JAXXON took a little steps backwards while raising both of his hands in defeat but the grin on his face is still there. While Champ is glaring at him.
"What's with the look, bro?" - Jaxxon teased his friend. "I just greeted your wife." - he walked back towards Jeva and offered his hand to her.
"I'm Jaxxon Fuller." - he introduces himself giving her a mischievous smile. "I never thought that this guy here," - turo nito kay Champ. "Was not kidding when he said that he has a wife."
She was about to accept his hand when Champ grabbed hers and put her at his back. Champ was aware how playful Jaxxon can be when it comes to women and he is not letting his friend to play with his wife.
"Ang damot mo naman sa asawa mo." - biro ni Jaxxon sa lalaki. "She's off-limits. I know where to put myself." - he said seriously.
"You better." - inakbayan niya ang asawa niya. "These are my friends. Jaxxon and Jeron. I bet you already knew them."
Of course, she does. Both of them are famous. Jaxxon is a famous singer while Jeron is now the new CEO of the Luther Lucena's Airline. Jeva can't stop herself staring at Jeron. He is more handsome in person.
"Jeron, Jaxxon, this is my wife Jeva Leyn. Call her Jeva. Not Leyn. I'm the only one who's allowed to call her that."
Kinilig naman si Jeva sa sinabi nito.
Jeva doesn't know that Jeron was there at Dane's birthday party because she was occupied with the thoughts of Pietro being there and having a fight with her friend.
Jeron gave her a smile. "I knew her. She's my cousin's friend."
Her brows wrinkled. "Who's your cousin who happened to be my friend?" - she asked curiously.
"Jean Lander Lucena." - he said while she gave him an awkward smile while nodding her head.
Mariin napapikit si Jeva at kinagat ang ibabang labi niya. How could she forget her friend's surname? At bakit hindi niya ito napansin noong una? Gusto niyang batukan ang sarili dahil sa katangahan niya.
"I didn't know you have a wife, Vlad." - Jeron said to Champ. He was shocked when Jaxxon mentioned a while ago that this woman happened to be his friend's wife. He was really clueless when they got here. He doesn't even know whose house this was.
"Ah eh?" - Napakamot ng ulo si Jeva. "You guys stay here in the living room while I'll go to the kitchen. I make something for you. I bet you guys have a lot to talk." - paalam niya sa mga ito at mabilis na tumungo sa kusina para magluto.
"Pwew! What the heck was that?!" - she wiped her forehead because she thought that she was sweating so hard.
Sa lahat ng mga naging celebrity crush niya ay si Jeron lang ang nakita niya ng malapitan at sa panahong may asawa na siya. Good thing, wala na siyang feelings para sa lalaki kundi napakaawkward nun, liking her husband's friend makes her cringe. Baka siya pa ang dahilan na mag-away ang dalawa. Napakahaba naman ng buhok niya kung ganun.
She immediately do her thing. She kept her herself busy pinipigilan niya ang sarili na pumunta sa kung saan ang mga lalaki at makinig sa usapan ng mga ito. It's very inappropriate to eavesdrop.
WHILE on the other side. Jeron was looking at Champ and then to Jaxxon. He's been doing this couple of times the moment they sat on the couch. Jeron was sitting on a single couch while Jaxxon and Champ sat on the long couch.
"Why do I have the feeling that I am the only one who doesn't know about this thing?" - Jeron raised his brow at the two.
"Hindi ko alam sa lalaking yan." - Jaxxon pointed Vladimir. "I just knew couple of days ago because of the cookies."
"Cookies?!" - takang tanong ni Jeron. "What's with the cookies?"
Tumikhim si Jaxxon. Dahil sa palagay niya ay siya ang magkukwento dahil mukhang walang planong mag explain ang kaibigan niya.
"I once visited Vladimir at their set. At nagkataong malapit lang sa recording studio ko." - Jaxxon said.
Aside from being a singer, Jaxxon owns a recording studio kung saan doon siya nagrerecord ng sariling kanta at ang iba pang sikat na singer.
