Nicholas' brows furrowed wondering why the woman looked so familiar. Saan ko nga ba nakita 'tong babaeng to? He quietly asked himself.
"My name is Precious Abueva and I am a famous model," the woman said.
"Ahh..."
That's why she's familiar. But, what does she want from me?
"'Yung kasama mo kanina, si Lee Ann Carbonel 'yun, 'di ba?" Precious asked. "I was out with some friends at nakita ko kayong bumaba sa sasakyan," she lied.
Nicholas didn't why but what Precious said made him feel uncomfortable. "Pasensya na po. I am in a hurry."
Precious laughed. "Bakit ka naman magmamadali? We both know na wala kang gagawin d'un kundi ang magmukmok sa isang tabi at iiyak dahil 'yung babaeng gusto mo ay hawak ng iba," she taunted.
"Look, Miss—"
"She is stringing you along," the woman added. "Pinapaasa ka lang n'ya at ikaw naman itong tanga ay umaasa rin. What did she tell you? That you remain her friend while she's out fucking another woman's man—"
"I'm so sorry but this conversation is making me feel uncomfortable," Nicko said.
"Truth is often uncomfortable, little boy. Pero, sana h'wag kang magpakatanga sa Lee Ann Carbonel na 'yun dahil maliban sa malandi ang batang 'yun ay magaling din 'yung manggamit!"
Nicko laughed softly. "Miss Abueva, if you have a bone to settle with Lee Ann, I suggest you talk to her directly. If for some reason, you can't, I suggest you give her sisters a visit. I am sure they are more than willing to accommodate you considering how you are badmouthing their youngest. Now, if you'll excuse me—"
"Sino ka para pagtawanan ako?!" Precious asked grabbing Nicko's arm. "Sino ka para matain ako?!"
"I didn't—"
"Ikaw ang kalait-lait sa ating dalawa! Ikaw na hindi alam ang lugar mo sa buhay ng babaeng 'yun! Gaano ka kabobo?! Talagang tinitiis mo na paulit-ulit na masaktan ng putang inang 'yun?!"
"Miss—"
"Hindi pa ako tapos magsalita! H'wag kang sabat nang sabat!" Precious shouted.
The one-sided confrontation was starting to attract a small crowd and the young man was slowly drowning in mortification. Why am I being subjected to something this embarrassing again? he quietly asked himself.
"Ginagawa ka n'yang basahan! Ginagawa ka n'yang malaking katatawanan at hinahayaan mo lang! Hindi na uso ang martir ngayon! Hindi na uso ang nagpapaapi at hindi na uso ang nagpapagamit nang libre! Gamitin mo yang utak mo!"
"Miss, I'm not sure what you're trying to get across," Nicko said prying his arm off her grasp. "If you approached me to extend your sympathy, I do not need it and if you're here to get my sympathy, I apologize but you're not getting one from me. I do not like to be rude to you because I have older sisters but you probably should move on."
Precious looked at the teenager in front of her and realized that her approach was wrong. I need to get this kid's sympathy so he can help me with my plans! she thought to herself as she stepped away from Nicholas.
"I'm sorry...it's just that, I really don't know what to do. Ayaw akong kausapin ni Nick because he is under some illusion na mas mahal n'ya 'yung kaibigan mo kaysa akin..."
She smiled. "Pasensya ka na, nadala lang ako ng emosyon. Pwede ba tayong mag-usap nang maayos? Gusto lang kitang tulungan at alam ko ring matutulungan mo rin ako. Pareho tayong nasasaktan—"
"I am not hurting," Nicholas lied. Truth was, he was in pain – he could feel his heart breaking. But, he knew that there was nothing that he could do – Lee Ann chose Nick over him.
At kung kukunin mo man ang pagmamahal ni Lee Ann, gawin mo sa tamang paraan...he thought to himself.
"I do not think you can help me and I do not need your help," he added. "Pasensya na po, Miss Abueva, kailangan ko na po talagang umalis. Please, let this be the last time we'll see each other."
"Ser, may problema po?" a guard asked and Nicko was relieved to see him.
