All the girls were excited about the new information they heard
and that is.. the girls are actually allowed to go around New York with one of the SB19 boys.
It's a girl's dream come true.
Not for Paige.
The good thing is, she didn't get herself in trouble after her misbehavior back there.
Or else it would've been a one way ticket back to the Philippines without accomplishing anything at all.
The only thing Paige could do right now is count down til the weekend.
As soon as the boys return from their confinement in the question room,
Felip is back at it again with following Paige around.
But the thing about being with Felip is that it feels like you're hanging out with no one.
So it could be better than anything right now.
They're both in the bedroom again.
Felip can just sit in one corner for an hour, scrolling through his phone.
Apparently, Felip is said to be the spoiled one of their group and the management has allowed him to keep his phone inside the villa.
Paige has been lying in a fetal position on her bed for the past hour, just waiting for the weekdays to be over so she can spend a day outside the villa.
3 days to go. And it doesn't matter anymore if any of the boys will wish to come along with her or not: a day to explore New York is already a big treat.
This isn't what she has imagined her first day in New York to be-- unproductive.
Felip doesn't know what to do about Paige feeling bad for whatever it is that she doesn't want to share.
He just watches Paige as she lies on her side, pressing a pillow with her fingers like they're piano keys.
Paige is silently humming a song now, with her eyes closed.
Other people would think Paige has lost her mind. But for Felip, a light bulb flickered inside his brain.
Felip finally has an idea.
He makes his way on Paige's bed that smells like powder then sits right beside Paige as his way of comforting her.
This makes Paige sit up lazily "Wag ngayon, Fe--" (Not now, Fe--)
Felip gently holds on to Paige's arm "--Sumama ka nalang sakin" (Just come with me)
His hand is smooth and it might have left his expensive scent on her skin.
"Saan?" (Where are we going?) Paige blinks her big eyes at him.
"Basta" (Just trust me) Felip helps Paige up until he's practically dragging her outside their room.
Felip is still holding Paige's wrist, looking around to check if no one is watching him sneak her out before guiding her up a flight of stairs.
"Saan mo ba ako dadalin, ha?" (Where are you taking me?) Paige is losing her calmness now.
Felip stays cautious around them, opens a room at the farthest part of the villa, making Paige's heart beat a little faster.
Is it even right to trust this guy right away?
What if he's secretly a serial killer?
There are some celebrities with the same swagger and sexy perfume that are reported for sexual abuse.
It happens, you know.
Are there still CCTVs here?
And when Felip opens the lights inside, Paige is now looking at the most peaceful place she's ever seen in this villa.
Felip just watches Paige's reaction, a little proud of himself.
Paige looks like she's seen heaven. Looking around the soundproof walls.
There are seven kinds of instruments inside. There's a digital audio workstation, a live room behind a glass window where a grand piano chills in the middle, microphone stands and studio speakers.
The very first music studio Paige has ever stepped into.
She didn't even know something like this exists here.
"Wag mo nalang sasabihin kahit kanino na dinala kita dito ah? Wala naman cameras dito kaya... tara bilis" (Don't tell anyone I've brought you here. There are no cameras here so... let's do this quickly) Felip involuntary takes Paige's hand, not realizing how inappropriate his last words sounded to Paige.
Paige underestimates when she heard that Felip was the rule breaker of the group.
"Anong.. tara?" (What do you mean.. let's do this quickly?) Paige wraps her arms around herself, guarded.
Felip finally realizes it, scratches his ear and laughs naughtily "Tara. Tara na mag enjoy" (Let's play around with music)
Paige's lips formed the word "Oh", embarrassed to have ever thought about inappropriate things.
Felip encourages her to make herself comfortable with the grand piano.
Then, he starts murmuring notes which he assumes what Paige was humming a little earlier.
Paige delicately starts putting weight on her fingers, like feathers falling on the piano keys.
Felip closes his eyes, indulging the music flowing into his ears.
But when Paige starts singing the first word of the song, Felip's eyes open up like two microscopes looking into Paige's soul....
... "Am I out of my head?
Am I out of my mind?
If you only knew the bad things I like
Don't think that I can explain it
What can I say, it's complicated
Don't matter what you say
Don't matter what you do
I only wanna do bad things to you
So good, that you can't explain it
What can I say, it's complicated...."
Paige waits for Felip to chip in the next rap verses.
But her voice knocked Felip out for a second, he's smiling at the wind very genuinely.
What a weirdo. Paige thought.
When Felip snaps out of the trance, he excitedly excuses himself to drop a beat from the DJ booth until he's ready to take it from the top.
Felip grips the microphone and his rich bass voice begins killing the rap lines:
"Aye, I can't explain it
I love the pain
And I love the way that your breath
Numbs me like Novocaine
And we are
Always high
Keep it strange
I'm insane
But you the same
Let me paint the picture
Couch by the kitchen
Nothin' but your heels on
Losing our religion
You're my pretty little vixen
And I'm that voice inside your head
That keeps telling you to listen to all the bad things I say
And you said..."
