Playing For Keeps (Book 2 & 3)

2. Chapter 14.

"Hope for the best, expect the worst and take whatever comes."

"O, kamusta nag buhay bilang misis na hilaw ni Alexander Lizares?" Peter asked emphasizing on the word 'misis'. Drei slid him a disgusted look and he wiggled his eyebrows at her.  The four of them – Peter, Drei, Tessa and Rachel – were having lunch at Conti's Serendra on a breezy Tuesday morning. Tessa and Rachel, who sat across from her and Peter, leaned in closer waiting for her to spill the beans. Peter nudged Drei's elbow lightly. "Magkuwento ka na, buntis! Kanina mo pa kami binibitin eh!"

"Dali na, Andrea!" Rachel demanded, while sipping her juice. "Habang nag dedessert tayo!"

Drei just narrowed her eyes on Peter and made a face. "Misis ka diyan! Loka loka ka talaga!"

"Feel mo naman?!" he fired back, causing Drei to cringe and shake her head. "Ohhhhh maniwala ako sa'yo? Di mo feel? Weh?"

"Itodo mo pa, Drei," Tessa joined in. "Kahit ako hindi convinced na hindi mo feel eh!"

"Ano ba kayo? Nakakapikon na ha!" Drei glared at them. "Ang kukulit niyo eh!" The three just snickered at her not minding her threat. "Eh wala naman dapat ikwento...yun lang naman... lumipat na kami sa bahay niya..."

                                                         

Alex came by early to pick them up on a Saturday morning, two days ago. His instructions, a night before, were pretty clear when he told Drei that all they needed were their personal stuff and nothing else. After having breakfast with the Buenaventura's and talking to Drei's parents for a few minutes via Skype, they made their way to Bonifacio Global City armed with one balikbayan box and five rolling suitcases with them.  All the while Drei thought that they were moving to his old unit but they didn't. Instead they found themselves in the parking lot of Two Serendra and that was the only time she found out that they were coming home to his new unit.

Unit 208-C is a 160 square meters, three bedroom unit at the second floor of Section C at Two Serendra. Her mouth hung open as soon as they stepped inside. It was fully furnished and the place was just stunning, the kind that you see featured on Urban Zone and the likes. It was pretty obvious that he got an Interior Designer to do all the works. The combination of brown, red and white dominated the living room and the dining area. It was modernly chic but child-friendly.

There was an L-shaped, brown sofa and a love seat in the living room, a flat screen LCD television was mounted on the wall, a faceted-frame coffee table, the curtains were in a lighter shade of brown with prints on them and then a six seater dining set . The kitchen was just the right size with a complete range of appliances in place. She opened the cabinets and found everything that they needed – plates, cooking utensils, etc. Further inside the kitchen were the laundry room and the maid's quarter.

Everything seemed like they were a cut-out from an IKEA catalogue. Drei never expected all of this and most especially she never expected this extravagant effort coming from Alex. Wow, she thought as she surveyed the place and beside her Matty was cooing in awe as Alex showed them around.

"And this," Alex said looking at Drei and Matty, and then he opened the door of the first room that was right across the kitchen. "This is your room, Kuya!" he said proudly.