Let's Play Pretend

Caught Unaware

When you're standing on the stage in front of thousands of people cheering and rooting for you, you'll no longer notice the presence of those who despise your existence.

"Oh, ano na Karylle! Cheer up naman, sis! Tingnan mo ikaw, you always tell everyone to be positive, yet here you are... Melodramatic and melancholic as ever." Anne continued with her never ending rant habang naglalakad sila papasok ng Showtime stage, along with them is Vhong, Billy, Colleen, Jugs and Teddy, Kuya Kim, Ryan and of course... Vice.

Karylle sighed and leaned her to the side, it's been a long battle for her. Those two long years of going in and out of those therapy sessions had been hard. Lalo lang syang nahihirapan because her husband hasn't been cooperating. Ang hirap na, nakakapagod. "Anne, please naman. You know that mornings had been awful for me. Lalo na at nakikita ko si..."

"Of course magiging miserable ang buhay mo! Bakit mo pa kasi pinag-pipilitan na ayusin yang Marriage na yan! You should've just left him when you saw him with that slut, yah know. Dapat lang na mahiwalay ka na sa babaero na yun!" Anne held on to Karylle's wrist and pulled her closer. "Gago kasi sya. He really doesn't deserve you."

"Anne." Maiksi at nagmamadaling pagbigkas ni Karylle, a fair warning to her friend na kulang sa preno ang bunganga. "Please."

"Plsase my ass, K! Pwede ba, it sounds like you're defending that asshole." Iritang reklamo ni Anne. "If it wasn't for him... You and Vice should've been---"

"At bakit naririnig ko nanaman ang pangalan ko, ha ngangabu?" Vice interrupted them with a menacing grin. "Ang aga-aga eh pinag-chichismisan nyo nanaman ako."

"Hindi naman, Girl." Defensive na sagot ni Anne. Ang lakas naman ng pangrinig ng wakla na to. She thought to herself as she smiled at Vice. "Anyways, let's go na. Direk is waiting for us."

Tumango pareho si Karylle at Vice. Tahimik silang lumabas isa-isa from the backstage at muling sinalubong ang malakas na hiyaw ng madlang People.

As usual, they've done their routine perfectly. It began on their traba-hula na may napansin ng kakaiba ang executive writer na si Kate. Isang lalaki ang tahasang nagmamasid sa bawat galaw ni Karylle... Kung mas binigyan lang sana nya ito ng pansin... She would've avoided one of the biggest regret and mistake that she had made her whole life.

Because after that event, ang daming nangyari. Lahat sila... nagbago.

Screams of horror resounded inside the studio when they heard a hoarse cry from a man wearing all black.

"Mamatay ka na!"

A gun shot was aimed at Karylle, but Vice shielded her and it went straight to his head. He immediately fell on the floor, almost lifeless and pale. Anne and Mariel stood still and began to cry while the men of showtime ran and called for help.

Karylle kneeled instantly and reached for Vice who was shaking and bleeding heavily on the floor.

Everyone was screaming and panic surrounded the stage, soon enough the studio was vacated and only the staff and personels of showtime remained. Worried, stressed and silent as they pray. Paramedics and the ambulance came soon after.

"Vice! Please..." Karylle pleaded as she cradled the almost unconscious man in her arms. "...don't fucking die on me. Sasampalin talaga kita! Please, Vice!"

"Ka-Karylle." Vice managed to whisper... in a daze, almost lifeless. And then, everything went dark.

*****

Tan-tan-tan!
Prologue. Wahahaha. Sorry english to Mga sibs. Hirap kasi talaga ako magsulat pag tagalog. Buti natapos ko ang Money Honey ng hindi ako nababaliw. Wahahaha!!

Pero tagalog parin to syempre, trip ko lang na Taglish. Hehehe. Hindi naman sya conyo kaya Keri lang. Ehehehe.

Sana suportahan nyo ang hopia na storya na to.

At hindi ko ginusto na barilin si Vice ah. Imagination-Nation leng nemen. Wehehehe.