – breaking the mood. He didn’t try it again.

By early afternoon we were both beat and hungry already we decided to go back.

***

Earlier that day, I was walking away from my colleagues their faces a mixture of amusement, disbelief and embarrassment (each person in different proportion) over my behaviour. We were walking towards Station 3 to catch the next ferry when I stopped and told everybody, “You guys go ahead. I think I’m going to stay the rest of the weekend.”

They looked at each other. I think they can see I surprised even myself. Nobody dared to make a comment except Lara, “Go and have fun! I’ll see you in the office when you get back, OK?” She kissed me on the cheeks and took away the work folders in my hand leaving me with just my duffel bag. “Go.” She said, as if she can read that a dissenting word from somebody will probably get me to the ferry with them. So she pushed me lightly away with a sweet smile.

I walked a few steps and looked back. Lara was getting everybody to stop staring at me and head off to the Station. She waved. I smiled. Each step, my smile grew wider.

***

I walked into his room when I found his door unlocked. He was sleeping on top of the sheets on his stomach, one of his leg around a pillow, revealing parts of him that I wouldn’t tell my mother about. From the doorway, it was a very sexy sight.
I quietly dropped my bag on the floor and lay on top of him. I started kissing the back of his neck and nibbling his earlobes, rubbing my excitement suggestively against his exposed ass. He started to wake up, “Hey... you came back,” his voice still growly from sleep, but he was smiling.

“Yeah, and you’re still sleeping,”

“Thanks for coming back.” He said and he kissed me.



After some time, he asked out of the blue, “you want to go snorkelling today?”

It was exactly what I wanted to do.

***

We spent the whole day, being with each other. There was not much talk. No what do you do, no how many brothers and sisters, no where do you live. His boyfriend was never referred to again. He didn’t ask if I had one.

We talked about the now. The patterns on the shell we found in the beach, the music we like, his skin burning in the tropical sun. His smell. His foreskin. My skin. My smile. Nothing important. Or maybe the only things that are truly important.

While eating late lunch we find ourselves looking at each other and smiling. It was the Indian restaurant and we were the only customers. We took all the cushions, ordered beer and let the afternoon pass us.



“Too bad the weekend is ending.” He said looking far into the sun which is just about to set, "I wish this could last longer”.

“So do I,” I said looking at him, “So do I.”

That night we did not go out to the bars. We made love until we fell asleep.

***

We were walking towards the main road the next day to flag a tricycle to take him to the airport. This is where I planned to say goodbye. He asked if we can take a short walk to beach.

“Take my picture – then I’ll send you a copy.” he said, fishing out his camera from his backpack. “I want you to remember me as I look today.” I took the shot.



When I gave him the camera he just stood there his shoulders suddenly hunched.

“Etienne, are you OK?”

He didn’t make a sound but I saw tears running below his sunglasses.

“What’s wrong?”

“I feel like I’m losing somebody I have known for a long time.”

I pulled him to me and hugged him as hard as I can.

I don’t know how long we stood there in the beach holding each other but at some point he said, “I have to go.”

***

I was looking at Etienne get on a tricycle when I heard a familiar voice calling out. Bong.

“Kiel!” he was alighting from another tricycle and already started talking as he was walking toward me. “Man, I was looking for you guys last night in the bars.”

“We were tired and decided to have an early night.” He followed the direction of my eyes.

“Is that Etienne? Where is he going?”

“He has a plane to catch.”

There was awkward silence for a while. I noticed I stepped on a gum and was looking at my flip-flops curiously. Bong stood there, looking at me looking at the gum.

“Isn’t he your boyfriend? I could’ve sworn that you guys were in love.” He asked with some hesitation.

“What?! No.” A little surprised that he can be so forward. I took off one of my slippers and started picking on the gum. When I noticed he was looking at me strangely it was only then I realised I was doing a truly disgusting thing in public. But there was something else in his eyes. I think it was compassion I didn’t know I deserve, “I don’t know. I don’t even really know him.”

“I see.”

