tw; use of drugs
"UUWI na ako, " ani ni Kelly at nakangusong hinawakan ang paperbag.
It's already 1 pm. It was fun talking to Journey that she didn't let the time bother them.
"Ihahatid kita, " pilit si Caleb na bumangon kaya't bahagya niyang tinampal ang kamay nito.
"What are you thinking? Bumaba na ang lagnat mo but you still need to rest! I can drive!" singhal niya.
Anong ihahatid? Baka gusto nitong madouble fever?! Or if there's a thing.. like that.
"Fine, but text me if you're home. " Umirap lang siya ngunit tumango naman. "And do you have any schedules tomorrow night? It's Freesia's birthday. She's inviting you. "
She sighed. "I'm not sure. My schedules cancelled today so I'm probably busy tomorrow. Sasabihin ko na lang sa'yo kung puwede?"
He nodded and stood up. Nanlaki ang mata niya at padabog itong tinampal ulit.
"You need bed rest! May balak ka pang pumunta sa birthday party bukas e hindi ka nga sigurado kung gagaling ka agad! Buang mo naman.. " Ang kulit kasi!
He blinked. "What did you say?"
Kumunot ang noo niya. "What? Ang sabi ko, huwag kang mag-gagalaw-galaw kung gusto mong gumaling ka agad—
"No, the last one.. " halos magsalubong na ang makapal nitong kilay.
Napaisip naman siya. "Uh, buang ka?"
He chuckled. "Its weird coming from you. Where did you learn that?"
Sinamaan niya ito ng tingin. "Are you teasing me?"
"Damn.. no.. " tanggi nito pero nagpipigil naman ng halakhak.
"Inaasar mo ko, " she stated. How dare he? She isn't a circus!
He shook his head immediately, may nakasupil parin na ngiti sa labi. "No, I'm sorry. I wasn't teasing you. Are you that mad?"
She tsked. Hindi! Hindi siya galit!
"I'm going, " aniya at tumalikod. Siya na nga ang nag-effort na bisitahin ito, e! She drove for an hour! And she will drive another one hour again! See?! She's full of efforts!
"Hey.. hey.. " tawag nito, wala nang pang-aasar sa tono. "Kel.. alright.. alright.. you're not mad. Maybe you're just irritated?" Agad niyang binalingan ito ng tingin at tinaliman ulit ng tingin. ".. a bit?" agad nitong dagdag.
Ngumuso siya. "You're making fun of me. You didn't appreciate that I visited you. I even drove an—
"Yes, you drove an hour and the food are heavy, right?" he cut her off!
"Now you're mimicking me, " mas humaba ang nguso niya.
He sighed. "I'm not.. I won't anymore. Now.. we're fine?"
Inisip naman niya ang kalagayan nito at dahan-dahang tumango. Yes, Kelly. You must be considerate.
"If that so, come on. I'll take you downstairs. "
Hindi na siya nagreklamo. Hindi naman siguro tataas ang lagnat nito dahil lang sa pagbaba sa hagdan? Right. It's fine! It's safe!
"Text me, alright? Don't go anywhere for now and go home immediately. You don't want some media eyeing you. "
Kelly nodded. She smiled and wave her hands to Caleb as she approaches her car. He just smiled a bit and lift his left hand too but immediately lower too.
Nangingiti tuloy siyang sumakay sa sasakyan at pinaandar ito. Nang makalayo ay agad siyang nakahinga ng maluwag. Oh god, she really thought Journey and Caleb are mad at her!
I'm home, safely. Drink your meds! 😇
She sent the message to Caleb. She really put the emoji at then end because she is really an angel. Imagine? She visited him! She drove for two hours! She carry a heavy paper bag! And now she's reminding him to drink his meds!
"Ma'am!" aligagang lapit ni Dana sa kan'ya at pinayungan siya.
"Thanks, Dana, " she said when they reached the main door. Nanlaki naman ang mata ni Dana, halatang gulat na gulat.
"Y-You're welcome, Ma'am!" maligaya nitong sagot. Nakangiwi niya lang tinanguan 'yon.
But still, she is very genuinely happy today and no one can ruin her mood!
"I want some almond Biscotti in the garden, Dana. And apple ade, " bilin niya sa dalaga at dali-daling umakyat sa kwarto para makapagpalit.
