CHAPTER 4

Kinabukasan, naghintay ako sa may gym kung saan madalas mag-break si Red. Nakatayo siya sa pader, umiinom ng iced coffee habang nagso-scroll lang naman ng cellphone.

Here goes nothing.

"Hi," I said.

Red looked up, eyes filled with recognition as he saw me. "Ellyn, right?"

He remembers me.

"Yeah. Do you have a minute?"

He slid his phone into his pocket. "Sure."

I motioned toward the empty bench near the gym doors. He followed.

"I'm going to be honest," I began, fiddling with my fingers. "This will probably sound crazy."

He gave a small chuckle. "I like crazy."

I blinked. "Okay... good. So, here it is. I want to ask you for a favor."

He tilted his head. "Go on."

I swallowed hard. "I want to fake a relationship with you.”

Silence.

Red blinked slowly. "Okay. That's not what I was expecting."

"I know, I know," I said quickly. "But just hear me out."

He raised a brow. "I'm listening."

I licked my lips, steadying my voice. "I just broke up with Jared. I'm sure you know what happened."

He nodded. "He mentioned something. And he looked like shit after."

I ignored the twist in my stomach. "Well... I want to show him what he lost. That he can't just replace me that easily. And I figured, what better way than to 'move on' with his own cousin?"

Red leaned back, eyes unreadable. "You want to use me."

"No! Well, yes. But it's not like that," I said quickly. "I mean, I'm asking for your help, not forcing you into anything. This is just pretend. No commitment. Just a deal."

He studied me for a long moment. "Interesting."

"So... what do you say?"

He tilted his head. "What's in it for me?"

I paused, thinking. So, now, he wants a fair share. Fair enough. I will use him, might as well have the fair deal. Wala namang mawawala sa akin, right?

"Anything. Well, anything within reason."

"Hmm." He rubbed his jaw, with his fingers then bigla siyang tumingin sa'kin sabay sabing, "Okay. I'll do it."

 "Wait, really?" sabi ko nang may halong pagkagulat.

"Yeah," sagot niya. "But I have a condition."

"What is it?"

"No rules."

My heart thumped. "What does that mean?"

"If we're doing this, we do it right. We act like a real couple. No half-effort. No pretending only when people are watching. We flirt. We hang out. We do everything couples do. People should believe it, including Jared."

"Wait... Even kissing?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I said, no rules. Kung ayaw mo ng halik, then unfortunately, our deal will be terminated right here and--"

"Deal," I said very quickly.

With a victorious smile, he extended his hand. "Then we have a contract."

I shook it, trying not to let my hand tremble.

If gusto kong gawin 'to, I should do it right. Kailangan hindi ako mag-hesitate. Or else, my plan will fail. My plan to keep myself at peace would be gone.

As our palms met, a strange sensation crawled up my arm. Warmth, maybe. Or warning.

"Welcome to the game," Red said with a small smirk.

---

Sa kama, nakatitig ako sa kisame, iniisip ang nangyari. Faking a relationship with Red? Gosh, anong iniisip ko?

Kinuha ko ang unan at tinakpan ang mukha saka sumigaw. Pero nasa isip ko din, it’s a thrill. I know I needed it.

But I know deep inside that I needed the thrill of this. Maybe this was what I needed. 

A push. 

A reset. 

A way to get back some control after Jared shattered everything.

My phone buzzed. A message from an unknown number.

> Unknown Number: Tell me what time you want to be seen together tomorrow. We'll make it memorable.  - Red

I smiled slightly.

Let the games begin.

—

Nothing prepares you for the chaos of pretending to love someone—lalo na kung hindi mo pa alam kung saan banda nagsisimula ang totoo at saan nagtatapos ang palabas.

The next morning, I woke up to a new message.

> Red: 10:30. Hallway near the cafeteria. Don’t be late.

Short. Direct. Walang emojis. Red, through and through.

If you wonder why nandito na sa phone ko ang name ni Red is because I saved his number. It's important to have contact with your revenge partner.

I stared at my reflection habang nag-aayos. Pinili ko ‘yung sleeveless halter top with slight cleavage, matched with a skirt a few inches above the knees—enough to be noticed, but not enough to scream "revenge outfit."

Our school doesn't have a dress code kaya freely naman kami makapagsuot ng ganto. Unless it's just underwear and some bikinis, that would be another discussion.

Just a little reminder na I was still that girl. Jared might have forgotten, pero ang buong mundo ay hindi pa rin makakalimutan ang isang Ellyn Perez. I am not called as a "Princess" in school without a reason.

“Hoy,” sambit ni Carlo at sumilip sa kuwarto ko habang nagsusuot na ako ng sneakers. “A glossy lip balm, a decent classy outfit screaming princess, tapos pa-casual smile? Girl, I know you. Hindi ka mag-ga-ganyan ng suot without going to a war."

“A fake relationship war,” I muttered.

“You nervous?” nag-aalala niyang tanong.

“More like... kinakabahan in a good way.”

She rolled her eyes playfully. “Red kind of gives off 'I can ruin your life' vibes.”

I smirked. “Good thing we’re only pretending.”

She raised her hands. “I’m not saying anything else. Basta good luck, and text me if may paandar si kuya mo.”

###