I dropped my slipper and threw the gum I picked for someone else to step on. Bong gave me a conspiratorial smile.

“Come, let’s have a beer. You look like you can use some cheering up.”

“OK.”

He put his arms around my shoulders as we walked to the bars in midday.

requiem for a fling, part 2

Apologies for the delay. Life has been crazy busy. But it's a long post to make up for lost time.

The poll got 20 votes (which is more than the people I thought to be reading my blog). Arguably, some might have voted more than once and jockeyed for a more salacious turn of the story (you horndogs!). Option 2 & 3 won on a tie, getting 8 votes each. Let me say that 3 did not happen, 2 actually happened. I decided I’m going to follow the story as it happened and insert 3 in a way, which reveal itself in the narrative.

Fair warning to those who might not be ready for a rated R story. If you’re one of them just click here. But hey – if you’re one of the 8 who voted for some action or just curious what happens next, read on…

To those who just got into this blog, please read requiem for a fling, part 1 before reading this.


***

Without warning, Etienne stood up and held out his hand. I took it and lost balance when he pulled me up.

“I got you,” he said as he held me close by the shoulders. In that brief moment I was embraced not only by his arms but his man smell – musky and woody. Like a wild animal in the forest.

“Thanks,” I muttered, wondering if he can hear my heartbeat accelerating as we accidentally broke the boundaries of our personal space.

“Let’s take a walk.” I nodded to his suggestion and we walked quietly side by side our shoulders almost touching. Whenever I looked at him, he was watching me and smiling quietly.

We got to the quieter part of the beach and at one point we were alone. Etienne slowed down, faced the sea for a while. There were no artificial lights and in the ethereal light of the moon, he was impossibly good-looking. I paused wondering what was on his mind but not wanting to break the intimate silence between us. “Let’s swim,” he suggested cocking his head towards the sea.

He didn’t wait for my answer. He started undressing right there, pulling his t-shirt from the shoulders. Then proceeding with his khaki shorts. He must have taken off his underwear with his shorts or was not wearing any because the next thing I knew he was running to the waves naked as the day he was born.

I stood there like an idiot. I won’t be surprised if my jaw dropped. Not that this is my first time to go skinny-dipping. It’s just that it’s my first time to go skinny-dipping with a stranger. And like anytime I’m in doubt, I started debating with myself in my head what I should do.

“Come on in” he waved at me, interrupting my inner debate, “the water’s warm and lovely”.

Throwing caution to the wind, I took off my clothes, dropped them next to his and ran towards the sea and dove at the first wave.



I swam up to him and stood up, the water was chest deep. “Hey,” I said, wiping the salt water from my face. He took me in his arms and kissed me deeply. The warm water enveloped us and our bodies gently swayed to the waves. I felt his hardness.

A big wave hit us and we were thrown. We swam laughing towards the beach and stopped when we were neck deep sitting down. We sat for a while barely touching.

“I have a boyfriend”, he said quietly as if talking to himself. I didn’t say anything. Truth be told, I didn’t know what to say.

The uncomfortable silence was broken when a group of noisy young men walked by close to the shoreline and started to look at our clothes carelessly strewn on the beach. Etienne and I, without speaking, ducked with our eyes just above water level, watching them. There were maybe 6 or 7 of them, seemingly discussing what to do with our clothes. Then they just walked away, leaving just one person. He seemed to be looking at our direction for a few seconds as if he can see us. Not for long, he must’ve figured out we were not emerging so he followed his friends to the direction of the bars.

I stood up when he was out of sight. “Let’s get back into our clothes before anybody else decides to walk by and take them away.”

When we were putting on our clothes in the dark, I started to giggle for no apparent reason. He looked at me with curiosity and started to chuckle. We started to laugh and he reached out and hugged me. Before long we were down on the sand again laughing.

When our laughter subsided, he stood up and held out his hand again. I took it and this time I was steady on my feet.

“Let’s get a drink to warm up.”

“Yeah, that will be nice.” We walked towards the lights and the noise of Boracay nightlife, his arm was around my shoulders.

