Boulevard to Polaris (Virago Series #1)

never changed fates

"Dije que necesito un maldito minuto con mi cliente." I said I need a fucking minute with my client. Pinal na putol niya sa inspektor at walang-pakundangan akong hinila palabas ng kwarto kung nasaan ang iilang pulis at sina... Vienna?

Nangunot ang noo ko, "Why are you here?"

"Puta? 'Yan talaga bungad mo pagkatapos naming kanselahin lahat para lang puntahan ka rito?" Sarkastikong tanong ni Vienna na agad sinaway ni Alessa.

Hindi-makapaniwala ko siyang tinignan, "I never told you to come here! Why are you even here?! Who the hell called you?! That unknown number?!"

"Qué carajo? Vinimos aquí porque estamos preocupados y así es como nos saludarán?!" What the fuck? We came here because we're worried and this is how you'll greet us?! Napatayo si Vienna pero agad siyang kinalma ni Solace. Natigilan naman ako bigla.

"Aster. God, don't fight. Are you okay?!" Nag-aalalang nilapitan ako ni Solace bago sinipat ang buong katawan ko, tumigil saglit ang tingin niya sa posas sa kamay ko. Ganu'n din si Paris at Aya. Si Vienna ay naupo lang ulit habang paulit-ulit na umiirap. Nandito rin si Avi na malungkot ang tingin sa'kin.

Nasa likod silang lahat 'nung tinted na bintana kung saan kami nakaupo kanina, at kung saan makikita sina Quince at Gazer na nag-aaway ulit ngayon. Rinig na rinig ang bangayan nila rito pero hininaan ng isang pulis ang intercom dahil inutusan siya ni Alessa. 'Give them a private space,' she said. Ang ilan sakanila ay pinakiusapan niya ring umalis muna pero hinayaan niyang manatili ang isang pulis para raw bantayan kami. 

"What is happening to you, Aster?" Solace asked. 

I chuckled, "What do you mean? Nothing is happening. I'm just asking you why you're here because there's literally nothing to fucking see."

Pansin kong napatayo si Vienna sa sinabi ko pero agad siyang hinarangan ng kapatid. Sa huli ay umupo ulit siya habang paulit-ulit akong minumura sa dayalekto niya.

"What the hell. Nothing? Oh, c'mon, you hate that word. Something is definitely happening." Ani ulit ni Solace.

I sighed, "It's nothing. Just a small fight. Just leave. I'll fix this."

"Ese cabrón desagradecido! Ver?! Es terca como el infierno!" That ungrateful cunt! See?! She's stubborn as hell! Sigaw ni Vienna mula sa kabilang dako ng kwarto.

"God, Aster!" Singhal ni Paris, "You're trending on the internet as a victim of this Quince influencer and there are rumors that you provoked her by saying that you fucked his boyfriend. Narinig kayo ng kabilang table sa cafe ni Callista and even though Calli isn't even here in the Philippines, she almost left her job and booked a flight just to go home. Mabuti at pinigilan siya ni Vienna! Can't you put more feelings in this?! We're fucking worried!"

Nagulantang si Solace at Vienna. Minsanan lang naman din kasi si Paris magmura at nangyayari lang 'yun kapag nadadala siya ng emosyon.   

"What do you mean?" Anas ko.  

"Zahara who's currently out of the country saw quite a lot of videos of you in the internet. She cancelled all of her appointments just to check on us here. Even Avelle insisted to come here pero pinigilan siya namin dahil alam naming hindi niya pwedeng maiwan ang anak niya. Maeve called from outside the country asking where are you because she's shocked by seeing you in the news, and now she's currently erasing all the spreading videos of you in the internet. Muntikan na rin niyang sirain ang broadcasting software ng mga TV companies para lang huwag ka kumalat, Aster. Even Callista is helping her do that now." Pagpapatuloy niya dahil tahimik lang si Solace, Vienna, Aya, at Avi na nakatingin sa'kin... sa'min.