His Punishment (6 page)

She drove alone
today as Lyn’s schedule is different from hers. They won’t be able to meet for
lunch today for her class is ending at twelve noon and Lyn’s second class is
from 11:30 until 1:00.

The parking
attendant guided her as she parked. Her car is a white Mitsubishi Montero and
it is hard to park especially when the slot is as tiny as the parking lots
here. Good thing the slot beside hers is still vacant.

In ten minutes
she was out of the parking lot and decided to go straight to the room and
reread the report that is due on Friday. She has two classes today and the last
is ending at noon and she knew she had enough time to finalize the report in
the afternoon after James proofreads it.

The classroom is
slowly being packed by students, nearly the seats are occupied.

She looked up
when the door opened and banged on the wall. She saw James frowning and
entering the room.

“Hi James,” she
said when he walked past her seat.

He didn’t mutter
a word nor glanced her way. He just went straight to where he usually sits. She
was taken aback at his reaction. She didn’t expect him to ignore her like this
as they were okay the night they last talked.

The professor
entered the room and greeted the class. Immediately the students hurried to
their seats as this guy is a terror teacher.

Tara keeps
glancing at the frowning James. She can see that his face is still tensed. His
jaw is so square and his eyes look furious. She keeps wondering what’s going
on.

“Tara Salvador!”
Mr. Reyes called her attention and she looked up at him.

“Stop staring at
Aguilar and listen to me!” he said angrily. She heard the girls’ chuckle.

“Sorry,” she
said then glanced back at James who is looking intently at her with a blank
expression on his face then she looks back at their prof.

She is wondering
why he is acting such. She thought it was impossible that it was because of
her, she keeps on reminiscing of their good friendly talk at Samal last Friday.

The class ended
soon as it is just an hour class and she went to the restroom to pee.

When she headed
back to her next class, she saw James was outside the classroom alone. His arms
on the railing of the veranda, he was looking at the soccer field below their
building.

“James?” Tara
called to him when she was already standing beside him.

He did not hear
her. He continued staring at the empty field.

“James,” she
said again.

He still did not
reply. His mind is off somewhere and he has shut himself from the world around
him.

“James!” Tara
said once again and touched his arm.

“What!!” he
exclaimed then looked at her with a frown.

“Sorry, but we
need to finish our project. We still have thirty minutes before the next class
starts,” she explains startled and holding her lip as if scared of James’
reaction.

“Are you trying
to seduce me Tara?” he asked his frown deepening.

“What?” she was
so confused.
Why is he mad at me?

He looked at her
hand playing with her mouth. And Tara abruptly moved her hands down. But James
still keeps staring at her lips and Tara gets conscious and bites her lower
lip. He moves his face closer to hers.

“Rhea and I
broke up because of you!” he said angrily now intently looking at her eyes.

Tara felt his
angry breath in her face and she shivered.

“You’ll pay for
it!” he threatened as he glanced back to her luscious lips that he dreamt of
kissing last weekend.

“What did I do?”
she asked nervously.

“She had sex
with a stranger the night I was with you. Now you’ll wish you never kept me in
that fucking villa!” his frightening glare and voice echoes again.

Tara is becoming
more and more nervous and stares at James while still nibbling on her lower
lip. It’s a distracting habit she has been doing since she was a child every
time she gets tensed.

“I’ll make that
fucking lip bleed if you don’t stop teasing me with it!” he exclaims angrily
misinterpreting her edgy feeling.

“But I’m not
teasing you,” she says defensively.

“Where’s the
report?” he asked remembering it but still not taking his eyes away from Tara’s
lips and then looking at her nervous eyes.

She turns away
and heads to the classroom door and James followed her with his eyes. She’s
wearing her favorite red tutu skirt.
Her long and flawless white legs look
so silky.
He wanted to scoop her up and saddle them on his hips.
And her
shape is so sexy.
He wanted to run his hands on her sides. He shuddered at
the intensity of his feelings. He is caught between anger and lust towards the
woman.

Tara came back
with an envelope in her chest. She walks straight to James who eyes the packet
she is holding. She hands it to him but James is still staring at where the
envelope once was.

