ข้านี่หรือขึ้นชื่อว่าสตรีตัวร้ายแสนอัปลักษณ์

On the sixteenth of April each year, the Fortalejo family would extend their invitations to their whole clan, including the ones who are not closely related to them. This is for celebrating the last day of the Pahinungod festival, which is a three-day feast that has been observed since the year 2047. It had been over three decades since Talia Fortalejo started their family tradition of gathering on this day as a gesture of thanksgiving to the gods and the ancestors who had come before them. It was also a way of honoring the rich history of the Segunda island and the bountiful harvest that sustained them.

However, it is unfortunate that the true spirit of this gathering has gradually faded away over time. It used to be full of love, joy, and unity. Now, it's just an event where people only show off their expensive clothes and family jewelry. But most of all, people only came here to maintain their connection to none other than Aroñes Fortalejo, a name that is often whispered in hushed tones among the elite crowd.

Aroñes offered his arm to his wife, Raquella Fortalejo. The lights caught the gems embedded in her dress and hair, casting a shimmering aura around her. Raquella smiled at him and accepted his arm.

The crowd was struck with awe as they gracefully walked towards their table. Truly, their attire was a reflection of their status and their taste for the unconventional. It was clear that Aroñes and Raquella were not just wealthy socialites but also trendsetters that the elite would try to emulate.

For Jane, the one and only heiress of the Fortalejo family, this is all just ridiculous. She would rather stay in her room and watch the sky for hours rather than engage with her family and their guests.

Watching the sky change from a soft blue hue to an orange pool gives her indescribable peace. However, as much as she would like to stay in her room, she has to deal with her parents' expectations first who care more about their family's image and reputation.

"Hindi ka pa rin nagbabago," her lola Talia suddenly said with a sigh.

Jane stopped slicing her steak and looked up at her family. Everyone's sitting together at the dinner table. Disappointment was written all over their faces, especially on her mother.

"Why can't you just smile, iha?" her mother, who was now sitting across from her, asked. "Year after year, you're like this," she scolded. "You're only proving to everyone that you're ungrateful."

Jane remained expressionless and continued eating because why even bother smiling when merely mentioning 'Fortalejo' evoke a slew of negative comments throughout Segunda Island?

It doesn't feel right, knowing that the scandalous drama and tensions within their family might have already spread throughout the entire Segunda island. Every move they made was under constant scrutiny. Even their loyal supporters are beginning to have doubts about them.

Her mother is so obsessed with pleasing everyone that she either pretends not to see or doesn't notice these things. Either way, it didn't matter. The fact was they were far from being the 'decent and gracious' family she desperately wanted them to be.

She glanced at the large clock after finishing her meal. She watched every movement of the clock's long hand. By the time it hit seven o'clock, the power suddenly went out across the hacienda. The music, conversations, and laughter were replaced by their commotion.

The automated security systems that monitored each room also shut down when the power went out. Meanwhile, all of the security personnel of her father were only focused on the front yard.

She used this opportunity to leave their house through the back kitchen as her family kept their esteemed guests calm.

Whispers of the wind welcomed her when she arrived at the orchard, letting her loose hair and long dress follow its flow. A lush green dotted with vibrant pops of color from the fruit trees stretches out before her. The ethereal glow cast by the moonlight emphasized the beauty of this scenery.

"May nakapagsabi na ba saiyo?" a familiar voice spoke behind her.

"Na ano?"

"Na mukha kang kontrabida."

Her lips curled before facing Vino. "Oh, tapos ikaw 'yong gago kong henchman?" she asked, which caught him off guard.

He went silent and checked his fit. She's right. The white and purple waistcoat made him look like her loyal server.

A boisterous laugh escaped from their mouths.

Jane's eyes widened as she remembered their deal. "Teka! Nabili mo na ba?" she asked again.

Vino reached into his blazer pocket and pulled out a stainless hip flask. This brought a brief glimmer in her eyes. But her expression quickly turned into a frown when he pulled it back out of reach, teasing her with a smirk.

"Wire it first!" Vino demanded.

"You're such a jerk!" She flicked his flat nose. "Can't you just give it to me for free?"

"Please?" She begged, using her teeny-tiny voice that made him cringe.

"That ain't fair, Janice!" he protested.

“How dare you, Giovinno?”

A deep crease on her forehead forms as her mood turns sour. Out of frustration, she tried to steal the flask from his hand, but then his reflexes were so fast that her every attempt failed. He sticks out his tongue and trolls around her, insisting that she must fork over five thousand chips before he would consider handing her the flask.

Sometimes, Jane still can’t believe this dude is much older than her. Maybe it’s true that maturity doesn’t come with age. Her shoulders drop in defeat. She can't risk arguing with him, or else their hidden agenda will be revealed. She accessed her e-wallet and wired him the chips.

“You’re lucky we’re friends,” she muttered. The smug smile on his face grew wider. He finally passes the flask, so Jane grabs her sling bag and hides it there.

They froze in place when they heard the rustling of grass. Someone’s approaching, and they think they've been caught.

"Huy!"