***

“Tropical the island breeze, all of nature wild and sweet, this is where I long to be…”

“La Isla Bonita. That’s a no-brainer, Etienne! Surely you can do better than that.” playfully jabbing my fist on his shoulder.

Two jarfuls of long island iced tea later, I was more talkative and chilled out. He was not pensive anymore, either. We were throwing random Madonna lyrics, challenging the other to name the song, in a bid to prove one knows Madge better. He was losing.

“OK, how about this… I light this candle and watch it throw tears on my pillow. What kind of life is this, if God exists? Then help me pray…” I recited.

“That’s not a Madonna song!”

“Oh yes it is.”

“Excuse me, is this seat taken?” A voice next to me asked, in Tagalog with a Visayan accent. I turned to the right side of the bar where Etienne was already looking. It was a young man holding a beer bottle. He looked familiar. It took a few seconds before it dawned on me.

He was the guy in the beach left behind by his friends with our clothes!

“I’m Bong”, he extended his hand tentatively. Maybe it was the alcohol, but I immediately took his hand and said, “Join us. This is Etienne.” They shook hands.

Bong turned to me again and smiled, “You look like Raymond Bagatsing.” Since, I don’t look anything like him, I figured he must be flirting.



Etienne was kissing me in the bed. Bong was sitting on a chair jacking-off as he watches us. We were all naked.

Bong stood up, and placed himself between us his head on the level of our crotches. He started blowing each of us a few seconds at a time. Then, he tried to take both of us in his mouth.

Etienne stood up and repositioned himself at Bong’s back. Bong sucked harder as Etienne entered him from behind. I was cumming.

“Kiel, are you still with us?” my wakeful fantasy was interrupted by Etienne, tapping me on the shoulders. “What were you thinking of?”

“Nothing, really.” I lied, thinking the 3-way flirting in the last few hours must’ve gotten to me. Or maybe I shouldn't mix long island iced tea with shooters. “I just came from a 3-day workshop and it’s just catching up with me. I better turn in.”

“But it’s just 3 AM. It’s still early,” Bong argued playfully. “Maybe we can party back in your room.”

“I am a little tired myself,” Etienne said calling the attention of the barman and left some money on the bar. “I’ll go with you.”

“You guys are kill-joy.”

“Maybe we’ll see you again tomorrow”, I shook Bong’s hand, Etienne did the same and we walked away.

Outside the bar Etienne asked “Where are you staying?” I told him the hotel name. “That’s on the way to my hotel. I’ll walk you.” We walked silently.

“Are you sure you want to go? I thought you liked Bong?” I looked at him, waiting for an answer.

He held my gaze, “I fancy you.” At which point we got to my hotel.

“This is my hotel.” I stopped walking.

“Would you like to sleep with me tonight?” He steeped closer to me and I got a whiff of his man smell again.

“Yes.”

We walked past my hotel and he took my hand.

***

I woke up with a terrible headache. I looked at the handsome guy sleeping next to me, snoring quietly.

I noticed black stains all over my pillow and upper area of the bed sheet. I was wondering what happened when I realised it must’ve been the henna tattoo I got earlier last night that stuck to the sheets when I perspired.

I slowly got out of bed, careful not to wake him. I picked up my clothes at the foot of the bed and started putting them on. My shirt was stained, too.

I looked at him one last time thinking, “God, he’s gorgeous.” then I opened the door.

“Where are you going?” I turned to find him squinting in the sunlight streaming from the open door.

“I’m going back to my hotel to shower and change.”

“Will you come back?”

“I won’t be long. Sleep some more. It’s still early.” I walked back to the bed, kissed him quickly on the lips and walked out.

***

Lara was in my hotel restaurant next to the lobby, sitting on a table next to her luggage when she spotted me walking in.

“You better hurry up. The group is leaving in a few minutes. Saturday’s a little crazy here in Bora. So we have to be early.” She paused and I can almost see her gear shifting from her business mode, “What happened to you last night?”

I smiled.

“You slut.” She said affectionately.

