Beauty and The Geek

Prologue

"Happy birthday, Grasha!"

"Thank you, friends!"

Grace Sasha Asuncion Benitez screamed in delight as her friends greeted her in the private lounge they got for the night at one of the most exclusive clubs at The Fort. She was wearing a black electric pleated skirt that fell just below the knee, a silver spaghetti strapped v-neck silk camisole, and a pair of sky high black stiletto pumps. Her hair was parted in the middle and hung in loose waves down her back and over her shoulders. Her make up was heavier than usual, her lips painted red for her special night out. She had just had dinner with her parents Ashton and Stephanie before heading out for a birthday celebration with her friends.

"Grasha, sure ka bang 27 ka na? Mas bumabata at gumaganda ka ata," her best friend Rona asked her jokingly. Wala naman talaga sa itsura nya ang edad nya. She had great genes, thanks to her ever young looking mom and dad.

"Sige na nga, birthday ko naman, kaya sige, even though matagal ko ng alam na maganda ako, I won't stop you from heaping praises on me today ," natatawang sagot ni Grace sa kanyang kaibigan.

"Wait, let's toast!" Rona handed the expensive bottle of champagne to her boyfriend Philip para buksan ito. Philip then poured champagne into the seven glass flutes on the table. "To Grace Sasha, on her 27th birthday! May you have a beautiful year ahead full of beautiful moments with beautiful friends and a beautiful man!"

"Hear hear!" sang ayon ni Grace sa toast ng kanyang best friend at ininom ang champagne galing sa kanyang baso. Hindi naman sa uhaw sya sa lovelife; she was beautiful and charming and never lacked the attention of members of the opposite sex. Maybe it was because she was getting older so she the thought of settling down with 'the one' sounded less frightening and more appealing.

She and her friends had a couple of vodka shots before she pulled Rona's hand at bumaba sila ng lounge para pumunta ng dance floor. She was sashaying to the middle of the dance floor, her hand holding Rona's up in the air as they made their way to the center. She was smiling and dancing as she walked when she made eye contact with the most handsome man she had ever seen in her life. He was sitting on a bar stool, drinking a whiskey on the rocks, facing the dance floor. He held her gaze and raised his glass up to her before taking a sip of his drink, all the while never dropping his staring contest with her.

Biglang nag init ang pisngi ni Grace. Was she blushing? She never blushed. She shook her head a bit and found that the handsome man was still looking in her direction. She turned to Rona and whispered into her best friend's ear that she was going up to the bar to which Rona just nodded her head and turned to look for her boyfriend. Grace walked confidently up to the bar, and even though it was crowded, she had no trouble finding her way to the front, the men in line easily making a path for her. She stood right next to where her Mr. Handsome sat and she leaned on the bar, facing him.

"So...are you just gonna stare at me all night or are you going to buy me a drink?" she sassily said to him.

"Buy you a drink?" Mr. Handsome smirked at her.

"I mean...it's the least you can do. Hindi libre ang tumitig sa akin."

Mr. Handsome raised an eyebrow up at her and ordered the bartender to give him two whiskey on the rocks. "I hope you like whiskey."

"Pwede na," she bit her bottom lip as she looked at him.

"Keep staring and I may just ask you to buy me a drink," he chuckled.

"Grace," she stuck her hand out at him and introduced herself.

"Oh, I know who you are, Grace," he raised an eyebrow up at her and handed her one of the drinks that the bartender placed in front of him.

"You know who I am?"

"Oh yes I do," he stood up from his seat and loomed over her. Kahit naka high heels na si Grace ay mas matangkad pa rin talaga ang gwapong binatang nasa harap nya. He leaned close to her and stared deeply into her eyes. "By the way, happy birthday."

He smirked at her once more and sauntered away from her. Napanganga na lang tuloy si Grace sa mga nangyari. How did that man know her? She was sure she had never seen him before in her entire life. Hindi nya makakalimutan ang isang mukhang ganun kagwapo. She drank her whiskey in one gulp and slammed the glass on the bar top. She had to figure out who that mysterious handsome man was, but for the rest of the night, hindi nya na ito nakita ulit.