"here, ice cream." it was Ava, they're currently at a ice cream shop inside the mall habang hinihintay kung kailan sila pwedeng pumasok sa sinehan.
"Anyway, Kaylee, pinayagan ka ng parents mo na lumabas?" nakakunot ang noo na tanong ni Amelia. "Hindi, hindi naman ako nagpaalam." proud n'ya pang tugon dito at natawa naman sila. "But you know na malalaman nila na lumabas ka diba? yung driver mo mag rereport sakanila at paniguradong anytime ay andito na sila para kunin ka." Celeste said at luminga-linga s paligid. "Sino ba nagsabi na nagdala ako ng driver? nag commute kaya ako kasi alam kong gagawin nila iyang sinabi mo so i became wiser this time. Bahala silang mag-alala na hanapin ako, yun ay kung mag-aalala nga sila. Baka nga isipin pa nilang nagiging pasaway ako eh at tatalakan ako pag-uwi. Anyway, who cares, they're tiring." nagbuntong hininga si Kaylee matapos n'yang sabihin iyon. Amelia tap her shoulders after saying those. "Kami bahala sa'yo. Nagrerebelde karin naman na na dapat matagal mo nang ginawa, we'll make it more worth it then. Ipapasyal ka namin dito sa mall after nating manood ng movie." anito pa at natawa si Kaylee sa kaibigan. "Para naman akong hindi pa nakaikot sa mall." tugon n'ya. "naikot mo na yung mall pero not with us. Come to think of it, this is actually just the tenth times na lumabas ka ng mall with us since we were child, sobrang takot mo sa parents mo na hindi mo naisip tumakas not until now so we'll play a lot after the movie." tugon din ni Amelia na sinang-ayonan naman ng mga kaibigan n'ya. Matapos nilang mag-usap, ilang minuto lang ang lumipas ay pumasok narin sila sa sinehan. They pick a romance movie and they all really enjoy it. Pagkatapos ng movie ay dumeretso sila sa archade at naglaro ng dalawang oras. Kaylee never felt the happiest. In all honesty, nakakatawa at nagiging masaya lang si Kaylee kapag kasama n'ya ang mg kaibigan n'ya. Since her parents are so strict to her even though they attention to them lesser than they pay attention to theur gambling and business, palagi lang siyang tulala sa bahay nila. Kung hindi siya nag-aaral, tulala lang talaga siya at ramdam na ramdam ni Kaylee ang sobrang bigat ng pakiramdam n'ya. Everything feels heavy sa bahay nila. When her parents notice na nagiging masayahin siya kapag andoon ang mga nannies n'ya, nagagalit ang mommy n'ya. The worst part is when she turned 18 years old, her mom fired all her nanny kasi hindi naman na daw n'ya kailangan at adult na siya. Akala n'ya pagtutuonan na siya ng pansin ng mga ito but it's still the same. The difference is that wala na siyang nanny to console the lonely and sad her who hides in her bedroom all day. "Kaylee, let's go buy some clothes." tawag sakanya ni Ava at tumango naman siya sa mga ito at tumakbo. They enter a shop na alam ni Kaylee na mahal ang mga damit but she didn't care kasi alam naman n'yang may pera siya. Pumili siya ng mga damit na nagugustuhan n'ya. Hindi ugali ni Kaylee na sukatin ang mga damit na nagugustuhan n'ya, kapag alam n'yang size n'ya ito ay kukunin n'ya nalang. Marami-rami na siyang napili at gusto na n'ya itong bayarin but her friends are still choosing at mukhang matagal pa ang mga ito na pumili at magsukat. "Guys, I'll just pay for this and then I'll be back with you here." aniya pa sa mga kaibigan at tumango ang mga ito sakanya kaya naglakad na siya papuntang counter. "Hello ma'am, hope you did have a good time in your shopping here." ngumiti ng matamis si Kaylee sa cashier. Hinalukat n'ya ang bag n'ya para kunin ang wallet n'ya at nakita n'ya ang cellphone n'yang nag vibrate nang vibrate, naka silent kasi ito kaya hindi n'ya naririnig kung may tatawag. Pero nang kukunin na n'ya ito para sagutin, na-off naman ang tawag kaya nagkibit balikat nalang si Kaylee at nakita ang message mula sa isang katulong sakanila. From: Yaya Ma'am, umuwi po sana kayo bago mag alas syete para po hindi kayo mapagalitan ng mommy at daddy n'yo po. Hindi po dapat kayo lumabas ngayon. Kaylee just ignore the message and then put the cellphone inside her bag and look at the cashier. "20, 599 po lahat ma'am." anito pa at binigay ni Kaylee ang credit card n'ya sa cashier pero ilang segundo lang ay tumingin sakanya ang cashier na para bang dismayado. "What? what is it?" tanong n'ya dito. "Ma'am, I'm sorry po but your card got