"Wala po, Manong. May tinatanong lang po si Ate." Nicko answered before he turned to Precious. "Kay Manong Guard na lang po kayo magtanong. Nagmamadali po kasi ako. Pwedeng h'wag n'yo pong harangan ang sasakyan ko?" he courteously asked.
Precious gritted her teeth. Putang ina nitong gagong 'to!
She didn't have a choice but to step aside to let the younger man pass.
"Salamat po," Nicko said before he got inside his car and hurriedly drove off.
Ang kapal ng mukha! Sino s'ya para hindian ako?! she silently ranted. Pero bibigay ka rin. Ngayon nagkukunyari ka pang may paninindigan pero alam ko kung gaano mo gustong makuha si Lee Ann. Alam ko ring darating ang panahong ikaw na mismo ang lalapit sa akin para humingi ng tulong at kapag dumating ang panahong iyon ay tutulungan kitang makaganti. Sige, magpakipot ka lang—
"Ano pong itatanong ninyo, Ma'am?" the security guard's voice pulled her out of her thoughts.
Precious pasted a ready smile on her face before she turned to look at him. She beamed when he seemed to recognize her. "Hindi po ba kayo po 'yung—"
"Opo, model po ako," she proudly announced.
Kahit anong gawin ninyo ay hindi n'yo matatanggal ang katotohang sikat na model ako kahit pinagkakaisahan ako ng mga tao ngayon! Ako pa rin ang nag-iisang Precious Abueva—
"Hindi po. Kayo po 'yung nasa video..."
The smile disappeared from Precious' face. "Anong video?"
"'Yung trending na video po ng babaeng nagwawala sa daan," the guard happily announced. "Teka, nandito lang 'yun sa cellphone ko, eh—"
"Anong sabi mo?!" Precious demanded. "Anong babaeng nagwawala ko daan?!"
"Ito po, ipapakita ko po sa inyo. Pinasa lang to sa akin ng anak ko. Hindi po ba kayo ito?" the guard asked showing her a video of herself and her altercation with a traffic officer two days ago.
Precious did not have the chance to feel mortified.
"Kayo nga po. 'Yan ''din 'yung damit na suot n'yo—" The guard was not able to finish his sentence because Precious grabbed his phone and then threw it to the ground.
"Putang ina ka! Sino ang nagsabi sa'yong pwede mong ikalat 'yang video na 'yan?!" she asked before hitting the guard across the face. "Guard ka lang! H'wag mong iisiping mas mataas ka sa akin na isang sikat na model!" she added before she slapped the guard again.
"Ma'am! Tama na po!" one of the staff said as he pulled Precious away from the security guard.
"Isa ka pa!" Precious said hitting the man holding her arm.
"I'm the manager on duty po, ano pong problema?—" a pregnant woman asked but Precious kicked her.
"Ma'am Rina!" A waiter ran to the manager's aid.
"Tumawag ka ng pulis, Gino," the manager calmly said.
"Yes po—"
"Pulis?! Aanhin n'yo ang pulis?!" Precious loudly asked.
She had just gotten out of her twenty-four detention because luckily, no one pressed charges although her license was confiscated.
"Bakit kailangan ng pulis—" She gasped in pain as she put a hand over her stomach. She felt something warm trickle down her thighs and she looked down in horror.
The scream died on her lips as she fainted.
Lee Ann was with her sisters when she received a call from Nickolai. She immediately excused herself to take his call and rolled her eyes at the two women who had started teasing her.
"Puma-privacy, ah. Bakit kaya?" Lia kidded. "May pagpasok sa mahiwagang banyo, o. Ano kayang pag-uusapan nila?"
"Dalaga na nga kasi si Lee Ann, Ate," Alexa jokingly added.
"Anong dalaga na? Baka dala na 'ka mo, Alexa!"
"Makakaganti rin ako sa inyo, mga Ate!" Lee Ann playfully replied before closing the door behind her. It was a Saturday afternoon and they were at the Carbonel mansion and talking about her wedding preparations.
"Hi, Baby Bear!" she cheerfully greeted over the phone. "Kasama ko sina Ate and we were discussing the motif of the wedding. Ang sabi ko kasi ang gusto ko ay fairytale ang theme so we're talking about the details. Pero, siyempre I want your input as well kasi hindi ko lang naman kasal 'yun, 'di ba?"
