The Secret Affair

The sun was setting, spreading its orange fingers over the horizon, when I came back with the bowl of ice cream. And she was still there, sitting on a rock with her knees to her chest, gazing away into the distance. In front of her were several doodles and an “I ♥ U” written on the sand in a scribbled handwriting. My handwriting.

I suddenly slowed down thirty feet away from her. By instinct I scanned the empty beach for stragglers. A quick look behind told me nobody followed. This secret meeting is the best we can pull off ever since her rich and overly protective father became suspicious.

“Here,” I said, sitting down beside her with a warm smile. She looked at the food and grinned. Strawberry. Her favorite flavor.

“I thought you’re going to get me something hot,” she said, still shivering in her swimming suit. She was wearing a two-piece bikini that perfectly sculpted her body and showed too much skin...which I don’t mind at all.

“Oh come on!” I teased. “It’s strawberry.” Watching her closely from the corner of my eye, I took a spoonful of ice cream. “Open your mouth now.”

She simply avoided the spoon as I reached for her.

“Come on!” I cajoled. “It’s delicious! Trust me.” With a quick move I made another attempt.

“Hey!” she shouted, pushing away both the spoon and the bowl, splattering my bare chest with the pink gooey cream. I gasped in surprise.

“I bought that two blocks away.” I narrowed my eyes suggestively. “Now you’ve got to lick it!”

“I’m sorry,” she apologized, ignoring my comment. She stood up and raised her hands in defense as if I might possibly hit her.

I gave her a warning look. “You asked for it.”

She ran, screaming. And I chased her in hot pursuit, shouting words that may sound like threat to others, but to her ears, this was just a game. We scoured the length of the empty beach, still screaming and shouting in a playful race. Then I reached her and flung my arms around her. She shrieked and I hugged her tighter, lifting her up to the air, turning her around in circles. She wriggled and eventually got free, and we both fell on the water, laughing hard at ourselves.

“Man, you are heavy!” I exclaimed as I reclined on the beach.

“Oh really?” She slapped my cheek softly and traced a circle. There was a nasty grin on her face, but she still looked dazzlingly pretty. I relished the moment, just lying there with her caressing my face, my neck...then she suddenly jumped straight at me and we both went down into the water. She mischievously tried to tickle me in the water. We played just above the surface, like a mermaid and a merman having fun. She continuously ran her fingers around my body in a desperate attempt to make me laugh. Finally, when we were both out of breath, we surfaced and floated on the waves.

“You should have thought about tickling underwater,” I said matter-of-factly. “It is scientifically proven to be ineffective.”

She rolled her eyes and started for the beach. I grinned nastily.

I dived and coursed the water to chase her. She swam fast, but not fast enough for me not to reach her. I pulled her legs under, then tossed her up again, fell, and we both rolled and rolled, now in the water, now on the sand, laughing and screaming, tickling and being tickled, the orange sky looming silently above us. And then, when the rolling and tickling stopped, I found myself on top of her, staring deep into her passionate eyes, her face centimeters from mine. I was aware of our position but made no attempt to move. This place is secret. Nobody, not even her spiteful father, will find us.

For a moment there was silence, and then...

“You’re not going to kiss me, right?” There was a hint of longing and struggle in her voice, but she did not break my gaze.

“No, I won’t,” I lied and allowed the seawater to trickle down my face into my neck. It fell and landed just above her breasts. Slowly, I bent closer.

“Wait!” she cried, grabbing my hair and pulling up my head.

“Hey watch the hair!”

“You said you’re not going to kiss me!”

“But you’re blushing. Secretly, you want me to.”

Her face turned into a darker shade of pink.

“It’s not that. I’m just—”

I bent down again and she stopped.

“You’re not going to kiss me, right?” she asked again.

“No, I won’t,” I lied back...again. But this time I made the kiss real.

Gently, I pressed my lips into hers. She closed her eyes and kissed back. Her soft lips touched mine, our tongues finding each other. She moved her hands around my body, exploring me as I explored hers. I straddled her hips and kissed deeper. Don’t get me wrong. There will be no sex. That much we understand. But at this point, at this sensual moment, our two bodies touching was the most effective expression of our love that had been kept from us by her father.

I relished the moment. For months we have painstakingly endured wordless communication. Just implied looks and mutual friends to deliver messages. No SMS or chat. And when we meet, it was short and planned, with utmost vigilance and under the constant fear of getting caught. I broke the kiss and looked into her eyes. She smiled.

Then a deep voice spoke behind us. “That’s so sweet.”

We flinched in surprise and scrambled to our feet. As I turned, an excruciating pain suddenly attacked my upper shoulder. I screamed in agony and fell on my knees. She screamed too—a bloodcurling scream that meant only one thing. I reached behind me and pulled out a dart. My heart suddenly pounded so hard it almost muffled the hasty footsteps on the sand. In seconds, men in black surrounded us. I teetered at the edge of consciousness, taking in what had transpired in the split of a second. Beyond the circle of men, her father stepped in and grabbed her. He threw her to a bodyguard who held her captive while she struggled and screamed. Beside him was a private investigator. The father glared at me.

“So, we meet again,” he said menacingly. I felt shamefully pathetic as I struggled to stand up. The tranquilizer was weak but was slowly taking effect.

“Erin, my dear,” he said to his daughter. “I guess this little affair will seal the arrangement.” He looked toward the water, where a white yacht had suddenly appeared. “It seems we are migrating to Europe after all.”

I stood in shock. I could never forgive myself. We’ve been caught. We have been bloody caught. And after all we’ve done to keep this secret. After all the sacrifices and rebellion. I wouldn’t let it end at this. I’m not giving up without a fight.

My hands clenched into fists and anger burst like a long-held dormant volcano waiting to blow. In primal defense, I yelled and hurled myself toward him. My eye met a fist as big as half my face. Dazed, I crumpled to the ground.

“No!” Erin screamed. Her father kicked me to roll me over. I spat out a mouthful of sand.

“Poor young man,” he said, shaking his head in mock. “But my daughter deserves better.” That’s it. There was finality in his voice.

As I struggled to keep my consciousness, I saw Erin mouth three words. The forbidden words. “I love you.” Then she was led away.

I love you too, I thought as the sedative finally took hold of me. I saw them walking to the white yacht, then everything went black...

...I opened my eyes and stared at the orange sky. I was still alone on the beach...always alone on the beach...lying down with my hands under my head, dressed in nothing but my board shorts, the waves rolling and splashing gently on my body. A bowl of strawberry ice cream was left empty on the nearby sand.

It had been more than a year since she was taken from me, and here I was, hoping she’ll come back. I did not believe it of course, but I still find myself visiting this secret place every week. As I stood up to prepare for home, I noticed a tiny speck appear on the horizon. My body froze and I was unable to move.

A white yacht was coming my way.

~end

Author’s Note: This was written when I was in College and was first published in The Central Echo Literary Folio “Silence.” The Central Echo is the official student publication of Central Philippine University, Iloilo City, Philippines.