His Punishment Read online

  She looked around. She found James staring at her and Rhea looks a little pissed that she is not getting her boyfriend’s attention now.

  “Okay, just one last.” She says smiling as one of the girls from the co-ed group stands and hands her a tissue. She guessed it was a request. She read the note aloud.

  “My boyfriend dumped me a few days back and I learned he never loved me at all. Please sing ‘Rolling in the Deep’ by Adele for me, please. Lovelots, Pia.” Tara said and raised her head to look at Pia, the one who has requested the song. She smiled at her. Just like her, they had boys undeserving of their love. She got hyped and looked at the band. Then positioned herself back at the center of the stage.

  She looked at James and she started her song as if talking to him directly.

  There's a fire starting in my heart

  Reaching a fever pitch and it's bring me out the dark

  Finally I can see you crystal clear

  Go ahead and sell me out and I'll lay your ship bare

  See how I'll leave, with every piece of you

  Don't underestimate the things that I will do

  There's a fire starting in my heart

  Reaching a fever pitch and it's bring me out the dark

  Are those words of threat? Why are her eyes blazing at me? How is it that her feelings show with her songs? James thought as he listened and looked intently at Tara’s eyes. Her eyes we’re like a mirror to her heart. Then Tara looked away.

  The scars of your love remind me of us

  They keep me thinking that we almost had it all

  The scars of your love, they leave me breathless I can't help feeling

  Then James saw her looked at him again. She’s mad at me. I can see. As if she feels I’m her ex-boy friend or something! James frowned at her.

  We could have had it all

  Rolling in the deep

  You had my heart inside your hand

  And you played it to the beat

  Tara looks away again. Why is she singing calmly when she’s not looking at me? Her eyes are so full of emotions. They are very expressive. Those round black eyeballs inside the chinky frame. I’m starting to like it. James shook his head again. What the hell am I thinking? How many shots of alcohol have I taken?

  Tara’s eyes are back at him again. With those same sizzling eyes she looks at James again. He moves in his seat a little, and Tara is so pleased. She can sense that James is uneasy now as they stare at each other.

  We could have had it all

  Rolling in the deep

  You had my heart inside your hand

  And you played it to the beat

  I did not play with your heart Tara! You weren’t even my girl friend. I wasn’t even interested in you. What the hell is your problem shouting your anger at me with your eyes? James stares back at Tara as if asking her what. He knew he was trying to be defensive as he stared back but what he didn’t know and didn’t understand is why.

  James did not notice that the song is already over. Tara removed their eye contact first and James was back to reality. He looked over at Rhea who has one eyebrow raised and glaring at him.

  “Baby . . .” he said as he tries to pull her close to him.

  “Shut up! Go meet up with that bitch now and get that project done fast.”

  “But we can still finish the band’s first set.” He was trying to woo his irate girlfriend.

  “No! I want her out of this island sooner. Or I will talk to the manager and tell her Tara is stalking us!” Rhea angrily tells him as she stands up leaving him alone at the table.

  “No baby, you can’t talk . . .” James wasn’t able to finish his sentence when Rhea interrupted.

  “Finish the project with her tonight and have her leave tomorrow.” Rhea storms out after giving her the ultimatum.

  How can I tell her she can’t kick Tara out of her own island? James wondered as he started walking out of the bar and to the lobby.

  “Tara,” she heard James calling her as she’s heading to the lobby as well. So she turned around to face him.

  “James?” she looked puzzled. “I told you to meet me at eleven. Where’s Rhea?” she looks behind him.

  “She has a headache so she went to the room early,” he lied. He doesn’t want to admit that Rhea was affected by her songs a while back.

  “Oh,” she acknowledges. “Wait, my laptop is in the room, I wasn’t able to get it yet as you were an hour early.”

  “It’s okay. Let’s just work in your room,” he shrugged. He looked calm for the first time.

  They walked silently. When James noticed that they were heading to his villa, he stopped.

  “Where are we going?” he stopped Tara.

  “My villa, N200HS.”

  “What? You mean your villa is next to ours?” he asked, removing any traces of calmness in his voice and face.

  “Where is yours?” she asked lying.

  “As if you didn’t know! Did you intentionally ask them to put you beside our villa? You want to eavesdrop on me having sex with my girl?” he asked angrily holding Tara’s arm tightly.

  “Ouch, will you let go. Stop overreacting James!” she tries to pull her arm away from his grip.

  “What do you want Tara?!” he exclaims.

  “Can we just enter the villa first and then shout your lungs out there? I don’t want to create a scene here. And more, I don’t want your girl friend to think were having a lover’s quarrel outside your own villa!” she tugs her arm lose from his grip this time and walks briskly to her front door.

  She turned the knob and looked at James still standing where she left him. “What?” she asked.

  James started walking towards her room. He stopped in front of her in the doorway and looked at her, “LOVERS! Ha! You are pathetic Tara!”

  The first ten minutes, they were sitting in the couch and sipping the coffee that Tara ordered for room service. The laptop is already turned on, but not a single word is written yet.

