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| JOJO ALAMILLO |
| Succubus |
| THE AUTHOR HOLDS THE COPYRIGHT TO THIS STORY. THIS IS POSTED WITH PERMISSION FROM THE AUTHOR. |
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| It was dusk, and the wind was cold. Standing on the bow of the ship, Jasper zipped up his jacket and hugged himself. The boat was to dock in fifteen minutes. About a mile away, he could see tiny dots of yellow lights line the boulevard of Dumaguete City. It was about two months ago on that boulevard, on one of its benches, where he and Sonya sat. “I’ll be leaving next week for my Nursing board exam,” he said. Sonya gave him a blank stare. He searched her eyes for any sign of sadness--even just a faint flash, but there was none. Nothing in her small, black eyes, her rounded, babyish face, or her small, soft body. Sonya’s eyes left him and settled back on the dark waves that rushed to ram the sea wall. Jasper sighed and hung his head. He could remember better times. He could remember the warm hugs, the wet kisses, all of which are gone now, leaving him nothing behind but a cold shoulder. “What else is left for me to do? Tell me, Sonya! Please. What will it take to make you love me like you once did? It’s almost a year now since you’ve been doing this to me. What else do I have to do?” “I don’t know.” Jasper gestured with his hands and opened his mouth to speak, but the words were stuck in his throat. Sonya stared at him shaking his hands about, closing and opening his mouth, looking like a dumb man trying hard to speak. “One mistake!” Jasper finally managed to blurt out. “All I did was one mistake and proof, it’s over. I can’t believe how you could just end it in an instant.” “Nothing really started in the first place.” Jasper stared at her with wide-open, unbelieving eyes. Sonya closed her eyes and turned her head away. Jasper shook his head and bit his lip. This is it, he thought. Now that he is back, he and Sonya are going to start a new relationship, pick up from where they have left off, and bring back the love she once had for him. This time he is going to do it differently: He is going to court her again just like the first time. A crowd of people was waiting behind iron railings. Some craned their necks, trying to spot out some returning relatives, an old friend, or a lover. Slinging his large bag over his shoulder, Jasper searched the crowd for a familiar face as he walked down the gangway. There was none. “Hello, Mom. Dad.” “Jasper!” “Jasper? But we thought you’ll arrive tomorrow morning yet.” “Oh, Jasper! How was your trip, dear?” “Fine, Mom.” Jasper bent his tall, lean frame to kiss his mother on the cheek. His mother grabbed his head, ruffling his black, wavy hair, and kissed him on both cheeks. “Jasper, you look pale. My, you’re so thin! Weren’t you eating enough in Cebu?” “It’s not lack of food but lack of sleep, I guess.” “Oh, dear. You should take a rest. Have you eaten supper, yet?” “I ate a sandwich on the boat,” he said, rubbing his stomach. “Mom, Dad, I think I’ll rest in my room now.” “Sure, son.” “Oh, you must, dear!” Jasper looked around his room. Everything was exactly as it was when he left two months ago. He placed his bag on the floor and walked over to the window overlooking the street. It was dark outside, and the street, lit by a solitary lamp, was empty. He turned his head up and gazed at the sky over the trees that lined the street. He could hardly see the stars. The moon was nowhere to be found. After standing there for half an hour, Jasper then went to his bed and lay on his back, crossing his arms behind his head. He looked beside him, at the telephone on top of the nightstand. He stared at the silent, gray object for a long time. Then his arm reached for it and his fingers automatically tapped on a series of well-memorized numbers. On the seventh ring, a familiar voice answered. “Hello?” Not knowing what to say, he gently placed the handset back on its cradle. He picked up a thick book, Mary Stewart’s “The Hollow Hills,” which was lying beside the phone. A bookmark stuck out of his pages. Jasper held the bookmark with his fingers. It was the bookmark Sonya gave to him when everything between them seemed to go so well. “For the future nurse who likes to read fantasy too much more than he likes to fantasize me.” Sonya handed him the bookmark and kissed him. “Watch pocket introduced in 1873. Not for boys. Hmmm. Thanks.” He clipped her short, black hair behind her ear and kissed her on the cheeks. But before he could move his head, Sonya wrapped her arms around his neck and French kissed him. When she finally released