"MA'AM, may package po kayong dumating, " bungad ni Dana nang makababa siya mula sa kwarto.
Napataas ang kilay niya. She's not expecting one.
Kinuha niya ang maliit na kahon at dinala sa breakfast nook. As soon as she finished eating her clubhouse sandwich, she untie the ribbon in the box.
Is this a Christmas gift?
But the gifts of her fans are directly delivered to her manager. Kaya't paanong meron sa private residence nila?
Curious as she is, she immediately opened the box and was welcome again by an old brown colored box. She's losing her patience but she still made her way to the gift. After unboxing the two layers of box, a royal blue small box again was inside.
She opened it and in her shock, she closed it fastly after seeing it!
What the hell? Who just gave her an expensive earrings?
She knows just by seeing it. It's probably around a million dollar.
Am I wrong and it's just a fake?
But she can't be wrong! Bumili na siya nang katulad noon. But compare to the one she's holding right now, the one she bought before was less pricey. Hindi 'yong ganito kamahal.
Hinalukay niya ang loob ng box, naghahanap ng sulat kung kanino ito galing.
It's not from her parents or her brother. She already received her gift from her parents at the Christmas Night. And her brother gave her flowers and a scented candle.
She felt relieved when she saw a yellow colored paper note. Maliit lang iyon at sigurado siyang hindi rin marami ang maisusulat.
Here's the token of my appreciation to you for being my admirer before. Welcome back home and Merry Christmas, Kelly Lane.
-Jahid Caleb Acosta
Napanguso siya. Did he just spend a large bucks of money just to tease her?
But then, the earrings are pretty. Really fit her taste and fashionable enough to even wear everyday. Kaso ayos lang ba na suotin niya?
Well, it's not that Caleb and her will see each other again. They just met by chance. She doesn't have any plans to entertain his games again. In the first place, in their teasing game last anniversay party, she won, right? At least, that's fine.
CALEB TOOK a lot of courage to ask for Journey's help eventhough he was embarrassed.. a lot.
"Why would I wrap your gift for someone? You didn't even give me one. And you can just by a paper bag. Don't be maarte because I'm busy, " Journey complained immediately as soon as he said what he wants.
"I'm working on for the autograph you badly want. So just let me take a few minutes of your time and wrap this thing for me. "
Napasinghal lang ito at inagaw sa kan'ya ang maliit na box.
"This is for your girls again, Kuya. Stop playing around and get serious with your life, " his sister even scolded him.
"It's for an acquaintance, Journey. Don't get wrong with that part. "
She rolled her eyes. "Really? A very expensive jewelry for your acquaintance?"
Nag-iwas siya ng tingin. "Lance is the one who bought that. "
Journey chuckled. "Your secretary probably don't know what that thing is. "
He sighed. "Just take care of it for me, Journey. "
"Fine, but I hope she's not over reacting if ever you will play around with her. "
Natawa siya dahil doon. He has a lots of girls before. Some even met his sister. Journey hates everyone, though.
"Don't worry, we don't like each other at all. "
Right, Kelly must liked him back before. But it's been a long time and probably, she entered many relationships too.
"Oh. I understand. It's not that you really liked your flings. "
He frowned and just left his sister. He'll just lost his patience if he stay there longer.
But.. why did I come up in an idea of giving her a gift?
COFFEE AT his hands, Caleb went to the garage to do a morning drive with his Rolls-Royce, a part of his usual daily routine. He finished the cup and before he can even grab the keys in his pocket, he heard Journey calling him from the veranda of second floor.
He sighed and looked up to his sister who's holding a box.
"What do you want?" he shouted. He's sure that his sister can clearly hear him.
"I unboxed my package earlier and I find one for you. Should I throw this at your direction?"
He breathe heavily. What did his parents eat when they made his sister?
"Stop being a kid, Journey. Go downstairs and placed it in the table. "
He was not expecting a package or a gift, though.
Journey laughed. "Why would I, Kuya? I just got mani-pedi and I don't like walking too much for now. "
His sister will be the early death of him. Is he even his sister? She must be adopted. Or.. am I?
He shrugged his thoughts off. He's the duplicate of his father in terms of looks. Like a fucking xerox machine.
"Throw it, I'll catch, " he said and he saw Journey smirked.
"It's not my fault if the box will hit you, alright?"
Hindi na lang siya sumagot. Jounery positioned herself for a throw like she was really enjoying it.
Agad niyang nasalo ang kahon. Napairap lang ang kapatid niya sa kan'ya bago pikon na umalis sa veranda. He chuckled and went back to the living room with the box in his hand.
He's wondering who sent it. He value privacy the most. That includes his residency. He's sure that it's not from his friends. They don't give gifts in boxes. They just give you money or car parts. More convenient for a business man like them.
The light green color of box just bothers him. It's too bright that it just hurt his eyes.
His forehead wrinkled when he saw a medium size of glass jar with chocolate cookies inside of it. It was familiar to him.
He saw a note on the lid of the jar. It was green again.
Don't be so flattered with this. And don't you even reminisce. Take this as my token of appreciation to you for flooding me likes in instagram. And if you're just gonna like my picture, at least follow me too. Thank you. Merry Christmas. And Happy new year in advance.
