Prologue
It's Friday night.
And it's Miguel's birthday. Lala's cousin.
Lala arrived a littler later.
She entered the establishment—the venue that Miguel mentioned.
A nightclub.
He invited her a week ago. At first, ayaw niyang pumunta dahil hindi party person si Lala, but since it's Miguel, she decided to go.
Miguel and Lala are close. Halos sabay na kase silang lumaki dalawa.
She walks towards the area of the VIP rooms.
Loud thumping music ringing in her ears. Strobe lights almost blinding her. And the air was thick with mixed scent of cigarettes, perfumes, and alcohol.
Wearing her little black dress, Lala starts searching for the VIP room her cousin booked.
She was searching for it. Glancing at the door number each room.
But the problem is that she forgot about the room number Miguel told her over the phone.
She stopped to get her phone inside her pouch.
Nang makuha na nito ang sariling phone ay tsaka ito sumubok na tumawag sa pinsang lalaki. Pero pagkatapos ng ilang beses na pag dial niya sa number nito ay wala itong sagot. His phone just kept on ringing.
"Uh! Miguel Saavedra. Answer the damn phone." Naiinis na bulong ni Lala.
She redials his number. Each ring, painit nang painit ang ulo ng babae. Sa huling ring at wala pa ring sagot ay tumigil na si Lala.
Sa pagkairita ay nakapag desisyon na itong umalis na lang at uminom sa bar counter—but she heard her name called by a guy.
"Lala!"
Nang lumingon si Lala ay nakita nito ang kaibigan ng pinsan niya—si Eisa.
Malaki ang ngiti nito sa labi. Kumakaway ito sa kan'ya habang naglalakad papunta kay Lala.
Lala sighed in relief and smiled.
"I didn't know na you'll come. Pero kanina ka pa ba dito?" tanong ni Eisa nang tuluyan ng makalapit sa kan'ya.
"Uh, hindi naman. Pero I've been calling Miguel several times pero hindi sumasagot." Bakas ang inis sa boses ni Lala nang mabanggit ang pangalan ng pinsan na si Miguel at ang hindi pagsagot nito sa mga tawag niya.
Eisa knows how impatient Lala is. Kaya tumawa ito.
"He also didn't know na makakapunta ka tonight. Pero tara! Hatid kita sa loob." Sabi ng lalaki. Tumango naman si Lala.
"Buti pala lumabas ako." Eisa says. Lala smiled.
"Yeah. Kung hindi ka lumabas, baka ako na ang lumabas dahil sa inis kay Miguel." Sagot ni Lala. Umirap pa ito at tumawa nang marinig ang pagtawa ni Eisa.
"Madami bang bisita?" Tanong ni Lala.
"Hmm." Eisa looked at her. Head cocked to side. Amusement evident in his eyes.
"Ikaw na humusga." He answers. Lala sighs.
Alam na agad 'yon ni Lala. She has a social butterfly cousin. Kaya hindi niya na dapat tinanong.
"We're here." Anunsyo ng lalaki.
"Welcome to the party of your beloved cousin, Miguel Saavedra." Eisa revealed the room as he opened the door right in front of them.
Sa pagbukas nila ng pintuan ay may sumalubong agad sa kanila na kaklase ni Miguel. They call him Quan.
Nag abot agad ito ng bote ng alak at baso sa kanila.
Lala quietly accepts the drink. She let the guy pour a champagne into the flute glass he gave her.
"Lala, right?" Bati pa nito. Tipid ang pag tango at pagngiti ni Lala dito.
"Thanks." Lala says.
Quan smiles widely at her and nodded. Lala can't help but judge him. Minus the side eye.
"You can wait here. I'll look for your cousin." Sabi naman ni Eisa.
Tumango si Lala.
Eisa left her with Quan.
Honestly, Lala's not close with Miguel's friends. Hindi marunong makipag socialize ang babae.
At isa pa, judgmental ito.
Kahit si Eisa, hindi niya fully trip. Pero dahil mabait ito sa kan'ya, pinapakitaan niya na lang din ito ng kabaitan.
Nang maiwan siya doon mag-isa ay nagsimulang umikot ang mata ng babae sa paligid para sa pwedeng puwesto o upuan.
Then she found an available seat and she immediately took it.
The she starts checking out the place.
The VIP room is big.
Some of the guests are drinking various of alcoholic drinks, some of them are playing through different machines installed in the room, and some of them are doing adulterated stuffs.
Lala sips on her champagne glass. She continues looking around.
The VIP room is big enough to accommodate half a hundred people. Halos katumbas na nito ang laki ng main area ng ilang pangkaraniwang nightclubs.
Lala was busy observing the other guests when she heard Miguel's voice.
Instantly, the annoyance she felt earlier vanished. Because after all, Miguel is very precious to her. She can't get mad at him.
He treated her like a younger sister. Minsan pa nga ay parang tatay niya na ito.
"My dearest Lala!" Rinig na rinig sa loob ang boses ni Miguel.
Napangiti si Lala doon. She misses him. Busy kase sila parehas sa college life nila.
Tumayo si Lala para batiin ang pinsan.
But her smile abruptly turns into a frown.
"What the hell is he doing here?" Bulong ni Lala sa sarili.
Uno walks with Miguel.
Lala can't help but stare.
His hair is shorter. A new haircut perhaps. He's wearing a black button down shirt, a black trousers, and his thick eyeglasses.
Lala rolled her eyes. Lalo pa nang makita niya ang ngisi sa labi nito.
She's surprised to see him there but he's seemingly not surprised to see her. Not at all.
Eisa was with them. At doon malamang nito nalaman na naroon siya sa party.
Habang si Lala, wala siyang idea.
She didn't even know that he's back.
Uno's back.
Unique Oliver Carreon—her mortal enemy.