"Lee..."
"Where are you? Ang sabi nina Ate ay nasa opisina raw kayo nina Tito Ferdz, Kuya Alex, at Kuya Dustin for a meeting. Sabay ba tayong mag-di-dinner or do you have other plans? Nag-pizza party lang kasi kami nina Ate because we want to eat dinner with our families and since you are going to be my husband, gusto kong sabay tayong kakain..."
He sighed.
The smile immediately disappeared from the young woman's face. "Nick, what's wrong?" she asked her voice brimming with concern. "Are you okay? Where are you? Nasa opisina ka pa rin ba? Pupuntahan kita—"
"Lee, nasa hospital ako."
"What? Why? What's wrong? Saang hospital, pupunta ako—"
"I'm okay, Lee. Hindi mo kailangang pumunta."
"Is Tito Ferdz okay? Si Kuya Alex at Kuya Dustin ba?"
"Yes, they're fine. Nasa hospital ako kasi may tumawag sa office ko kanina at hinanap ako. They said that I am the person listed as her next of kin."
"Her next of kin? Nino?" Lee Ann questioned. "Sinong nasa hospital, Nick?"
"Si Precious," Nickolai answered.
Lee Ann felt an uneasy tremor run down her spine. "Si Precious? Why would you be her next of kin?"
"Wala na s'yang mga magulang. She was raised by her father's half-sister pero nasa ibang bansa na ang mga 'yun and they're not exactly in good terms—"
"That still does not explain why you are listed as her next of kin. Hindi mo s'ya kaanu-ano—"
"She lost the baby," Nick said. "And they called me because she told them that I am the baby's father..."
Nick's pronouncement made Lee Ann sick to her stomach. "So, you are acknowledging that the baby is yours?"
"We have no way of finding out now..." he told her.
Lee Ann swallowed the bile that rose to her throat. "Okay..."
"She was telling the truth, after all. Buntis nga talaga s'ya. I thought that she was making it all up."
"Didn't we talk about that possibility, Nick?"
"Yes, we did."
"So, anong problema?"
"Wala naman..."
Lee Ann hated the regret that she could hear from his voice. She hated how he sounded affected and she hated herself for hating his reaction. "What do you want me to do?" she asked dreading his reply. "Do you need time away from me to sort this out?"
"No, Lee..." Nickolai feelingly replied. "This doesn't affect us at all. Ang gusto ko lang ay malaman mo mula mismo sa akin ang totoo."
"Which is...?"
"That the baby died..."
"And a part of you died along with it?"
"Lee Ann..."
"Fuck, Nick." She laughed softly. "I am trying to understand how you feel and I am so sorry because I must be coming across as someone cold and bitchy right now. But, I am confused because weeks ago you told me that the baby could not possibly be yours because you and Precious were no longer intimate months leading to your break up. That I have nothing to worry about kahit malaman nating buntis nga s'ya. And I took your word for it, Nick. No questions asked, pinagkatiwalaan kita. And now, you're telling me that you are somehow convinced na ikaw ang ama ng bata that's why you're mourning?"
"Lee Ann that's not it."
"Then what is it? Nalulungkot din ako para sa baby. Bata 'yun, wala 'yung kinalaman sa issue nating tatlo. Naaawa rin ako. But hand-in-hand with that feeling is this doubt that is starting to grow in my mind. Were you lying then? Because you were afraid that I might leave you and to stop me from asking questions? If you did, what other lies did you feed me, Nick, to avoid a confrontation?"
"Lee—"
"Don't make me doubt you, Nickolai. Please. Sobra kitang mahal kaya sobra rin akong masasaktan. Pero, kahit mahal na mahal kita ay hindi ako papayag na gagawin mo akong tanga."
"Pupuntahan kita."
"No," she said. "Ayusin mo muna kung ano ang kailangan mong ayusin. Tapusin mo muna ang mga dapat mong tapusin. Kasi ayoko ng may kahati, Nick. Sa isip mo, sa puso mo, sa buhay mo. Come to me only when you are certain that you are completely mine."