Trese Anaya's Point Of View
My heart hammered in my chest as I watched the scene unfolding on the dance floor—no, make that center stage—where Yukio was hyping everyone up. Agad kong nakita si Praise. Praise is here? I didn't even know Yukio invited her. Nandoon sina Praise, Kasha, at isa pang babaeng hindi ko inaasahan—si Myrille, tropa ni Praise noong high school. Lahat ng tao ay nakatuon ang atensyon sa kanila, and I can clearly sense the tension all over the three ladies.
"Oh, spicy!" Yukio Jokingly shouted, he's so drunk and I can say it by how he moves. Nasa gitna siya ng grupo at parang host sa isang impromptu na gameshow. I joined the crowd because of what he was saying. Anong spicy?
"What's going on?" I asked Zak, who stood nearby, looking amused.
"Apparently," Zak leaned in to tell me, "Diego and Kasha's relationship is fake. It was all for business purposes, and she announced it to everyone. You missed quite the show, Tres."
My jaw nearly dropped. "Wait... what? That's—wow."
"And now, Praise is in this... kinda love triangle?" Zak explained with a shrug, his usual cool demeanor barely masking the amusement in his voice.
I froze. Wait... Kasha and Diego were fake all along? That meant all the times Kasha acted cold around Praise had an entirely different story behind it. My mind raced as I processed this new piece of information. Kasha and Myrille were both after Praise, and Yukio's drunken encouragement only escalated things.
"Oh, so you're really into Praise, Myrille?" Yukio teased, grinning ear to ear.
Myrille rolled her eyes. "Is that even a question? Lahat naman alam na yon."
"And ikaw, Kasha?" Yukio raised his eyebrows, his gaze shifting mischievously to her.
Tumigil ang mundo sandali nang hindi agad sumagot si Kasha, but then she gave a firm nod, her expression unreadable but intense. The crowd went wild. "Happy birthday talaga sa akin!" Yukio shouted. "Praise! This is unbelievable! Sa birthday ko pa talaga kayo mag-aaminan!"
Just then, Yukio spotted me and waved wildly. "Tres! Tamang-tama! Get that Jose Cuervo," he hollered, pointing at a bottle on the table behind me. "Unang susuka, Talo kay Praise!" he yelled, sending the crowd into fits of laughter and excitement. Agad niyang binuksan ang Cuervo at naglagay ng dalawang shot glass, tig-isa para kina Kasha at Myrille.
Nagulat ako nang makita kong walang pag-aatubili si Kasha. She poured herself a full shot, na tila siniseryoso ang laro. Maraming tao sa likod ko ang nagsisigawan, they are hyping the two ladies.
"Oh that's what you can do?" Myrille sarcastically said sabay abot ng Cuervo. "Hindi mo ba kilala ang seven spirits? Tubig lang namin 'yan sa tourism." She smirked arrogantly, then poured a mix of Cuervo and Alfonso into her glass. Wala pang segundong nauubos niya ito, walang chaser. Ano naman kayang lasa non?
Tumindi ang mga sigawan sa paligid namin. Ramdam na ramdam ko ang inis sa mukha ni Kasha, na halos gusto nang manuntok. Nakita ko si Praise na mukhang gusto nang matapos ang kalokohan. Eventually, Praise pulled Myrille aside, looking embarrassed but with that, we all knew what that meant she was done with all the crowd hyping and the two ladies.
"Hey... that—" Yukio tried to calm Praise. "Oh, don't be killjoy, Praise! Look at them! It just fun nothing so serious!" Tawa pa rin ito nang tawa habang nagmamadaling lumalayo si Praise dala si Myrille. And just like that, the party lie low.
The party slowly started to wind down, and I found myself left with Kasha as everyone else moved off.
"So... you and Diego, huh?" I ventured, breaking the silence.
BINABASA MO ANG
Your Lucky One
RomansTrese Anaya Monforte had always been known as "The Lucky One." The Monforte's were a household name in the business world, a family of legacy and privilege. Born into immense wealth, Trese never had to worry about anything. Her path in life was pave...