declined." anito pa na ikinanoot ng noo ni Kaylee. "What? that's impossible, i just used that five times, why would it get declined?" she said. "can you try it again?" tumango naman ang cashier sakanya at sinubukan ulit iyon pero declined talaga ang card n'ya. "I'm sorry po, pero declined talaga ang card mo po na ito." binigay ng cashier sakanya ang card n'ya. Kaylee is frustrated. "Here, i have this other card, you can try this." she siad trying to calm herself down. But the cashier told her that her other card got declined once again. "I'm sorry po pero declined din po itong card n'yo na'to po. I've tried five times na din po." malakas ang buntong hininga ni Kaylee. It must be her parents doing, just last week ang daming laman ng card n'ya tapos biglang declined. Her parents put money to her bank account every month kahit pa nga they ignore her all the time, hindi n'ya alam kung bakit declined na ngayon ang dalawang card at anong ginawa ng parents n'ya. The worst part is hindi n'ya dala ang saving/emergency card n'ya na hindi alam ng parents n'ya na meron siya. Everytime na nilalagyan ng parents n'ya ang dalawang bank account n'ya, 50% of what they put into her two bank accounts ay kinukuha n'ya at nilalagay n'ya sa savings/emergency account n'ya. Alam n'yang naka monitor ang parents n'ya sa mga perang kinukuha n'ya sa bank account n'ya kaya she makes sure na ang alam lang nila is nag shopping lang siya ng clothes which she do every once a month. "Ba't kasi binabayad ang card na wala namang laman." rinig n'yang sabi ng nasa likod n'ya. Nakataas ang kilay n'ya at lumingon doon. It was a man with a very rude and heartless aura. "Excuse me? your mumbling something?" she asked him at tinaasan din siya ng kilay nito. "Your card got declined, maybe wala na iyang laman kasi you spent too much on it or maybe the owner of the card notice unusual of her card kaya declined na. Did you snatched it somewhere?" nanliit ang mata ni Kaylee sa sinabi ng binata sakanya. "So you're implying na ninakaw ko yung card na nakapangalan sa'kin? bobo ka ba? you look decent naman, you look intelligent pero nakikita mo talaga ang totoong ugali ng tao kapag nangingialam siya ng buhay ng iba, mind your own business..." napatingin si Kaylee sa hawak nito. "a lingerie? buying a lingerie? that says a lot. now i conclude na binili mo iyan for your girlfriend? a man who is hunger for sex, i see." she smirks after saying that. "mind your own business!" he shouted a bit that really cauggt the attention of some people in the shop including her friends. "you should have told that to yourself before you accused me of stealing my own card, don't you think? napaka bobo mo." sabi n'ya pa dito. Ayaw ni Kaylee na pinagsasabihan siya ng mga bagay na hindi n'ya gusto. "So you're saying that I'm stupid now?" he seems insulted. "Yes, you just translated it into english. Stay put of my world if you don't want the truth." she said at tinalikuran ang binata at humarap sa cashier na ngayo'y nakikinig lang din sakanila ng lalaki. "I'll pay in cash, how much is my bill again?" she asked the cashier at parang nabalik na ito sa reyalidad. "u-uhm...20,599 po ma'am." sabi ng cashier at kinuha ni Kaylee ang cash n'ya sa bag n'ya. She's just glad that the man in her back is not saying anything anymore. Matapos n'yang bayaran ang pinamili n'ya, ay dumeretso siya sa mga kaibigan n'ya na nakatitig lang sakanya but before she reached them, tumingin pa muna siya sa lalaki na nakatitig sakanya at inikutan n'ya ito ng mga mata n'ya. "What was that?" tanong ni Celeste sakanya. "My two card got declined and that man behind me starts accusing me of something na ninakaw ko daw ang card. Napaka bobo n'ya, he couldn't even mind his own business." iritado parin n'yang ani. Ava keeps looking at the man at kapagkuwan ang lumaki ang mata nito. "Wait, that's Mr. Monaco, right?" tukoy n'ya sa lalaking nakasagutan n'ya kanina. "Wait, it is really Mr. Monaco." sang-ayon pa ni Amelia. "Holy shit!" tanging nasabi lang ni Celeste. Kumunot ang noo ni Kaylee sa mga ito. "Who's Mr. Monaco?" she asked. tumabi sakanya si Ava at tinampal siya sa balikat. "Mr. Monaco is a billionaire. He owns a lot of business in the country, he's one of the youngest billionaire in the country. Rumorse spread na sobrang sama daw ng ugali n'ya pero a lot of women still