He saw the bulk
that Tara’s breasts are pushing in her white body-hugging sleeveless shirt with
a big red heart print in front. He kept staring as if examining it via X-ray
eyes.

She covered his
eyes with the envelope. She was waving it at his face. James got it fast and
looked back at Tara with fiery eyes then left her and went inside the room.

After an hour
their second class ended and she was waiting for James to return the printed
materials to her so she can finish it at home.

She heard
stomping feet towards her and a loud smash on her desk. She looked up and saw
James putting the envelope on her table and then he vanishes through the door.

I didn’t do
anything! Why is he blaming me for his slutty girlfriend’s actions!

Tara is still
nervous and wondering what to do. She was already OK with James when she left
Samal. She still kept thinking as she crossed the street walking towards her
car.

When she
arrived, she saw that the other car parked beside hers is too near her car. It
is impossible for her to get in now that her car is sandwiched by two SUVs. She
is trying to come up with a plan as to how to get in her car, but it seems
impossible. She would definitely leave scratches on both cars if she tried.

She called the
parking attendant and asked if either of the two owners of the vehicles is
near. The attendant asked the other attendant and she heard them say something
about the black Mitsubishi Montero.

It was parked on
her driver’s side. Making it easier for her if that is the one to be moved as
its other side is spacious. The driver can ride from that other side. She
looked at the plate and it was personalized.
JEA 25.

JEA
.
Shit!
I hope it’s not for James Ervine Aguilar!

She saw the hunk
she was scared of facing just a few minutes ago walking towards her direction.
She moves her shades to her eyes wishing it could make her invisible.

She looked at
James who is still frowning.
Did he never stop frowning since this morning?
Or just because of me?

“I can’t believe
it!” he told her when they were inches away.

“What?” she
asked.

“You’re
following me even to the parking lot!” he shouted at her.

“I did not!” she
said nibbling her lips again. Her heart was pounding harder against her chest.

“I’ve had it
Tara!” he shouted again before pushing her to side of her car. They are now
sandwiched by their cars. His body is pressed hardly on hers and their faces
are inches apart. She can smell the mint from his mouthwash.

“I told you I’d
make those lips bleed if you don’t stop!” he said before kissing her angrily on
the lips.

Tara was shocked
at first and remained frozen, a few seconds after everything that is happening
sank to her, she started to try doing every protest she could. Her things are
dropped to the floor as she kept punching his chest and pushing him away from
her.

He wasn’t moving
away though. He continued to savage and punish Tara’s lips as he continued to
kiss her angrily. The space between their cars is not helping at all. Their
bodies are pressed so close together and James is now trying to touch her legs
and squeezing her thighs as he continues to force his tongue inside her mouth.

She tried to
talk and say stop. But even before she could utter the word, he took the
advantage of the little opening in her mouth and plunged his tongue inside
hers. He was pressing the back of her neck with his other hand and pushing it
to his face. He was sucking her breath out and she is in tears.

Trying very hard
to push James away seemed hopeless. James’ hands are moving up from her thighs
to her hips and gripping them. She can feel James’ body pressing harder to hers
as she continued her objection.

He was a six
foot one inch bulk and what does she expect a five feet and six inches tall
like her can do against it?

She can feel
something hard in her stomach this time. She struggles with all the might she
could gather as she knows that what she’s feeling is James’ manhood growing
hard.

James is
scanning her body with his free hand. It is now trying to get inside her shirt
and she is trying to pull her shirt down as he tries to pull it up to reach her
flat stomach. His greedy hands are moving so fast and strong and she can feel
his hand on top of her left breast squeezing it tightly. She is so shocked at
what James is doing and continues to weep.

His other hand
now goes up to her face to cup her cheeks, but he stops and moves away from her
when he felt her face is wet. He looked at her intently and saw her crying. He
looked at her a few more seconds as he tried to catch his breath and then he
finally left her flushed face and swollen lips.

He went inside
his car and moved it. Tara immediately rode her car when she saw the space was
enough and drove home still in tears, not looking back from where she left.