The two of them enters the duet part
"I want you forever
Even when we're not together
Scars on my body so I can take you wherever
Like I want you forever
Even when we're not together
Scars on my body I can look at you whenever..."
Paige sings the chorus once again and Felip is feeling it so much.
The two of them gets to the outro where the overlapping connection happens:
"The way we love,
is so unique
And when we touch,
I'm shivering
And no one has to get it
Just you and me"
(Right) Felip supplies the second voice
"Cause we're just living
Between the sheets"
And for the finale, they sang the chorus together without breaking an eye contact.
"Am I out of my head?
(Am I?)
Am I out of my mind?
(Am I?)
If you only knew the bad things I like
(if you only knew)
Don't think that I can explain it
What can I say, it's complicated (yeah)
Don't matter what you say
Don't matter what you do (do)
I only wanna do bad things to you
So good, that you can't explain it (so good)
What can I say, it's complicated...."
Still eye to eye, their smiles are so wide they didn't have to say how fun it was.
Paige sighs, wishing the song went on forever.
But she has to shake the butterflies making beelines around her stomach.
So Paige tries to think of a different subject "Nagutom ako bigla. Pancit canton?" (That made me hungry. How about noodles?)
Maybe Paige is just mistaking the the rumbling of her hunger for butterflies.
Paige stands up and tries to walk past Felip.
But Felip stops her.
Paige just did that thing with her eyes again. Batting her lashes ignorantly.
Felip moves closer, eyes examining her entire face, making sure her baby powder scent will linger on him.
Paige's walls are breaking down brick by brick.
Which could or could not be good.
"Hindi ako komportable sa mga tingin na ganyan." (I'm not comfortable when people look at me like that) Paige couldn't hide herself away now.
Felip has earned her trust enough.
"Sinusulit ko lang" (I'm just making the most of the moment) Felip's eyes are smiling.
For someone who looks so intimidating with all the tattoos on his tan skin and the white blonde military cut, who knew Felip could be this soft-hearted?
"Baliw. May next time pa" (Lighten up. There'd still be a next time) Paige playfully hits Felip's shoulder.
"Hatdog." Felip just randomly throws that out into the air.
Showing another side of Felip that he's not afraid to keep behind the curtains anymore.
A random, goofy Felip.
Paige and Felip starts exiting the studio, back to the fake world.
Only this time, they now walk with arms around each other's shoulder.
"So... chilimansi, original or sweet and spicy?" (So... lemon flavor, original flavor or sweet and spicy?) Paige asks about the noodles again. Beating Felip's randomness.
"Coffee flavor" Felip keeps on becoming weirder and weirder.
"Buti nalang talaga may ichura ka noh?" (Good thing you have the looks to compensate for the corny jokes) Paige hops a little as she goes down the stairs.
Felip and Paige reaches the kitchen, then opens up packets of instant noodles to prepare.
"Saan kayo nang galing ha?" (Where have you guys been, huh?) Josh creeps up on them with a dirty smile on his face.
"Saan si Erin?" (Where's Erin?) Paige is worried if Josh knew anything about their sneaking in prohibited areas.
"Nasa pool sila nila Ivonne. Pagod na nga ako magpahid ng sunscreen every thirty minutes" (She's at the pool with Ivonne and others. I'm tired of being asked to apply sunscreen every thirty minutes) Josh sighs a relief "Pero baka gusto mo din mag palit nadin ng swimsuit? Gusto mo apply-an kita?" (But if you want to join them, you can change into your swimsuit now so I can start putting some on you)
Luckily, Felip saves them both and talks Josh into leaving them alone "Baho ng bibig mo. Toothbrush ka na muna don. Jusko. Nakakahiya, pre." (Your breath stinks. Brush your teeth. Jeez. You're embarrassing, bro.)
Josh suddenly feels self-conscious, checking his breath before running towards the bathroom.
But Josh never stunk. He actually smells like women's shampoo. And Felip just needed a reason to spend some more time alone with Paige.
Paige couldn't believe how easy it was to fool Josh, especially if it's about the physical appearance.
Josh's disappearance is replaced by Pablo who looks problematic.
However problematic, the leader arrives along looking fragrant.
"Anyare sayo. Mukha kang nalugi." (What happened to you? You look crappy) Felip asks Pablo while submerging the noodles in the boiling pot.
"May mga bisita kasi" (We have visitors) Pablo doesn't know what to do with all the mess in the house.
"O eh, ano naman?" (And?) Felip allows Paige to look after the noodles while he spoke to Pablo.
The voice from the speakers blasts an announcement once again "Boys, ladies, tonight there will be a formal dance at the patio. We will be welcoming guests. Expect that they are Filipino celebrities. Look your best selves. The second task will begin in a few hours."
Just when Paige thought that everything is starting to get better, this whole show always comes up with something to ruin a good day.
"Formal dance? Parang high school prom?" (Formal dance? Is this, like, high school prom all over again?) Paige just finds the idea funny.
Pablo looks at Paige like he's found an answer "Pwede ba kita maging date?" (Can you go to the dance with me?)
_______
Credits po to the owners of the song included in this chapter!
Title: Bad Things
Artist: Camila Cabello, Machine Gun Kelly