But as the moonlight illuminated the clearing, they saw the familiar faces Trixie, Gabby, Rina, Shae, and Britt. They are Jane's distant relatives, with whom Vino also became friends.

"You sly little bitches! You're effing geniuses!" Trixie greeted with bursting energy.

Jane playfully curtsied like a princess and thanked them. But from the back of her mind, Jane couldn't believe they would actually succeed in their initial plan to escape.

“By the way, I also brought a little something to make the night even better.” Britt steps forward, holding out a bottle of wine.

“Now let’s ditch! I'm getting excited!" Rina exclaimed.

“Yes, let’s make some memories and forget about all the stress for a while,” Britt added.

“There’s a music festival happening at the Night Cirque tonight.” Jane felt her face brightened up. “We can go there.”

“Oh, my gods!” Trixie squealed in delight. “Redstone Riots is going to perform there! We have to go!”

Gabby hesitated. “Won’t our parents be angry about this?” she asked.

“That’s what I told her earlier,” Vino answered. “She doesn’t care.”

Trixie turned to Gabby. “Come on, Gabby, it’s going to be amazing,” she said, practically bouncing up and down.

“Okay, okay, you got me,” Gabby said, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "But we need to be careful!"

"Wait, guys!" Shae looked at Jane and Vino. "I don't know how you both pulled it off, but one thing's for sure: it ain't permanent!" she said and pointed at the flickering lights.

They only have a few minutes left until the power goes on again. So, they didn't waste time and ran together out of the hacienda.

As they made their way outside, Jane couldn’t help but feel a sense of anticipation. They had overcome the odds and pulled off their great escape. They were on a mission to see the spectacle that is Night Cirque and watch the Redstone Riots perform live.

Nothing is going to stop them now.

***

It was not easy for them to escape the reunion to go to the music festival happening at Night Cirque. It's an amusement park that only opens every leap year and is located in the dense forest of Mount Ampacao.

They can only ride buses to get there. But before they could reach the bus terminal out of the Alatus district, they still needed to rent a transport just to avoid the long traffic flow caused by the fiesta.

Vino presented to lead them to the nearest rental station.

When they arrived there, they immediately saw the sleek and futuristic design of hover scooters lined up in rows. They walked up to the rental booth and handed over their IDs.

The attendant handed them over the helmets and keys to their assigned hover scooter.

“Are we sure about this na?" Gabby asked. “Hover scooters are dangerous,” she said in a worried tone. “They levitate, don’t have any seatbelts, and they’re super fast!”

“And that’s what makes it thrilling!" Britt said.

Gabby wanted to back out. She didn't have much choice when she saw all of them hopped onto their respective scooters.

They zipped through the central market, weaving in and out of traffic. They were all astonished by the city lights and the bustling streets of the Alatus district. Even the houses and establishments they passed by had come alive; each of them had unique designs made out of vegetables and flowers.

The sensation of riding a hover scooter through the air was unlike anything they had experienced before. It was their first time, so they were not yet accustomed to its unusual mode of operation. Well, except for Vino, who had done this a hundred times as he was the only one not shrieking.

As a result, a stolen video of them riding hover scooters while screaming at the top of their lungs became an instant hit on various social media platforms. Many were amazed by their designer dresses, suits, shoes, and jewelry, which were usually only affordable for the elite. It was clear they were from a wealthy family, they commented. Some netizens were even angry because they noticed the dirt on the lower part of their clothing.

Their scooters automatically stopped at the next rental station near the e-bus terminal. Although the group was unaware of the trending online discussion about them, they noticed the jeering stares of the people around them after they returned the hover scooters to the rental station.

They just shrugged it off and laughed. It's good enough that they still arrived at the bus terminal in one piece, despite almost falling several times due to the speed of their ride.

Vino said one of the buses would take them to the Night Cirque, so they bought their tickets and boarded it. They settled on their seats and chatted about what they were going to do at the Night Cirque.

Trixie was already planning on trying every ride, while Rina and Britt were looking forward to trying the food. Gabby, Shae, and Vino were more cautious, but they were still excited to experience the Night Cirque for themselves.

Jane, who was now in the window seat, gazed off outside the bus, feeling like she had accomplished something great.

Her senses went back when she overheard a conversation behind their seat. They were discussing the hospital’s dilemma in regards to the patient-to-bed ratio. According to them, there's a surge of patients exhibiting flu-like symptoms similar to rabies.

“I bet it’s the government’s doing,” one whispered.

“What do you mean?” the other asks, intrigued.

“Matagal nang bali-balita na may kinalaman daw mismo ang gobyerno sa pagpapakalat ng mga sakit noon para pigilan ang paglobo ng populasyon natin.”

It sounds far-fetched, but Jane wondered if there’s some truth to it.

An ambulance hastened up with a bold force, letting everyone know its siren wasn’t a polite ask to move. Her head turned, following its red and blue streak. It's a pity they are in the rain-washed town of Alatus district. No one here gives a single damn about it. People around here were too occupied by the annual feast. Even the bus driver seems unimpressed, muttering under his breath as he pulls to the side to let the ambulance pass.

She gets them, though. Because just like them, she just wants to shove all their worries aside. And maybe, just maybe, that's not such a terrible thing after all.