What's the best outfit for garden? hmm
In the end, she just decided to wear a ruffle cotton sundress. Sinuot lang din ulit niya ang pambahay niyang slippers, flip-flops.
"What do you like, Kaza? Lettuce?" Kelly asked her cat and showed Kaza the small piece of lettuce. Kazana purred her tail. Hmm, her cat's vegetarian.
While having her time in the garden, she opened her SNS. She frowned as soon as she opened it.
mari_cel: OMG?! That's not true! Caleb has a thing for me! I'm sure they are just friends or something! O baka.. nilalandi lang naman siya ni Kelly?
Damn, she already graduated from seducing him! Oh my god, past is past!
_kimi: Obviously a lie. Caleb and I met early this morning and he still wants to hang out with me.
Caleb's sick and he's with me until lunch! Anong nagkita? This girl seriously need some vaccine.
toriph: I know Kelly and Caleb's not her guy. She's obsessed with him back in junior but Caleb has no interest with her. Poor girl, she must be so broken that she became desperate and force our Caleb to dine with her!
Our Caleb? Iyo ba?!
Tanginang self-proclaimed.
Ziresh Ty: I heard Kelly's attitude is too much? I wonder why she's too popular. She isn't even that attractive.
Pinasingkit niya ang mata para makita ang profile nito at natawa na lang siya nang makitang isa sa mga popular na artista ang profile nito. Poser!
Nainis na siya. She really has no patience. Marami namang magagandang comment pero marami rin ang nakakairita!
She turn off her phone and just stared at Kaza who's enjoying the lettuce right now. Umismid na lang siya at inabala ang sariling mag-isip ng ireregalo kay Freesia.
Should I give her a painting?
Well, she's not sure if Freesia will like it. But then.. painting is a decoration. Freesia might see it useful.
In the end, she just went to a private art exhibit of she can say.. former classmate?
Isa pa, it's safe to go there. Siguradong hindi iyon papasukin ng media.
The staff immediately let her in, with no sweat. She's a socialite so in buildings like this, she's like a VIP.
May mangilan-ngilan rin siyang nakitang naniningin ng mga painting. She recognized some.
Natanaw niya ang tatlong maliit na portrait ng bulaklak. She's sure that it's oil painting. She knows it since she's been collecting paintings with different styles and colors eversince her brother gifted her a painting of sunset when she was 17.
She stared at the three paintings again. It's small and differ in sizes though all are portraits. The bigger one is a two lavender Iris flower with the striking long green leaves. The second one is still a lavender Iris. The single flower is slightly bending, defining how the water from the flower drops to the leaves. And the last one is a pretty bud. The leaves are still enclosed, still very light green in color. And the minimal lavender color at the tip of the stem just seems like a pretty flower will blooms.
The painting set is named "Bella Dama". It's written on italicized form, but photographs in quotation marks. The description below said that Bella Dama means 'fine lady' in Spanish. It's how a once little girl become a belle and a stunner. The lavender Iris represents faith, hope, courage, wisdom and admiration.
Is this fine? hmm..
Sa huli, iyon na lang din ang kinuha niya. She likes the twin painting too but she settles for the Iris. Since Iris is named after the Goddess who rode rainbows.
Luckily, there's a thing called automatic wrapping, Japan style. Tuwang-tuwa tuloy siyang umuwi. Iyon ang prinoproblema niya, e. She doesn't know how to wrap.
The next morning, she has a schedule interview with the editor of Philippine Circle; a popular showbiz magazine where different famous individuals are featured.
She doesn't have a plans to do it. She was invited before but she turned it down. But because of her issue recently, maybe it is better to finally give the public an answers.
"Good morning, Kelly. Welcome to the Philippine Circle, " palakaibigan nitong banggit.
Good thing, it's a one on one interview, no camera, just a recorder. Siguro dahil magazine iyon. Not a TV show. She's also done with the pictorials for magazine.
"Good morning, Kaia.. " she greeted back.
"We have some questions for you. I'm sure you already review the questions?" Tumango siya, inaalala kung ano nga ang mga tanong na iyon. "You can comfortably answer the questions. We will not include some parts if you don't like. "
Kaia's questions are pretty basic in the start. Like what is her future plans and how long she will stay in the Philippines.
