THE BET...(The Twins)

“Hey, bro, how long are we going to stay here?” Fred finally broke the silence inside Lemark’s car, his eyes fixed on him through the rearview mirror.

“It’s been an hour since we got here,” Jay-ar grumbled from behind the driver’s seat, brows furrowed as he stared out at SM City Fairview.

“Easy, bro. Lira told me she’s on her way—just stuck in traffic,” Lemark replied casually.

“Whoa, bro. I can already see you losing this bet,” Dix teased from the passenger seat.

They had made a wager: if Lemark’s new girlfriend showed up tonight and he managed to win her over, they would crown him Master—the ultimate playboy of the year. They’d celebrate at Fred’s house, splitting the expenses four ways and each handing Lemark five thousand pesos. But if he failed, Lemark owed them fifty grand.

That was their game—an annual bet to decide who would carry the title of Master Playboy of the Year. The rules were simple and cruel: whoever managed to take a girl’s virginity would win the crown. To them, it was just a game, no hard feelings. The girls? Just collateral. If they fell for the trap, it was their own fault.

“Bro, if she’s not here in twenty minutes, you lose. That was the deal,” Albert reminded from the back seat beside Fred.

Unable to hold back, Lemark called his girlfriend. After a few heated words, he shouted, “Then let’s break up!” nearly hurling his iPhone across the car.

“Booo! You lose!” the group jeered in unison.

Sweating, Lemark shoved his ATM card into Dix’s hand.

“Woohhh! Party time!” Dix waved the card in triumph, grinning as the car erupted in laughter—except for Lemark.

“No hard feelings, bro. A bet is a bet.” Dix clapped his shoulder with mocking sympathy, the others chiming in with teasing taps.

“Hey, why don’t we make another bet?” Lemark suddenly suggested, a sly smile curling on his lips.

“Since I lost and no one has won yet, why don’t we give Dix a shot?” He turned toward his friend.

Dix only laughed in response.

“Cool!” the three chorused, high-fiving one another.

“Alright, cool,” Dix agreed, playing it casual.

“See that exit?” Lemark pointed toward the mall’s wide doors.

All four followed his gaze.

“I’ll count to ten. After that, the first woman who comes out is the one Dix will have to court—and sleep with within a week.”

“What if it’s some old lady?” Fred cracked, sending them into laughter.

“Or someone limping?” Jay-ar added, making them howl even louder.

The countdown began.

“Four… three… two… one. Start!”

All eyes locked on the exit. Some struggled to keep from laughing, others watched with sharp curiosity. Dix, though, felt a strange mix of excitement and nerves. He’d never felt like this before.

Then, a girl stepped out.

“Whoooa!” the four exclaimed—except Dix.

Emotion crashed over him like a wave. Something in her presence unraveled him, a feeling he had never experienced in his entire life.

“Jackpot, bro. A college girl!” Lemark crowed, throwing an arm around him. “Congrats, man. Do your best.”

Dix forced a weak smile. No—he had to stop. He was a playboy, yes, but not heartless. So why was he suddenly uneasy? What was it about her that made him hesitate?

“Hey, look. She seems troubled,” Fred noticed.

“Guys, give me three months,” Dix declared, flinging the car door open and heading straight for her.

“What?! Three months?” Lemark’s brows shot up as the others gaped in disbelief—before bursting into laughter.

Before approaching, Dix slipped out his phone and secretly snapped a picture of the girl as she walked, head bowed. Just then, his phone rang.

Dixal is calling…

Puzzled, he answered. “Hey, bro? What’s up?”

“I’m warning you. Don’t mess with my property!” his twin’s voice thundered coldly before abruptly ending the call.

Dix’s brows furrowed. Property?

He stood frozen, trying to process his brother’s words—when the girl collided with him.

“Ouch!” she exclaimed, looking up at him.

Dix scowled instinctively. This… this is what he calls his property?

...…..............

Flora Amor gasped as she bumped into something solid. When she looked up, a young man stood there, brows knitted in a stern expression.

“Sorry! I didn’t mean to,” she stammered, stepping back in embarrassment.

“Hey!” he called after her.

She paused, glancing back nervously.

“Do I know you? You look familiar.” His frown lingered as he stepped closer.

She shook her head quickly.

“Then I’m Dix.” His lips curved into a knowing smile as he extended his hand. “So next time we meet, you’ll recognize me.”

Flora Amor stared at him, confused. At first, she thought he was angry because she wasn’t watching where she was going. She’d been so lost in thought, her mind heavy. But now, he was smiling, introducing himself. She studied him from head to toe. He didn’t seem like a bad person.

Still, she said nothing.

“Flor!”

Her attention snapped toward the familiar voice. Anton was running from inside the mall, relief washing over his face as he reached her. He immediately slung an arm around her shoulder, pulling her away while glancing back suspiciously at the stranger.