“You’re coming over tonight?” Lyn
asked.

“Okay, I will wait for you,” she
said again before hanging up.

She was excited. She dressed up and
tried putting on some light make up. The intercom in her room disturbed her.

“Yep?” she answered.

“Ma’am Tara is outside. She doesn’t
want to come up, she just said it’s something important.” Lyn’s house helper
said through the intercom.

Lyn ended the conversation and
headed downstairs swiftly. Never did Tara do anything like that. She’s just
usually barging in her room without her knowing. Their families have been very
close since they had become best friends in high school. They are like extended
families and they have never been shy with each other’s parents at all.

“Hon?” she asked when she saw Tara
and her swollen eyes. “What happened?”

“Nothing, I’m just not well.” She
shrugged and felt guilty for lying to her best friend.

“Pool?” she asked hoping for Tara
to stay a bit, she was so alarmed at how she looked when she saw her at the
living room. There is something definitely wrong and she is desperate to find
out.

“Okay.”

They walked silently to the
swimming pool area at the back of the house while Lyn’s arms are at Tara’s
shoulders.

“Come on, what’s wrong hon?” Lyn
asked when they sat on the chairs that they use for sunbathing.

“Nothing really. I’m just tired and
I haven’t slept much because of my project.” She shrugged again.

Tara did not tell Lyn about her
paired assignment with James. Her best friend is a worrier and she doesn’t want
to worry her. Much more than that, she didn’t know about her trip to Samal last
Friday. Now, she doesn’t know how to start telling her about what happened this
afternoon.

“Would you like some strawberry ice
cream?” she asked her best friend who’s still looking as gloomy as dark clouds
in a storm.

“I’d love that!” Tara said smiling.
Whatever mood they are having, strawberry ice cream had always been perfect.

Lyn hurriedly stood up and went to
the kitchen leaving Tara lying down in the pool bench, her eyes closed.

“Hi,” she heard a guy’s voice
that’s a bit familiar.

She stood up and turned around and
was so surprised to see Christian standing there.

“H-Hi,” she stammered as she looked
through him checking if James was with him.
What is he doing here? Did James
send him to apologize?

“I’m looking for Lyn,” he said as if
answering her soundless questions.

“Lyn?” Tara asked.

“You’re already here!” Tara heard
Lyn say as she walks back to her with two ice cream cones in her hands.

“Hey!” Christian called out to Lyn
and moved to kiss her cheek.

“Wha….?” Tara’s voice trailed and
she swallowed the remaining words in her throat. She didn’t know what to say.
Are
they? When did? How did?

Christian and Lyn had been seeing
each other secretly. Lyn purposely did not tell Tara about it. She might get
her hopes up again with James once she finds out that her best friend is dating
James’ best friend.

Lyn doesn’t want to hurt Tara with
her little secret, but she doesn’t want her best friend to get hurt a bit more
if she will continue hoping that she and James can be together through Christian.
Plus of course, they are just starting this dating relationship, she still
doesn’t know how it will turn out.

“I know you got a lot of questions
hon.” Lyn said sitting down at the bench where she was a while ago. Her hand is
guiding Christian’s hand to follow her to the bench.

He sits beside her and their hands
have not parted since. Tara was in awe.

“Tara, this is Christian. Christian
this is Tara.”

“I know Lyn. You know what I want
to know.” Tara pointed out and now impatient.

“Okay, here goes . . . the day you
left for Samal . . .”

“You know?” Tara cut Lyn off.

“Yes. That day I went to your
classroom to look for you. I saw Christian and I asked him where you are.” Lyn
continued.

“So, all the while I was so guilty
for not telling you about the assignment and you knew all along?” Tara asked.

“Sorry but yes. I was waiting for
you to tell me what happened in Samal. You were just there for the night so I
figured it was bad.” Lyn presumed.

“Actually no, James and I patched
things up there.” Tara said.

“Really? Then why is he mad at you
when he got back? He said it was your fault that he broke up with Rhea.”
Christian butted in.