"So? What it has to do with the cookies?" - gulong-gulo pa rin si Jeron hindi niya alam kung anong connect ng cookies sa asawa daw ni Vladimir.
Tinapik ni Champ ang balikat ni Jaxxon para ipagpatuloy ang pagkukwento at tumayo siya papunta sa kusina.
He saw his wife who was busy making his favorites. He smiled. He is so lucky to have a wife who's trying her best to do something for him even if he only has little time for her and that he doesn't even know if he is a good husband to her. Kasi sa pagkakaalala niya wala siyang nagawa para sa asawa.
Then, he suddenly remembered how his wife looked at his friend - Jeron. His jaw tightened. Why did she look at him like that?
Jeva could feel someone looking at her kaya napalingon siya dito. Napakunot ang noo nya ng makita ang asawa.
"Why are you here?"
Champ just shrugged.
"Ahm." - Jeva bit her tongue. Hindi niya alam kung ano ang sasabihin sa lalaki. "Why not get some cookies from the jar? Para naman may kinakain kayo habang nag-uusap." - she said. Habang pinagpapatuloy ang ginagawa niya.
"Yeah, sure." - pagsunod niya rito. Iyon naman talaga ang plano nya kaya siya pumunta sa kusina. Just like Jaxxon said, hindi siya maramot. Kaya niya lang naman ipinagdamot ang cookies na yun noong araw dahil ang asawa niya mismo ang naghanda nun para sa kanya.
"Why did you look at him the way you look at him a while ago?" - Champ asked his wife. Kanina pa kasi nagre-replay sa utak niya ang tingin ng kanyang asawa sa kaibigan nito.
She gave him a confused look. "What? Who? Sino naman ang tiningnan ko ng ganung tingin?"
"Jeron." - he simply said. While transferring some cookies on the plate.
"Well, Jeron was my crush." - she honestly said. "And he is more handsome in person."
Jeva is a very honest person. She always speaks what's on her mind. And there's no point in lying. Tsaka noon lang naman yun. Isa araw lang din naman dahil nalaman niyang ito ang boss ng pinsan nyang si Gwyn. Tapos ngayon, nalaman nya pang pinsan ito ni Jean.
Champ cursed nth times in his head. Remind me to erase Jeron's face later. He told himself. Hindi man lang ito nagsinungaling?
"And you have the guts to tell that on my face?" - nakataas ang isang kilay ni Champ habang deretsang nakatingin sa babae. "Ako, na asawa mo? Seriously, Jeva Leyn?" - turo niya sa sarili.
His calling her Jeva Leyn meaning he is serious and pissed. Jeva's forehead creased. Ano bang problema ng lalaki at parang malaki ang pinaglalaban nito?
"What?" - takang tanong niya. "Sinabi ko lang naman sayo ang totoo." - she rolled her eyes.
"You could've lied to me." - he irritatingly said. Jeva's upper lips rose up. Kung ang ibang tao nagiging masaya kapag nagsasabi ng totoo ang tao sa kanila tapos, ang lalaking ito sinasabihan siya na sana nagsinungaling na lang siya.
"I won't." - Champ gasped on her answer. "I won't lie to you. Lahat ng sasabihin ko sayo'y totoo. Tsaka, ano bang pinaglalaban mo? Sinabi ko lang naman na, he WAS my crush. Past tense yun. Meaning tapos na." - mariin niyang sabi sa lalaki.
Mukhang narealize naman ni Champ ang pinaggagawa niya kaya napayuko na lang sya. "I'm sorry."
"It's okay. Next time, don't ask me to lie to you, okay? Because, I won't do that. And please, don't lie to me too. I hate liars." - she said softly.
Tumango naman ang lalaki. "Promise me."
"I promised." - I hope, Champ. I just hope you won't lie to me. I don't want to be mad at you. She sighed.
Jeva smirked when she realized something. "Are you jealous?"
"What?! No! Geez!" - he immediately grabbed the plate full of cookies and stormed out from the kitchen habang si Jeva naman ay natatawa at umiiling habang naiwan sa kusina.
He was jealous. Jeva conceitedly said to herself. Maybe, just maybe, I'm already having progress.
