KELLY was like a kid who was forced by his mom to take a picture. Halos ngumiwi siya sa lahat ng mga litrato. But then, she's naturally pretty. Sigurado siya na magaganda parin ang mga kuha niya.
"Just one smile, anak, " her mother still insisted.
She sighed and flashed one small smile as soon as she heard the camera shutter. Tuwang-tuwa naman ang ina niya at sinasabihan pa ang photographer na gandahan ang ayos ng lighting.
She roamed her eyes around when her mother finally let her go from picture taking. Hinahanap ng mata niya si Caleb. That's bad, nagtago na yata.
Maraming mga bumati sa kan'ya. From girls in her social circle, celebrities, daughter of politicians, and even athletes. Anong magagawa niya? She's too pretty that she really stood out in the crowd.
"Yes, she's a theatre actress before, " narinig pa niyang sabi ng ina sa mga amiga nito. That's fine, it's true anyway.
"Hija!" tawag nang may katandaang senyora sa kan'ya.
She was pleased by the sudden attention. This is her. She loves spotlight. She cared for attention.
It's unrealistic if she would said that she doesn't care of attention. Her work screamed for it. She's still an open person in public. Kaya't natatawa na lang siya kapag may mga public figure na nagsasabing wala silang pakialam sa atensyon. In the first place, fans or anti-fans are still considered as attention.
"Senyora, " bati niya sa sopistikadang ginang at nagbeso rito.
Senyora Felicima in her late 70's, but still an epitome of beauty. Malaki talaga ang impluwensiya ng senyora sa kan'ya sa larangan ng pagiging elegante.
"I'm glad to see you again, Kelly hija. " Kahit ang pagsuri nito sa kabuuan niya ay maringal. "Ang tagal na nang huli tayong magkita. I'm always delighted meeting you. You know that, hija. "
She's more than pleasured. Hearing it from the woman she always admire eversince she was young felt like magic. Senyora Felicima was always the role model she look up. Malaki ang naging ambag ng senyora sa industriya ng moda.
"I hope you're enjoying the party, Senyora. I'm more than gratified to see you again. "
Senyora smiled at her. They talked a bit about her experience in Switzerland. When she modeled for a luxury brand of piano.
"I think I should introduce you to my grandson, hija. I've been looking forward for this eversince I met you. "
Kelly remembered that. Ilang beses nang gustong ipakilala ng senyora sa kan'ya ang apo nito. Wala lang naging tiyansa noon dahil masyado siyang busy sa career niya. Ganoon rin siguro ang lalaki.
"He's in the table with your brother. Come, I hope you two will be a good friends. " Hndi pa niya naproproseso ang sinabi ng ginang sa kan'ya nang bigla na agad siya nitong hinawakan sa palapulsuhan. Nagpatianod naman siya.
Nag-iisip na siya kung kilala niya ang lalaki. Wala namang mas'yadong kaibigan ang Kuya niya. Well, he just treat everyone in business world as a friend. Weird naman kasi ang kapatid niya.
Nakita niyang tumaas ang kilay ng Kuya niya nang makitang papalapit siya sa gawi nito. She was approaching them from the back so she can't see some of her brother's friends.
But when she finally saw each other's faces, she just wanted to burst out in emotions. Talagang may gana paring makichismis ang lalaki sa Kuya niya matapos ng kasinungalingan nito?
"Kelly hija, meet my grandson, Caleb. He's a pretty nice man. You both should hangout sometimes, " anang senyora at hindi siya makatanggi!
Senyora Felicima free her wrist. Ngumiti pa ito sa apo bago humarap sa kan'ya.
"I'll leave you here, hija. Caleb apo, take care of Kelly for me, alright?"
Is she a kid to be taken care of?
Nakanguso na lang siya habang tinatanaw ang papalayong bulto ng ginang. Now she's left with Caleb! Hindi pa nga siya nakakamove-on sa kasinungalingan nito!
"Aren't you sitting?" Her brother asked. Padabog naman siyang humila ng upuan at nakaismid na umupo. She doesn't care if her brother's friends are looking at her! Malapit na rin naman siya sa kanila. Except of course of Caleb. That guy. She wanted to be a killer for a moment. Kung hindi lang siya takot makulong, e.
"What's up, Kel?" Kuya Gelo, one of her brother's friends asked her.
Umirap lang siya. Lalo pa siyang nairita nang makitang nakangisi sa kan'ya si Caleb.
"What? Don't stare at me too much. You're like an ugly drooling dog, " sikmat niya kay Caleb nang makitang tingin ito ng tingin sa kan'ya. And he stares like she was the most funniest person in Earth! Mukha ba siyang clown?
"Oh, coming from the woman who gave me her lipstick stain in a paper before. "
Nanlaki ang mata niya. He's bringing it up that now? Past na nga 'yun e!
"Kelly, don't glare at him like that. I know what you did and it's true-
"Kuya!" she cut her brother off. Is he siding with Caleb? Hindi ba nito nakikita na pinapahiya siya ng kaibigan nito? "You know that I'm always sick before, Kuya. It's just a side effect from the medicines I take. Ngayong maayos na ako, hindi.. hindi naman siya gwapo! He looks an ordinary guy! Nothing special! And.. And I realized long before that I don't have a crush on him! Naguluhan lang ako pero hindi ko naman siya gusto-
"You're just confused? So you're confusion lasted for a year?" Caleb talked back. Sumasagot pa talaga?
"T-That's.. that's because I take medicines for a year regularly! Diba, Kuya? Sabi ng doctor isa daw sa mga side effects ay pagkahilo kaya't baka naguluhan lang talaga ako noon-
"Isn't that too outside of the box?"