  Tara explained to James what they need for the project and she told him that the business her family has is a chain of resort and hotels. She asked James if he knows of a business that could do X-deal with a resort business.

  For the first time James and Tara are talking like adults. James told Tara that his family’s business is casino operations in Singapore. That explains why James is filthy rich.

  They were talking about the project for almost an hour already. Their report is almost half way done, as both of them knew well about their respective company’s operations. They never thought that this project would be this easy for both of them. It is likely that they will be done with the proposals by tomorrow and Tara will be out of the island in time for schedule.

  “Would you like to take a break?” Tara asked.

  “Yeah, I would really need one,” he said and stood up, “patio?” he asked.

  “Sure, the weather is good so the night breeze is really going to be relaxing,” she said as she opened the sliding door.

  “Where are the other resorts you own?” he asks as he sits in one of the rattan-made seats in the patio.

  Tara saw him took off his slippers and his feet played in the sand.

  He looks like a child and he seems harmless at this moment. She thought.

  “We have one in Cebu, in Palawan, in Subic, in Boracay, in Bohol . . . oh, please check the website!” she laughed.

  He laughed as well. “You know Tara, I never thought you could sing,” he said looking at her.

  “Why not?” she asked.

  “I don’t know. I just didn’t think that you could,” he shrugged.

  “Well, I got the talent from my mom. Every time Sweepers, the band tonight, is here and timely that I am too, I really sing with them. Mitch was my next door neighbor, before they moved to another place. We were close so I am almost always in their house jamming with her band. They asked me to join them a couple times already but I just keep turning them down,” she narrates.

&nbs
p; “I like your voice,” he stares at her.

  Tara was speechless. James liking her voice? That was too much to hear. She unconsciously blushed at his compliment.

  “I love music, but I’m not into it. I’m more of the outdoor, sporty type as you know.” James quickly changed the topic when he saw her blush and lightly felt his hot cheeks glowing in shyness for what he just admitted.

  “Well you got great talent there. I hope you win again in your last season for UAAP.” she wished him good luck.

  “Thanks,” he smiled, “Do you watch our games?”

  “Will you kill me for being honest?” she asked.

  He laughed a little, “Of course not.”

  “Well, I watched every game. You know. Me. Stalker.” she said. Pointing at herself repeatedly for the last four words she said.

  He laughed again, then became serious.

  “I’m sorry for calling you a stalker Tara,” he apologized and looked down at his feet, “I just hate it when girls are sooo aggressive.”

  “I’m not aggressive. I never asked you out or anything. I asked you to be my escort, but that’s just that.” she complained.

  “If I didn’t threaten you, I think you would have asked me somewhere else. . .” he said his voice trailing and looking for an answer.

  “Okay, got me.” She blushed as she honestly declared the truth to him.

  She looked cute and James saw that. “But you know I have a girl friend already Tara. She loves me and I love her too. So you know why we can’t be together. Right?”

  “Yup. Understood.” she says and looks at him with a smile. “We should have talked like this before you know.”

  “Yes, we should’ve,” he extends his hand to her, “we’re okay now?”

  Tara extends her hand to take James’. “Yes. Friends.”

  “Friends. No Stalking.” he said still shaking her warm hand and looking at her eyes.

  “Yup.” she agreed and smiled.

  James took his hand from her and frowned again, “But I am still warning you, if you do these little nasty things of following me around acting as if you didn’t plan any of it... you’re dead.” he smiled.

  “But I really don’t plan stuff James. It just happens. Like this, it wasn’t really me who volunteered. I was late for class and you were out. So naturally everybody was taken.” She tried to explain herself one more time.

  He just looked at her.

  “The only stalking I did to you was following you when you’re out with friends and texting and calling you three years ago.” She blushed again.

  “Even if you look cute when you blush, don’t do any of it again.” he stood up.

  She blushed even more when he said she looked cute when she blushed.

  “Hey! You’re thinking maliciously again?” he asked when he noticed she was fixed on her spot.

  “Let’s get back to work?” she asked changing the topic and stood up.

  “I can’t believe I’m in vacation and you’re having me do all this work here! You’re more of a slave-driver than my father!” he jokes and closes the sliding door after Tara entered.

  Tara looked at him while they were both standing at the door of the patio.

  “Sorry, workaholic present!” she raised her hand and walked back to the couch.

  James can’t help but laugh to himself. Tara seems a cool person, a cheerful and fun person. For the first time, he realized she isn’t that bad as he thought.

  “Hey! I will deduct from your salary the two minutes you’re standing there if you don’t come here!” she heard Tara interrupting his thoughts.

  “I can’t help being workaholic.” Tara speaks again

  “Why?” he asked.

  “Well, how can I really go on vacation? Most of the vacation spots I know are where my work is.” she pointed out to their beach resorts.

  “So, what would be your idea of a real getaway?” he asked eyeing her through the corner of his eyes.

  “I don’t know, that’s one tough question . . . I guess, I’ll go up the mountains. Baguio, the nearest. No water. No beach. Wow!” she says with her hands on her cheeks.

