My face contorted in disbelief. "Friends?"
Bigla siyang humagalakpak sa tawa. "You look like you expected something else. Friendship lang kaya kong i-offer sa'yo, Persephone."
"Buti ka pa meron kayang i-offer. Ako kasi wala," pasinghal kong sagot.
He placed his hand over his chest and looked at me with a pained expression.. Para bang sinaksak ko 'yon kaya biglang sumakit. "Ang sakit mo naman magsalita. Is this your way of thanking me for last time?"
Umirap na lang ako. I already thanked him for that. One thank you is enough. "Thank you for the offer but I already have friends."
"Really? You didn't seem like you had one last time," he casually stated.
"Can you stop bringing that up?" I sneered at him.
"Ang sungit. Grabe," nakatawa niyang sabi. Mukhang tuwang-tuwa pa siya na sinusungitan ko siya. Nang hindi ko siya sinagot ay napanguso siya. Mukhang pinipilit niya magseryoso. "What's wrong with being friends?"
Friends? With a face like that? I swear it's written in some rule book somewhere that it's illegal for any girl to be just friends with someone as hot as him. Unless friends is followed with benefits.
"What?" Nakangisi niyang tanong sa akin.
"Why would you want to be friends with me?" I genuinely asked.
He shrugged. "You just look so lonely."
Umuwang ang labi ko. Hindi inaasahan ang sagot niya. And he didn't say it in a teasing way either.
What made him think that? Do I really look lonely?
Bago ko pa siya matanong ay may bumusinang sasakyan. It was Kuya Victor. Tinapunan ko ulit ng tingin si Hades.
Hindi ko alam kung magpapaalam ba ako o hindi. Sa huli ay iniwan ko na lang siya basta at pumasok sa loob ng sasakyan.
Hindi nagtanong si Kuya tungkol sa kausap ko at pinaandar na agad ang sasakyan. The whole drive, his statement remained a mystery in my mind. The last thing that I remember that night is Hades and the word lonely.
🍷🍷🍷
"Asia's party trended and so is your photo with her," my manager noted.
I just nodded and took a sip from my coffee fix in the morning, careful not to burn my tongue. It's a struggle 'cos the vehicle is moving.
Kasama si Mama Ton na sumundo sa akin sa condo unit. Since he's here to accompany me to two meetings, wala ang road manager ko. Emma's present, like always.
"There's a Facebook post that trended, debunking the issue between you and Asia. It highlighted how you actually seem more like sisters. Lumabas din ang mga behind the scene photos, pati kuha ng mga fans sa mga old tapings niyo," Mama Ton explained.
"There are still a few haters, pero 'di naman mawawala ang mga inggitera sa mundo. The important thing here is natabunan na ang mga naunang issue sa 'yo and the news about your new deals will only bury the rumors even more."
The first meeting is with an international makeup brand. They're launching a new lippie collection and they want me to be the brand ambassador for Asia.
While the second meeting is with a mobile phone brand. They're launching their new phone next month and I heard from my manager that they have plans for a TVC.
Dressed in a pretty yellow short suit with killer heels and my hair tied in a bun, I was ready to sign deals.
My morning schedule was light 'cos meeting lang naman. Lunch time, I went to the venue for my magazine shoot.
Maaga pa ako para sa call time dahil doon ko na rin plano kumain ng lunch. Light meal ang kinain ko. I still have a bit time left and I was bored. Since it's a little safe to lurk now on my socials, I decided to finally check my phones.
My inbox was filled with congratulatory messages from my colleagues and other people. The recent texts were from Dharma and Rowan, asking for my whereabouts last night. Si Asia naman ay nagpasalamat lang sa pagpunta. On the top of my inbox is Giovann's name.
I rolled my eyes as I opened it. Puro one sided lang ang texts galing aa kanya. Minsan lang kasi akong mag-reply sa kanya kapag importante lang.
Giovann is not really a bad person, I guess I'm just annoyed at how much of a pushover he is. I don't know what his parents has on him, na sinusunod niya na lang ang mga gusto nito. I know thinking this way will make me a hypocrite since I'm also my father's puppet... so I guess I just hate him because he reminds me too much of myself.
Kahit na sabihin na hindi naman labag sa loob niya ang mga inuutos sa kanya dahil gusto niya ako, it still makes him a pussy 'cos he'd rather do his parents' biddings than make a move on me in his own terms.
Kung sa ganoong paraan siguro kami nagkakilala ay baka binigyan ko pa siya ng chance. Gio's extremely good looking naman kasi even in his usual basic clothes, plus he's smart, rich, and well connected.
His most recent text is from this morning.
Giovann:
Good morning, Seph. I hope you can squeeze me in your schedule for a dinner date. I miss you.
Okay na sana kung ganyan lang ang sinabi niya. Without anyone controlling my decision, I'd consider his invitation. But then he had to go and send another message.
Giovann:
Our fathers think we should be seen often publicly. It will look weird if we just got engaged and we don't even go out.
If this idea came from my father, it won't be long now for him to call me and tell me about it himself. I'd take Giovann over talking to my father. It's just dinner anyway.
Me:
Fine. I'll check when I'll be available.
It just took him two minutes to reply. Hindi ko na 'yon binuksan. Wala akong pake.