him, there was a large, boyish grin on his face. “That was delicious. What do you call that again? Lasagna?” “I call that “The Devil’s Kiss’.” “Wow, can I have some more of it?” “Only if you say please.” “Please!” “No way.” Jasper was stunned, but Sonya, laughing, kissed him again. At the second ring, the same voice answered. :Hello?” “Hi.” “Who’s this?” “It’s me, ah, Jasper.” “Jasper” Oh, hi. Listen, could you call gain some other time? I have a visitor and I’m very busy right now.” “Wait. Sonya, can I see you tonight?” “Jasper, I told you I’m busy.” “How about tomorrow night?” “I can’t.” “Okay, how about going with me to church this Sunday?” “Jasper, you know I don’t go to church.” “Yeah, but--.” “Jasper, you know I don’t go to church.” “Yeah, but--.” “Jasper, please! I can’t, okay? Maybe some other time.” Then she hung up. He sighed, long and deep. It seemed that it was going to be difficult, but he was sure he was going to triumph sooner or later. Love, he knew, would prevail. Yes, love, true love will win. True love is rare in this world, and he believed that the world would not waste it by not requiting it. As part of his intention of trying to court her as he did the first time, Jasper wrote her letters everyday, most of which he was too shy to send. There were some, though, he did manage to mail. Yet there was never a time he would not thoughtfully look at the phone. There were times he would just stare at it for a long time, or pick it up, try to dial a number, and set it down again. Sometimes, he’d get as far as hearing the phone ring on the other line, but he would hurriedly hang up when he feels it is about to be answered. When he could not help it, he would try a hesitant “Hello” and if he feels Sonya seemed to be a little more receptive to him, only then he would start to talk. Of course, he still received the sorry-I’m-busy line and their conversation never went longer than three minutes. Every week, he sent her flowers. Every month, he sent her cards. Jasper sometimes received a flat thank you for his letters, flowers, and cards when he called, but most of them were left unacknowledged. Everyday, he kept nurturing the hope that the power of true love, his love, will win over everything else, and Sonya will come to love him again. It was the day before the release of the Nursing board exam results when the phone rang. “Hello.” “Jasper?” “Sonya?” “Jasper. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have treated you like that.” Jasper could not say anything. Surprise had choked him. “Jasper, I think I’m going to take up on your offer now. Remember, you asked me to go to church with you? Well, why don’t you come and pick me up this afternoon? Jasper? Jasper didn’t know what to say. Things crazily moved in his mind in such dizzying speed. He could not believe it. At last love has won. Love does prevail! Love works things out in the end. “Jasper?” “Ah, how about four o’clock? Sonya met Jasper with a hug, smearing his check and neck with tears. Surprised, he hesitantly raised his arms to hold her. He closed his eyes. He breathed very slowly, taking in every moment, every sensation that had been, until now, but a memory in his mind. It has been long time since Sonya has hugged him like that, and a smile slowly began to spread across his face. Sonya stepped back and muttered, “I’m sorry.” Sniffling, she wiped her eyes with her fingers and said, “Let’s go.” The mass seemed too short for Jasper with Sonya beside him. He never even heard a word the priest said. He kept staring at Sonya, wearing a large smile over his face. They then went to a restaurant and took their places in its garden. Dusk had set in, and Jasper was already feeling very romantic. “You now what, I feel like a kid on his first date.” “Jasper, I was your first date. And even until now, you still seem like a kid.” “Yeah, I know. I feel like it’s our first date.” “You were so naïve—charmingly naïve, guess—and still are. That’s what’s interesting about you.” “And you, you were so composed, so sure of yourself, and yet so mysterious. Just by looking at you, I knew there was more to you than meets the eye. That’s what made me love you the moment I first knew you.” “Love,” Sonya said, smirking, “You don’t know anything about love. Let me tell you a bout love, Jasper: There is no love. Everybody likes somebody for their own selfish reasons. What you feel for me which you naively call love, is not love. It is just probably lust and you’re not even aware of it.” “Sonya, I know you’re no angel. I know about all those men in your life even before you made me your boyfriend. I know you, and if only I’m smart enough, I