  He laughed loudly. “Other people would be envious of you having to spend every second near the beach!” he said.

  “Not me. When I see the beach, I see work.” she shrugged.

  “Don’t you like your work?” he asked.

  “Are you kidding? I love it. But I want to do something easier on the side . . .” she had her sentence hanging.

  “Like what?” he asked interestedly.

  “Hmmm . . . like singing. I could be the hot singer at the bar!” she giggled.

  “Crazy bitch!” he teased. She doesn’t know he’s looking at her from peripheral vision.

  “Bastard asshole!” she replies smiling as she can’t remove her vision from the cute guy beside her.

  James sits beside her and starts typing on Tara’s laptop, it’s his turn to polish his side, the casino operations.

  At fifteen minutes past one in the morning, the project was almost finished. Just a few more polishing and it’s done. Tara said she will finish the work at home.

  They were both surprised they were able to finish the project in a couple hours. ALMOST FINISHED. If they only knew that the project would be this easy for them, Tara could have saved her time, energy and resources than follow him here.

  “Good night James. I will see you in Manila.” Tara said as she opened the door.

  “Manila?” James wondered. Why not see you tomorrow?

  “The chopper is just on standby in the city, and since were almost done, let’s just wrap up on Wednesday when you get back.” She smiled at him again.

  James stared at Tara. She looked lovely with her hair dangling below her shoulders. He couldn’t understand what he is feeling. For the first time, he is seeing her in a very different way and he couldn’t stop himself from admiring what he is seeing.

  Tara looked at James. She saw some disappointment in him but just for a second.

  “Okay, that sounds good, see you in school.” He suddenly said.

  “Have a good vacation. Tell Ms. Anne if you need anything.” She reminded him.

  “Thanks VIP.” he smirked then closed the front door behind him.

  He left her villa with his very graphic vision of how she looked and how her pretty smile is with those red luscious lips which complimented her flawless face. He wanted to go back and knock on her door to kiss her goodnight. He was seriously disturbed at how his heart throbbed at the moment. He shuddered at his own thoughts and remembered he had a girlfriend waiting for him at their villa.

  He can’t help but feel a little guilty. He just cheated on his girlfriend in his imagination.

  Chapter 4

  The following morning, James and Rhea woke up late. Not really late, just in time for the breakfast buffet. They were already at the gazebo near the main lobby.

  Rhea and James are both enjoying their breakfast. The food is really great. It’s not the usual breakfast just serving normal bread, hotdogs, bacons, eggs and fruits. They were having different kinds of cheese, a couple roasted beef and pork. The selection of breads is different and really delicious.

  Still, amidst the delectable meal served on the buffet table, James keeps wandering off thinking about Tara. It’s a bit surprising for him to find his thoughts where it is now. He’s thinking if she had her breakfast already and if she is now safe back in Manila. He doesn’t even know what time she left the resort. He was tempted to ask Anne but he opted not to.

  “Baby, are you okay?” Rhea asked him.

  “Yes. Why?” he asked.

  “You just seem preoccupied,” she sounds a little hurt.

  “Sorry Baby. I will make it up to you tonight,” he winks at her.

  Last night after he got back from Tara’s villa, nothing happened between them. He was surprised to see that she was already asleep when he got back. And what astounded him even more, he can’t sleep because he
was thinking about Tara. He was feeling hot, he could feel it. But another revelation was it wasn’t for the woman beside him in the king size bed. It was for the woman sleeping beside their villa.

  Today, when he woke up a few more surprises are catching up with him. He is constantly thinking about Tara. And he feels he is missing her. Missing her voice actually. He can’t stop thinking and imagining her voice and the way she sweetly sang the acoustic version of “Just the Way You Are”.

  He can’t understand what’s happening to him actually. It was like he was mesmerized by Tara’s voice. Hypnotized may be a better word.

  “What are we doing today baby?” he heard Rhea asked him.

  “I don’t know. What do you want to do?” he asked.

  “How about riding the banana boat and the fly fish?” she sounded excited about it.

  “Okay. Sounds good to me,” he said.

  James suddenly wondered. Rhea has not been flirting with him today. Naturally, this sensual girl would ask him to go back to the villa and play with fire or something, but definitely not today. She is acting as weird as he is.

  Is she still mad at me? But it doesn’t look like it because she’s even offering to do the water sports that she knows he loves. Aside from the fact that she is talking to him, Rhea is not hard to read, when she is mad at him, she doesn’t talk to him at all.

  ***

  Rhea and James were having fun at the beach like two teenagers. They rode the banana boat twice and the fly fish with the other guests of the resort and they were all laughing. They made friends with the other people there and they all had lunch together. And then they were invited to an afternoon beach volley by the group. They happily said yes.

  After lunch, the couple went back to their villa and sipped pineapple shakes at their patio. James keeps looking at the adjacent patio. It’s empty of course. It was Tara’s villa and he knows that she has already left.

  They were both lying down in the hammock. She felt Rhea was tensed while lying down beside him.