"Ano bang nangyari?" (What the hell happened, bro?) Pablo is now looking like a frustrated dad who is scolding his four children.
Justin doesn't know how it happened but thankfully, everyone got back to the villa safe and sound.
The taxi ride home was intensely silent for Paige, Felip and Justin. But Justin's guilt could almost scream and Felip being his typical argumentative self, seems pissed that his anger towards the drunkards was never released.
Now, Felip is sitting wide spread on the couch while the others are seated guiltily "Kulit kasi ng isa jan. Sabing wag nang iinom ulit. Ayan muntik pang--" (If only someone didn't have to be so stubborn then--)
"-- Kasalanan ko. Ako nag invite kay Paige dun" (It was my idea. I took Paige there) Justin owns up and Paige doesn't feel good about it. Justin only wanted to cheer her up.
This makes Felip sit up straighter "Hanep. Lakas pala ng tama mo Jah eh. Alam mo namang isa ka din mahina sa--" (Great. Are you crazy, Justin? You know that you have low alcohol toler--)
"Relax, dre" Josh puts a hand on Ken's shoulder, only his one leg resting on the couch..
Everyone is gathered around the couch now.
"Iniwan mo ko sa street! Kung saan saan ka nakapunta! Good thing I called Josh and Dianne to pick me up!" (You left me in the street! Where the hell have you been? Good thing I called Josh and Dianne to pick me up!) Erin is fuming at Felip.
"Buti nalang dumating agad yung mga barangay tanod" (You're lucky the barangay officers came right away) Stell shakes the tension with a funny comment. A barangay officer only exists in the Philippines.
"Di yun mga barangay tanod. Mukhang mga traffic enforcer nga lang mga yun eh" (Traffic enforcers don't exist here. But those guys look like traffic enforcers) Justin rides along with Stell's comedy.
"Di ako nakikipag biruan. Muntik na kayo mapa-trouble. Bad publicity satin to kung walang dumating na police" (Now's not the time for jokes. You almost got in to trouble and that was almost a bad publicity for us if the police didn't butt in) Pablo is running a hand through his hair.
"Pano kung di ako napadaan dun? Sige nga. Edi napano na to" (What if I didn't show up there? Hmm? Do you realize the things that might've happened to her?) Felip points a finger at Paige's direction before looking seriously into her eyes.
Felip calms down the moment Paige returns his look.
"Teka bakit ka nga ba napunta sa bar na yon? Diba may date kayo ni Erin?" (Wait why were you in that bar too? Didn't you and Erin go shopping?) Justin says with a hint of accusation.
"Wala lang. Nakita ko kayong pumasok dun sa--" (Nothing. I saw the two of you enter that--) Felip's mouth wanted to explain something but Pablo's exhausted voice overpowers everybody.
"--Wala na kong pake kung san san kayo napunta kanina. Ang sakin lang, Ken, Jah, Josh, Stell... sana man lang nag-uupdate kayo kahit sa groupchat lang natin. Lalo ngayon responsibility natin yung mga girls." (--I don't care where you all went to. Ken, Justin, Josh, Stell... I just wished you gave updates especially now that we have girls to be responsible for) Pablo is admired by everyone for this. For his leadership.
Paige should have realized that by now. But she's not emotionally well to think about anything and everything all at once.
"Basta next time ha? Wala nang mangyayaring ganito" (I hope nothing like this ever happens again) Pablo gives up on being pissed off. And just before Paige thinks it's over Pablo calls her
"Paige. Usap tayo. Balcony. Now na" (Paige. Let's talk. Balcony. Now)
There's an intimidating silence inside the villa now. Paige could feel everyone's eyes on her while Pablo walks out the balcony for her to follow.
"Katakot" (Scary) Paige manages to joke after sighing and then stands up to follow Pablo outside.
Josh catches up on Paige to ask something. Josh even grabs her hand so she can turn around to face him quickly "Okay ka lang ba?" (Are you okay?)
"Oo nam--" (Of cour--) Paige is suddenly cut off when Josh wraps her in a slow hug.
It made Paige feel Josh's heavy concern. But she knows she can't ever really express herself inside this place "Buti nalang safe ka" (Thank god you're okay)
Josh gently pulls away before looking at Paige's reaction but before he even realizes it, Paige is already walking to where Pablo is waiting for her.
"Pins..." (Your Higness...) Paige slides the balcony door, trying to ease Pablo's nerves by doing a curtsy as a joke.
Pablo just looks at Paige as she approaches him. He can't help but to be soft for Paige's quirky gestures.
"Nakakatawa yon?" (Is that supposed to make me laugh) Pablo slightly gives in to Paige's way of making it up to him but he had to remind himself to be stiff and strict.
"Galit ka na nyan?" (Is that what you look like when you're angry?) Paige pokes Pablo's shoulder with hers until they're both leaning their lower backs on the balcony railing.
