One Damn Shot of a Lifetime [COMPLETED]

Chapter 20: Sundered from My Lady in Red

The bloody day Came and I'm here in my room with two makeup artist. The other one is doing my makeup and the other one was doing my hair. My face feels so heavy with all these makeup, can't I just go barefaced?

"Ohh my baby looks so gorgeous." na iiyak na sabi ni mama habang tinitignan ako. She's been so supportive for her daughters first Ball. She even took the most high rated make up artists and picked out my gown from famous gown designers.

They even sprayed my hair with black dye and made me wear brown contact lenses because they said that it would match the red gown perfectly. After everything is done, I saw mom crying.

"Mom why are you crying?" I asked her.

"Oh, I'm just so happy to see my little girl all grown up" yayakapin sana ako ni mom kaso pinigilan siya nung isang makeup artist.

"Not so fast, no smudging my master piece." sabi niya at tumawa sila ni mom.

"oh yes of course. Now go, Asher is waiting for you in the car." sabi ni mom habang pinupunasan niya ang nga luha niya. Nakita ko si Dad na nakatayo sa may pinto ng room and he was smiling widely.

"you look very pretty just like your mom" komento niya and I just smiled. Dad offered his arm at tinanggap ko iyon, he guided me down the stairs and I saw Asher waiting for me at the door. He's wearing an all white tuxedo with a red rose in the chest pocket. Ipinasa ako ni dad papunta kang Asher and we walked to the car and he opened the door to the passenger seat for me.

"You look gorgeous Cath." Asher said at inilagay niya sa aking kamay ang isang corsage with five red rose on it.

"Ang sweet mo ata ngayon" pang aasar ko.

"Hey, I know na palagi kitang inaaway but that's just normal for siblings right? And now you're all grown up at hindi ko na alam kung ano na ang tumatakbo sa isip mo. Who knows baka may plano ka na mag boyfriend soon, but whatever that may come, I just want you to know that I'll always be your big brother and I love you." he said.

Maiiyak na ata ako sa sinabi niya. I was holding back tears when I looked at him. I'm so lucky to have a brother like him. We hugged for a few seconds.

"Alright enough drama. Ma le-late na tayo." tumango lang ako at pina andar na niya ang sasakyan.

Pag dating namin sa school bumungad agad sa amin ang mga photographers, flashes of the camera were everywhere. Lumabas si Asher at pinag buksan ako ng pinto. Everyone gasped when they saw me, agad ako dinumog ng mga photographer, jeez! Ano ba ito? Red carpet? Bakit napaka rami ng mga paparazzi.

"Hey excuse us, dadaan kami." hinahawi naman sila ni Asher para maka daan kami. Nag lakad kami papunta sa Gym at sa labas palang nakikita ko na ang engrandeng dekorasyon. Nakita ko ang mga tao in their tuxedos and gowns, lahat sila ay naka nga-nga sa amin na parang may artista na dumaan sa harapan nila. Sa entrance ng Gym ay agad na bubungan sayo ang isa pang photographer. Kaylangan ninyo mag picture ng kasama mo bago ka maka pasok. Asher offered his arm at ipinaton ko ang aking kamay doon, nag smile lang kami sa camera.

"Perfect! Would you two mind if we use your photo for the front page of our report about this grand event?" alok ng photographer.

"It would be our pleasure"  Naka ngisi na sagot ni Asher at nag lakad na kami patungo sa isang table. Malayo palang ay nakikita ko na ang tatlong magagandang lalaki na naka titig sa amin.

"What?" I asked them nung naka upo na ako at naka titig pa din sila sakin.

"You're so freaking pretty!" Sabi ni Zane na mukhang mangha na mangha. I just rolled my eyes at ininom ang wine na nasa lamesa. Nag simula na ang program at maraming nag sasayawan sa dance floor. Nanatili lang ako sa upuan ko habang si Asher, Zane, at Cayden ay busy sa pakikipag sayawan sa mga babae sa dance floor. Maya maya lang ay may biglang lumapit sa'kin. Yung bata na nag bigay sa'kin nang tatlong rosas.

