"You are engaged?!" Pasigaw na tanong ni Auntie.Nasa loob na kami ng sasakyan pauwi. After I told Mr. President about my engagement, he was devastated. Ang sabi nga niya na gusto nila ako para kay Sebastian. They all want me to be part of their family. Well, naalala din niya yung sinabi ni Seb sa dinner, that I am seeing someone. He knew that the possibility of me being Sebastian's wife is thin. Pero nagbabasakali pa rin siya. He told me that it was worth the shot.Auntie, on the other hand, was so confused on what to feel. Masaya ba siya kasi finally I found my match for this marriage season shits, o mag-aalala siya because I turned down the offer of the country's President. Panay nga yung pagso-sorry niya but the President, as the gentleman at he is, assured her that it is fine. It was my decision in the first place, sabi pa niya.Ngayong nasa sasakyan na kami, I was anticipating for Auntie to ask a lot of questions. She never asks about my life. Siguro ngayon lang. Big people are

"The President made it clear that his son and Kaia Dorchner is not a couple..." I read the article.Pagkapasok ko pa lang ng bahay at ito agad ang bumungad sa akin. Auntie, who is not usually interested in my life, approached me with her tablet on her hand. Inabot niya ito sa akin para mabasa kung ano yung nakasulat."The President fulfilled his promise," she sighed. "I thought that he's going to hate us forever."Umiling ako. "Hindi ganung tao ang pagkilala ko sa kanila. Don't worry, Auntie.""Well. All's well ends well. Kumusta yung lakad niyo?" She asked randomly.I stared at her as if she've grown another head. "Seriously?""What?" She asked confusely."Auntie, never kang nagtanong sa lakad ko. Making conversations with me is harder itself. Kulang nalang you'd pretend that I'm invisible," I said bluntly."Alam mo, yan ang ayaw ko sa'yo. You speak freely without filter," She said. "Ang pranka mo.""At least I'm not being plastic." I proudly replied. "Mas gusto mo bang I treat you b

"Kakausapin ko sina Ate mamaya, Kaia. I'm so sorry," paumanhin ni Lev.Nasa rooftop kaming dalawa. Unang umuwi yung mom niya kasama mga kapatid niya. Nagpaiwan si Lev to talk to me. Alam ko naman kung ano yung pag-uusapan namin. How his sisters acted earlier was so rude. Buti nalang hindi tumaas yung sungay ko. Kung hindi baka minura ko na sila nang todo."They don't like me. Grabe talaga," I said. "Hindi pa nga kami nakapag-usap ever tapos ayaw na nila sa akin. Paano na kaya in the near future?""Alam mo naman na overprotective sila sa akin. Ayaw lang nila akong masaktan," sabi niya."Pero okay lang sa kanila na mang-insulto sa iba? Wow. Iba din," irap ko."I'm really sorry, Kaia."I sighed. I'm so frustrated right now. Hindi kasi ako yung tipo na pinapabayaan yung tao na insultuhin ako. Nagmamadilta ako kanina but it was mild. Yung parang tikim muna. Para masabi din nila na hindi ako nagpapaapi. Ikaw ba naman ang sabihang wimp kung gusto mo ba. Humarap ako kay Lev at hinawakan siya

I heard nothing but the sound of waves. The sun is up but I still don't want to open my eyes. Bakit ang sakit ng ulo ko? Ngayong I'm half-awake, I noticed how uncomfy the bed I'm lying at. Teka, this is not a bed.Kinapa ko yung tabi but I don't feel my teddy bear me, nor Kali. There are pillows but definitely this isn't a bed. Unti-unti kong minulat ang aking mata. Una kong nakita ay bote ng alak. Alak? Uminom ba ako kagabi?Pilit kong inalala yung nangyari kagabi. Tama. It was our monthsary. We talked about random stuffs while drinking. After that, wala na akong maalala. Bumangon ako at inabot yung bote na wala nang laman. Naparami ba yung inom ko kagabi? Why can't I remember anything?I stretch my body before I decided to go out from the tent. Paglabas ko pa lang ay naabutan kong nagluluto si Lev gamit yung portable stove. Sosyal! May dala pala siyang ganito?"Good morning," bati ko sa kanya. I rubbed my eyes and yawned.Nagulat si Lev at napalingon sa akin. He's blinking repeated

"Is Lev coming?" tanong ni Kali sa akin. Kasalukuyan akong nakaupo sa vanity table habang naglagay ng kolorete sa mukha. I'm wearing a white dress, since black and white yung theme nung party na dadaluhin ko. Yup. It's the President's ball. Ang sabi ni Lev na sasamahan niya ako at siya ang magiging date ko ngayong gabi, that's why I had to turn down Seb's offer to be my date."I'm not sure," sabi ko at matipid na ngumiti. "He didn't message me.""Well, nagtext ka ba sa kanya?" She asked."Of course. I even called his number pero hindi siya sumasagot. He's probably busy."I expected Lev to come. Nangako kasi siya and he looked so determined nang sinabi niyang siya ang sasama sa akin dun. I was not planning on going pero sabi niya kasi that I should go. Tutal, kasama ko naman siya. But then again, I should have never put my hopes high. Last party, he wasn't there with me wherin he also agreed to be my date. I just can't help to feel disappointed.Palagi nalang bang ganito, Lev?"Well,