- Kelly Lane Brandon
When.. did I.. like her pictures?
I don't have an instagram.
Oh, he actually have one. He's using it for the purpose of some brand modelling. But he's not managing it. Lance, his secretary, has the hold of it because he's not interested.
He dialed his secretary's number. Did Lance just liked Kelly's pictures using his account?
"Good morning, sir. May kailangan po ba kayo?" Lance answered. Lance's in 40s.
"Are you using instagram?"
"Paminsan-minsan po, sir. Bakit po?"
"Do you know Kelly Brandon?"
"Ah, " sagot nito. "Opo, sir. Yung maganda po na model, ano?"
Fine, she's pretty. But too much for his hands. Not his type.
"Yes, that's her. And are you aware that you're liking her pictures using my account?" He's pissed. Now, Kelly must be thinking that he likes her.
Napaubo naman si Lance. "P-Po, sir? Pero may account po ako, sir. "
"So how did my account ended up liking her pictures?"
Lance looked away. "B-Baka nalike niyo po talaga sir hindi niyo lang po a-alam-
His forehead creased. "Ready your resignation-
"S-Si Ma'am Journey po sir! T-Tinatanong niya po kasi password po ng account niyo. "
Napapikit siya. "Alright. "
When the call ended, he immediately went upstairs to talk with Journey. He saw his sister through the glass planes of music room while playing piano.
Jounery eyed him. "What, Kuya?"
He sighed. "What are you thinking? Did you just use my account in purpose?"
Ngumuso ito at binalik ang atensyon sa piano.
"No, why would I do that?" she answered.
"Yeah, why would you do that?"
"Hindi nga Kuya. I'm telling you the truth-
"Jounery Caliah.. " he warned.
Mas lalo itong ngumuso. "Fine, I did use your account. But no worries, it's not like she'll gonna notice you. "
She noticed it, though.
"It's still inappropriate, Journey. "
Sunod-sunod itong tumango. "I understand now so stop nagging me. I just did it because you have million followers and I thought she'll notice you but I think you're not her type. I'm expecting that she'll message you or something but nothing like that happened. She didn't even liked at least one of your magazines shoot in ig. Poor you.. "
He's not interested anyway.
"What's the purpose of her noticing me?"
Journey giggled. "You guys would be a couple! And because you're my big brother, I'll see her always!"
He tsked. "She's not my cup of tea. "
Sumimangot ito. "Hindi ka rin naman niya type, Kuya. In her book, she said that she's into guy who's considerate and knows what filial piety means. You're out already. "
He became silent. What's with Kelly's ideal type? I mean, everyone knows what filial piety means. And if it's being considerate, isn't that too emotionally overstandard? Many can fake consideration.
"Cut your thoughts, Jounery. And please don't use my account on that purpose again. She's too popular. I don't want to attached my name with her. "
KELLY's free for the whole day. And now she's planning to meet Adelaide, her friend. They wanted to try the popular café nearby.
She waved her hands when she saw Adelaide stepping outside the car. She giggled when she saw that they are both dressed up with a retro floral v-neckline mini dress. She forgot that the dress was from Adelaide's clothing line.
"Now we're dressed up for a picture perfect, " she said as she kissed Adelaide's cheek.
Adelaide smiled. "Please don't tag me again in instagram. I don't want my notifications popping out everytime I open my phone. "
Napatawa siya. "You know you're popular too. "
A sweet coffee-scented enveloped their nostrils when they entered the café named Freesia. She thought that the shop name is very pretty. Since Freesia means a sweet-scented flower. And the café really smells good. The coffee and the sweet pastries are mixing.
"Let's go near the window, " Adelaide said.
She immediately took her phone to capture the aesthetic view of the café. They also ended up taking lot of pictures of theirselves until the staff went to their direction.
"What's your specialty?" she asked. Adelaide keep on looking with the menu.
"We have a coffee called nightshade. It has a bittersweet flavor representing both sadness and happiness you feel when you're inlove. But if you want a sweet one, we have dawn of coffee. It means young love. It brings back the nostalgia of your youth, the period when you experienced the first love. "
"Oh, " tanging nasambit niya na lang. How did the owner of this cafe comes up with those names?
"I want the sweet one. What about you, Ade?" she glanced at her friend.
"Irish coffee, " Adelaide answered.
Napanganga siya. "I-It has a whiskey, though.. "
Adelaide let out a small smile. "That's how I like it. "
When their coffee arrived with slices of Almond Amaretto, she ended up again with lots of pictures.
"Are you staying here in Manila for good?" she asked Ade.
"Yes, it's convenient for me since the main branch is here, " Ade paused. "What about you? Still planning to go back abroad?'
She nodded. "Hmm, I still have a 2 years left in my contract in States. "
Ade nodded. "Please end your contract and go back home with a boyfriend. Since when the last time you entered relationship? It's been a while. "
Napatawa siya. "You should apply it to yourself. Go find a guy and marry him immediately. Don't sulk over your ex. "
Adelaide shrugged. "I'm completely done with him. "
She chuckled. And as she sips with her coffee, she saw how the mistletoe style of bell rangs as a sign that someone's entering.
She craned her neck when she saw the familiar back. And that moment, she regret looking at the door.
Because her young love entered.
But he's not alone. He's with someone else.