Dancing with Fire

CHAPTER 1 - The Encounter

CHAPTER 1

"I would recall myself together with my fellow board constituents arguing about this proposal which is by that time, is still a sketchy diagram of lines and angles. Of course, do I know anything about such things?"

Lahat ng mga bisita sa kwarto ay rumesponde ng pagtawa sa sinabi nito. "This is somewhat a dream come true for all of us. With the help of our best architects, contractors and of course, our common builders who gave the most effort out of this project, we successfully made a wonderland of elegance with state-of-the-art amenities that will surely bring you what you've invested for. By this, we are keeping the legacy of providing first class standards of living in comfort and security. Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to present to you the newest venture of de Velez Real Estate and Land Development, I give you, El Cattaglia!"

Everyone in the room applauded when the curtains opened to show the miniature model of the newly introduced land property inside a 20-foot glass box.

"Huy." Bulong ni Audrina sa tenga ng kapatid.

"Te Audi." Pagpansin ni Sandra sa nakatatandang kapatid. "Kakarating niyo lang ni Kuya Stefan?" and touched her sister's baby bump.

"Oo, nagpacheck-up pa kasi ako sa OB ko. Oh..." Mahina niyang siniko ang dalaga. "Bakit abot-noo na naman ang nguso mo?"

"Sobra ka naman." Folding her arms.

"And to give his introductory speech, may I call on the team leader, Architect Trenton Armada! Help me give him a round of applause!"

Unang nakilala ni Alessandra si Trenton several years ago. High school pa lamang siya nang una niyang nakita ang binata sa kumpanya, she was still 14 at that time. Noong una ay abot-langit ang pagkagusto niya dito. Who wouldn't?

He looks like a supermodel lost in the construction work: standing at about 5'10 tall, with prominent blue eyes, aquiline nose, brushed up waves, strong jaws and a ruddy complexion, she guessed he's an Aussie.

One thing that attracted Sandra aside from his blessed physical features is his confidence and stand, which somehow became an annoyance to her as time progresses. Habang tumatagal ay nagkakaroon siya ng hatred sa binatang ito kaya she seemed to ignore him kahit nagkakasalubong na sila.

Every woman that passes by him didn't fail to be captivated by his undeniable charisma, kaya nga hindi na nakapagtataka kung lahat ng babae ay nakukuha nito.

"Hay nako," Habang tinitingnan ang binata na lumalakad papunta sa podium, "Andiyan na naman ang paborito niyang unico arkitekto." Taas-kilay na nasambit ni Sandra habang tinitingnan ang lumalakad na binata sa stage.

"Kaw ha," Akbay ni Audrina sa kapatid. "Nagseselos ka na naman."

"Di ako nagseselos noh. Ang issue ko lang is mas maganda pa ang pakikitungo ni Papa sa lalakeng yan like, hello! Andito kami ng mga anak mo!" Pagmamaktol nito.

"Ok lang yan, paborito naman kita eh." akbay ng kanyang ate sa kanya. "Huwag mong masyadong kamuhian si Trenton, diba nga sabi nila... The more you hate-"

"Ate please, don't start." she said bitterly.

Dumating si Stefan at tumabi sa kanila. Si Stefan ang asawa ng kanyang Ate Audrina. They've been married for almost three years. "Babe, Sandy." Bati niya sa dalawang babae. Hinalikan niya sa noo ang asawa at bumeso naman sa kapatid nito.

"Kuya." Sandra smiled at him.

Pumagitna siya sa mga ito at inakbayan ang dalawang dalaga. "May nakareserve na table for us. Let's go?"

It's all about the business and future.

Sandra never had any problem with money and luxury. Her father Leonardo is in real estate at ang kanyang ina ay simpleng maybahay at nagmamay-ari rin ng limang petshops sa buong siyudad. Her mother Carol loves pets, a trait that Sandra inherited from her. Kahit ganito ay nananatiling mapagkumbaba at humble ang kanilang pamilya. She is discreet when it comes to the standard of life she's living in.