"So you will go back to States to finish your contract? Fans thought you're here to finally accept the full actress.. " maingat nitong sabi.
She may like acting before but she's not really interested with it now. Siguro ay dahil mas natuwa siya sa pagmomodelo. And she still have a lot of time for herself.
"I will go back at the end of this month, maybe after my niece's birthday. And just like my previous interviews, I still don't see myself as an actress, " she answered safely.
Next week is Liara's birthday too. She doesn't know what the plans but it's much better if she won't leave yet.
"I see.. " tumango-tango si Kaia. "Recently, an article appear saying that you are in a relationship with the bachelor, Caleb Acosta? Can you tell us what is your say about this?"
She shifted in her seat. "Well, it is true that we are together that time. But we are not in a relationship nor dating. He's an old acquaintance and we just dine out for catch up. He's my brother's friend too so we often see each other at gatherings. I can say that we are somehow friends. "
Kaia immediately smiled. "I'm sure many would stop concluding it soon now that you finally explained your side. "
Ngumiti na lang din siya.
"For the last question, is it true that you're not in good terms with the France-based Filipina model, Liliana Montes?"
Here we go again.
"Uh.. W-We never work together so I can't say that we are friends. But we are not into those fights like what many assumed. About the photos circulating online, it's probably at our junior days. We are classmates but since I went to States when I was 18, we lost contact. We have no communication for years nor had the chance to met each other in betweens. The only thing I know is that we have nothing against each other. " Now Kaia looked so pleased with her answers.
"So you're up working with her in the future?" Hindi.. that's what I wanted to say.
"I don't choose who I work for, as long as he or she is professional. So if time would come and our paths would cross, why not, right? Besides, as far as what I heard, she's one of the fastest rising model and very well known in many countries. It's an honor to work with a model like her. " Lies, lies, lies..
"Wow, I'm sure many would look forward to that! Both Philippine pride!"
The interview ended well. And now she's in the elevator of her brother's company. Paano, her mother begged her to gave these bunch of folders to her brother since her mother is going to an auction daw. Wala na rin siyang nagawa. Anyway, she still has many things to ask her brother. Like what is his plans for Liara's birthday or so..
Her forehead creased when she saw the familiar built of a girl inside her brother's office. Agad na nadagdagan ang inis niya. Memories of her nieces and nephew crying suddenly went back in her mind.
Is this girl really serious? Damn, she just trigger the hell of me!
Kelly suddenly opened the door without permission. Agad niyang tinaliman ng tingin ang kapatid na nasa gilid bago seryosong tumingin sa babae.
"What are you doing here?" mariing tanong niya sa halatang gulat na si Eli.
Eli sighed. "I'm just here to-
"Are you that desperate?" nagpipigil niyang sambit. She wanted to pull out Eli's hair but she won't. It's cheap.
"You're stepping the line Kel. " Her damn brother interrupted! Is he that crazy smitten to accept Eli again!? He won't learn!
"Ako pa ngayon ang may mali? She's the one who's at fault! That desperate bitch!" she shouted.
"Kelly!" her brother shouted at her, galit na itong nakatingin sa kan'ya. Why? Siya ba ang may kasalanan, ha? She's just doing what she needs to do! She's just doing what she should have done before!
"You are so manipulative Eli, " she said, smirking. No one can stop her. This is the only way to avenge her stupid brother. Hindi naman magawa ng tanga, kaya't siya ang gagawa!
"Why? Do you still want to insert your life with us?!" she added again.
"I'm not doing anything wrong Kelly and I don't have a plans—
"Really? You did nothing wrong?!" putol niya sa sasabihing kasinungalingan pa nito.
"I don't have any idea—
"You drugged him!" sigaw niya kaya't gulat itong napatingin sa kan'ya. Yes, you drugged my brother! How can't she forgot that? Her bestfriend just drugged her brother to get him!
"Stop that. " mariing utos ng kapatid niya. Hindi niya ito pinansin.
She glanced at Eli again. The girl looks confused. Mukha itong inosente. But she's not a fool.
"You drugged him and you still have the guts to come back after your desperate act eight years ago?"
—
Unedited.
Note: The painting I mentioned above isn't affiliated with any existing art and all a product of my own preferred art style. I just use the Iris flower as a reference.