“Where did you go? We’ve been looking for you everywhere,” he said, his tone tight with worry.

Flora Amor buried her head against his shoulder as he led her toward Mariel, who was waving enthusiastically from the food court. She had been searching for them for a while, pacing in and out of the mall’s entrances before deciding to head home—when she collided with that man.

Dix. The name echoed in her mind.

“Beshie, are you alright?” Mariel hugged her tight, guiding her into a chair at an empty table.

“Beshie, it’s so hard without a phone. I couldn’t reach either of you,” Flora Amor muttered, close to tears, resting her chin on her arms.

“Why don’t you ask your parents to buy you one? Even a cheap one—two thousand pesos is enough,” Mariel suggested.

“That’s my siblings’ allowance for an entire month, Beshie. You know I only get thirty pesos a day.” Her voice broke, sadness deepening.

With a sigh, she tried to distract herself, gazing around. Her stomach growled at the sight of people eating at the next table.

Anton, however, was still glancing back toward the exit.

Flora Amor followed his line of sight, but with the crowd streaming in and out, she couldn’t tell what—or who—he was watching.

“Beshie, I’m starving. Let’s eat. I brought food,” she said, pulling off her backpack and placing it on the table.

“No, let’s eat at Mang Inasal.” Anton immediately grabbed her hand, helping her to her feet. Mariel followed, busy with her phone and snapping selfies.

“Beshie, how did you know I was outside earlier?” Flora asked casually, scanning the nearby stalls.

“Huh? Uh—I saw your back when you walked out.”

She barely noticed the stammer in his voice, because her eyes had fallen on a man entering Mang Inasal.

That man. Something about his stance, his build—it felt familiar. She swore she could even catch the faint trace of his cologne from across the space.

When he turned slightly, her breath caught.

It was him. The man she bumped into. Dix.

She tensed, pulling her hand from Anton’s grip and drifting closer to Mariel instead.

“Beshie, let's take a picture,” Mariel grinned.

“I don’t want to,” Flora Amor laughed softly.

They both giggled together.

Anton ordered their food while the girls waited outside. Flora Amor secretly scanned the restaurant until her eyes found him again. The moment she did, her heart thudded wildly.

Then his gaze met hers—steady, piercing, like he’d known her forever.

“Amor, come closer.”

Her lips parted in shock. Did he just call her name?

But she never introduced herself. How did he know?

Maybe she was just too hungry, her mind playing tricks on her.

....................

DIXAL couldn’t stop staring at her. It was as if he could read her thoughts while she looked back at him.

“Since when did you fall for that little girl?” his project manager teased, following his gaze.

He quickly looked away, returning to his food.

“As far as I know, you only saw her yesterday outside my car. And now you’re already guarding her like a hawk. If I hadn’t dozed off, maybe I’d have known why you’re suddenly hooked,” the man went on between bites.

Suppressing a smile, Dixal raised a hand to a waiter. “Extra rice, please.”

“You’ve still got plenty of rice,” Lemuel pointed out, confused.

“That’s for you. Now shut up and eat,” Dixal muttered.

But his mind replayed yesterday again and again—the way she brushed her hair, her sweet little face as she patted on powder, the way she bit her lips and reddened them, the way she puckered them to kiss her reflection. He had leaned forward, ready to kiss her through the tinted glass, only to accidentally open the damn car door.

She was just… cute. That was all. Being fond of seeing her had nothing to do with love.

Love? He didn’t even know what that meant.

All he knew was curiosity—why two men had followed her home yesterday. That was what he wanted to find out.

Curiosity. Or maybe fear that something might happen to her.

He stopped, searching for her again.

“Hey, guys!”

But instead of Amor, it was Veronica—his childhood friend and secretary—who appeared before him, sliding into the empty seat and sipping his pineapple juice.

“Sorry I’m late. Traffic was hell,” she said, looking at him with a smile.

“Ah,” he answered curtly.

“You eating?” Lemuel asked casually, popping the last bite of barbecue into his mouth.

“Nope. Diet,” Veronica replied, smiling only at Dixal.

He wiped his mouth with a tissue and scanned the restaurant. Every table was occupied, but Amor was nowhere in sight.

“Amor,” he whispered again.

It was becoming a habit, calling her name.

“I saw Dix outside earlier. I thought it was you,” Veronica suddenly remarked.

Dixal’s brows knitted. What nonsense is my twin up to now? And why the hell did he take a picture of her?

Dix was a playboy through and through. Almost every girl in their college had been his girlfriend at some point.

But Amor? She wasn’t conventionally attractive—just a typical Filipina. Nothing extraordinary.

So why had Dix suddenly taken an interest in her?

He had to find out. And later tonight, he’d make sure to delete every single photo of her from his brother’s phone.