She's the Real Challenge

19: Caught

Ken fidgeted in her seat as she watched Tristan drive with a tense jaw. Papunta sila sa police station at hindi niya alam kung gaano kagalit ang kasama niya.

"I'm really sorry, Tristan." She took a deep breath. "I know that I sound like I'm just giving you lame excuses but you seem like a good person and I feel really bad about lying to you."

"It's fine, Ken," he said. Halatang tinatago nito ang disappointment pero rinig na rinig iyon ni Ken sa boses ng binata.

"It's not. I know, it's not. Ginamit ko ang paghanga mo kay Selene." She knew it was manipulative and she wasn't proud of it. Kahit pa maaaring si Tristan ang may pakana ng sabotage sa Zafiro Malls. "Hindi kita pipiliting patawarin ako pero pwede ba akong magpaliwanag? Just so you know that it's nothing personal."

"Nothing personal? Kendra, you played with my feelings," he said, shaking his head. "Sobrang excited ko no'ng pumayag ka sa date na halos hindi ako nakatulog for a week. I might be in lo—"

"Woah, teka lang!" Ken held up her hand to stop him. "Don't you dare say the L word. Imposible 'yan. You're infatuated at most and you only actually like me because I look like Selene. Ano bang nagustuhan mo kay Selene? She's a conceited fuckgirl who—"

"Hey! Stop slandering her, she's a goddess."

Ken rolled her eyes. Ngayon lang ulit siya nakapag-eye-roll sa isang bagay na walang kinalaman kay Sage. But she hated someone more than she hated Lily's fuckboy suitor—her fuckgirl, younger self. "Have you ever met Selene or nakita mo lang siya sa Instagram? Haven't you heard? Twenty-nine guys were linked to her in the two years that she was a bit popular. She officially dated eight, had a fling with twelve while the remaining nine were just rumors."

"Mali ka naman eh, she officially dated nine guys," Tristan said.

Tumaas ang isang kilay ni Ken. Mas alam niya pa?

"You probably don't know but she secretly dated Miko."

"Miko? 'Yong photographer?"

"Yup, magkakilala ba kayo?" Tristan replied. Ken could hear the tinge of jealousy in his voice.

Ken scoffed. "Ang kapal niya, ah? Never naman naging kami! Kung anu-anong pinagkakalat ng manyak na 'yon..."

She suddenly lurched forward as Tristan's Porsche Cayman came to an abrupt stop. Buti na lang at naka-seatbelt sila dahil kung hindi, malamang, sumubsob na siya sa windshield.

Agad siyang nilingon ni Tristan. "Never naging kayo?"

Shit. Napakagat ng labi si Ken.

"You're Selene."

"No..." Ken started though she knew it was pointless to deny it at this point.

"That wasn't a question. Ikaw si Selene!" He gasped. "Naka-date ko si Selene! Pwede bang magpa-picture?" Halatang-halata ang pagkasabik sa tono nito.

"Seriously? So hindi ka na galit?" Did she just meet her Number 1 Fan?

"I'm still disappointed and hurt, pero damn, ikaw si Selene! Matagal kitang pinangarap. What happened to you? Where have you been? Babalik ka ba sa pagiging model?" sunod-sunod na tanong ni Tristan.

Ken hated herself for carelessly revealing her identity but at least now, Tristan didn't seem as pissed as he was earlier. "Okay, first things first. I'm Ken now and Selene is an awful person. Wala akong balak bumalik sa gano'ng lifestyle. At kung ako sa 'yo, kakalimutan ko na rin si Selene. Your fixation with her is unhealthy."

Huminga siya nang malalim at nagpatuloy. "Moving on to more important stuff, my team broke into your office to get proof."

"Huh? Proof of what?" he asked, eyebrows furrowed.