***

Same deal as the first part, you have to tell me what you think happens next. The poll is on the sidebar below my profile.

requiem for a fling, reader's version

i just thought i'd make writing and reading this more interesting for me and (hopefully) you.

inspired by 'create your own adventure' books i loved when i was young, i just made a poll that asks the readers what will happen next to the main characters of the story.

if the winning answer to the poll is divergent to what happened in real life, there would be a reader's version to the story. if it's the same - well, i'll just carry on telling the story confirming that most people will figure out real life (and choose to read it) rather than fiction.

i'll wait till friday before i write the next part and post the story by sunday.

so go and vote! the poll is in the sidebar below my profile.

requiem for a fling, part 1

Summer, 1999

I was holding Lara’s hand when he caught my eye on the way to the bar filled with people in varying degrees of undress and intoxication. His eyes pierced through me that I had to pause as if stunned by an unexpected blow.

“Where are they?” Lara sounded anxious, tugging at my hand.

“They must’ve changed their minds and went to another place,” I said, breaking the gaze with some effort to attend to Lara.

“We must look for them, then.” Without waiting for my response, she turned back and pulled me toward the beachfront. Still dazed I followed obediently with the uneasy feeling of a person being watched. Without meaning to, I looked back. He was still looking with his eyes intense and knowing. In the moving, multicolored lights of the bar, he looked almost inanimate in his stillness.

“Kiel, hurry up. We might loose them,” Lara tugging at my hand again with impatience.

Shrugging my shoulders with an uneasy smile, I turned away. I caught up with Lara and put my arms around her shoulders.

“Did you see somebody you know?” she asked, puzzled.

“No,” squeezing her shoulder as if to reassure her. “Let’s go, I don’t want to get lost here.”

With a final glance to the still figure that still looked unmoving from a distance, I walked resolutely out of the open-air club into the warm, humid breeze of the sea.



***

“I hate you when you dance like this,” Lara chided, “I can’t keep up and people are staring at you.”

A few minutes after finding our friends we were back at the bar. Looking for them took so much effort that by the time we got back we didn’t bother to wait for our beers and hit the dance floor. Our friends followed suit in no time.

In playful spite, I writhe with more abandon. Dancing has always brought me to a state of natural high. She let out an unintentional shriek, feigning scandal. I pulled her close and forced her body to undulate with mine to the primal beat of the music. It was not before long that we were laughing so hard we had to stop dancing and catch our breath.

It was then that I saw him again, sitting at our table staring at me with such nonchalant ease, as if it’s the most natural thing for him to do.

“Let’s sit down and drink for a while” she said walking towards our table.

It was only when Lara took her beer bottle that she noticed the handsome stranger sitting at our table. Though a little fazed she managed to mumble a tentative hello that he exchanged with a slow smile before looking back at me.

Laura turned to me, raised a quizzical eyebrow but sat at our table without saying anything. She turned to look at our friends still at the dance floor.

Feeling a little brazen, I held his gaze while still abstractedly gyrating to the music. His eyes lit up and his smile widened. He stood up and cocked his head to the direction of the beachfront as if telling me to follow. Without a word he casually walked out of the bar.

“Who was that?” Lara asked, really puzzled this time.

“Don’t you know him?” I shook my head still smiling.

“Damn, he’s gorgeous. Why didn’t you talk to him? Aren’t you the least bit interested? Now you lost your chance”

It suddenly occurred to me that she maybe right. “Not so fast.” I said, thinking out loud and followed the guy to the beachfront ignoring the inquiring looks of our friends who were walking back to our table.

***



I immediately saw him sitting on the sand a few feet away from the bar’s entrance, watching the sea. I heard my heart thudding almost blurring the sound of the waves gently lapping at his feet as I drew nearer.

I sat down a few feet away from him. He looked at me, smiled and moved closer.

“I’m Etienne,” he said with a distinct French accent and held out his hand.

“I’m Kiel” shaking his hand. We smiled at each other for a few more seconds before turning our gaze to the sea and sitting quietly for what seemed an eternity.