NANG makabalik na si Champ sa living room ay pabagsak niyang inilapag ang plato sa coffee table at pabagsak ring umupo sa inupuan niya kanina.
"If you don't want us to eat the cookies, you don't need to offer it to us." - Jeron teased and grinned at him. He bet Jaxxon already told his other friend kung paano niya ipinagdamot ang cookies sa kaibigan.
"Nah, we have tons of that. You can eat." - walang ganang sabi nito. "Just don't eat too much my wife is preparing something for us." he squeezed his eyes. Tinatanong niya ang sarili niya kung nagseselos nga ba siya sa kaibigan? Argh! This is frustrating!
"That's great." - sabay na sabi ni Jaxxon at Jeron.
"Hmmm. These cookies are really extra-ordinary." - napadilat siya ng marinig ang pagpupuri ng kaibigan niyang si Jeron.
"I told you." - Jaxxon commented while a playful smile was plastered on his face.
"Would you mind if will bring some?" - walang hiyang tanong ni Jaxxon sa kanya. Makapal talaga ang mukha nito.
"No, not really." - he said before picking a cookie and threw it straight in his mouth. Dahilan para lumubo ang kanyang pisngi may nalaglag pang bahagi nito mula sa kanyang bibig.
"Geez! Ang kalat ha?" - Jaxxon said.
"Anyways, VIP Ball is coming that's three months from now. It'll be a Masquerade Party." - Jeron coolly said.
VIP Ball is a ball wherein all famous people are invited whether you are a celebrity or a bachelor. It doesn't matter as long as your name is known around the nation or internationally.
The four of them, including Pietro ay sabay na nagpe-prepare ng kanilang mga tux. Before, it was Shylane who designed their tuxedos. But things changed when she suddenly disappeared.
"Do you have any plans?" - Jeron asked.
"How about Pietro? Anong plano niya?" - Champ asked back.
"Who knows?" - Jaxxon shrugged. Since, Pietro's wife disappeared he was always MIA. Nakasama lang nila ulit ito noong birthday ng fiancee ni Chandria. He no longer attended any kinds of parties.
"Should we call him?" - Jeron.
"I don't know." - he shrugged. "Maybe we'll just let him contact us. He's on a very tough thing right now." - Champ felt pity for his friend. Pero matigas din kasi ang bungo nito he doesn't want to look for his wife. Sabi nito hayaan nalang raw. Mas mabuti daw yun.
Pietro doesn't like talking about his wife. He became so furious and he's been calling her bitch, slut or whore. Kaya hindi na lang nila tinanong ang lalaki kung ano ba talaga ang nangyari sa dalawa.
"Anyways, do you have any plans of bringing your wife at the ball?" - Jeron changed the topic.
He remained silent. He forgot about the ball, he hasn't decided yet. Even if it's a masquerade party many people can still recognize him and tons of questions will be thrown at him after the event if the netizens will know that he brought a date at a very big and popular ball.
"If you won't bring..." - he paused. "I might bring her with me." - Jeron smirked at him, receiving a death glare from him.
"Don't you dare, Jeron." - pagbabanta nya rito.
"Well, I will dare if you won't bring her with you." - his friend continued mocking at him.
"I might too." - Jaxxon said. He glared at Jaxxon too. "Your wife is a good shot. She's a beauty and has a body." - a cassanova said. Pati ba naman ito?
Talaga bang gusto ng mga ito ang asawa niya o pinagti-tripan lang siya ng mga kaibigan. If their goal is to pissed him well, they won. He is so pissed right now. Kung hindi niya lang ito mga kaibigan talagang babasagin niya ang mga mukha nito.
Akmang magsasalita pa sana siya ng biglang dumating ang kanyang asawa.
"Hey." - tawag ni Jeva sa tatlong lalaki.
"Dinner is done." - anunsyo nito. "Let's go to the dining room." - aya niya sa mga ito. And give them her sweetest genuine smile.
"Yun oh!" - Sigaw ni Jaxxon at napasuntok pa ito sa kawalan saka hinila si Jeron at tinutulak-tulak papunta sa dining room.