Bakit ba nito pinipilit? E hindi na nga niya crush ito e!
"I'm telling the truth! I always experienced headache so when I saw you, I thought you're handsome but you're not! Namalik-mata lang siguro ako dahil masakit ang ulo ko-
"After you bake dozens of boxes of cupcakes for me, and after you wrote uncountable love letters? You're telling me that you're just confused because you have a headache?"
Bakit siya nagagalit?
"I-It's because I didn't still realize-
"You even made my house like a flower shop just to invite me as your partner in your prom. You also went in guidance from disturbing our class because you wanted to gave me the invitation, you remember? Now you're telling that's it's just a pure illusion of yours?"
Nawalan siya ng imik. She can't lose! Not now that everyone in the table was looking at her like she was a stage comedian!
"A-Ang sabi ko nga, matagal kong narealize! Hindi ba puwedeng huli ko na nang mapagtanto-
"You confessed infront of hundreds of students! Isn't it too much for you to say that you're not sure with your feelings-
"Why are you cutting me off?!" she exclaimed. Hindi pa nga siya tapos, e! She has a lot of more to say but he's too annoying! "Maybe you're the one who has a crush on me! The fact that you still remembers all of that means that you can't forget it! Why? Are you treasuring that moments? Siguro dahil wala naman nang ibang nagkagusto sayo? So the efforts I did to you before are like a fucking diamonds for you! Okay, I understand. Wala na sigurong gumagawa ng ganoon sa'yo ngayon. Why? Because you're not a boyfriend material! I'm right! You're the one who likes me even before and you're just being pahard to get! Maybe you're too pleased that a pretty lady was confessing to you before!"
Everything fell in silence. She won! Akala naman ng lalaki matatalo siya? She's a bitch who deserves an award in trash talking!
Caleb looked at her seriously. Blanko na ang mukha nito at nawala ang ngisi. See? She's right! Talagang may gusto ang lalaki sa kan'ya!
"Tahimik ka na? So don't you ever spread lies because I'll always get on your back-
"Now I'm more than entertain. Sinabi mong wala ng ibang nagkakagusto sa 'kin diba?"
Oh! He understands! Hindi naman pala siya stupid!
"Oo! Kasi hindi ka nga boyfriend material-
"So you include yourself in the list of those girls who liked me?"
"What?" she's confused!
"Wala nang ibang nagkagusto sa 'kin, that's what you said. It seems like you're telling me that no one's been interested in me after you liked me. " Nahigit niya ang hininga. Naiinis na siya lalo! "Inamin mo parin na nagustuhan mo nga ako. "
Damn! Is she losing? She can't!
Huminga siya nang malalim. You got this, Kelly. Don't let yourself be an entertainment to Caleb!
"I am a victim of false accusations here, " pormal niyang sambit. Everyone in the table looked at her. Mukha pa silang nagpipigil ng tawa! "First of all, Caleb, you fucking dirtbag bastard, how dare you tell everyone that I confessed to you today? I have a different crush, okay? You lying creep!" Her brother looked at her like she just said a very bad word. But today is her night! Hindi talaga siya aalis sa party na hindi nagagantihan si Caleb!
Wait, may crush nga ba siya? Justin Timberlake? Never mind.
She stared at the guy who's just shamelessly smirking at her like he was having fun. You like this, huh?
"And why I'm the one who's cornered here? When the truth is, Caleb's the one who's stalking me!" She acted like she was really insulted.
Caleb's forehead creased. "I'm not a stalker of yours-
Kuya Jackson, one of the guy in the table looked at Caleb with disbelief. "What the fuck, bro? You're stalking Kelly? You're creepy!"
Napangisi siya. She makes faces to Caleb, who's very annoyed right now.
"I didn't. I'm too busy to even do that-
Kuya coughed. "So you're telling us that if you're not busy, you will really stalk my sister?"
I love you, Kuya. You're the best!
She opened her purse and took her phone. She set it in video camera and placed in the table. That way, kitang-kita ang ekspresyon ni Caleb. She needs it! Pangblackmail in the future!
Caleb whined in disagreement. "I'm just explaining my side. Your sister is just making things up. "
"Stop lying, Caleb. I can clearly remember it. You're in my fashion show in Hawaii. I thought I just saw you wrong but then, I saw you again in my photoshoot in California. You're in disguised! But I didn't mind it because I thought you're just in California for vacation or a business trip! But I saw you again in Morocco, in the filming of my photo book! Tell me, is that all by chance?"
You messed in a wrong woman, Caleb.
He sighed heavily. "I won't do that. I don't have any reasons to that. "
But then, the guys in the table didn't believe in him anymore.
"Bro, you're brave. I never thought you'll chase a woman. " Kuya Gelo laughed. He looked at her and tapped her back. "You must be bothered, Kelly. Don't worry, our Caleb's here is actually a good guy. But I feel bad to him right now. Looks like he's really into you. "
Caleb looked at her more irritated. Who's the loser now?
Kelly glared at him too. She was laughing inside. But somehow.. she's starting to like the game. She's interested in winning.
He just frowned and drank the liquor in the shot glass. He was glancing at her from time to time with an expression of 'Is that it? That's how you play the game?'
Nainis siya ng kunti dahil doon. But she's more motivated now. She will proved to him that she's not a mere woman. She will bring home the victory.
As she looked at Caleb, she just shrugged. There's a part of her that wants to have an answer to the questions she's been curious for a long time. But she doesn't have any reasons to entertain the truth.
Let the words she said as a lie.
Even if it's not.