"Magagalit na talaga ako pag di ka pa nag-open sakin" (I'll get angry for real if you don't vent out to me) Pablo couldn't look at Paige's eyes just beside him so he just stares at Paige's reflection in the balcony's glass door "Ino-observe kita. And hindi ka okay" (I was observing you. And you're not okay)
Who would ever escape Pablo's keen eye?
Paige sighs for the nth time and shakes her head in defeat "Oo. Hindi ako okay. Ayoko dito. Gusto ko bumalik nalang ang lahat sa dati. Miss ko na yung work ko sa Pinas. Miss ko na yung aso ko. Miss ko na yung kasal kong hindi natuloy. Miss ko na yung lalaking dumurog sakin na hindi ko na makikita dito sa New York. Okay na? Alam mo na lahat sakin ah? May magagawa ka ba?" (Yeah. You caught me. I don't like it here. I just want things to go back to what they normally used to be. I miss my work in the Philippines. I miss my dog. I miss my cancelled wedding. I miss the guy who broke my heart that I'll never see here in New York. Happy now? Are you done wanting to know everything about me? Now that you do. Will it make any difference?)
Paige had no more tears left to cry. She feels like an emotionless, talking doll. That's what this show wants her to be anyway: a puppet.
"Wala pero andito lang ako, kami. Tayo nalang ang meron tayo dito" (No. But I'm here, we're here. We are only all we got here) Pablo just said nothing and just puts his arm around Paige as his reaction.
Then, the balcony door flies open. Felip forcefully dashes into their conversation "Okay na ba kayo?" (Are you two good now?)
"Alis. Nagmo-moment pa kami" (Get out. We're having a moment) Pablo crosses his arms on his chest and smiles at Felip, irritating him.
"Aalis talaga ako. Kami pala ni Paige. Manonood kami ng anime" (Oh, I'll go out alright. With Paige. We'll be watching anime shows) Felip's words were too fast and it didn't give a lot of time for Paige to process what Felip has said because he had already pulled her away from Pablo, and from the others until Felip has taken her inside her room.
Felip had brisk walked with Paige's fingers tightly interlocked in his gripping fingers and she practically struggled to keep up with his pace.
Inside Paige's room, the only thing the two of them could hear are the knocks on the door and the muffled voices calling the two of them to unlock.
"Huy hindi pa yata sila tapos" (It looks like they're not done yet) Paige is laughing between her words, trying to figure out Felip's randomness.
"Bahala sila dyan" (Whatever) Felip brings out a bluetooth speaker and plays a song on maximum volume.
Felip's escaping from all the dramas to do his own thing.
To Paige's surprise, Felip is now jumping up and down to a familiar punk rock song from Paige's childhood.
The song of the broken-hearted, "If You Can't Hang" by Sleeping With Sirens:
"Stay the hell away!
While I sit here by myself
And figure out how I got this way
Before you go, there's one thing you oughta know!!!
If you can't hang then, there's the door, baby...."
Somehow, it uplifts Paige to jump up and down, too until the two of them are enjoying the song together, overthrowing the commotion outside their door "If you can't hang then, there's the door, baby!"
At the ending of the noisy rock song, Felip tackles Paige until their bodies breathlessly fall down back first on the queen size bed. They're opposite scents are now battling each other.
"Mas masarap sumigaw kesa uminom inom noh" (It feels better to scream out songs than drink out, hm) Felip catches his breath from all the frenzied jumping and singing out loud.
Paige didn't realize that she and Felip are now lying side by side on the bed, trying to regulate their breathing after their disorderly way of letting off steam.
Their view are now stuck on the ceiling. Because once they both turn their heads to see each other's face, they both know the mistakes they're scared to make.
"Thank you" Paige says with eyes closed to keep the tears from falling.
She didn't know that she could meet someone who's like a guy version of herself besides Kent.
When Paige opens her eyes, Felip's face partially covers her sight of the ceiling. He's now leaning on one elbow on the bed while his other hand is tipping her chin.
And it's like time suddenly stopped. Because Felip's foxy eyes are boring holes into her, like he's trying to reach her soul.
"Hindi ka na iiyak" Felip's eyes are wandering from Paige's eyes, to her cheeks, to her lips, to her hair and back to her eyes like he badly wants to touch Paige's face with his eyes.
Paige couldn't believe what's now in front of her. Felip is starting to lean in and his lip is already so close to her chin.
Is he getting a whiff of the perfume on the back of her ears?
"Paige, Josh and Ken, please proceed to the question room for tomorrow's mission" The voice from the box has spoken again after a while.
Felip closes his eyes grudgingly.
Paige almost jumps to her feet, a bit thankful for that interruption.
They almost forgot that they're in a gameshow.
_______
Credits po to the owner of the song, "If You Can't Hang", Sleeping with Sirens, for the lyrics included i this chapter! ❤️