“That’s what I don’t get too. I
mean, we did the assignment, we agreed to be friends and then I left early the
next day.”

“He said he caught Rhea.” Christian
said.

“Yeah, he told me this morning at
the veranda. Something like Rhea had sex with a stranger the night we were
doing the assignment,” Tara said touching her temples. She’s having a headache
from all this. Now, she has more headache seeing Christian and Lyn together.

“What? That bitch!” Lyn gasped as
she heard her story.

“Well, he said if you never came
for the project and if you never took his time, then Rhea wouldn’t have gotten
angry at him and fucked someone else,” Christian explained his best friend’s
side.

“But it’s not my fault he had a
slut of a girl friend!” Tara said exasperatedly. She had been trying to say
that over and over the whole day.

“Yeah, I know. But you know James.
He never listened to any of us about Rhea. We have been telling him that we
sense something about her, but he won’t budge. He feels he is deeply fallen for
her. But in reality, I think it’s just the amazing sex. That girl is a pro!”
Christian admits.

“Babe!” Lyn said covering her
mouth.

“Sorry babe, but that’s just how I
see it.” He apologized to her and kissed her on the lips.

“Urgh!” Tara exclaimed. “Quit
kissing while I’m here. Pleeeease!!!”

“Sorry hon.” Lyn blushed.

“Now tell me, after Friday . . .
what happened? How did all this start?” Tara asked changing the topic.

“Well, after he told me you’re
going to Samal, I asked for his number so I would get some news about you and
James. I gave him my number too.” Lyn shyly said.

“I texted him that same night
asking but he said he didn’t know anything yet as James didn’t message him. And
then we just talked and then we enjoyed our conversation, then before we hang
up he asked me out.” Lyn explains.

“Then?” Tara asked urging Lyn to go
on.

“We went out the following day.”
Lyn ended her story.

“So you guys are dating now?” Tara
was amazed.

“If that’s okay, actually I had
this feeling you might not want to share your ‘honey’ with me,” Christian eyes
her like a child asking for candy.

She laughed a little. “I’m a
jealous person actually. I’m not sure about the sharing thing,” Tara said
jokingly.

Lyn sensed Tara is now lightening
up. She didn’t see the pain in her eyes anymore and she feels that she is happy
for her and Christian.

Christian laughed at Tara. “You
know I really think you’re a cool person Tara. You seem quite like Lyn’s
identical twin. I don’t understand why James can’t see that in you.”

Tara remembered James and she had
to ask, “James knows about the two of you already?”

“NO!” they both said in unison.
They both sounded so startled at the question.

“Please don’t tell him.” Lyn said.

“Why don’t you want him to know?”
she asked puzzled.

“Just don’t tell him hon.”

“Well, as if, I can. He’s mad at me
again!” Tara said.

“Yes please, don’t tell him.”
Christian pleaded.

“I said I don’t have access to say,”
Tara said irritated. “He stopped talking to me civilly.”

She suddenly remembered what
happened this afternoon at the parking lot and felt sad again. She touched her
lips then she felt the pain in her heart.

“Tara?” Lyn asked holding her hand.
She looked worried.

“I’m okay Lyn.” She shrugged.
It’s
not the right moment to tell.
It’s a good night for my best friend.

“Anyway, I won’t go to school
tomorrow that’s why I came here,” she continued.

“Why?” Lyn asked.

“Uhm, I need to do some stuff for
Boracay.” She lied to her again.

“Can you do me a favor and drop our
project in Mr. Torres’ pigeon hole tomorrow morning?” Tara continued handing
the envelope to her. “The deadline is three pm tomorrow, please make sure the
report is there before that time.”

“Sure, no problem,” she answered.

“Now, I’ll head out.” She told the
love birds.

“Thanks Tara.” Christian said
extending his hand for Tara to shake.

“Just take care of her. She’s my
best girl. Don’t be like James.” Tara warned him.

“I promise.” Christian said hugging
Lyn.

Tara saw her best friend happy with
a guy for the first time and she can’t help but be happy too. Everybody
deserves love and happiness.