Natatawa na lang si Jeva sa dalawa bago lumapit sa asawa. Pinulupot niya ang kanyang braso sa braso nito. Champ silently smiled when his wife did that.
They saw the table perfectly set. With lasagne, cannelloni, fried chicken, sandwich and a red wine in the wine glass. The whole setting is like they'll be eating on a romantic dinner date in a luxury restaurant.
Agad namang pumwesto sina Jeron at Jaxxon.
"Sorry I didn't cook rice because there are already lots of carbs." - nahihiyang saad niya sa mga ito. Ngumiwi naman si Champ sa inasal ng asawa. Kailan ba nahiya ang babaeng ito?
"Anyways, help yourselves." - she gestured her hand agad naman nag unahan ang dalawa na akala mo'y mga patay-gutom.
She sat on the chair opposite to where the two were seated. Tumabi naman sa kanya ang kanyang asawa. She gets a small amount of lasagne and cannelloni and places it on Champ's plate.
"I cooked it for you." - she whispered at him.
He stilled because his heart is thumping so hard. Why is she making me breathless? He breathed heavily.
"Hoy, nabato ka dyan?" - saway sa kaniya ni Jaxxon. Para naman nakakita ng multo at mabilis na dinampot ang kutsara at agad na sumubo ng lasagne.
Nagpipigil naman ng tawa si Jeva habang sinusubo ang sandwich sa bibig niya.
"Kaninong guitar yung nasa living room malapit sa tv." - Jaxxon asked.
Jeva raised her hand like she is saying "present" in the classroom. Punong-puno kasi ang bibig nito. Dali-dali niya nginuya ang pagkaing nasa bibig at pinunasan ang bibig siya.
She sipped a wine before talking. "That was mine."
"Sabi na eh. Imposible namang kay Champ yun. Eh, hindi naman yan marunong kumanta. Kung hindi lang magaling umacting yan. Naku! Wala talagang ka-talent-talent yang asawa mo." - panlalaglag ni Jaxxon sa kaibigan.
"Ano bang nagustuhan mo sa kanya? Maliban sa sikat na artista sya? Di hamak na mas gwapo naman ako sa kanya." - Jaxxon added.
Earning a death glare from Champ as he kicked his foot under the table.
"Aw!" - bahagya itong yumuko at hinimas ang paa. "I was just kidding." - he groaned.
"You better. She's mine." - madiing sabi ni Champ sa kaibigan. Without minding the last words he uttered.
Jaxxon smirked inwardly. His friend was already wrapped around his wife's little fingers. While Jeva was dumbfounded because she could feel her face heat up upon hearing her husband claiming her as his.
"You have a very skillful hands, Leyn." - Jeron said. Uminit ang ulo ni Champ dahil tinawag nitong Leyn ang kanyang asawa.
"I told you not to call her that." - Champ said between his gritted teeth.
"It's not for you to decide. After all, it's your wife's name not yours." - Jeron smirked at him.
Jeva felt uncomfortable seeing her husband giving his friend a death glare while the other one is grinning like he's about to add more fuel in the fire.
"Ahm. Just call me Jeva, Jeron. Mas sanay akong tinatawag na ganun." - she gave Jeron an apologetic smile.
Nagdiwang naman ang loob ni Champ dahil siya ang pinanigan ng asawa. Pero nawala agad yun ng makitang nakangiti ang asawa sa kaibigan niya. And he suddenly remember what his wife confessed earlier.
Fuck! He forgot to erase his douche friend's face. That was the most important thing he should do.
"This tastes good." - Jeron said referring to the Cannelloni. "I might want more of it." - Fuck! He is burning right now. Jeron is complimenting his wife while the latter smiled and put her side hair at the back of her ears.
He covered the mouth of Jeva habang ito naman ay bahagyang napatalon dahil sa ginawa ng lalaki.
"Whsss arss dos--" - she said while her husband's hand was still covering her mouth.
"What?!" - he asked while his forehead creased. Tinapik ni Jeva ang kanyang kamay para matanggal ito sa ipagkakatakip sa bibig nito.