go after him." kwento pa nito at tumingin si Kaylee sa papalayong bulto ng binata. "A billionaire who's buying a lingerie for his girlfriend?" natawa si Kaylee. "And tama nga ang first impression ko sakanya, napaka sama ng ugali, mukha palang makikita na eh." aniya pa. "That's not the point. The point is he can ruin anyone's life, and you just had an argument with jom just now! what will he do to you?" concern na concern pa ani ni Ava sakanya. "What will he do to me? he doesn't know me and besides, my life is already ruin as it is." she's really fearless. She doesn't care and won't care. Napailing-iling nalang ang mga kaibigan n'ya sakanya at nagkibit-balikat nalang din si Kaylee habang natatawaKaylee woke up feeling a bit bliss. Nakangiti kaagad siya habang sinasalubong ang magandang sikat ng araw na tumatama sa mukha n'ya. "Good morning, Earth." masayang aniya pa. Malakas siyang napabuntong hininga habang nakangiti parin. Masaya si Kaylee lalo na't araw ng pagkabuhay n'ya. It's her birthday, kahit pa nga hindi ito naaalala ng mga magulang n'ya at tanging siya at mga kaibigan n'ya ang mag celebrate nito. "It's my birthday." masayang usal n'ya sa sarili n'ya at saka dumeretso sa banyo para maligo na at bumaba para sa breakfast. Sa araw na iyon ay pinayagan siya ng mga magulang n'ya na lumabas kasama mga kaibigan n'ya. Nang matapos na siyang maligo ay bumaba na rin siya. Medyo maraming pagkain na nakahanda dahil alam ng mga katulong nila na birthday n'ya. "Happy birthday po ma'am." bati ng lahat ng katulong nila sakanya at mas lalong lumaki ang ngiti n'ya. Her parents doesn't remember her birthday or would they even try to remember it to celebrate it with her. And Kaylee
"WHAT!? WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?" hindi napigilan ni Kaylee ang sarili na sumigaw dahil sa sinabi ng mommy n'ya. "Well, you're not getting any younger. You are already 26 years old so therefore, you should be married already." nakangiti pa nitong tugon sakanya na para bang hindi big deal para dito ang magpakasal. "Are you out of your mind?" her mom and dad looked at her in disbelief dahil sa tanong at uri ng pagtatanong n'ya dito. "Do you think marriage is a joke and just nothing to you? do you think marriage should done just because someone turns 26 years old? I'm 26 years old, so? ni wala man lang nga kayong binigay na gift man lang kahit late na, tapos sasabihin n'yo sa'kin ngayon na magpapakasal ako? did you guys lose your brain while gambling in the casin—" hindi natuloy ni Kaylee ang sasabihin n'ya ng biglang dumapo sa pisngi n'ya ang palad ng mommy n'ya habang ang daddy n'ya ay walang pakialam sa nangyayari. "Watch your tone young lady, you're being such a rude b
"Slow down, Kaylee!" Celeste hissed at her, even hold her wrist so that she would stop drinking. She has been drinking for 2 hours now since they arrived at the bar. Kaylee messaged her friends after what her own parents did to her. She told them that she needs some drink and that alone screams that she has a problem that's why her friends didn't say no. "Tell us what's the problem! Tell us hindi iyong parang magpapakamatay kana diyan dahil sa pag-iinom mo. Dalawang oras kanang hindi tumitigil sa pag-iinom diyan, tapos tumakas kapa sainyo. At least tell us something so we know how to console you." ani pa ni Ava sakanya na tinanguan naman ni Celeste at Amelia. Kaylee drink another shot of whiskey and looks at her friends. "My great parents, my super great parents are the worst of all the worst!" she said slightly shouting. kumunot ang noo ng mga kaibigan n'ya sa sinabi n'ya. "What did they do this time?" tanong pa ni Celeste. Huminga ng malalim si Kaylee at uminom ulit ng is
"No! I'm n-not going anywhere." she said to him and even run away from him and goes back to the crowd. Kaylee is so drunk already, she might forget everything about what she did tonight when morning came. Kaylee dances again and grab another drink but Alexander caught her again. "Woman, you need to go home." he hissed on her ears. Iwinaksi no Kaylee ang kamay nito. "Ano ba, I want to have fun tonight. This might be the night na hindi na ako single. I don't know what my husband's real identity and I don't know if I'm able to party again so will you please get lost and just let me party? I don't even know you." Kaylee straightly said to him na para bang hindi siya lasing. Nang natahimik na ito ay saka lang ulit sumayaw si Kaylee at sumayaw. She keeps dancing and drinking, while Alexander are just guarding her because someone might touch her again. But Kaylee looks at Alexander and gave him a drink, ayaw pa sana nitong uminom pero pinilit ito ni Kaylee kaya uminom narin ito kasabay