I opened my social media application. My notifications are really crazy. I checked my tagged photos on Instagram first. Nag-heart lang ako sa mga 'yon lalo na kapag post ng sponsors.
I checked my direct messages. Ang daming messages at mentions doon. Nakabukas na ang mga galing sa sponsors. Gior has access to my accounts because it's part of his job pero may limitations lang ang pwede niyang buksan at galawin.
I looked around to check if anyone's watching me. Mag-isa lang ako sa sofa at abala ang lahat. There's around twenty people inside this room.
With my lips pursed, I typed his name on the search bar. I don't know his surname but I just hope I spell his name right. Unique ang name niya kaya tingin ko naman ay hindi ako mahihirapan hanapin 'yon.
Hadeon Davis Serrano
That's the first one that appeared on my top. My heart jumped and I already have a gut feeling that it's him. His surname is Serrano...
Does that mean he's related to the owner? Is that why he's a frequent goer there? Dahil may-ari sila? Hindi man lang niya ito sinabi sa akin. Huh. Humble.
Pinindot ko 'yon at nang lumabas ang screen ay halos napatawa ako nang makita ang blue button na may nakasulat na Follow Back instead of Follow. So he did stalk me.
He's got over fifty thousand followers and he's only following back about a thousand. May ilang mutuals kami. Hmm... so that means he's got connections in the showbiz industry din.
I found out a few things about him through his posts. I learned that he's got a twin and three other siblings. He's the son of the owner of the Serrano Hotels and the owner of Glamur Ad, so he's also directly related to Glamur Magazine. They travel a lot. They go to Europe twice a year since his father's half French.
He's an incoming fourth year college student. Iyon nga lang ay hindi ko alam kung anong program niya. Most of his photos were places, his family, and his hot friends. I reached the end, wondering if he's got a girl but wala naman. Well, what do you expect from a guy with a hook up room in several hotels?
"Ms. Kaia, start na tayo?" someone asked. I locked my phone and raised my eyes. Nakatayo na ang babae malapit sa akin. She was introduced to me as the production coordinator.
"Great," I chirped and stood up from the couch. Tumingin ako kay Mama Ton bilang paalam. He was on the phone. Kumaway na lang siya sa akin. I took that as a sign na mauna na.
The coordinator lead me to the small dressing room. I was introduced to the styling team. I've worked with the makeup artist before. It was nice to see a familiar face. Nagsimula rin kami agad sa pag-aayos.
Patapos na ang makeup ko nang may kumatok at bumukas din ang pinto. My manager unapologetically entered the room. Wala na siyang kausap sa phone.
"I was with the agency," Mama Ton exclaimed. I noticed the pack of canned Coke on his other hand. "You have a sponsored IG live today."
I almost grimaced, but then I remembered that we're not alone. "What do I need to do?"
"The requirement is to have your followers post a photo of them drinking Coke. Mag question and answers ka na lang as filler," my manager instructed.
"Is it okay if I do an IG live?" I asked the artist. Tumigil na ito sa mukha ko. Inaayos na niya ngayon ang equipment para sa buhok ko.
"Okay lang. No problem," sagot nito.
"Thank you." I opened my application and started the live. I placed my phone at the vanity mirror and positioned the camera in front of me.
Mama Ton opened the can for me before handing it over. I started the live and took a drink. The viewer instantly became five hundred and the comments were already active. Wala pang thirty seconds ay umangat na ang views sa three thousand.
"Hi." I picked up the can and sipped.
Tumadtad ang hello at hi sa comment. Comments about the product flooded the chat as well. May mga nanghihingi ng Coke at ang iba ay paulit-ulit na nagsasabi ng sana all. May nagtanong naman kung favorite drink ko raw ba 'yon.
"It's a bit hot outside kaya masarap mag-Coke. You can post a photo of yourself with Coke ang tag me so I can see it later," I explained.
hserrano hi po
My eyebrow raised at that comment. I shook my head. Another username asked me what I'm doing.
"I'm currently preparing for a shoot right now and I missed talking to all of you, so naisipan ko na mag-live."
Pagkatapos ay mga tanong na kung para saan ang shoot ang sumunod na comments.
hserrano sana all nami-miss
I couldn't help but laugh at that. I can't say it's out of character but it's odd to witness him use that term. Parang hindi bagay. Comments about me looking so happy, in love, and blooming surfaced because of that. Gusto kong mapairap.
"The shoot is for a magazine. That's all I'm going to say," I cheekily exclaimed. "I'll do random follows at the end of this live, so don't forget to tag me in your photos."
A lot were asking about Giovann and our wedding plans. Hindi pwedeng hindi ko pansinin. "Giovann is okay. We're already planning the details but we're not in a rush din naman for the wedding."
The live went on. Hindi na ulit lumabas ang username ni Hadeon sa chat. Nagpaalam lang ako sa mga fans nang tawagin na ako para sa simula ng shoot.
Habang naglalakad ay mabilis kong pinasadahan ang tagged posts. I followed a few people. A notification from Hades' username caught my attention. He mentioned me in his story with the required Coke drink and his panty dropping grin.
Napailing ako. I went to Hadeon's account and followed him back.