deal?

"miss xyloise," Waeren called out.

​My heart skipped a beat. I slowly looked up, meeting his icy stare.

​"yes... sir?" i managed to squeak out.

​"is your hoodie... a part of the official dress code here? or do you always bring a celebrity to business meetings?"

​Laughter erupted in the room. Even Mr. Cruz let out a nervous chuckle. My face was probably the color of a ripe tomato by now.

​"p-paborito ko lang po 'to, sir. comfort clothing," i muttered.

​"interesting," he replied, turning back to the white board.

"now, let's talk about losses. because in this business, even a twenty-peso mistake can lead to a disaster."

​The rest of the hour was a blur of technical terms, numbers, and my own internal screaming. Every time Waeren would emphasize a point, he would look at me as if he were mocking me. He was enjoying this. He was definitely a sadist.

​Nung matapos ang meeting, nagmamadali akong tumayo para tumakas. I didn't want to be in the same air space as him anymore. Pero bago pa ako makalampas sa pinto, narinig ko ang boses ni Mr. Cruz.

​"xyloise! stay for a moment. mr. waeren wants to discuss something with you."

​Napatigil ako. I closed my eyes for a second, whispering a quick prayer.

papa piolo, i-save mo ako please.

​I turned around to see Waeren standing there, his hands in his pockets, watching me with a look that said i was exactly where he wanted me to be.

​"don't look so scared, xyloise," he said, walking toward me.

"i'm not going to sue you for the tie. yet."

​"ano bang kailangan mo?" i snapped, my annoyance finally overcoming my fear.

"nakuha mo na 'yung token mo, pinahiya mo na ako sa buong office. quit na tayo, 'di ba?"

​He tilted his head, a dark glint in his eyes.

​"quit? no. we're just getting started. you see, i have a very specific problem... and a girl who's brave enough to tackle a billionaire in the middle of the mrt might be exactly the solution i need."

​"ha? anong solution?"

​"my family is hosting a gala this weekend. and they're expecting me to bring a fiancée. someone... real. someone who doesn't care about my money," he explained, stepping closer until i could smell that expensive citrus scent again.

​"so? anong paki ko sa fiancée mo?"

​"you're going to be her," he said, like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"you'll pretend to be my girlfriend for one month. in exchange, i'll make sure your little company gets the merger. and... i'll buy you a lifetime supply of that milk tea you're so obsessed with."

​Nalaglag ang panga ko.

"fake girlfriend? seryoso ka ba? look at me, kuya! amoy usok ako at naka-papa piolo hoodie! hindi ako kasya sa mundo niyo!"

​"that's exactly why it's perfect," Waeren smirked.

"no one would ever suspect i'd choose someone like you. it's the ultimate cover."

I looked at him, then at my ID, then back to his smug face. This was insane. This was crazy. This was exactly like the plot of the stories I read on W*****d.

​"deal?" he asked, extending his hand.

​I looked at his hand, the same hand that snatched my token. This was the start of my downfall. or maybe, my big break.

​"deal," i whispered, shaking his hand.

​Little did i know, that shake was the end of my peaceful, broke life. My commute was over, but the ride with Waeren was just beginning.