"Uhmm, hi ate Cath. Sorry hindi ko na introduce properly ang sarili ko dati. I was just shy. Ako nga pala si Nathan Madrid, and my I have this dance?" iniabot niya ang kamay niya sakin. Halata pa din sa mukha niya na nahihiya pa siya. Ayaw ko naman na buong ball naka upo lang ako dito kaya tinanggap ko ang imbitasyon niya. Naiwan si Axel mag isa sa table nang mag lakad na kami papunta sa dance floor, ang sama nang tingin niya kang Nathan.

Nasa dance floor na kami at humarap siya sakin, he lifted my hands to his neck and placed his hands on my waist. He's so tall for a sophomore. We were just dancing with the slow music nang bigla siya mag salita.

"I'm glad na pumayag ka na makipag sayaw sa akin. I thought you would reject me because you were with your boyfriend" sabi niya.

"He's not my boyfriend, at bakit ba ako ang napili mo isayaw? Maraming babae diyan na gusto makipag sayaw sayo." I countered.

"Well this is my first dance, at gusto ko sana ibigay iyon sa pinaka maganda na babae sa aking mga mata, at matagal na kitang crush ang cool mo kasi." he said with a smile.

"You shouldn't get too comfortable with me kid, I'm not that great as you think." kung alam mo lang ang totoong ugali ko bata sigurado ako na babawiin mo lahat ng sinabi mo na 'yan.

"But you are! Ikaw lang ang may kakayahan sa buong school na sagot sagutin at patiklupin ang Lima, even I'm afraid of them, and what you did to Stacey's group at the detention room was so awesome." napa isip ako sa sinabi niya, ako lang ba talaga ang may lakas nang loob na patulan ang lima na iyon? At nandoon pala siya sa detention room nang ginawa ko 'yon?

"I do very bad things, and I do them very well." walang emosyon kong sabi.

"hindi ka ba natatakot? Alam mo naman ang mga estudyante dito na maraming kapit at mostly sa kanila ay hindi ka-aya aya. Baka may mga masasamang loob diyan na uutusan nila para gantihan ka."

"I fear no evil, the shadow is mine and so is the valley."

Mag sasalita pa sana siya kaso may humila sa'kin mula sa mga kapit niya.

"Sorry kid, it's my turn to dance with the lady in red." sabi ng humila sakin. Naka tingin lang si Nathan as I was slowly being drifted away, hindi na siya pumalag nang makita kung sino ang humila sakin. Poor kid, his first dance is ruined by this disgustingly gorgeous jerk.

"What's wrong with you? you just ruined the first dance of that poor sophomore" I said and he just looked at me.

"I don't look behind the situation Cath, if I want to dance with you then I will do as I please kahit ilang first dance pa ang sisirain ko." he said with no hesitation.

"You truly are a big time jerk" I said.

"Well of course, If I'm not then I won't be able to dance with you." he said wearing his fanatic smirk. I just rolled my eyes at him. Inamin niya din na jerk siya but with a whole crazy reason. Ibinaling ko ang paningin ko sa ibang dereksyon at nakita ko si Zane na kasayaw ang isang cheer leader na napaka sexy ng gown.

"Red suits you" biglang sabi ng sumasayaw sakin. Is he complementing me?

"Is that your way of saying that I'm pretty?" pang aasar ko.

"Aside from that. Red is a symbol of fire and power, and you wear the smell of blood and riot like perfume." he said looking intently straight into my eyes.

Before I could even say anything, may malaking pag-sabog na yumanig sa buong lugar, napaupo ako sa sahig covering my head. After the explosion, a black smoke started to cover the place, wala akong makita kundi itim lang na usok. May bigla humila sa'kin na hindi ko kilala, naka all black siya na tuxedo at nakikita ko na hinihila niya ako palabas ng Gym.

"HEEEELP!" I screamed at agad niya tinakpan ng panyo na may kakaibang amoy ang ilong at bibig ko.

"CATHERINE!!" Dahan dahan na pumipikit ang mga mata ko. The last thing I saw was..
.
.
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Zane running towards me,

And then darkness.