“Bye!” she kissed her in the cheek
then looked at Christian. “Hey, don’t get jealous, it’s just a friendly kiss.”
She turned after patting his shoulder.

***

James keeps glancing over at Tara’s
seat. It has been since Thursday noon since he last saw her. He doesn’t
understand himself why he’s looking for her.  He doesn’t know if he wants to
apologize or he wants to kiss her again.

The kiss was fierce but he was
surprised to feel himself aroused while kissing her and it bothered him to see
her crying when he did so.
Of course she would you brutal jerk!
He
glanced again for the hundredth time he thought.

“Dude? You looking for her?”
Christian nudged James at the elbow.

“What?” he looked at Christian.

“Tara.” His best friend points his
lips at the empty seat.

“Hell, no!” James grunted.

He heard Christian chuckle.

“You miss her dude.” Christian
continued bantering him.

“Quit it!” he referred to his best
friends’ teasing.

“Then why do you keep looking?”
Christian asked.

“I’m just wondering if she passed
our project.” James said nonchalantly.

“Fool me!” Christian said
knowingly.

“Really!” James convinces
Christian.

“Fine! Fool yourself!” Christian
smiled.

They both remain silent and tried
to focus on the lecture. James is actually just staring on the board. He can’t
understand a single word his prof is talking about. He was thinking about what
happened in the parking lot.

He was surprised at what he did.
Yet he can’t hide the fact that he enjoyed kissing and feeling her. It was what
he wanted ever since they talked at Samal. Her lips were full and soft. He knew
it would feel that way, but he cringed at the thought of how he found out.

When he let her go, he instantly
felt that he missed her body and her lips already. He went inside his car when
he felt her crying. He was so ashamed of himself for what he did. When he moved
the car, he concluded that he had to apologize, but as soon as he made a little
space for her to get in, she zoomed away.

Now that he has not seen her for a
few days already, he is missing her. He still wanted to apologize, but not with
as much eagerness as on that day. For the first time, he was basked in
uncertainty.

He glanced one more time on her
empty seat and heard a soft chuckle from Christian. He slapped his own forehead
as if it could clear it from his confusion.

***

Tara went back to school on
Wednesday. She felt brand new. A few days at Boracay Island made her think. She
had her early orientation which was not due until a month and a half from now.

She went to her professors to check
what she has missed and there was not much, aside from the midterm exams coming
up next week. She made sure she gathered all the papers that she missed from her
three days leave from classes. It’s good she’s doing well with her remaining
subjects.

She entered the classroom and found
James’ eyes lit up when he saw her. She just looked at him for a bit and went
to her seat.

It is the first time she didn’t
greet or smile at James. She sat back to her chair and skimmed through the
printed materials she got from her Profs. She can feel James’ eyes still
intently looking at her but she didn’t turn to face them. She pretended she’s
busy.

She already found a new parking
area which was a bit far from school, the farther the better. At least there is
no chance she would see James somewhere near it.

“Tara,” she heard James beside her.

She just looked up and didn’t say a
word.

“Can we talk?” He asked.

“I’m a bit busy now catching up on
what I’ve missed.” She said looking back to her papers.

“Just a few minutes before class
starts,” he urged again.

“Next time.” She answered not
looking at him.

James felt the brush off and went
back to his seat. He felt hurt and miserable. He waited so long to see her
again. He was so determined to apologize for the way he acted the last time she
went to school.

For the entire period Tara never
glanced at James. The class was over in no time and she went out of the
classroom to go to the library and study.

It’s another U-break and Lyn is out
on a secret date with Christian. Tara didn’t want to eat at the mall as she
might accidentally bump into James. And that is the last thing she wanted at
the moment.

A week after the midterm exams,
there were Legislative Assembly representatives going around the campus and
distributing flyers on the upcoming graduation ball. Of course all graduating
students and their dates are invited to it.

It will be held in Imperial Manila
two weeks from today. The LA Reps are busy sending out the invitations to every
classroom and asking who are coming. When it was their turn to enter Tara’s
class, everybody was so excited about it. Except her. She has no date. And she
has no intentions on bringing someone.