shouldn’t let myself have anything to do with you. But I chose not to mind it all,” Jasper looked away, “despite of all the hurt it has caused me. I feel like I’m the only man who wants to see you straighten out. Those men you had before never cared anything about you, but going to bed with you. And where are they now?” “Commitment is a bore Jasper. If true love results in commitment, then true love is a bore. And I don’t want to be bored, Jasper.” They went back to Sonya’s apartment. Jasper was about to turn and walk out of the door when Sonya called his name. “Jasper, would you mind staying a little longer? I feel so alone, and I don’t want to feel lonely tonight.” “O-okay,” He sat on the couch and turned on the television, while Sonya went to get some coffee. She came back with a cup on each hand and placed them both on the table. She then huddled close to Jasper. Jasper felt his heart beat a little faster. For so long the memory of her warmth has constantly plagued his mind, and now he was feeling it for real this time, feeling it again. He slowly placed a slightly trembling arm over her small shoulders. Sonya looked up at him, her eyes probing his, trying to read his mind. She lifted her chin and kissed him lightly on the lips. A surge of electricity came over his head, warming his ears. He bent his head and clumsily kissed her. Before Jasper could do anything else, Sonya wrapped an arm around his back while the other pressed his head close to her. Her tongue started to move and Jasper felt his head grow heavy as everything else around him dissolved in a dark mist. All he could see was Sony’s face and the soft glow the television cast on it. He felt fingers grasping his shirt and tearing it off. A hand shoved him and he fell on his back with his head hanging over the couch. A black brassiere fell on his face. Soft little fingers touched his belly and unzipped his pants… Jasper went home at four o’clock in the morning, and he slept till noon, waking up to a bright day. He felt very light-headed as he ate his lunch. Last night seemed like a dream to him, and as if to confirm how real it was, he immediately went back to his room and called up Sonya. “Hello,” a male voice answered. “Who’s this? Where’s Sonya?” “Hey, are you the guy who was with my girlfriend last night?” “Your girlfriend?” This must be a joke, he thought. Sonya must have asked this guy to play a joke on him. Yes, it is just like Sonya to do something like this. But then, he heard Sonya’s voice—and she sounded serious. Sonya and the guy sounded like they were having an argument. Then their argument suddenly stopped. “Hello? Jasper?” It was Sonya. “Listen to me, please. I’m sorry. I should have told you about Mark. I know I shouldn’t have led you into thinking I was taking you back. It was that, I just felt lonely after Mark and I had a quarrel. Look, Jasper. I like you, but I just can’t commit myself to anyone right now. You’re asking me to settle down, and I’m just not ready yet. Jasper, are you--?” Jasper slammed the phone. He stared at it. He picked it up and threw it on the floor. Suddenly, a loud excited knocking made him turn his head towards the door. When he opened it, his mother jumped in and hugged him tight. “You passed! You passed! Oh, my God, you passed!” “Marcia, dear. He has more than passed. He’s number fifty-two among the seven hundred.” “Oh my, what a happy day this is!” “Smile, son. You should be proud of yourself.” “Jasper, what’s wrong dear? Are you okay? You look sick.” Jasper realized it was the day the Nursing board exam results were released. But he didn’t care. “I’m fine. Mom. Mom, Dad, I really need to be alone for a while. Could you pleased excuse me? I’ll be out later.” “Don’t take too long, son, cause today we’ll have a celebration.” When he was alone, he went to the window overlooking the street and stood there for a long time. Harsh rays from the sun reflected on the pale, concrete street which was empty except for some dead, brown leaves that had fallen from the branches of the trees beside it. He could feel the heat and the silence outside. The leaves began to stir. They flipped, bounced and flew away, carried by the wind. The branches waved , its leaves rustling. The wind died down, and one by one, the leaves began to fall from the branches, landing on the concrete below. For a long time, his eyes fixed upon the newly fallen leaves, enduring the nigh- blinding blindness outside. He closed his eyes and turned away. Outside his room, he could hear his mother talking excitedly with someone. He walked towards the door, bracing himself to face all the people who were happy for him that day. |