"What are you doing?!"- pabulong na sigaw nya sa lalaki.
"Stop smiling, will you?!"- pabulong na sigaw rin ng lalaki sa kanya.
"Nakakamatay ba ang ngiti ko ha?!" - she give him a very annoying fake smile.
"Geez! Stop that." - Champ rolled his eyes. "You're not allowed to smile at other guys, especially Jeron." - there's a bitterness in his voice.
"What are two whispering about?" - Jeron asked kaya sabay silang napalingon sa dalawa habang nanlalaki ang mga mata.
Jaxxon cringed. "Will you stop that lovey-dovey thing in front of us? Respeto sa mga single dito, oh?" - he sarcastically said.
Napakamot naman ng ulo si Jeva habang namumula ang kanyang mukha habang si Champ naman ay nag-iwas ng tingin.
"Anyways, I have a question." - nakahinga naman ng maluwag si Jeva ng biglang nag-iba ng topic si Jeron.
"Yeah, sure."
"You are friends with Shylane Santiago, right?" - Jeva stilled upon hearing the question at wala sa sariling napatango.
"Where is she?"
Jeva could feel her hands shaking. She is very uncomfortable. Talking about her friend makes her uneasy. Hindi pa rin kasi mawala sa isipan nito na nagkulang siya sa kaibigan nya.
"I..." - pakiramdam niya nawawalan na siya ng hininga. "I d-don't know." - she doesn't want to lie. But if it's for her friend's safety, she will.
"What do you mean you don't know?" - Jeron asked in a confused manner.
"What kind of friend are you when you don't know where she is?" - she felt insulted with Jaxxon's question. She felt her blood boiling to the highest level.
Binagsak nya ang kanyang dalawang palad sa mesa at tumayo. "YES! YOU'RE RIGHT! WHAT THE FUCK KIND OF FRIEND I WAS WHEN I COULDN'T SAVE HER FROM YOUR MOTHERFUCKING FRIEND!!"- she burst her heart out.
She's breathing fast and heavily. The three men were shocked because of her sudden outburst. Her voice was full of hatred, anger, pain and guilt.
"I didn't save her. I wasn't able to save her because that time I was preoccupied with me being married to your other friend!" - she was referring to Champ. Her tears were streaming down from her eyes.
"But wherever she is, I'm sure she's in the worst situation because of the motherfucker douchebag friend of yours!!" - she cried. "He hurt her! He mistreated her! He killed her!!!"
Jeva stepped back when she realized what she did and what she was saying.
"I'm so s-sorry." - she sobbed. "I-i'm sorry I freaked out." - humahagulhol niyang sabi.
She faced Champ. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to shout at your friends."
She ran towards her room while wiping the tears on her face.
Para namang tinakasan ng dugo sa katawan si Jaxxon. He was wrong what he said was overboard.
"What was that?" - Jeron asked to no one nang makarecover ito mula sa pagkakagulat.
"What does she mean? Hurt? Maltreated? Killed? How? Why?" - sunod sunod na tanong nito dahil gulong-gulo siya sa pinagsasabi ng asawa ng kaibigan.
"I don't know. My wife didn't tell me anything about her friend."- nakayukong sabi ni Champ.
"Maybe it was there inside business and she was sorry because she blurted it out. I didn't know my wife had been through a lot." - Champ never felt so useless, just now.
"I, I'm sorry man." - Jaxxon said to Champ.
"It's okay. I'll just go to her." - paalam niya sa dalawa. They know the way out if they want to leave.
His wife needs him more than them. Pinihit niya ang pinto. It was locked. He heard his wife whimpered.
Dali-dali siyang pumasok kwarto niya umaasang hindi nito nilock ang pinto sa extension nila. And yes, it wasn't.
He saw his wife lying on the floor. Maybe, she passed out because of crying too much. Humihikbi pa ito. He wiped her tears and carried her to her bed.
He brushed his fingers through her hair. And kissed her temple.
"It's okay. It's alright, sweetheart. You'll get over it soon." - He whispered in her ears and slept beside her.