She's the Real Challenge

13: Stage Two

The last thing she remembered was taking a shot. May tinanong si Sage na sasagutin niya dapat pero hindi niya maalala kung ano iyon. All she knew was that she was still drunk, hungry, and that their eyes were locked and she couldn't look away. Kasi ayaw niyang matalo sa staring contest.

Sage held her gaze for a few more seconds before clearing his throat. Ken rubbed her eyes and immediately sat up. "Dalhin mo 'ko sa McDo." She didn't know how she ended up in the fuckboy's lap but that was a problem for another time. Food was more important.

"You aren't exactly in a position to make demands," Sage replied.

Ken narrowed her eyes at him and started cracking her knuckles. "Okay, I'll just need to release my frustrations about being hungry—"

Lumunok si Sage. "Pero dahil friends naman tayo, samahan na kitang kumain. Mr. Roger, daan po tayo sa McDo."

"Hindi tayo friends." She smirked. "You're just scared of me, aren't you?"

"Why would I be scared of a pretty girl?"

Napataas ng kilay si Ken. Was something wrong with her hearing? "Did you just call me—"

"Yeah, I called you witty," mabilis na sagot ni Sage. "Kumportable ka kasi sa pakikipagtalo sa 'kin. Hindi ba gano'n ang friends?"

Right, she misheard. He would never call her pretty. Pero bakit parang na-disappoint siya? "Whatever. Friends don't try to pull fuckboy moves on their friends' friends." Inirapan niya si Sage.

"Ilang beses ko bang kailangang sabihin na hindi ako fuckboy? I sincerely like Lily."

"Sure, you do."

"It's true!" sagot ni Sage kahit wala naman itong makukumbinsi dito. "Ito nga oh, nag-volunteer akong ihatid ka pauwi tapos papakainin pa kita kasi nanghingi ng favor si Lily."

That's when the realization hit her. She began to fidget. "Lily! Shit, nasa'n si Lily? Why isn't she with us? Nasa club pa rin ba siya? I swear, if anything happens to her, I will fucking skin you alive, you—"

"Kalma lang, Kendra." Sage gripped her shoulders. "Si Lily dapat ang maghahatid sa 'yo pauwi pero kailangan niyang puntahan 'yong Mom niya so she asked my to take you home."

Ken was relieved. She wouldn't be able to forgive herself if something bad happened to Lily. At lalong 'di niya mapapatawad ang fuckboy na 'to.

Huminto ang sasakyan sa tapat ng McDonald's at bumaba sina Ken at Sage. At 12am, walang pila kaya dire-diretso lang si Ken hanggang makarating siya sa counter.

"Hi, welcome to McDonald's," the cashier greeted her.

"Isa pong two-piece chicken with rice meal, cheeseburger, large twister fries, six-piece nuggets, at apple pie. Pa-upgrade na rin sa Coke float 'yong drink, thanks," she said with a smile.

Sage walked up next to her. "Miss, may secret menu ba kayo? Baka gusto pa nitong mag-order do'n."

The cashier giggled. "Ang cute n'yong mag-jowa."

"I have standards, 'di ko 'yan jowa," Ken said. "Pero siya po ang magbabayad."

"May standards din ako. At pambili ng sarili kong pagkain," Sage said as he pulled out his wallet. "Go sit with Mr. Roger. Ako na magdadala ng mga in-order mo."

"Thanks," Ken replied before heading to the nearby table where Sage's driver was.

The elderly man, who was probably Mr. Roger, stood up and pulled out a chair for her. "Kaya ko na po, nakakahiya naman, Sir," sabi ni Ken.

Nginitian siya ni Mr. Roger. "Hija, ikinatutuwa kong pagsilbihan ang taong espesyal kay Sage."

"Ay, hindi po ako 'yon." Awkward pero nginitian niya na lang din si Mr. Roger.

Ibinaba ni Sage sa table ang tray ng pagkain. He took a burger and a drink and placed it in front of Mr. Roger. "Quarter-pounder with cheese na walang tomatoes. Favorite n'yo po 'yan, 'di ba? And Coke zero para sa hyperglycemia." 

Ken didn't expect him to have such a close relationship with Mr. Roger but it does explain the driver's fondness for the guy. She was impressed. Slight lang.

Sage then turned to her. "And the rest is for this glutton."

"And you? 'Di ka ba kakain?" tanong ni Ken bago siya kumakagat sa cheeseburger.

Sage shook his head. "'Di ako gutom. Unlike you, I don't drink on an empty stomach."

"So you cheated!"

"No, I didn't. Wala namang agreement na bawal kumain bago uminom. Kasalanan ko bang hindi ka kumain? So how about you start telling me about Selene."

Ken groaned. He was right but she didn't want to talk about Selene. "After I eat," sagot niya kahit nag-iisip pa siya ng paraan para makatakas sa consequences ng pagkatalo niya.

* * *

Naubos ni Ken lahat ng in-order nito within twenty minutes. Sage was impressed, Ken must have an intense workout routine in order to stay fit if she ate this much on a regular basis. They were enroute to Aerist Tower when Sage decided that it was time to claim his prize. Mukhang mahirap nang maisingit iyon kung mapunta na si Ken sa third phase, ang Crying Ken.

"Siguro naman, sapat na 'yong kinain mo para magka-energy na ikwento sa 'kin 'yong tungkol kay Selene."

Hindi umimik si Ken. Tiningnan niya ang dalaga at nakitang tulog na naman ito. He sighed but didn't risk waking her up. Siguradong siya ang malulugi 'pag masama ang gising ng babaeng 'to. Besides, he felt a certain kind of peace watching her sleep so serenely. Her steady breathing mesmerized him. Gantio kaya 'yong naisip no'ng prinsipeng humalik kay Sleeping Beauty?

He was pulled back into reality as the vehicle came to a full stop. Why the fuck am I being creepy for this girl? He ran his hand through his hair. 

"Nasa Aerist Tower na tayo, Sage," sabi ni Mr. Roger.

"Ken, gising na," he said. Tinapik niya ito sa balikat pero hindi ito nagising. Sage sighed. Ayaw niya namang paghintayin pa si Mr. Roger hanggang magising si Ken dahil based on experience, napakahirap gisingin ng dalaga. So instead, he just carried her into the luxury condo, bridal style.

Everyone from the doorman to the receptionist greeted him but he saw the shock in their expressions. Sage was aware that the staff knew about his "No Girls Rule" for his Aerist Tower penthouse. Or maybe they recognized Ken and like three other people from earlier that night, assumed that they were dating. He groaned inwardly, basta may assuming, may kakalat na tsismis.

Binilisan niya na lang ang paglalakad at sinwerte siyang wala siyang nakasabay sa elevator. He stopped in front of unit 27G. "Ken, we're here at your place," he said, without looking at her. It was unlikely that she'd wake up but another attempt wouldn't hurt.

"I know." 

Nagulat siyang sumagot ito. He quickly looked at her and for the second time that night, meeting her eyes made him temporarily speechless.