CHAPTER 3

The next day, I decided to go back to school.

Pagpasok ko pa lang sa campus, ramdam ko agad ang mga matang nakatingin sa akin. Sa loob-loob ko, I knew some of them knew what happened. Others probably just saw Jared's posts with the red-dress girl. In this school, issues spread like wildfire, famous person ka man o hindi.

Tumango lang ako sa mga kaibigan ko, but I kept walking straight toward the building. I won't let them see me falter. Kung may makikita silang Ellyn ngayon, it will be someone fiercer, someone colder, and someone they can't mess with.

Then, it happened.

I was about to turn sa hallway pa-labas ng admin office when I accidentally bumped into someone. Tumama ang balikat ko sa matitipunong dibdib ng isang lalaki.

"Sorry-" sabay lingon ko pataas.

Damn.

Tall. Fair-skinned. Deep brown eyes. Messy black hair. He was wearing the school uniform like it was made for him—neat, crisp, and with a loosened tie that screamed effortless charm.

"No worries," he said casually, then smiled.

Smile? Nope. Hindi ito pangkaraniwang ngiti. It is like seducing me.

Parang slow motion akong napako sa kinatatayuan ko.

This man is very handsome. Like the charm of Leonarado DiCaprio. His aura screams luxury. 

He looks like a temptation that every woman needed. Damn, feeling ko magkakaroon lang ako ng kasalanan dahil sa lalaking ‘to.

Suddenly, I snapped out of it. "Ah, I-I haven't seen you here. New student?" tanong ko out of instinct.

Gosh! Nakakahiya! Nautal pa ako! Parang may interest tuloy ako sa kanya.

"Yeah," he replied. "Just transferred. From Baguio."

Baguio?

That triggered something in my memory. Wait... wasn't that where Jared studied pharmacy before?

Before I could ask more, dumaan ang isang student na lalaki at tinawag siya.

"Red! Bilis, bro! Class is starting."

Red? That's his nickname?

Interesting.

---

Later that day, nagkukwentuhan kami ni Carla habang naglalakad pauwi. "So, nakita mo na si Red?"

"Yeah," sagot ko. "Harap-harapan pa."

"Gwapo, 'no?"

"Medyo," I admitted. "Mukhang may dating."

She leaned closer, whispering dramatically, "And guess what?"

Here comes her another chika. I raised an eyebrow.

"He's Jared's cousin."

I stopped in my tracks.

"What?"

Carla nodded, smirking. "As in magpinsan sila. Sabi ni Keisha from Section B, anak siya ng kapatid ng tatay ni Jared. Same surname pero iba lang middle name. Small world, huh?"

Hindi ako naka-react agad. My heart raced.

Ang pinsan ni Jared... transferee sa school namin?

What a fucking coincidence this has been. Pero teka lang...

And then, slowly, a smirk formed on my lips.

Maybe... just maybe... the universe is giving me the ammunition I need.

—

There's something dangerously satisfying about the idea of making someone regret losing you.

And for the first time since the breakup, I feel alive again.

I don't know if it's the pain, the betrayal, or the silence that followed after I walked away from Jared, but something inside me shifted. Parang may humugot ng tinik sa dibdib ko, pero pinalitan naman iyon ng isang apoy. Not the good kind, but the kind that makes you want to burn everything who makes you feel like you’re the most shittiest woman in town.

"Ellyn!"

Lumingon ako at nakita si Carla, ang best friend ko, na papalapit habang kumakaway. Agad niyang napansin ang eye bags ko na parang panda.

"Seryoso, beh," hingal niyang sabi nang makalapit na, "I was about to file a missing person report."

Malimit ko siyang nginitian. "You saw my stories. Alam mong buhay pa ako."

"Buhay pa physically," she countered. "eh, emotionally at mentally? Parang gumuho na buong mundo mo."

I sighed, crossing my arms. "Maybe it did."

"After what he did? Beh, I feel you. Pero, knowing you? I think you're about to cook something in a day or two."

I didn't respond immediately, but the corners of my lips twitched and I looked my best to look at her eyes so innocently.

Carla gasped. "Hoy. Hoy. Huwag mong sabihing—may balak ka nga?"

Okay. She got me.

"Silent revenge," I said. "At least sa simula."

"Ellyn..."

"Don't worry, Hindi naman ako gagawa ng kahit anong illegal o kahit anong masama. I just... need him to see what he had lost."

Tinaasan niya ako ng isang kilay. "So, you're plan is to make him regret at kung anong resulta ang naging katumbas ng actions niya?"

"Exactly."

"Let me guess," she drawled. "You want him to see you with someone else."

I smiled. "You know me so well."

She groaned. "Beh, nababaliw ka na ba?"

Napabuntong-hininga ako. I shouldn't have said anything. I never thought na—

"And I love it!" sunod niyang sambit na pasigaw na. "Who's the lucky guy?"

I turned my head slightly toward the covered hallway, where a certain tall, silent figure just walked out of the senior building—hood up, black headphones over his head, and an unreadable expression on his face as usual.

Tumingin ako sa hallway kung saan lumabas ang certain tall, silent figure nang may suot na black hoodie—Red Sarmiento.

Sinundan ni Carla ang tingin ko.

"No. Nope. Not him. Ellyn!"

"Bakit naman no?" inosente kong tanong sa kanya.

"Red? As in Red Sarmiento? As in cousin ni Jared?!"

"Yup."

"Ellyn, literal na kamag-anak ni Jared 'yon. This is like signing a deal with the devil."

"Maybe I need a devil," I muttered.

"Okay, I take it back na love ko kung anong plano mo. You're like digging your own grave here!"

"Trust me on this, Carla."

"Ellyn..."

I faced her seriously. "Think about it. Jared's cousin. New transferee. Attractive. Mysterious. And most of all, unexpected. If anyone could make Jared sweat, it's him."

Carla looked like she was battling a hundred thoughts at once. "And paano mo siya mapapapayag? Many attempted but failed. How can you be so sure you can convince a cold prince like that?"

I smirked. "Leave that to me."

###