Kaylee worked up feeling the headache and sore down there. Napahawak siya sa ulo n'ya ay napa-araw sa sakit na nadarama ng katawan n'ya. "What happened last night?" half asleep and while holding still her head, she quietly asked to herself nang biglang may nahawakan ang isang kamay n'ya sa gilid n'ya. Kaagad siyang napalingon doon at nanlaki ang mga mata ng may makitang lalaking nakatalikod sakanya at hubad iyon. Kaagad na tiningnan ni Kaylee ang sarili at hubad din siya. Kaagad siyang tumayo pero hindi paman siya tuluyang nakatayo ay napaigik siya sa sakit na nadarama n'ya sa gitnang hita n'ya. "Fuck! that hurts so much." she said in quiet voice para hindi magising ang lalaki sa tabi n'ya. She calmed down and slowly get off the bed and wore her dress. Paika-ika din siyang lumabas ng hotel room na iyon hanggang sa makalabas siya sa hotel building at sumakay sa taxi. Nakahinga ng maluwag si Kaylee, at pilit inaalala ang mga nangyari at ginawa n'ya kagabi. She remembers dancing,
"Ma'am Kaylee? pinapababa na po kayo ng mommy at daddy n'yo po." rinig ni Kaylee sa Yaya nila habang nagbibihis pa siya. "Tell them to wait, I'm still not done here." she said at narinig n'ya naman ang papaalis na tunog ng sapatos nito. Kaylee sighed in so much annoyance habang sinusuot n'ya ang dress n'ya. Her own mother told her to wear dress para daw presentable tingnan sa mga Monaco. It's been a week since her parents told her about the wedding and since then, they've been busy forcing her to wear this or that for the Monaco Family. Kaylee already meet the parents of the man that she will be married to and she can say that they're nice people but his grandparent and him as well, she haven't meet them yet. She was told that the name is Riker, her parents won't tell her his whole name kasi yun daw ang request ng groom. 20 minutes had passed and finally, Kaylee is done dressing up at bumaba narin siya sa sala kung saan naghihintay ang mga magulang n'ya. Her mom had this annoy
While Kaylee's family and the family that she's about to be part of are eating lunch, hindi mapigilang mapaisip ni Kaylee ang sinabi ng ginang sakanya kanina. Kung paano siya nakilala ng apo nito papakasalan n'ya. "Kaylee, dear. You seem occupied, penny for your thoughts?" sobrang malumanay talaga ng boses nito, para bang anytime ay makakatulog siya. Ngumiti si Kaylee dito bago nagsalita. "May naisip lang po, just ignore it po Mrs. Monaco." aniya pa dito at kumunot ang noo nito dahil sa sinabi n'ya. "Mrs. Monaco? that's ridiculous, that's so formal. You're about to be a Monaco, you're about to marry my grandson so that's make my grand daughter as well. Call me Grandma or Lola, whatever you prefer." anito pa sakanya. "And you can call me grandpa as well." pabirong kumindat ang asawa din ng matandang babae. Kaylee just hopes that her groom is as kind as his grandparents so it wouldn't be so hard for her to live everyday in a marriage that she never wants in the first place. "Sure
It's the day of the wedding. Kaylee is already wide awake and just staring at the ceiling of her own hotel room. She doesn't want to get up nor prepare for the big event, after all it's not her who wants this, she's just being used in order to save the company and in order to save her parents from utter humiliation for having a billion debt to the Monaco family. She wants to be saved but how, when she knows that her life wouldn't be easy if she choose to runaway from this hell.When God showers the earth with misfortune, she was outside devouring every single inch of it, look where she is right now. "Miss Kaylee, it's time for your make over." Kaylee sighed when she heard that from outside of the door. Is she really gonna get married to a man she doesn't know at all, may it be his face or personality?Despite her having a doubts of the decisions she has made, she still gets up and walk to the door to open it. She was then greeted by the smiling face of her make up artist and the rest