“What the fuck are you doing here?” I asked while fuming in anger.I hurriedly stood up not minding if my hair is all over my face, just to face the devil incarnate who gave me a mocking smile.“What a pleasant words coming from you, Jill. Didn’t you miss me? Well, I miss you so much, babe.” He stressed the last word as if to emphasize something.My face grimaced in disgust at the sight of the man who I have considered to be my first love. Only when I met Von did I realize that what I felt for this cheating piece of scumbag is very shallow. “Who gave you an idea that I like to see you again? After what you have done to me? After you slept with my assistant and made a fool out of me, you still have the gall to let me see your face again? How could you still keep a straight face after what you have done, you chauvinistic jerk!”My nostrils flared and I can feel my head growing big. Pure bloodshot anger

“So? How did it go?”I groaned in the phone while talking to Laurie and enjoying my bubble bath in the confines of my place. I felt like my neck and back are breaking for being in front of the computer for the whole day. Thinking about repeating it for another day tomorrow makes my insides go wild in rebellion.“Please, don’t ask. It was obviously hell, Laurie. I did stuff you won’t want to know. I hate it there as much as I hate mom for pulling a stunt on me.”She laughed on the line and burped. I don’t have to keep guessing what this woman is doing. I’m sure she is eating again. What will happen next worries me. Laurie will obviously gag herself again to force the food out of her stomach. I have been telling her to stop this unhealthy practice of hers and consult a doctor but she won’t heed me. I sighed. We’re really meant to be friends.“You’re doing it again. How many times do I need to tell you about your habit? Stop it, already.”“Stop it

 I arrived at Sandy’s place at exactly five in the morning. The maid who opened the door for me gave me a malicious smile while giving a look on my thin lingerie underneath my untied robe.“Where’s Von?” I asked hurriedly not minding her stares.“Jill, come up here.”I looked up to see Von from the top of the stairs in the second floor. I didn’t think twice before running towards him.“W-what happened?” I asked him while catching my breath.Von sighed and raked his fingers over his hair in a frustrated way.“It’s Sandy. I don’t know what exactly happened but she called me this morning to ask for my help. I immediately came here but when she saw me, she began to scream and started shaking all over. I tried to embraced her but she won’t let me. It’s been an hour since she locked herself up in the room.”“Why did you call me? You should have called for her mother or any member of her family.”Von stared right through me, enough for m

 “Hi, Ms. Jill Buenaventura. Fancy meeting you here. I get that you don’t remember me given that look in your face. I’m Penelope Ciro. We met five years ago in London. Remember that fashion show?”I crooked one brow and tried to remember her name and the event she’s talking about. Penelope… A flash of recognition dawned on me when I repeated her name in my head. My face hardened at the memory of a woman holding a placard outside the hotel where a fashion show I just attended was taking place. She is shouting expletive words on my face and then next thing I knew; she threw a rotten egg on my face. The next day's morning paper contained my picture who looks like I just ran over a dozen of eggs. Beside that column is a mugshot of the woman where her name is written in a nice bold black font.“Ah, I remember your bloated face outside that building that night. Well, you look so good with that mismatched plaid jacket and a neon cropped top.”Penelope smi

“What is wrong, Jill?”I sniffed on my already wet tissue and then threw it on the trash bin together with other tons of wet wipes before answering Laurie who is looking at me with utmost curiosity from her seat on the far side of her room.“What’s wrong? Everything is wrong, Laurie!” I blurted out while stuffing tissues on my face again. My mascara is all over my face but I don’t care about being vain anymore. My vanity will not save me from the horrible heartache and shit I am feeling now.After the scene in the hotel, I did not go back to work. Instead, I instructed the cab driver to take me to Laurie’s pad. I did not care anymore if I found her lying naked with a man in her bed because I am so absorbed with my own problems. I badly needed a friend now or else I’m going to explode in mixed anger and frustration.“Relax, Jill. Tell me everything first. Let me understand first so that I know what&rsqu