Monarch, quarter to seven pm.
Aya stood nervously at the entrance of the hotel's restaurant. Pasimple niyang pinahid ang namamasang mga palad sa palda ng kulay violet niyang bestida. Cmon, Aya, you can do this. It's only Nick Ferrera, what's the fuss? Hindi ba't siya rin naman ang nagdesisyon na ituloy tuloy kung anuman ang mayroon sila ni Nick? So, why so nervous?Because this isn't just a simple proposal meeting, she thought as she gingerly took a step towards the reception. She isn't about to get details from some client on how they wanted her to design an infastracture. Or present a proposal to her boss. This is her virginity she was about to give away and not just a simple blueprint, for christ's sake.Don't worry, Nick's more than capable of taking care of your hymen."My hymen doesn't need taking care of. It needs some ditching. Besides, nadevirginize na ako ng daliri ni Nick." mariing bulong niya sa sarili niya."Excuse me, m"Sir.." nakangiwing tumingin kay Nick ang babaeng kausap niya kanina lang. Naroon siya ngayon sa opisina ni Aya. They said she called in sick today and advised them not to call her unless it's urgent. Why is she doing this to him? Was she really sick or was she that upset with him that she has to hole up in her condo? Ayaw sana mag-isip ni Nick na lahat ng bagay ay tungkol sa kanya ngunit alam niyang galit si Aya sa kanya. He felt it. Sa sampal nito, sa mga salitang binitawan nito at sa titig nito. He will never forget that look in Aya’s face. Never. He actually had a nightmare because of it. It haunted him. And he felt like an absolute ass for the words he said to her. "What?""Sabi po niya itapon ko raw po yung mga bulaklak."Napahilot si Nick sa pagitan ng mga mata niya. He deserved that. He's a fucking idiot. Matapos mapailing ay basta na lamang siyang tumalikod. "Sir! Paano po itong mga bulaklak?""Do as you were told."He's not about to get the poor woman fired because of his
"Sabi nang ayoko pa umuwi! Bitawan n'yo nga ako! Dito lang ako! Kaya ko pa uminom! Waiter! One more round of Tequila here, please!""Oh my god, Bells! You are making a scene! Stop!" Pilit na ibinababa ni Aya ang kamay ng kaibigan na walang tigil na kinakawayan ang waiter. The other group of people in the VIP are already staring at them. She knew she shouldn't have let things get out of control. She shouldn't have suggested a night out in the first place. What was she thinking? Alam niyang kahit di pa nakainom ay baliw na ang kaibigan niya. What more pa kaya ngayon na lasing na lasing ito gaya ngayon? "I got her." naramdaman niya ang kamay ng lalaki sa balikat niya. She stepped aside at sinubukan ni Craig na pigilan si Belinda sa ginagawa ngunit walang habas nitong pinagbabayo ng kamao nito ang pobreng lalaki."Who are you? Why are you touching me?! Let me go!" Laglag ang panga ni Aya. "What are you doing?! That's Craig, Sean's friend! Stop hurting him, Bells!" she wrapped her hands
Aya wasn't able to sleep that night. Iniisip niya ang mga sinabi ni Nick sa kanya. Walang nangyari sa kanila nang gabing iyon. Nick just dropped her in her condo building and kissed her goodbye. Which was new to her considering Nick's appetite in sex. Akala nga niya ay mauuwi na naman sa car fun ang pagpapahatid niya rito. Surprisingly, he didn't even mention sex to her. Maybe he was sick or something.Ngunit bukod doon ay hindi mawala sa isip niya ang mga sinabi nito sa kanya habang magkausap sila sa party ni Thea. She was confused to where their relationship was headed. Akala ba niya ay no love and just sex? Ano ba itong mga ipinaparamdam ni Nick sa kanya? They were supposed to just indulge in sinful, no strings attached sexual relationship. Kung magsalita ito ay tila ba may iba pa itong gusto sa kanya. And it confuses the hell out of her. Hanggang sa pagpasok niya sa trabaho kinalunesan ay wala siyang iniisip kundi ang lalaki. She stared blankly in the screen in front of her while
Aya tried so hard to maintain eye contact with Nick after what he just said. Is he even serious? Does he even know what his words meant? Bakit ba bigla na lang din naisipan nito ang bagay na iyon? He's going to take care of her and it's sort of included in package of being his bed warmer? His whore? Gusto niyang mainsulto and at the same time, she felt butterflies in her stomach--butterflies that have no business being there.On the other hand, would it be so bad to be taken cared of by Nick Ferrera? Hindi ba't parang ganon na rin naman ang ginagawa nito sa kanya? He's already taking care of her sexually, ano pa bang nais nito?"There are so many ways a man can take care of a woman, Aya," he said, as if reading her thoughts. "I'm ready to provide for you--""I don't need you to do that." may kasama ng diin na sagot ni Aya. Heto na naman ito at mukhang balak na naman I-flex sa kanya ang pagiging bilyonaryo nito. "Like I said before, you don't need to spoil me with expensive gifts. Mali
"So what was it that you've been so busy about that you've forgotten to see your momma?"Nagkatinginan si Aya at nakababatang kapatid niyang si Jax habang nakaupo sila pareho sa hapagkainan at naglalakad naman palapit ang kanila ng ina na si Juana. Their father, Alfredo, peeked at them from the newspaper he's reading. "H'wag kayong magtinginan na ganyan. Sumagot kayo. Jax," bumaling ito sa binata. "Go help your mom."Mabilis naman tumalima ang kapatid niya upang salubungin ang ina. Ngunit pinalo naman ng kanila ng ina ang kamay nito nang akmang aagawin dito ang bowl ng salad. "Mom?!" reklamo ni Jax. "Go back to your seat."Aya giggled as she watch her younger brother grumble something under his breath while taking his usual spot in the dining table."Sorry, mom, I've been working with the Tuazon Food Corp," she reasoned while adding food on her plate. Inabot naman niya ang bowl ng adobo kay Jax na nakaupo sa tabi ng mom nila. Their mother, Engineer Juana Valdez -Valderama, is one of
Aya took a quick shower after she came home that night. Nagsabi na lamang siya sa mga kaibigan na kailangan niyang umuwi sa bahay nila sa Las Pinas kaya mauuna na siya sa mga ito. Ayaw nga sana siyang payagang umalis ni Kylie at nagpresintang iko-convoy na lamang siya ngunit nagsinungaling na lang siya at sinabi ng ang ina niya ang tumawag. Sa pagmamadali ay nakalimutan na nga niyang ibigay ang numero niya kay Randall na nagulat din sa biglaang niyang pagpapaalam. Ngunit sigurado naman siyang ibibigay ng mga kaibigan niya ang numero niya dito. Besides, it doesn't really matter anymore. Ang importante ay makauwi siya agad at maka-facetime si Nick.Aya wanted to give herself a smack in the back of her head. Hindi siya ganito. She wouldn't just automatically drop anything that she's doing just for a guy. Hindi niya alam kung bakit pag dating kay Nick ay ganon kadali na lamang niyang ipagsantabi ang mga kaibigan niya. God, is she turning into some doormat or something? She shook her head.