She's the Real Challenge

29: Date with an Heiress

Sage was sitting across a petite yet strikingly attractive girl while having dinner at a Michelin-starred restaurant in a five star hotel. The heiress of Eresse Enterprises was a mestiza of Spanish descent. Not a hair was out of place in her long, naturally wavy, light brown hair.

But Sage realized that he preferred someone else's short, shiny, jet black hair. Daniela's light brown eyes were focused on Sage yet he seemed to miss those narrow eyes with almost black irises that rolled at almost everything he had to say.

"Sage? You spaced out, okay ka lang?" Nahimasmasan siya nang marinig ang boses ng kanyang ka-date. He internally scolded himself for being insensitive and looked up to see her concerned expression.

"Sorry, I just lack sleep." Ngumiti siya at hiniling na sapat na ang dimples niya para bumawi sa kawalan niya ng atensyon kay Daniela. "You were telling me about Barcelona, right?"

Her face brightened up and Sage was relieved. Tuloy-tuloy na ang pagkukwento ng dalaga at ang dami nitong kwento. Mula sa finance degree nito hanggang sa aso nitong Shih Tzu, naikuwento ng dalaga kay Sage. He was listening but he knew that like most of the high profile girls he used to date, stuff about her can easily be found online.

Naalala niyang ganito rin si Lily. Sage knew that Lily had a degree in international studies and business management. He also knew that she was an only child, went backpacking in Thailand last year, has a cat and regularly donates to charitable organizations. Alam niya lang lahat ng 'yon dahil sa online articles tungkol kay Lily.

He used to be indifferent about getting to know people through their Wiki article or their magazine feature but now, it kind of bothered him. Wouldn't it be much nicer to have known them while they comfortably chatted under the stars? 

Ito na 'yong chance niya para makilala si Daniela sa gano'ng paraan pero iba ang laman ng isip niya ngayon. Napailing siya nang maalala na naman ang sa eksena sa terrace ng penthouse niya noong nakaraang linggo. He should really stop thinking about that.

He then realized that his date was looking at him with her eyebrows furrowed. "Sure ka bang okay ka lang?" she asked.

"Yeah, sorry ulit. Am I ruining our date? Please allow me to make it up to you," Sage replied with an unsure smile.

Daniela smiled back. "Kanina pa ako nagkukwento tungkol sa sarili ko. Sana ikaw naman, gusto ko rin kasing makilala ka."

Sage looked at her and noticed how her eyes showed great interest in whatever he had to say. He can't help but think about how easy it would have been for him to get ahead with his grandfather's challenge if he had approached Daniela instead of Lily yet he can't deny that his life had been a lot more interesting during the last few weeks—he got to judge a pageant, got a black eye, almost drowned, discovered the whereabouts of an ex-model, and been auctioned as payback for a favor. Pero napansin niya ring hindi niya na gaanong naiisip si Yumi. That made him uneasy. Marami naman na siyang naging girlfriend dati at matagal nang yumao ang first love niya. They didn't even officially date but why did he feel like he was cheating on her?

He used to have a hedonistic lifestyle. Araw-araw nasa party at linggo-linggong nagpapalit ng girlfriend. Buong akala niya ay mami-miss niya ang gano'ng pamumuhay pero simula nang ligawan niya si Lily, iba na ang nagbibigay ng excitement sa kanya.

Sage blinked twice when he realized that he was spacing out again. He noticed Daniela looking intently at him, eagerly anticipating whatever he was about to say. He cleared his throat and talked. "I don't know where to start, may gusto ka bang itanong?"

"Hmm," she started. "How's life? Anong pinagkakaabalahan mo?"

Gusto mang magkuwento ni Sage tungkol sa babaeng kumukontra ng bawat galaw niya na nagiging source of excitement sa buhay niya ngayon, that seemed inappropriate so he gave a general answer instead. "Okay naman, I don't really need to work so I've been living the chill life since last year when I returned after getting my LL.B. in the UK."